What is the future of the gaming industry?

[walkerion]

I want to know what the future of the gaming industry appears to someone who has actually worked in the field. Better? Worse? Is a degree recommended? Is it too competitive? These are just the questions that come to mind, but the more information you could give to a 17 year old who plans to become a 3d artist, the better.

Help me out, I'm deciding on a place to go to college and I can't decide whether I should get an actual degree in Game Art or I should go for something more reliable and learn game art on the side. And if a degree in game art is recommended would it be better to go to a technology, art or general university for studies?

I've been looking at the University of Advancing Technologies but I really don't know about too many other schools. Which are the best and preferably affordable?

I know i ask a lot of questions, but I can generalize this by asking, What advice can you offer for a high school student whose dream is to make art for video games?

If anyone would like to talk to me on skype I would really appreciate it. walker.coufal

[Mrpearlzildjian]

No worries, I was in your boat once. Here is my two cents:

Game art is not as specialized as it once was. It's extremely competitive, and more often than not, studios will use as much of one guy as they can. Only the bigger studios really break things down into real specializations(i.e. character modeler, texture artist, technical artist, FX artist, etc. etc.), but they do this because they can afford it. Even some well known studios are smaller in scope and make the guys wear many hats to keep costs down. This in turn makes the jobs scarce, and the applicants aggressive.

There are some nice little revelations every now and again, smaller studios are turning to kickstarter funds now and the like, which is a nice little boost to a small sector of our industry, but most of these projects die before they even begin, so it's almost always a roll of the dice.

If I were in your shoes right now, I would keep school in mind. I am personally self taught, but I missed out on learning things in the order you are supposed to, and went through copious amounts of trial and error to get where I am now. I don't suggest it. School is nice because you have multiple resources to turn to for immediate answers, rather than needing to dig through a landfill of information to find what you need. It is also a hands on thing. Those technological schools(I attended the ever so expensive "Full Sail University" once upon a time) will get you what you need before any traditional school will. Traditional Universities tend to have a very scattered curriculum involving something as specific as game art. The technological Universities can cater to your needs in this case, so I would suggest that if you can find an affordable one with a stellar curriculum. There are tons of them popping up all over, so do some research first.

Also, remember, a 3D artist in 2012 is a dime a dozen. It's no joke. Studios want the absolute best for their teams, and this is usually fulfilled by industry vets. There is very little breathing room on the frontlines for Junior level artists, and even if you have a degree, a less than stellar art portfolio will gain no second looks. You are but one in a pool of many willing to do anything for an opportunity, even if it means they have to work for peanuts. Studios are very aware of this.

Without diving too deep into heavy career advice and keeping the inquiry in check, I would suggest keeping your options open to a variety of different fields where you can apply your 3D potential. High end 3D, like that in a Pixar or Dreamworks movie, is an every moving machine. 3D is everywhere, and you may not even notice it sometimes. Advertising, TV shows, Print, and so on. Don't limit your options. Game art is great, but if you want to guarantee yourself a job right out of school, I wouldn't single it out as your only option. Loans are expensive, and you won't get any sympathy from a producer or art/project director if your portfolio doesn't blow them away.

If you are dead set on game art, think about mastering the lesser technical aspects of it to improve your getting a job. Character artists are plentiful, like being a guitarist in a band. Everyone wants to do it. No one wants to play the drums because it's not as glamorous. Well, you can't have a full band without both.

Environment artists, technical artists, riggers, animators, concept artists, programmers. These are all the golden jobs of the industry, and are usually plentiful, even for Junior level candidates. Consider seeing if you like any of these in addition to any others.

I hope my long drawn out advice helps you in your career choices. We're all here to work, but people will help out when they know it's needed. It's a small industry, so we can't all afford to be arrogant and self serving. Good luck out there.

[Von Hoggler]

For Game art jobs the portfolio is everything. Uni or college will give you the time to build that portfolio but not many companies are interested in whether or not you have qualifications.

[ArminChaudhry]

A School gives you time and resources for questions but in this industry the only thing what matters is your portfolio. If you want to become a game-artist just create art and learn the tools.

Yes it is competitive, but if you have a goal, you can achieve everything. You just need to focus and be able to stand up if you have fallen down.

You are young, so you have allot time to learn.