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Computer Science vs Computer Engineering

Blogs > Try
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Try
Profile Blog Joined August 2007
United States1293 Posts
February 16 2009 18:17 GMT
#1
For someone who is interested in game programming, what kind of a degree would you recommend (+points if it is flexible)? I gave thought to getting one of those game degrees, but they are too inflexible.

naonao
Profile Blog Joined November 2008
United States847 Posts
February 16 2009 18:23 GMT
#2
Computer Science
Racenilatr
Profile Blog Joined August 2008
United States2756 Posts
February 16 2009 18:24 GMT
#3
computer science obviously
JWD
Profile Blog Joined October 2007
United States12607 Posts
February 16 2009 18:25 GMT
#4
Probably CS.
✌
Pervect
Profile Joined June 2007
1280 Posts
February 16 2009 18:31 GMT
#5
Computer Science, 100%.
Luddite
Profile Blog Joined April 2007
United States2315 Posts
February 16 2009 18:34 GMT
#6
My understanding is that Comp engineering is more focused on hardware, whereas CS is more focused on software. So CS would be a lot more relevant to game programming.

On the other hand, there's lots of people who go into CS and want to make games, and probably there's still a need in the game industry for people who do CE and want to make games. So you might be more marketable that way.
Can't believe I'm still here playing this same game
Pengu1n
Profile Blog Joined October 2004
United States552 Posts
February 16 2009 18:47 GMT
#7
Definately Computer Science. However you will also need a lot of other skills for game design, such as physics, mathematics (calculus +) and 3D graphics etc.

Computer Engineering deals more with circuits, signals, assembley etc.

I'm currently majoring in Computer Science myself
cgrinker
Profile Blog Joined December 2007
United States3824 Posts
February 16 2009 19:03 GMT
#8
If you want to make video cards for video games then to computer engineering. You have to do some architecture for CS anyways.


Anyways, are you sure you want to make video games? Are you sure you just don't want to play video games?
EsX_Raptor
Profile Blog Joined February 2008
United States2802 Posts
February 16 2009 19:04 GMT
#9
What about Software Development Engineering? Is it the same thing as CS?
Try
Profile Blog Joined August 2007
United States1293 Posts
February 16 2009 19:05 GMT
#10
On February 17 2009 04:03 cgrinker wrote:
If you want to make video cards for video games then to computer engineering. You have to do some architecture for CS anyways.


Anyways, are you sure you want to make video games? Are you sure you just don't want to play video games?

well, i've learnt some basic C++ and how to use Blitz, and so far its been fun. I enjoy the "rough" crunch-time lifestyle. And I really don't have any interest in any other fields.
Phyre
Profile Blog Joined December 2006
United States1288 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-02-16 19:11:46
February 16 2009 19:11 GMT
#11
On February 17 2009 04:05 Try wrote:
Show nested quote +
On February 17 2009 04:03 cgrinker wrote:
If you want to make video cards for video games then to computer engineering. You have to do some architecture for CS anyways.


Anyways, are you sure you want to make video games? Are you sure you just don't want to play video games?

well, i've learnt some basic C++ and how to use Blitz, and so far its been fun. I enjoy the "rough" crunch-time lifestyle. And I really don't have any interest in any other fields.

Haha, if you enjoy crunch you're going to fit right in at a game studio. I'm sure Mora can back me up on this.

On topic, Computer Science. I'm CS myself.
"Oh no, I got you with your pants... on your face... That's not how you wear pants." - Nintu, catching 1 hatch lurks.
EsX_Raptor
Profile Blog Joined February 2008
United States2802 Posts
February 16 2009 19:15 GMT
#12
Guys I'm a CS major too but I've always wondered if it would be better for me to go for Software Engineering or stick to CS =(
fusionsdf
Profile Blog Joined June 2006
Canada15390 Posts
February 16 2009 19:17 GMT
#13
software engineering is more about lowlevel hardware/software interaction, like computer organization, logic gates and that kind of stuff

CS is definitely the way to go for what you're interested in
SKT_Best: "I actually chose Protoss because it was so hard for me to defeat Protoss as a Terran. When I first started Brood War, my main race was Terran."
Kennigit *
Profile Blog Joined October 2006
Canada19447 Posts
February 16 2009 19:46 GMT
#14
100% Comp Sci.
Archaic
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
United States4024 Posts
February 16 2009 20:25 GMT
#15
Everyone said CS... I guess I'll major in that too! I have had this same question, lol.
Cobalt
Profile Joined April 2008
United States441 Posts
February 16 2009 21:08 GMT
#16
A computer science teacher at the best school in my state told me this: computer science is about the theory behind computing, whereas computer engineering is about implementation of that theory. So programming etc. would fall under computer engineering, whereas making new programming languages, optimization, and innovation would fall under computer science.

That seems to contradict everyone else in this thread though.
Qatol
Profile Blog Joined November 2006
United States3165 Posts
February 16 2009 21:12 GMT
#17
I would say computer science, except I think that there will be a major shift very soon because of the rise of parallel programming and the need to understand the underlying architecture of the processor you are programming for in order to program more efficiently. Honestly, I just don't see a CS degree being particularly useful without some more schooling in the near future. It really just depends if your school has a curriculum in some sort of architecture within CS (mine didn't)
Uff Da
kawaiideshou
Profile Joined February 2009
United States34 Posts
February 16 2009 21:18 GMT
#18
Since you want to be a game programmer, I'd have to go for Computer Science or Information Technology. I know that at my school (NJIT) the game development track is part of the Information Technology major, not the Computer Science major. Talk to your advisors and make sure you know what each major entails.

Computer Engineering isn't for you, though. I'm a Computer Engineering major and I had to take only the most basic programming courses. Most of what I do end up coding is Assembly-ish, which won't help you in the game programming world.

What Qatol said is true, though. You have to be able to keep up with the evolving hardware technologies, which may have impacts on software programming. Computer Engineering, in that sense, may be more useful to you.
:3
AcrossFiveJulys
Profile Blog Joined September 2005
United States3612 Posts
February 16 2009 21:31 GMT
#19
On February 17 2009 04:17 fusionsdf wrote:
software engineering is more about lowlevel hardware/software interaction, like computer organization, logic gates and that kind of stuff


You must be referring to CE, not software engineering, because that is so far from the truth it's ridiculous.

For the guy asking about software engineering, it is more of a course on how to go about designing huge software systems efficiently, including programming practices, design patterns, and other related topics, whereas computer science is more general and will go deep into computation theory as well as touching on software engineering principles.

AcrossFiveJulys
Profile Blog Joined September 2005
United States3612 Posts
February 16 2009 21:33 GMT
#20
On February 17 2009 06:08 Cobalt wrote:
A computer science teacher at the best school in my state told me this: computer science is about the theory behind computing, whereas computer engineering is about implementation of that theory. So programming etc. would fall under computer engineering, whereas making new programming languages, optimization, and innovation would fall under computer science.

That seems to contradict everyone else in this thread though.


what state do you live in? Is it... NOWHERE?
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