Games Game January 2010

Switching Careers (January 2010)

Hi Tom,
I have been working in IT for 3 years and am considering a switch to  games. I am however undecided on the kind of education I should undergo.
I have a programming background, and also a creative twist. I will be signing up for a 3d animation program of some sort.
My question to you is, is there any point in undergoing courses both for animation AND for any advanced math or computer science course? I imagine that the division of labor between creatives and technical is quite well defined, and companies would be looking for EITHER a developer OR an artist, probably not BOTH.
Would a Masters degree be overkill? Or do I simply need to hit the books and crack open an SDK to learn as much as I can about engines and such? Would a degree even be necessary then?
Do game companies specifically hire interaction designers or UI designers to figure out the control-scheme for example, or is it only done by programmers or by some OTHER designer - like a level designer, or the lead designer - in addition to their existing responsibilities?

Thanks for your advice Tom.
Regards,
Dev

Hi Dev,

The industry does have a need for technical artists or art techs. To explain the previous sentence, the former is primarily an artist who's also technical, while the latter is primarily an engineer who also has artistic talent. Because 3D is so integral to many games today, it's essential to have someone on staff who can speak the language of both art and software.  In effect, this isn't so much a question of division of labor as it is a matter of a separate and important specialization.

As for your education, then, it makes sense to take not only animation but also math and programming courses. Take any and all courses that you think would be useful, and that you want to take. Don't worry about what's "expected" of you. Use your own discretion.

Your programming background is a good start. You might be able to learn all this stuff on your own without going for a new degree, but I think there's a tremendous amount of value in formal education. It forces you to learn useful things that you wouldn't have pursued otherwise.

Which leads us to the question of an advanced degree. While it's not necessary or required to have a Masters, it's certainly not overkill. In fact, I'd highly recommend it. In my opinion, it gives you an edge over others without that degree. I don't mean that it helps during the interview or the job application. I mean that it helps you with your growth and performance in the career.

And as for your final question, the UI and the controls are designed by a game designer. Specialization can only go just so far; if someone does nothing but UI and controls, then that's a person who's going to have nothing to do for long stretches of time. When the game team includes multiple designers, they'll probably put their heads together to determine the best controls scheme. And certainly the art director will be involved in discussions of how the UI should look and be laid out on the display.