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Hello, everyone. I just recently turned 20 on the 3rd (this was a week ago) and I'm currently halfway through college still unsure of what I want to do with the rest of my life. To give you a little more background information about me, I'm currently attending California State University Northridge, majoring in Computer Science. I'm still in my second year of sophomore year, finishing up in May. I absolutely love Starcraft 2 (and Blizzard games in general) and have done some free coaching in the past along with beginning to write a guide for Zerg players (which I probably will not ever publish, hehe).
Outside of the computer world, I play the guitar and piano. I really enjoy singing and composing arrangements of popular pop songs so I can sing and play. I have considered in the past to pursue a career in music, but I knew in the end I valued more important things like computers and Starcraft 2.
So, I'm at the point in my life where I'm thinking about what the future holds for me. I graduate college, get a job, then...I don't know. I guess I just survive? I have no intentions of getting married or having children as I feel that I would be a terrible spouse/father and wouldn't want to put people through hell. Becoming a pro gamer is obviously ludicrous, as you've got to have a great deal of popularity and/or skill to be able to make a living off of that. As much as I love the game, I know trying to become professional at a video game is very tough and most of the time doesn't pan out the way one would like it to.
That leaves something in the computer science field. Over my short two years being in college, I've grown to dislike programming and haven't really done much over the course of my sophomore year. At the same time, I don't think there are any other majors I would have interest in.
These are kind of short-term goals that I have (and probably say a lot about my priorities):
- Reach Grandmaster League as Zerg
- Find a stable job so I can sustain myself
- Be able to learn to speak Filipino (language of the Philippines)
- Maybe coach people in SC2 and help them become better players.
I know this is probably a question that is asked a lot around here, but what do you guys think I should do? Would it be completely ridiculous for someone to pursue a career in gaming or gaming-related things (game development, tournament organizing, coaching, etc.)?
 
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Would it be completely ridiculous for someone to pursue a career in gaming or gaming-related things (game development, tournament organizing, coaching, etc.)?
Yes. Because the number of jobs available are small, very much in demand, and hence pay poorly or expect years of unpaid work before a paid position might become available. Since the industry moves fast and is currently very volatile (sponsorship model, developer bankruptcies, rising development costs), there is also little job security.
If you do take a job with a computer science major, security is a field in extreme and rising demand, with more secure government jobs, high salary, and increasing importance (recent relevance of casual hackers and foreign cyberattacks).
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If you ask whether or not it is ridiculous or not to pursue a career in gaming, then it probably isn't something for you :-)
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Go buy a motorbike and ride through South America or something, experience the world before you settle into 9-5.
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What would you be doing if you didn't ever have to worry about money again?
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On March 11 2013 10:42 Najda wrote:
What would you be doing if you didn't ever have to worry about money again?
Serious answer? Playing Starcraft 2 and getting into GM. 
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i would highly reccomend not working in esports, its too risky of a job. first you have to find a job, then you have to keep it. one day you may have a iob, the next day you may lose it and never find another in esports. do you like to do hands on things or do you want to do office work? if you enjoy guitar ( which i also do) you can still enjoy it while working another job. i know tons of weekend warriors who play some sweet shows while working office during weekdays.
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On March 11 2013 08:31 romelako wrote:
[*]Be able to learn to speak Filipino (language of the Philippines)
tagalog?
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Do you like eletronic music? Try DJing, having a background with piano and computers really helps.
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i would highly reccomend not working in esports, its too risky of a job. first you have to find a job, then you have to keep it. one day you may have a iob, the next day you may lose it and never find another in esports.
Exactly what I was thinking.
tagalog?
Yes. Most of the time I say "Filipino" since most languages are called by the nationality that speaks it.
Do you like eletronic music? Try DJing, having a background with piano and computers really helps.
If anything I would want to sing and perform before DJing, hehe.
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If you pursue anything within the artistic world, it has to be your passion. You HAVE to absolutely love it, and it has to be priority one. Musicians, actors, dancing, photography, and yes gaming. You have to be willing to work in situations that will yield little in the way of monetary results and an even a slimmer chance of resulting in progress in your field of choice. You have to be prepared for years of rejection, a ton of setbacks, some very lean times, and the possibility that at the end of it all you will be no closer to your goal than when you started. Are you willing to risk everything for it?
In short, if you're serious about, you have to be 100% serious about it. No results will come from, "ehhh I'll kind of do this on the side and hope for the best". Yes there are .000001% of cases where some schmuck performs at karaoke and some massive label executive hears them and signs them right on the spot. But most people within the artistic world struggle for years and years and YEARS before getting anywhere.
If you're willing to risk everything, and this passion is just consuming you, then by all means go for it. If it's just something that would be, "a cool job", then just forget it.
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yes it is ridiculous dont be a fool
study something useful in college that doesnt bore you to death
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If you're willing to risk everything, and this passion is just consuming you, then by all means go for it. If it's just something that would be, "a cool job", then just forget it.
Pretty powerful statement. I guess that's just the question I'm going to have to ask myself.
yes it is ridiculous dont be a fool
study something useful in college that doesnt bore you to death
Unfortunately computer science is the only thing I'd be remotely interested, since I'm always on the computer and I enjoyed programming at some point.
I appreciate the advice though.
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Get a good job in Computer Science, preferably in something specific you sort of like (would be nice but not required). There are a lot of areas in CS, don't write it off as entirely boring yet.
Get a good job. Make money. Do interesting things with money. That is basically living in the 21st century.
Anything outside of that is risky, but w/e, people waste years of their life all the time. It is all subjective I guess.
This is better if you have a job that you enjoy, or at least don't hate.
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i meant progamer/any jobs in esports = ridiculous, not comp sci
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EPT
