• LAVA Moderator: Mysterier

Is it even worth it?

ScaredofMyself

Bluelighter
Joined
Apr 8, 2016
Messages
182
I started college this year with the goal of becoming a video game designer.

But I'm constantly losing motivation.

I hate school.

What if I don't have what it takes to make it? What if I'm bad?

I feel like I'm just hopelessly trying to do something, that I have no chance at.
 
You can't know that. If you have it in your gut and love it very much, you will be good at it! If you strive for greatness and work hard to reach your goals, you will be great! :) Don't let anything stop you. Ever. If you start to question whether you're any good, listen to other people's suggestions and learn. You might not be very good at first, but if you persevere, you will just get better and better. Go for it! :)
 
What kind of work do you want to do? Most professional video game designers work for a large enterprisE. You would be a part of a team of designers or coders. In this setting, you would be working on a game idea somebody else thought of. So don't worry about creating garbage. Somebody else already created the idea and if it's garbage, it wont be your fault.

Before getting 300000$ in student loans at your school, check the job placement and unemployment figures for your degree.
 
Video game industry is one of the most stressful in the coding/design industry. Unless you latch on to a game that takes off, you're in for many disappointments. Nobody writes about the losers and there are far more losers than winners.
 
I got a full ride for it.

But I'm interested in shooters, fighters, and RPGs.

Another thing is I don't want to do someone else's idea.
 
A full ride is nice. I assume you can design for other applications too, so it's likely not completely useless outside of the gaming industry.

I started off wanting to make video games too when I read the story about the guy who created Doom. But then I realized it's hard to get in and I'm not living in the right area either. A lot of people start off this way.
 
That's true. I can do other things involving computers.

Ive been working on a prototype since I was 16 of a FPS. It's complete shit, but I've been adding to it more as I learn.

I'm using a pretty shitty program though.
 
Yes. But what if I'm not good? What if I end up creating garbage?

If you can view your passion like that then perhaps its not really what you want to do? I am not judging you but i am a man who sees so many failures in what he tries to do that I view it as part of the process. Everyone fails their first few times and when your trying to better yourself you must work through those failures. There will come a tipping point where the "garbage output" shrinks and the desired goals seem more attainable.

I too went to school for what i really wanted to do, never graduated got some 96 credits or something at a major university. Recently i have come to realize that as long as i can practice my craft outside of school after my menial job that earns just enough to buy supplies and support myself, well that is my little slice of heaven. Its not about becoming professional in something you really want to do its about making sure you exercise your individuality. So when I look over what i do its an expression of myself, it has nothing to do with the outcome or what others think, it has everything to do with completely losing myself in the work as the world fades away and all i know is what i am doing. That is the real heroin in life.

Would it be different if i got the degree and a job in the field... no probably not. I will keep trying to achieve more with the lofty goals i have but as long as i have enough to survive and keep doing things i want, why get bogged down in the idea that it was somehow a "waste" it was not because i learned enough to take what i learned outside of the university and i hope someday that will make me a great scientist.
 
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It is very much what I want to do.

It's just hard. Especially at school. I'm the only one in my class doing shooters and I often do group projects alone.
 
Real life goals and growth are often hard thats a sign that real progress is being made. I went through most of my 4 years of college with few friends and it took me forever to make the few i had. It will get easier especially if your young and just growing into your own person. Youll be fine if your confident enough in your abilities to keep going even when you make mistakes, keep lofty goals but celebrate small victories too its all about getting to the end, which doesnt actually exist :)
 
It is very much what I want to do.

It's just hard. Especially at school. I'm the only one in my class doing shooters and I often do group projects alone.

gonna have to start learning how to be a part of team. Development and design are a team mentality. I'm a quiet sarcastic nerd, and I have to say I've loved being a part of a team. If you hate working in a team, game design will be hard for you. As a matter of fact, many teams won't hire someone simply because they won't make a good culture fit with the rest of the team.
 
That's true.

Ive met several people online however who are helping me with my current project. They really want to try to get it on Steam Greenlight but it's no where near what I want it to be.


And several kids at my school who have offered to help, all had terrible and unpopular ideas.
 
It's possible you will create some garbage. You have to learn to be okay with that- not everything that every producer makes is perfect. Even the best writers or cooks or thinkers produce sub-par content at times.

You need to learn the skills you need to improve what you produce, that is what school is for. You will improve over time. Please keep at it if it makes you happy!
 
The game developing community was explained to me that it is very akin to being an author. Meaning, you will do so much fucking work and the chance of any viable return for your efforts are slim compared to a 'normal' job. But, at least in the gaming industry you will work for a company. Authors don't typically get paid to take the time to write.

Like many here have said brother, if it is your passion go for it. Do you care if you don't make the next Call of Duty? If your passion is in it you will be happy just to make anything. And the work is exclusively group-oriented, a buddy of mine in that line of work told me that it is possible you will never be apart of any game that becomes a genre staple. If all you care about is being a part of the next big thing is your passion truly in developing?

I recommend maybe talking to a guidance counselor or someone already in the industry.

Afterthought: I am a writer (don't live off writing or even profit off it) and I can tell you if you're passionate about developing you wil never think your product is great, you'll always find it subpar. At least I do with my writing.
 
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