Programming? Does this help me with a game design career?

I have an A.S. in computer programming, and I am planning on pursuing a degree in Software Engineering, does this help me with a career in game design? I want to work for a company programming video games.

Programming? Does this help me with a game design career?
Game programming and game design are two completely separate jobs. There is no programming in game design, and no design in game programming. Designers write up the details of every tiny aspect of the game and come up with the math to support it. Programmers take the written details from the designers and implement it using programming languages like C++ and/or in-house tools. It's the designer's job to come up with every tiny detail of the game: what NPC the player encounters where, and what the NPC will say; what weapon the player can get at what point in the game and how much damage it does; what attacks a boss mob has and how much damage they do, etc. It's the programmer's job to bring the designer's ideas to life.





If you want to be a game programmer, a degree in Software Engineering is definitely helpful. I think some studios may give preference to Computer Science degrees, but in the end if you have the programming skills and a degree in either, you shouldn't have any trouble finding a job.





For game design, you only need a very basic understanding of programming. If you want to design rather than program, I would high recommend getting your Bachelor's degree in something other than Software Engineering or Computer Science. Game design is done almost exclusively with writing and math, and you need a wide liberal arts grounding as well. You can major in anything you want (I've worked with designers with degrees in everything from Biology to Theatre), but Software Engineering/Computer Science may pigeonhole you as a programmer.





For design, along with the courses for your major take math up through Calculus 1 (if you haven't already), and at least two courses in Statistics, two courses in writing, and one art course. Math and writing are the main tools of a designer, and the art course will help you work with your artist colleagues later on. Fill up the rest of your course requirement with a wide liberal arts education -- history, literature, mythology, sociology, psychology, etc, are all useful in game design.





Whether you choose programming or design, if at all possible, go to a college near a city with a lot of game studios, like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Austin, Seattle, etc. Most game companies will not pay for relocation for an entry level job, and some won't even interview you if you don't live in the area, so it'll be a lot easier to find a job after college if you already live near several studios. There's a map here: http://gamedevmap.com/ that lists every game studio by city. Try to find a college in a city with at least 10 game companies.





Good luck!
Reply:Yes. You may also want to increase your knowledge and experience by taking advantage of the free utilities that are available on the internet such as map making tools, source codes, etc... that are provided as open source for certain video games (Quake code, Unreal mapping, etc..)
Reply:Yes, anything with programing will help in game design. I work for EA and that is what my A.S. was in. Good luck