Game Dev

Good Afternoon Fellow Readers,

So, this is a general description of my schooling as a game development student, and for those who are interesting in knowing the ins and outs of what ive been through, keep following (things can get interesting).

So, i'm from a fairly decent sized town in Ontario, Canada. In high school, i had quite a few friends, but my artistic integrity set me apart from the variety of cliques. I was too 'greasy' to be 'cool'. I was not nerdy enough to be part of the chess club. and even though i was a good enough soccer player, i stood out because i wasn't interesting in the footwear professionals wear (unlike the other kids, who obsessed over the new Nike Airs (or whatever)). I basically was a media arts nerd...staying in the lab during lunch to catch up on work, and eventually, i was good enough as graphic arts to be chosen for Skills Canada (a competition where people compete for how good their art skills are in comparison to other schools in the district (and eventually, all of canada). Little to say, i was good, but not enough to win it all. So, over time, my best friend Chris told me about the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, and how their game development program was interesting. So, Chris and I set our plans to go. However, he went one year ahead of me (due to me staying back for a victory lap to upgrade my marks for a scholarship). So, this could have been the moment where are Chris and I's friendship changed a little..

When i finally went the year after, it was exactly what i thought it was....not what i expected. it was hard...and even missing one class put me behind. However, this was my school! i met friends who were around my age and i could relate to them! After awhile i was getting average grades, except for one class, Object Oriented Programming...which as an artist, was NOT my forte. Three days before my final exam of first year, my grandfather died...and my studying went down the drain for the programming class. So when second year came around, i took the programming course over again, but since it was a prerequisite for EVERYTHING, i had to convince my professors to allow me into the classes that i could take...and ironically, passed them all with 80's or over....but failed programming...again. I also failed another class that was so easy, you could show up, sleep through it, and get a 90...however, when we got groups projects, i would stay up all night doing them for the rest of the members, but since i didn't present my projects with the group (since i was sleeping), i failed them all. Absolutely ridiculous Dr. Leonard Nacke (still havent forgiven him, as you may notice).  So that means...oh yes...first year university...AGAIN! So i said screw it, and looked into the College Game Development program at Durham. Apparently, i was one of the only ones who had to give in a portfolio that year. But after a brief interview, i got in, and the following year, i was one of 28 students in the Game Development program for that year.


So i want to say that i learned several things i can take away from my experiences with the University.
-First, study...you never know how much studying can help, and find a group of people to do it with!
-Second, if you think you can pass something your not good at, either studying hard or don't try, its not worth summer school, or failing.
Third, don't game in class! Pay attention! you never know what you may learn that could be useful (especially in psychology).
Fourth, if you can seek extra help, do it! i had a foreign professor whose first language was arabic or something, and i wanna say that i think i failed due to the fact that he said words differently, and i got lost because i thought he was saying something completely new, ALL THE TIME! So, if you can seek extra help from someone who can speak your language (both accents and way of explaining material), do it.

More on the next blog.

Cheers,
Jayp0r91