New career possibilities - computers maybe

[Moirae]

I'm debating on starting a program to learn coding to get into the MMO business. I'm really sick to death of what I'm doing and I want to do something I'll actually enjoy. It would be so much better than answering phone for a living.

Now there's alot of places that claim to teach you how to do animation in 18 months.

I was wondering how useful the schooling for this 18 months actually is in getting a job in the industry. Its an awful lot of money to spend for this schooling so I want to know that I have at least a fair chance of getting a job in it before I actually apply.

Or would it just be better to go for a four year college degree?

What I was thinking is that if the 18 month thing can get me into the business, I can then do upgrading while I'm actually working in the career field I enjoy.

Probably animating. Graphics. That sort of thing. If its possible to get a job after graduation. I think the actual programming might be beyond my math skills which were never good even in high school. But I love art, especially things like graphics and sound. I LOVE games. If I'm home, I'm playing on my computer, or my smartphone. Even if the tv is on. I would LOVE to learn how its done. How they create this stuff. It would be a dream come true to work for Bioware.

When I was growing up, I played the flute, and know a bit of piano and guitar (taught myself those two), I figure skated, did ballet, jazz and tap. I used to do alot of drawing, some painting and even did alot of creating models (mostly of dinosaurs) and things. I loved it, but I always thought I could never make use of it so I've basically stopped doing it all. I wish I could still skate, or at least dance (been dying to learn Irish dance for years) but I was in a car accident in 2004 that broke the bones in my leg so many times that bouncing on it means I could break it easily and its held together with a rod and plate.

So since I can't do the dance anymore, I want do at least do some of the other stuff I used to love so much. I got into internet graphics when playing games a while back. Its alot of fun, but I don't know the programs well enough to create from scratch, and I'd love to learn how.

This place is driving me out of the business I used to love. I want to do something different.

[Mytical]

I know this september I am beginning to take graphics and animation through the college I am attending. Careful of the 'fly by night' places that offer you the moon...sometimes all you get is the cheese.

[trailerparkmedic]

Beware for profit colleges. Most of them charge you a zillion dollars and it's difficult at best to find a job with a degree from them. Yes, that includes the Art Institute, despite that commercial with that guy who works on video games.

Something that would be easier to break into than games and wouldn't mean you have to move to one of a few cities is just plain old graphic design. You'd still have some crazy customers but it's a decent living.

[Seshat]

Contact Bioware. Contact Bethesda. Obsidian. Anyone you can think of. Contact the smaller companies as well.

Heck, even contact single-person 'firms' like Spiderweb Software (http://www.spiderwebsoftware.com/). Jeff Vogel may write his games himself, but he buys most of his graphics and keeps track of who's worth the price. Worst case, he can forward you to them and they can recommend ways to learn.

Contact their recruiters, also contact their graphics & animation folk, or even go to their forums and ask in the forums.

Basically, ask what it takes to get into the graphics & animation side of the industry. You may find the answers already in their forums. If not, that's a great place to ask. Some of them have 'ask the developers' sections on their website: that's the absolutely perfect place to ask.


Edit to add: In the meantime, get hold of free software like Inkscape, the Gimp, and Blender, and study the tutorials that teach you how to use them. You'll learn the principles of (respectively) vector graphics, raster graphics, and 3D modelling & animation.

Of the three, do Blender last. Learning it has been described as trying to fly an airplane while yodelling Shakespeare. (Once you know it, it's apparently fantastic at what it does.)

[Moirae]

lol. "Learning it has been described as trying to fly an airplane while yodelling Shakespeare. ". Love that.

Thanks for the suggestions Seshat.

[tropicsgoddess]

Check their accreditations to make sure they're legit and what kind of financial aid options they have for you (depending on your financial situation). Be wary of the for profit schools and the experience credits.

[Seshat]

lol. "Learning it has been described as trying to fly an airplane while yodelling Shakespeare. ". Love that.

Thanks for the suggestions Seshat.

Hey, I'm currently learning Blender. I can do some basic Blender things - including following a friend's instructions for animating a pre-constructed model for Second Life avatars - but I want to be able to properly use Blender and understand it.

So ...

[darkcrimsongoth]

I just finished my degree in animation.

It's basically more of who you know to get into the industry. Right now there's nothing really here for m, as everyone wants marketing or graphic design people, not animation.

Plus pick what you want to do in animation.
3d modelling, rigging, animating, texturing, UV wrapping, lighting, skinning etc etc.

You mostly want to stick with one thing and work on that. ^^
And learn Maya/3DS Max/Cinema 4D. They're the main programs the industry uses I believe.

I want to do concept art as I discovered that I'm not good at actual animation, but better at storyboards/designing things.

Pm me if you want to talk some more! ^^

[Moirae]

I'm not sure if this would mean anything but I have an Office Administration Associates Degree (in Canada, its called a Diploma. Its taken for two years. ). Yes, its for Administrative Assistant, but the training includes marketing, project management, bookkeeping and accounting, meeting and conference planning and desktop publishing.

I'm sure that probably means very little given that its a different country and not in depth, but I do have it.