Kind Of An Odd Question/Situation..

[batmanXmassacre]

Ok, So this might sound odd but it's purely hypothetical and wondering.
These are my plans in life:

Graduate with a BS, Computer Science,
in a game development program.

I've been wanting to move to Europe,
for good.

and hypothetically speaking,
let's say I was a future employee of Splash Damage (Which I would love).
or maybe another gaming company.

Do you guys know if most companies can relocate?
Or if you HAVE to be relocated for the company?
or can you ask for relocation and the company
helps you obtain VISA?

Because my main goal in life, is to finish 4 year college,
work in game development and live in England.

So i was just wondering,
if anyone can just let me know anything.
Just curious I guess. :)

[ayatollah]

If you had looked at the current vacancy (http://www.splashdamage.com/?page_id=63) you would see this line.

we accept international applications and offer relocation assistance and VISA sponsorship where appropriate.


That may not be the case for other companies, but I don't see why not.

[kamikazee]

If you want to work for Splash Damage, take a look at Splash Damage: Jobs (http://www.splashdamage.com/?page_id=15).

From that page: With team members from North America, Australasia, and throughout Europe, we accept international applications and offer relocation assistance and VISA sponsorship where appropriate.

Also, I'm confused by the education you want to go through. Do you want to get a degree in computer science AND another one in game development or are you talking about a single training?

Mostly, it's better to have a degree in computer science as a backup should you not make it directly into game development. And it goes without saying that you can also learn to develop games in your spare time. I think that someone with a computer science degree and talent can still make it in this business without the need of a "game developer" degree.


EDIT: Argh, them fellows with them short replies.

[carnage]

if its anything like the degree i am doing them he probably means

computer science (games design)

there are quite a few flavours of computer science degrees and even if you apply for a job outside the games design area you can conveniently forget the games design modules and still have a pretty good understanding of computing

Mostly, it's better to have a degree in computer science as a backup should you not make it directly into game development. And it goes without saying that you can also learn to develop games in your spare time. I think that someone with a computer science degree and talent can still make it in this business without the need of a "game developer" degree.

interesting since there is not any credited games design degrees (at least in the UK) very few people who study games design actually go into it as a profession. So I am told anyway

[ayatollah]

As for the degree situation, I have read that most games developers prefer non-specialised degrees for employment, ie just Computer Science. This is because you build the foundations which you can build peoples skills up for the specific companies. Game related degrees aren't always appropriate as people are taught to think a certain way, which may not be suitable for the industry.

Think outside the box!

Learning some C++/C# in your spare time would be helpful, also maybe have a look at XNA and see if you can produce anything with that. Also many developers provide SDK's for their games, see if you can understand them and try to create mods.

ET:QW SDK can be found here (http://community.enemyterritory.com/index.php?q=node/204) W:ET here (http://www.ausgamers.com/files/details/html/16212)

Also mapping is good way to get experience, again there are plenty of map editors out there for many different games. But all I am saying is, its better to have some sort of portfolio built up.

[batmanXmassacre]

Well, some schools offer Game Development Schools,
for Example Full Sail.

but the degrees often say Computer Science.
So it'd be more of a "specialized' degree of gaming.
and yeah I read that line but wasn't sure if,
relocation was option to the employee or had
to be decided by the employer.

Also,
I'm not sure if anyone here likes in the UK.
but do Game Developers make decent money in the UK?

I know they do here in America,
not sure about the other way around.
As, someone said in a Post, not many gaming schools in UK.
So is there more of a demand in UK?

Just wondering. thanks for
the answers guys :)

[Nail]

would depend on what you call decent money, in UK gas is about 8 times the US price, heating oil is beyond my belief, and food is at least double Canadian prices, maybe 3 times US prices and people exist quite well. Cost of living varies from continent to continent

[carnage]

As, someone said in a Post, not many gaming schools in UK.


not many schools but virtualy every university I looked at offers multiple games development courses. although I depends on what you consider games since many are multimedia oriented and use a lot of web development stuff. other like Computer Science (games design) is a pretty standard computer science degree with a couple of modules looking a bit more into graphics and physics. Also from anyhting I have read for people in the industry is that working in the modding scene is a lot more useful to a games company than a degree in games design

Not to say that a degree in Computer Science wont teach you the skills you might need to start making and modifiy games at the code level, but if you want the job your probably going to have to take thoes skills and show what you can do rather than just flash the degree around hoping to impress