• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 12:16
CEST 18:16
KST 01:16
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
Maestros of the Game: Week 1/Play-in Preview9[ASL20] Ro24 Preview Pt2: Take-Off7[ASL20] Ro24 Preview Pt1: Runway132v2 & SC: Evo Complete: Weekend Double Feature4Team Liquid Map Contest #21 - Presented by Monster Energy12
Community News
LiuLi Cup - September 2025 Tournaments2Weekly Cups (August 25-31): Clem's Last Straw?35Weekly Cups (Aug 18-24): herO dethrones MaxPax6Maestros of The Game—$20k event w/ live finals in Paris46Weekly Cups (Aug 11-17): MaxPax triples again!15
StarCraft 2
General
Weekly Cups (August 25-31): Clem's Last Straw? Team Liquid Map Contest #21 - Presented by Monster Energy Heaven's Balance Suggestions (roast me) Geoff 'iNcontroL' Robinson has passed away Speculation of future Wardii series
Tourneys
RSL: Revival, a new crowdfunded tournament series LiuLi Cup - September 2025 Tournaments Sea Duckling Open (Global, Bronze-Diamond) Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament Maestros of The Game—$20k event w/ live finals in Paris
Strategy
Custom Maps
External Content
Mutation # 489 Bannable Offense Mutation # 488 What Goes Around Mutation # 487 Think Fast Mutation # 486 Watch the Skies
Brood War
General
BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ BW General Discussion BSL Polish World Championship 2025 20-21 September ASL20 General Discussion Simple editing of Brood War save files? (.mlx)
Tourneys
Is there English video for group selection for ASL Small VOD Thread 2.0 [Megathread] Daily Proleagues [ASL20] Ro24 Group F
Strategy
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Muta micro map competition Fighting Spirit mining rates [G] Mineral Boosting
Other Games
General Games
General RTS Discussion Thread Path of Exile Nintendo Switch Thread Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne
Dota 2
Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Heroes of StarCraft mini-set
TL Mafia
TL Mafia Community Thread Vanilla Mini Mafia
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread Russo-Ukrainian War Thread Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine Canadian Politics Mega-thread YouTube Thread
Fan Clubs
The Happy Fan Club!
Media & Entertainment
Anime Discussion Thread Movie Discussion! [Manga] One Piece [\m/] Heavy Metal Thread
Sports
2024 - 2026 Football Thread Formula 1 Discussion TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread High temperatures on bridge(s) Gtx660 graphics card replacement
TL Community
The Automated Ban List TeamLiquid Team Shirt On Sale
Blogs
A very expensive lesson on ma…
Garnet
hello world
radishsoup
Lemme tell you a thing o…
JoinTheRain
How Culture and Conflict Imp…
TrAiDoS
RTS Design in Hypercoven
a11
Evil Gacha Games and the…
ffswowsucks
INDEPENDIENTE LA CTM
XenOsky
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 732 users

From Gamer to Game Maker - a journey begins.

Blogs > Dee-Kej
Post a Reply
1 2 Next All
Dee-Kej
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
Sweden191 Posts
July 14 2011 19:35 GMT
#1
Ooooh boy. It's that day of the year now in Sweden. Most college/university applicants receive notice of where they get accepted this fall, and I'm one of them. Two minutes before work starts, I log on through my phone and check the status of my application - it had changed from 10 minutes earlier (lol).

I got accepted.

Fuck yeah.


Computer Game Development.


It... it just feels so GOOD to be able to say it. I'm going to study how to make awesome games. Well, ok, it won't be that easy, and the competition will be fierce, but I have the passion, will power and experience (in college) to make it this time, and I will do my best to get straight A's.

Though there's this oooone teeny tiny little thing that will hinder (not prevent) my success.

My programming skills are... how should I put it... nonexistent? (except for some Matlab and ActionScript 3.0 stuff)

Some of you will laugh at this, some of you will feel sorry for me, but I don't mind. I am focusing on the design part, and will be spending most of my awake time just doing whatever the courses throw at me. This time there's no family at home, no gf, and no best friends joining class. I'm free. This time it will be me and my computer (and classmates) pushing our limits to the max, 24/7.


So... My gaming life started with such games like Commander Keen, Whiplash, Pandemonium and Descent 2, all some 15 years ago. Now, I'm (soon) 21, and I will try my best to open up my mind and pour out all ideas I have to make wonderful games that people will love. My plans will, if realized, mark human history. Though that won't happen for at least a decade or so, of course.



So. TL. Maybe the next *insert famous successful name in gaming* is typing to you right now. My full name might be harder to spell though. We'll see. I'll try to keep record of my progress - starting with some minor programming, and an update whenever I have a date of when my first class will start! First though, three weeks left with physical labor at work!

***
Going progame(make)r!!
edc
Profile Blog Joined May 2011
United States666 Posts
July 14 2011 19:39 GMT
#2
Congratulations! It must be so cool to create games. What genre do you wish to specify in? I don't know if RTS would be a good option, as nothing is or can be better than SC2, unless you want to work for Blizzard, which would be nice. I think you should make an FPS or RPG. Good luck with your career!
“There are two kinds of people in this world, those with loaded guns, and those who dig. You dig.” - Clint Eastwood
Dee-Kej
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
Sweden191 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-07-14 19:47:51
July 14 2011 19:47 GMT
#3
Between RTS, FPS and RPG, definitely the latter. Epic adventures is something I love in games, and RTS would just be too hard, I'll leave that to Blizz.
Though whatever genre it will be, I'll hopefully be able to bring some really interesting things to life someday! And thank you!
Going progame(make)r!!
Razith
Profile Joined February 2011
Canada431 Posts
July 14 2011 19:58 GMT
#4
I'd start learning to code if I were you, it'll definitely help seeing it a few times and working it out by yourself. You're going to have to learn quite a bit.

I've always been interested in game design too. When I researched into it and realized all the parts that go into the game like graphics, sounds, clients, game engines, the actual game etc. I realized it was too much for one person to do and if I were to go into that field at all I'd want to be able to have control over a lot of those areas.

Do you have any idea what area you want to go into?
ClysmiC
Profile Blog Joined December 2010
United States2192 Posts
July 14 2011 20:01 GMT
#5
Nice man. I hope to be where you are someday. I'm still in high school, but I want to study game design and development when I'm in college.
Ideas
Profile Blog Joined April 2008
United States8114 Posts
July 14 2011 20:10 GMT
#6
I'm doing the same thing at Georgia Tech right now. Although my major is "Computational Media" and actually focuses very little on actual games (only 3-5 classes deal strictly with games :\), I still plan on working in games as a designer. Make sure you learn as much programming as possible, it not only makes you better at the job, but it will allow you more freedom with your own projects while in school. I'm pretty shitty at programming still (my 4th year) and so my personal projects take FOREVER becuase I'm just slow at it :\.

Ideally since your major has game right in the title you will be doing a lot more game-focused classes, and if so I envy you . I pretty much have to do all my game-related research and reading on my own since none of my classes really deal with the actual philosophy or technique of game design. the only ones related to it that i've taken have just been programming classes.
Free Palestine
Dee-Kej
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
Sweden191 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-07-14 20:20:41
July 14 2011 20:20 GMT
#7
Razith: Already started looking up tutorials for some C++, going to begin going through them before school actually starts in late august.
About area - graphics would probably fit me the best, but design and sound is something I've just recently begun to find interesting. In the program I'll be taking you get to choose between programming and design(graphics) as your major in the second year, so design seems like what I'll be doing. And yeah, it's waaay too much to handle all by one person, you need a team of people for any game. ^^

ClysmiC: Give it your best to get there! Took me two failed years in college to realize it myself, start learning as soon as possible and the sky is the limit!

Ideas: Yeah, as mentioned I'll start asap with it, I will probably also be way behind the rest of the class otherwise. ^^' And yeah, we'll focus heavily on games! First month will be "Introduction to Game construction" where I read that we will be basically just comparing different genres and how they are built differently.
Going progame(make)r!!
Weson
Profile Blog Joined December 2010
Iceland1032 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-07-14 21:20:05
July 14 2011 21:09 GMT
#8
Gratulations i'm happy for you I applyed for that as well but got accepted into Advanced Web-programming instead. I dont know if i'll go through with it because i'm first in queue for a Web-development program wich i think will suite me better. The only sad thing is that both of them are web based wich means that you can do them wherever you want wich means that i'll have no classmates that i will meet IRL. Really want to move away from mom and dad this autumn and meet new people =(

Where are you going to study?



"!@€#" - as some guy said
Dee-Kej
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
Sweden191 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-07-14 21:23:00
July 14 2011 21:16 GMT
#9
Weson: Aw man, sorry to hear that, would've been awesome to have a TL'er as a classmate! :D I'm gonna be studying in Kista, at Stockholm University's campus there.

About moving out, are your classes fulltime or only part-time? If full-time you can still get a loan and move into a dorm or something I bet.

On second thought, don't take a loan unless you REALLY need one. I owe CSN 50.000 sek for one year in college that failed xP.
Going progame(make)r!!
Weson
Profile Blog Joined December 2010
Iceland1032 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-07-14 21:33:58
July 14 2011 21:33 GMT
#10
On July 15 2011 06:16 Dee-Kej wrote:
Weson: Aw man, sorry to hear that, would've been awesome to have a TL'er as a classmate! :D I'm gonna be studying in Kista, at Stockholm University's campus there.

About moving out, are your classes fulltime or only part-time? If full-time you can still get a loan and move into a dorm or something I bet.

It's full time. Yeah i've thought about that but taking loans when you dont have to, im not a big fan of that. Im getting quite old though When you are 22 you dont want to say that you live at your parents house ...

EDIT: Just saw your edit
"!@€#" - as some guy said
stenole
Profile Blog Joined April 2004
Norway868 Posts
July 14 2011 21:54 GMT
#11
Congrats on getting into a field that you are motivated for and interested in. Like you said, lacking programming experience is not great. But in college there should be lots of time for you to work on that. In the end what holds people back in college is lack of motivation, not what they know when they start. Often the students who struggle at the start will create good work habits that help out later on.
StuffedTurkey
Profile Joined May 2010
United States859 Posts
July 14 2011 22:07 GMT
#12
Commander keen such an awesome series I remember playing that
I am also starting out school towards game design, good luck to you!
You can't milk those!
Probe1
Profile Blog Joined August 2010
United States17920 Posts
July 14 2011 22:14 GMT
#13
5/5 because I want you to succeed in your dreams and remember us fondly

Good luck!
우정호 KT_VIOLET 1988 - 2012 While we are postponing, life speeds by
WarChimp
Profile Blog Joined March 2010
Australia943 Posts
July 14 2011 23:05 GMT
#14
If you are going to design something. Please, please design something that is different from today's crap. Be original mate. I believe in you!
Sotamursu
Profile Joined June 2010
Finland612 Posts
July 14 2011 23:14 GMT
#15
Gratz! When I went to study IT I couldn't write code at all, but it wasn't that hard to learn it once you put some work into it. Doing every single programming exercise you're given and trying to write some little programs by your own is a great way to learn.
GigaFlop
Profile Blog Joined October 2010
United States1146 Posts
July 15 2011 00:09 GMT
#16
I'm going to Rochester Institute of Technology this fall, and i want to go into Game Design as well. I know that i'm good with gruntwork once i know the engine(went to a tech camp last summer for the Source SDK), and I've got some java under my belt. I'm also glad to be able to work on games that (hopefully) people will spend countless hours on, like how i did with Morrowind.

I hope i can deal with 'Crunch Time' though :/
(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻ "Shift-Q oftentimes makes a capital Q" - Day[9] || iNcontrol - Alligator from heaven = ^
zhurai
Profile Blog Joined September 2010
United States5660 Posts
July 15 2011 00:21 GMT
#17
you might want to look into GameMaker // Unity3D // Unreal Development Kit
Twitter: @zhurai | Site: http://zhurai.com
drooL
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
United Kingdom2108 Posts
July 15 2011 00:45 GMT
#18
congrats dude! i dropped out of my computer science studies because it didn't work for me and right now i'm doing some game developing with a friend (iphone game) which is really fun. i'll pick up studying in a years time again and i will do something like animation/game/interactive media. looking forward to that and i wish you best of luck with your gaming studies <3 i don't think you can study something better than that as a lifelong gaming enthusiast.
@nowSimon
Phyre
Profile Blog Joined December 2006
United States1288 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-07-15 03:32:54
July 15 2011 03:11 GMT
#19
Ah, another industry hopeful... I remember when I had the passion you do now. A few questions I'd like to ask you before I say too much.

1) What specific role do you want to play in the making of games? Design, Programming, Art, Sound, Production, etc?
2) What size company do you want to work for? Huge AAA, 100+ person studios? 20-30 person indie or mobile game companies?
3) What platform do you want to work on? Consoles (X360/PS3/Wii), PC, mobile, etc?

As someone that put in countless hours and sacrificed much in the way of mental and physical health over the last 3 years at a AAA multi-million dollar studio only to have it shut down and watch my dreams be crushed shortly after we released our game... I'm a bit biased. But I do know a thing or two about this industry now.

I'll probably have more to say after you answer the above questions but one tip to start.

You seem to be leaning towards becoming a designer. If this is the case you probably already know that getting a job as one is highly portfolio driven so you will need to make some games during your college years to hopefully show off come job hunting time. In order to do this you need to either a) Learn to program and make your own games or b) Work with a programmer + a team.

If you want to learn how to program, that's awesome. It will make your much more independent and marketable for teams. If you don't want to program and you want to do strictly design just realize that ideas are a dime a dozen. Everyone has game ideas in this industry, they wouldn't be working here if they didn't.

Coming into a small unpaid team and expecting them to execute on your vision is highly arrogant and won't win you many loyal team mates. A programmer can do without a designer, not vice versa. If the rest of your team isn't happy with the design they can easily remove a designer from the team and have someone else that already brings something else tangible do the design instead.

Design is the most fun part of game dev, make sure your team mates get to take part in shaping and influencing the design or they will walk. Part of a designer's job is not just to dream up fun things but to take feedback from the team and find how best to use it. A team that feels involved in the design is a happy team. A team that truly believes in the design is a motivated and vastly harder working one.

All that said, good luck achieving the dream. From someone that tried, failed, and doesn't know if they want to try again, I really do wish you good luck.

Edit: Just noticed you're from Sweden. Good place to be for game dev. Heard good things about Avalanche and Dice from friends that worked there.

Edit2: This might also be a good read for you. While the article is certainly valuable make sure you read the comments afterwards. A lot of game developers airing their grievances, things that you will most likely have to deal with if you make it into the industry. http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/AndrewGrapsas/20110713/7974/Game_Over.php
"Oh no, I got you with your pants... on your face... That's not how you wear pants." - Nintu, catching 1 hatch lurks.
Dee-Kej
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
Sweden191 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-07-15 13:13:25
July 15 2011 13:04 GMT
#20
stenole: Thanks! And yeah, that what I'm basically plan to do - make use of whatever minute possible to learn whatever I need to catch up or even get ahead of my class.

StuffedTurkey: I actually just bought it again on Steam during the summer sale! When I saw it, it all came back to me: "It's... IT'S THAT GAME! O.O ♥".
Good luck to you too! :D

Probe1: Haha, I promise, I won't be forgetting TL anytime soon! :D

WarChimp: Why do you think I want to get in the industry, if not to shake things up a little? Definitely will try to bring some good new stuff, be sure of it!

Sotamursu: Yeah, that what I'm hoping, that it won't bee too hard to catch up.

GigaFlop: Aw yeah, being able to make a game like that would be a dream come true! :D And "Crunch Time"... *shivers* Well, same here, hopefully I'll be able to handle it if it comes to that! ^^

zhurai: Have begun playing around with GameMaker, will look into the other two as well, thanks!

drooL: Thanks! ^^ ♥

Phyre: First, the questions:
1) Art or Design
2) Weather I want to work as a part of a small or big team I don't know yet. We will be doing some games in smaller teams in class eventually (in second or third year), probably won't be able to answer that with confidence until then. What I'm thinking would be best though is to start off small and go to something bigger after that, but time will tell how it actually turns out.
3) PC is what attracts me the most now!

For the rest of your post, I basically nodded by myself all the way through. Though my OP did get a little bit lost in translation - by "design" I meant art. However, I am interested in learning more to maybe focus on designing games instead of doing the art.

Concerning programming and such, I know it isn't exactly required for neither artists or designers, but it's something I want to learn and have under my belt anyway. I've come to know that (especially if you're a designer) it's good to at least have an idea of what kinds of problems any part of a team might come across. Even as an artist it's good to know what restrictions the programmers have so you don't come up with something physically attractive that's impossible to do in the programming.

And about the part of letting the rest of the team be part in designing the game, tell me about it! xD I've been working with enough groups (though no game projects) to know that that's vital.


Hehe, yeah, Sweden, and especially Stockholm, is a wonderful place to be for many things - designing games is no exception! ^^


Interesting read indeed. Hopefully one can come to change or even remove the unfortunately somewhat standard Crunch Time. I think it's mostly a problem with planning ahead, but I guess if it were that easy they'd been able to figure it out by now. :/ Will keep on reading more of those comments.

Thank you for the wellwishes and long response, and I hope you will find that passion and get back on track again! ♥


Edit: And sorry for the late replies, been working all day until now! ^^
Going progame(make)r!!
1 2 Next All
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Next event in 45m
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
mouzHeroMarine 450
ProTech94
BRAT_OK 30
MindelVK 8
StarCraft: Brood War
Britney 36399
GuemChi 3773
EffOrt 1551
Larva 635
hero 539
Stork 423
Snow 353
firebathero 311
actioN 293
Mini 286
[ Show more ]
ggaemo 186
sSak 145
Light 138
Soma 128
Mong 102
Backho 96
Mind 52
Sea.KH 51
Hyun 48
Sharp 38
JYJ38
PianO 35
Terrorterran 34
Aegong 27
Shine 25
JulyZerg 24
soO 20
zelot 20
Sacsri 13
sorry 9
HiyA 6
Dota 2
The International28759
Gorgc18110
Fuzer 262
XcaliburYe168
Counter-Strike
Fnx 1846
oskar168
Super Smash Bros
amsayoshi28
Other Games
singsing1804
Mlord442
FrodaN441
Lowko378
ceh9317
ToD141
ArmadaUGS134
KnowMe108
Trikslyr108
Organizations
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
sctven
[ Show 14 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• intothetv
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• Migwel
• sooper7s
StarCraft: Brood War
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
Dota 2
• C_a_k_e 1539
League of Legends
• Nemesis4000
• TFBlade618
Counter-Strike
• Shiphtur177
Upcoming Events
Maestros of the Game
45m
Classic vs TriGGeR
Reynor vs SHIN
OSC
10h 45m
MaNa vs SHIN
SKillous vs ShoWTimE
Bunny vs TBD
Cham vs TBD
RSL Revival
17h 45m
Reynor vs Astrea
Classic vs sOs
Maestros of the Game
1d
Serral vs Ryung
ByuN vs Zoun
BSL Team Wars
1d 2h
Team Bonyth vs Team Dewalt
CranKy Ducklings
1d 17h
RSL Revival
1d 17h
GuMiho vs Cham
ByuN vs TriGGeR
Cosmonarchy
1d 21h
TriGGeR vs YoungYakov
YoungYakov vs HonMonO
HonMonO vs TriGGeR
Maestros of the Game
2 days
Solar vs Bunny
Clem vs Rogue
[BSL 2025] Weekly
2 days
[ Show More ]
RSL Revival
2 days
Cure vs Bunny
Creator vs Zoun
Maestros of the Game
3 days
Maru vs Lambo
herO vs ShoWTimE
BSL Team Wars
3 days
Team Hawk vs Team Sziky
Sparkling Tuna Cup
3 days
Monday Night Weeklies
3 days
The PondCast
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

CSL Season 18: Qualifier 2
SEL Season 2 Championship
HCC Europe

Ongoing

Copa Latinoamericana 4
BSL 20 Team Wars
KCM Race Survival 2025 Season 3
BSL 21 Qualifiers
ASL Season 20
CSL 2025 AUTUMN (S18)
RSL Revival: Season 2
Maestros of the Game
BLAST Open Fall Qual
Esports World Cup 2025
BLAST Bounty Fall 2025
BLAST Bounty Fall Qual
IEM Cologne 2025
FISSURE Playground #1
BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025

Upcoming

LASL Season 20
2025 Chongqing Offline CUP
BSL Polish World Championship 2025 – Warsaw LAN
BSL Season 21
BSL 21 Team A
Chzzk MurlocKing SC1 vs SC2 Cup #2
EC S1
BLAST Rivals Fall 2025
IEM Chengdu 2025
PGL Masters Bucharest 2025
Thunderpick World Champ.
MESA Nomadic Masters Fall
CS Asia Championships 2025
ESL Pro League S22
StarSeries Fall 2025
FISSURE Playground #2
BLAST Open Fall 2025
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2025 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.