Help me succeed! I want to study 3D-graphics :)

    I have never in my life gotten to a point where I feel I'm sure what I want to work with until now. There's this 2 year 3D graphics education (with focus on games) here in Sweden that I want to take. There is however around 400 people sending in applications for every term. And only about 25 of them gets accepted. I called them to ask what they look for and what I can do to increase my chances to get accepted and they told me:

    • Start working on a portfolio
    • Basic/Intermediate knowledge in Unreal Engine/Editor, Unity, Maya, ZBrush and drawing skills is meritable
    • Video application instead of tons of text to read

    There's probably a line for both knowing too little and knowing too much.

    I have no clue how I should design, what I should include or how I even make a portfolio. I don't really understand what they're looking for when it comes to Unreal Engine/Editor. Do they want to see an environment I've created in it? Same with Unity. I have a tiny bit above average drawing skills. But if you think about it, that's not much. Most people draw as rakes.

    I'd greatly appreciate any tips/pointers/suggestions you guys have. If you know any tutorial for something above that's great.

    At the same time working on all of this above, I have to study up my high-school grades. Starting in january. I wasn't really attending to school back then. Ugh... such a pain. But I'm feeling very motivated right now. There is a slight chance I could get accepted for the term that starts in September 2016. But the deadline for applications for it is in April. And my high school grades isn't done yet at that time. But they've told me they've done exceptions before. I guess this is mostly why I ask for help. It's more likely I'll get accepted in 2017. But damn, I don't want to wait that long...

    Before i start talking, i just want to inform you that i'm not working / studying in 3D-graphics, i might say false stuff but i'll do my best.

    I guess most of the stuff is a bit like a job application : They don't necessarily specifically want you to know all of these softwares, they want to make sure...

    • that you can start studying by your own
    • that you're already into this, that you really want to work on this
    • that you are talented
    • that you already know some basics about 3D graphics (1 game SDK and 1 modeling software)

    Unreal Engine is the standard game engine in the industry, it will most likely be the one you'll have to learn using in school. So, if you already know some stuff on it, good for them they can go deeper and make their school more prestigious. Or maybe it just means they want you to know 1 SDK software and they just picked one quite randomly.

    The big difference there is between school and a real job application, is that at school you'll really have to work on all of this i guess (at least in the beginning). You'll have to work on 2D, 3D, painting, general art stuff, game design, level design ... (probably). So it's better if you show them that you want to learn stuff in multiple stuff and that you don't just want to do level design, 2D art or anything.

    I find it a bit weird that they ask you to make a video application/portfolio, because in 3D people make accessible portfolios most of the time, with mostly pictures that can say a lot about the skills of the applicant. I find the idea of "Video application" a bit old, it just makes me think about the Barney Stinson cv video ^^' But if you really want to do this, you should probably start thinking about what you want to show, in what order and learn the basics of a video montage software (such as Sony Vegas for example).


    45 accepted for 400 applications seems hard but it's doable. I've heard that many people in these schools were thinking "ok, i love playing video games, then i should love making them, right ?". Which is obviously wrong, unrelated to the real work of making video games. These people just don't know anything about making video games before starting school, and that's understandable, since you're supposed to learn working on this at school. I don't know how many there are but i'm sure that if you already know some stuff and show them what you do the best, you can increase your chances by 10.

    And since i'm a great mathematician :

    400 / 10 = 40 < 45

    Look, you're already in ! :cool: wait what ? :P

    Good luck !

    Thank you for your reply.

    What I'm thinking about the video presentation is that I should have some footage from scenes I've created with sounds to get the full atmospheric effect :) Like a little showreel to show my dedication in a artistic and creative way. I'm feeling pretty confident about this in Hammer. But the other tools will be a challenge.

    You have good luck! In my country, Spain since last year have been created in vocational studies of video games. I am studying programming and networks. Currently I am planning to leave my studies networks to happen to the degree of video games.
    I'm afraid of how they will react like my parents.

    I've been accepted into the preparation course of FutureGames! :) Starting already in a month! It's 3 weeks long and the main purpose for the course is to increase my chances of getting accepted into the main education course of 3D-graphics this autumn! Super excited!

    I don't really think anyone cares, but if someone wonder where I've been the latest weeks/months, I've been studying, hehe :)

    I've had some troubles deciding whether I should apply for the 3D-graphics course or the Game design course. At first I decided I should go for 3D-graphics, but after talking to teachers and other students at Futuregames, I've decided that Game design is for me :)

    Right now I'm learning Unreal Engine and I'm gonna start with making a CTF map for Unreal Tournament.

    If I get accepted into the main education course this autumn, I'm gonna have the all mighty @Hourences as teacher :D

    I'm gonna do my best!

    I'm sorry that this is kind of turning into a blog, but maybe it can inspire some people. And if you have any tips/suggestions, they're always welcome :)

    I got in :D

    So in september I'll start my game design education (not 3D-graphics) for 2 years :D Worked so hard for this and I'm really happy!

    Glad you got in! I'm working on doing the same thing, and also signed up for a 3d design course. Keep mapping in the Unreal Engine, the more you make the better you will become :)

    Sorry for resurrecting an old thread, but I think it makes sense.

    I just want to inspire others with that the world is full of possibilities and if you fight and work hard for something, you can make dreams come true.

    I know that I am in a superior position when it comes to welfare and student loans and stuff by just living in Sweden, but keep fighting everyone. If I can make it, I believe that you can too.

    I just signed the agreement of an internship position as a level designer at DICE here in Sweden :) Starting in January 2018 :D

    Well done, I've been trying to get my foot in the door for a long time and it's very difficult. I used to know someone who worked at DICE on BF3, he works at Bungie now. DICE is a great company, and if it is your first that is a great sign of things to come.

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