game programming or cs course and book recommendations
hi
i'm new to programming and have only nearly finished beginning c++ through game programming. im currently learning about classes and have been searching the web about university courses in the uk.
ive read that you should learn programming before game programming and wasnt interested in cs at all.i dont really know anything about cs and what it teaches. could someone please tell me if it is about programming or is prgramming just a small topic in it.
im not really sure whether i should do game programming or cs and would like some help deciding. i only wanted to go to university after i saw a game programming course but now im wondering whether cs would be better. im not into computer hardware and all the other stuff inside them. i only really want to do game programming and cs does have some programming modules .
so could someone tell me whether cs is better for learning how to develop games or a specialised game programming course and if anyone is taking a cs or games programming could you please tell me a bit about it and how challenging it is.
i have just gotten MIT pdf file from this site which i will look through a bit to see if i would prefer cs or not. i have seen some book recommendations for game programming here but not cs.
im currently thinking of going to one of these uk universities.
abertay (because of game programming course only)
birmingham
teeside(because of game programming course only)
derby
northumbria
de montfort (leicester)
i'm new to programming and have only nearly finished beginning c++ through game programming. im currently learning about classes and have been searching the web about university courses in the uk.
ive read that you should learn programming before game programming and wasnt interested in cs at all.i dont really know anything about cs and what it teaches. could someone please tell me if it is about programming or is prgramming just a small topic in it.
im not really sure whether i should do game programming or cs and would like some help deciding. i only wanted to go to university after i saw a game programming course but now im wondering whether cs would be better. im not into computer hardware and all the other stuff inside them. i only really want to do game programming and cs does have some programming modules .
so could someone tell me whether cs is better for learning how to develop games or a specialised game programming course and if anyone is taking a cs or games programming could you please tell me a bit about it and how challenging it is.
i have just gotten MIT pdf file from this site which i will look through a bit to see if i would prefer cs or not. i have seen some book recommendations for game programming here but not cs.
im currently thinking of going to one of these uk universities.
abertay (because of game programming course only)
birmingham
teeside(because of game programming course only)
derby
northumbria
de montfort (leicester)
You can't program games without being a programmer, but you can be a programmer without programming games.
Think about that for a second.
Think about that for a second.
interesting but not very helpful.
now i just need to get this to the top of the forum somehow
now i just need to get this to the top of the forum somehow
Most game programming courses are crap. And honestly, if you're uninterested in CS then you're not likely to end up being happy with game programming either. Games require stable real time performance, which requires high performance algorithms, which in turn require solid knowledge on theoretical informatics from the person writing them. And quite frankly, if you're just looking to learn programming, pick up a book, read through it, write a few programs, get an internship. Congrats, you are a programmer. Probably not a good one, but you don't learn how to become a good programmer in universities either.
very helpful if somewhat discouraging. and i will be happy programming games but i just want to know whether computer science courses would teach me better than a game programming course
I'm in the UK. I read Physics at university, but having ended up a programmer I've a reasonable insight into the UK computing degree programmes. I advise everyone who asks about this to NOT do a degree in "Games Programming" or other such sub-specialisation.
The following is, of course, opinion.
No game company will ever have any issue with applicants who read straight computing rather than some kind of specialisation. Other companies may well not be so keen on Games Programming rather than straight Computing, particularly given the reputation in UK industry of Games Programming degrees. The world of programming is huge and to limit yourself now to one small aspect of it seems foolish. The irony being that the games programming degree is going to be the same as the straight computing one, but with some modules in more obviously applicable fields (and sadly surrounded by people who hoped it would be all flash player cut n' pasting and making their own FPS, and are now struggling with formal logic and trying to solve knapsack problems with bits of coloured paper and a grid drawn on graph paper).
When asked, I generally advise people choosing a computing degree to do straight computing or CS or whatever they call it that day, and ideally to do one that demands a maths A-Level. The best CS courses in the UK demand a maths A-Level (or occasionally some of the big players will take Physics or similar, provided the applicant is clearly smart enough and for some bizarre reason didn't take maths - they're looking for proof that the applicant can think coherently and logically within a formal framework). The university you go to also matters. Of your list, go to Birmingham. I note that they really, really like applicants to have a Maths A-Level, which is definitely a good sign.
The following is, of course, opinion.
No game company will ever have any issue with applicants who read straight computing rather than some kind of specialisation. Other companies may well not be so keen on Games Programming rather than straight Computing, particularly given the reputation in UK industry of Games Programming degrees. The world of programming is huge and to limit yourself now to one small aspect of it seems foolish. The irony being that the games programming degree is going to be the same as the straight computing one, but with some modules in more obviously applicable fields (and sadly surrounded by people who hoped it would be all flash player cut n' pasting and making their own FPS, and are now struggling with formal logic and trying to solve knapsack problems with bits of coloured paper and a grid drawn on graph paper).
When asked, I generally advise people choosing a computing degree to do straight computing or CS or whatever they call it that day, and ideally to do one that demands a maths A-Level. The best CS courses in the UK demand a maths A-Level (or occasionally some of the big players will take Physics or similar, provided the applicant is clearly smart enough and for some bizarre reason didn't take maths - they're looking for proof that the applicant can think coherently and logically within a formal framework). The university you go to also matters. Of your list, go to Birmingham. I note that they really, really like applicants to have a Maths A-Level, which is definitely a good sign.
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thanks moschops. i have heard that game progrmming courses arent as trusted compared to computer science.
i am currently doing maths a level and will choose birmingham.
i will also be looking for some books about computer science.if any one can help with that much appreciated
i am currently doing maths a level and will choose birmingham.
i will also be looking for some books about computer science.if any one can help with that much appreciated
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