[Ninkazu]

....a professional game developer that is. I've dreamt of creating games as a carreer (for SquareSoft...) since I was 12, and I am planning on it now.

I won't necessarily do RPGs, but I hope the company I work for (or start) will be very broad about its projects' genres.

University plans:
Double Major: Computer Science & Japanese/Asian Studies
Double Minor: Computer engineering & Mathematics

And of course I'm going to get a master's degree. I would very much like to go to Rice University in Houston, but they're very very very VERY selective, as well as expensive.

In the big sceme of things, I may drop Japanese in my major, but I am still strong about it. I'm not sure... if I become fluent throughout highschool, then I'll probably drop it.

[Bjorn]

I hope to have my Computer Science master within 2 years from now. I'm not sure wether I would like to work professionaly on games, but I am quite sure that I will be going into software development.

[XMark]

School didn't work out to good for me. I took the 2-year computer systems technology program at BCIT but messed up and it took me two years to get through the first year and I failed the four 2nd year courses that I was taking, effectively wasting an entire term and screwing my GPA up. I recently applied for 2nd year direct entry but I'm not sure if I'll get in.

I'm trying to build up a portfolio and increase my music experience to land a job doing game music, and there's always the option of making Abstract Productions an actual company if I ever get the drive to do it :)
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Mark Hall
Abstract Productions
I PLAYS THE MUSIC THAT MAKES THE PEOPLES FALL DOWN!

[Mandrake]

i've done it professionally, and plan on doing it again in the future. One thing tho- once something you enjoy doing becomes wrok, it's not as much fun anymore.
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"Well, last time I flicked on a lighter, I'm pretty sure I didn't create a black hole."-
Xmark

http://pauljessup.com

[Ninkazu]

Game programming is something I eat, live, love, breathe, and bathe in. It's not merely a hobby or something I enjoy, it's the one thing that I may one day substitute for sex (well.... maybe not, but it's close to being that good).


I love the challenge, I love the new paradigms I get to explore, I love writing code that makes a powerful machine come to life and bring people happiness and entertainment. I-LOVE-GAMES!

[Adam]

I'd dump the jap course, very few people get jobs in Japan, and if you were talented enough to get one, you'd be better paid staying in your own country. Japanise don't like forigners as much as you'd think either. But if your doing it so you can watch un subbed/dubbed anime and play import H games than go ahead.

Also C++ would be a good thing to learn, but i waited till i had to learn it and picked it up easliy.

And having finished large games is a good thing indeed.

Im about to start my 2nd year in uni studying a double degree of Software Engineering & Buisness, so hopefully ill be overquallified for a game dev job if i don't flunk out.
I might also take this course, http://www.gameversity.com/Descriptions/IntroToGame.html , it looks a bit like a group that will run off with my credit card number, but its the cheapest one going :P
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https://numbatlogic.com

[valderman]

After finishing Gymnasium (equivalent of high school) in 2005, I'll probably go for some CS education (probably Skovde, might go to Uppsala). Making games for a living would be fun, though I'm not sure I would want to do it for the rest of my life.

EDIT: I'll most likely stuff some Japanese in there too, just for fun.
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http://www.weeaboo.se

[Sirocco]

Well, I'm already a professional programmer (And have been one for the better portion of a decade), but I have no plans to work on games full time. No matter how much you may love games, or even making them, burnout is a serious issue that hits everyone from time to time. It's also not uncommon for people to drop game development entirely and move back out of the commercial sector.

My plans are essentially to continue making freeware games, and releasing expanded versions for sale. I'll be sticking with my day job, however :)

.

[Mandrake]

Sirocco's right. No matter how much you love doing it, programming and game coding are creative endeavors,a nd all creative endeavors have a burnout cycle. Esp when you are forced to be creative on demand.

I myself am giong into business for myself (got some $$$ so I can pull it off), doing vidz. The part I think is that since I know my code/dev/burnout cycle, and how much I can handle for how long, I should be able to keep myself from hitting rock bottom.
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"Well, last time I flicked on a lighter, I'm pretty sure I didn't create a black hole."-
Xmark

http://pauljessup.com

[Sirocco]

Actually, there was recently an article in....... (can't remember)..... some magazine about a mass exodus of game developers, leaving their jobs and returning/migrating to other industries. Think it was in Business Weekly, or something to that effect.

Regardless, job security in the game industry is absolutely zero right now, which is fine when you're young, but until I find a house that magically generates its own payments (and on time, no less) I'll look elsewhere.

Besides, the idea of no longer enjoying game development scares the hell out of me. Too much of a good thing, as they say ;)

.

[cha0s]

heh i have thsame plan as xmark... musically speaking that is. for now anyways :)

really though, i felt the same as nink about wanting to work for square forever :D like seriously, though (keep in mind i havent really 'played the field', yet lol) it seems like in order to be truly sucessful with game making, to the point where you actually can have total fun doing it, and can recup from said 'burnout cycles' is to actually own a devving business. truly, thats how it is with anything. you can only get so far being a peon. if i choose to go the devving route, i will most definitely double in business ;)
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Are you guys *sure* I should do this, man?

-Half Baked

[Tenshi]

- I also hope to have my Masters in CPSC in a couple years... and my BS in CPSC and CPEN at the same time... =T To be honest, I am not so thrilled anymore about video games in the commercial industry. It's so awesome to think about when you're younger... but when you get older you learn about things like SELLING-OUT (Final Fantasy seX-2) and all that crap where sex is the focus of the game and it makes me lose respect for just being out to entertain, regardless of how much of an audience you generate. I don't want that to be me...

- If anything, I'll do one of those little "private company" bits and produce games that way.. until then, I'll be a software developer. =T If not, I can always fall back on Computer Engineering and electrical circuits..

- Maybe become a designer.. and try and change the way games are made.. but I have to go to an art school first.
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- Jaeda

[Ninkazu]

I shouldn't have to worry about burnout... since I'm making the code for the games, and coding is what I love. Other people in the company are creating the story and everything else, not me (well, I may get some say as some sort of consultant) but really.... with new game projects come new ideas and new technology, because of course, projects will take about a year or two to complete, and after that time, there will be a lot more stuff to have fun with... better hardware, improved graphics APIs... new algorithms for great graphics that couldn't be achieved realtime before.... it's all just MORE MORE MORE.

If this was off the walls, I'm sorry.... it's past midnight and I don't know what I'm saying anymore.

[LeoDraco]

[Tenshi]