Video Game Designing at Tulane? Say it isn't so!

<p>Good afternoon CC. As I’ve indicated in my other posts, this admissions cycle has really been a trial, but the end is in sight. I’ve decided upon Tulane, and I don’t regret my decision, but I do have a few worries.</p>

<p>During the admissions cycle, I’ve become highly introspective. This has caused me to become highly introspective. That being said, I’ve decided that one career I’d greatly like to pursue is video game designing. Unfortunately, Tulane doesn’t offer a major, or much close to the sort.</p>

<p>However, I talked to a cousin of mine who worked for Industrial Light and Magic on a recent trip to San Francisco. He told me if I ever wanted to go into Special Effects, don’t pursue a degree in special effects. Pursue something in a related field, and learn on the job skills on the job. I assume it might be similar to a game designer…?</p>

<p>I still love Tulane. I love NOLA. I’m determined to make it work. While they might not have a specific major (or even a computer engineering major), they do have a 3-2 program with Vandy and JHU (…Correct?), which I assume would take an additional application (?), which makes me assume they would take some computer engineering classes there. As for character design, Tulane has an excellent English department, and as it proclaims, It’s “in the most storied city in America.”</p>

<p>Which is another reason I think Tulane might help me with this. It might not have a program suited to the major, but New Orleans is an inspirational city. While I might not learn as much in the classroom, there’s no substitute for experience. This is doubly true in any creative business. Before you can write about the world, you first must live in it.</p>

<p>Also, I’m in the Honors Program at Tulane, and they have a program where honor’s students can design their own curriculum. I plan to take courses that would help me in character creation and design (Tulane has one of the best Psychology programs in the country, or so I’ve heard), and work from there.</p>

<p>If the worst should happen, and I feel I cannot accomplish this goal at Tulane, I’d transfer somewhere that had a program. If this should fail, I’d move home. I live in a University Town, and the local University has one of the fifty best programs in the nation. It runs on rolling non-selective admissions, so I’ve already been accepted, but I don’t think that staying home frosh year would be the right thing to do. If I go somewhere else and come back, it’s one thing, but I feel as if staying would give me to great an inclination to stay at home.</p>

<p>Which brings me to my point. Any suggestions? Concerns? Ideas? I feel like I’m treading in very unknown waters here, so any advice is appreciated :3</p>

<p>

Errr… what?</p>

<p>Lol. Fail, I was editing my post as I went. XP</p>

<p>This is only tangentially related to your interest, but Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie and Sandra Bullock (and new adopted son) all have houses in NOLA. Maybe you can work out a gig of some sort…</p>

<p>Contact Professor Harry Howard. He’s technically a Spanish and Linguistics professor, but he’s also involved with Tulane’s cognitive science program and he runs a robotics lab on the 4th floor of Newcomb… a very eclectic guy! I took his TIDES class, Object-Oriented Programming through Video Games, last year… we basically just worked with a program called Alice and there wasn’t much real programming involved, but you might like it (and it’s a chill, fun TIDES course). Prof Howard is pretty cool and I know he is trying to offer more in the way of programming courses… I know this isn’t the same as video game DESIGNING, but perhaps this is a viable pathway for you? He might work with you on a special major, too. PM if you want his email address, if you can’t find it on the Tulane website.</p>

<p>Think carefully about pursuing a career in video games, as I’ve heard from friends in the industry that this field a) is extremely hard to break into and b) pays less than other types of programming/designing work.</p>

<p>Also, realize that once you get hired you may end up on a project like “Dora the Explorer’s Horse Adventures” rather than a “cool” game.</p>

<p>My advice to you is to read through these threads:</p>

<p>[Game</a> Design Degree. Know any good schools? - Help / Advice Forum - Penny Arcade Forums](<a href=“http://forums.penny-arcade.com/showthread.php?t=97766]Game”>Sign In — Penny Arcade)</p>

<p>[Seriously</a> Considering Entering in to the Games Design Industry - Help / Advice Forum - Penny Arcade Forums](<a href=“http://forums.penny-arcade.com/showthread.php?t=69747]Seriously”>Sign In — Penny Arcade)</p>

<p>[Full</a> Sail University? - Help / Advice Forum - Penny Arcade Forums](<a href=“http://forums.penny-arcade.com/showthread.php?t=96975]Full”>Sign In — Penny Arcade)</p>

<p>What I gathered from them is if you’re going into this field, having a strong portfolio is the way to garner attention. A lot of people said what your degree is in doesn’t matter so much. Apparently making a popular mod of an existing game is one way to start out.</p>

<p>IT IS A REALLY TOUGH FIELD.</p>

<p>If you really want to do it, best of luck to you, but go in with your eyes open and, if possible, have a backup plan.</p>