Jasper Posted January 4, 2007 Posted January 4, 2007 http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=153406 Government calls for UK 'game academy'Thursday 4-Jan-2007 4:49 PM "You see TV and films schools but we don't have a video-games school. Why not?" asks minister 9 Comments The games industry should sponsor an academy to teach gamers skills they need to become successful game developers, Shaun Woodward, the creative industries minister, has suggested. The "best way for the videogames industry to have the talent and the skills it wants is to move into the hot seat itself; to come to the government and say 'we want to put some money into an academy'", Woodward told the Financial Times. He countinued, "you might have kids who traditionally have quite a difficult time coping with traditional academic subjects but happen to be the most amazing gamers... you have to look very creatively at the kind of educational background you want." Advertisement: The game industry is moving beyond looking enviously at tax breaks and other state incentives offered to film companies, the minister said, to an acceptance that it's now a multibillion pound industry in its own right. "They're now recognising that 'actually we're huge, maybe we need to build our own institutional bricks'," the minister said. "You see television and films schools but we don't have a video-games school. Why not? Because [the sector] is so new. And yet we're the third largest manufacturer in the world. And that's the sense of catch up here." Woodward went on to say that he is confident that private sector support will make the 'game academy' a reality, so there could be a lot more game developers flying the British flag in the future. CVG has reported there are plans for a gaming school! Anyone wanting to ge there? Or perhaps any idea of what to studie there?
Tellyn Posted January 4, 2007 Posted January 4, 2007 "you might have kids who traditionally have quite a difficult time coping with traditional academic subjects but happen to be the most amazing gamers... you have to look very creatively at the kind of educational background you want." In other words that sounds like it's for the mentally challenged.
fanman Posted January 4, 2007 Posted January 4, 2007 The government backing gaming? Woah... I think it's a good idea, but not for me. I like to play games, but I wouldn't want to be a designer. The whole thing seems a bit boring to me... however, I'm sure that there are others that would appreciate it.
Charlie Posted January 4, 2007 Posted January 4, 2007 In other words that sounds like it's for the mentally challenged. So what you're saying is that if you can't do something properly you're mentally challenged?
fanman Posted January 4, 2007 Posted January 4, 2007 In other words that sounds like it's for the mentally challenged. No, could be for the mentaly challenged. This would be a school for game designers, to learn new skills, which would help the industry, and I don't think that if this idea took off, that they would let tards in.
Tellyn Posted January 4, 2007 Posted January 4, 2007 So what you're saying is that if you can't do something properly you're mentally challenged? Sorry it came out wrong, it sounds like it's one of these things that is only for people who aren't doing well in school. This shouldn't be seen as an alternative to school, if people are doing poorly then they should work on the actual schools. Like in my school, they just send kids off to do gardening and on cinema trips if they are failing school, not working on other ways of helping them learn.
fanman Posted January 4, 2007 Posted January 4, 2007 Sorry it came out wrong, it sounds like it's one of these things that is only for people who aren't doing well in school. This shouldn't be seen as an alternative to school, if people are doing poorly then they should work on the actual schools. Like in my school, they just send kids off to do gardening and on cinema trips if they are failing school, not working on other ways of helping them learn. Well, this sounded more like some sort of college to me... like an art college or something, where you go to get a degree type thing.
Tellyn Posted January 4, 2007 Posted January 4, 2007 Well, this sounded more like some sort of college to me... like an art college or something, where you go to get a degree type thing. Yeah a college would be better, it didn't look to be worded like that though. Nintendo should back this, they'd get a load of good game ideas from it and it would be a bit more good publicity for them/
Nintendork Posted January 4, 2007 Posted January 4, 2007 People who do game design degrees are just cogs. You will regret it. If you love games, and want to make one- then study something else, whilst making games in your free time. Obviously you need either artistic or technical skill but these hybrids that Universities are pumping out are just cogs and will have insignificant lives in the games industry. Study something else, bring something diverse to a games company. Show initiative not the quick fix.
Colin Posted January 4, 2007 Posted January 4, 2007 The industry's already starting to get over-saturated I believe with talent (and some not so talented that believe they are) that there's no work for. This will just add to that, along with the vast amount of Uni's that are now adding games related courses where people think just because it says "games" that it's an easy ticket to get there. The government should sort out the tax stuff first for UK games companies before setting up so called "game academies".
Dyson Posted January 4, 2007 Posted January 4, 2007 Does nobody else like the idea of creating something like Zelda, knowing that thousands, maybe millions of people will enjoy it and have an impact on their life? I look forward to it.
Jasper Posted January 5, 2007 Author Posted January 5, 2007 Off course we love the idea. But it's simply not possible. Think of it like this: you working on Zelda when you studied in the UK? Don't think about it. The Epic games made in England was once in Twycross, but that's over now. Starting a new studio for epic games? Find a publisher, ddude. The UK is not the best location for such a school, nor is Europe. And like said before, if you have a degree to do it, there are a) too much 'talented' people out there and b) no game designers who don't have a degree to work on something else. There's no specific game design degree, and still we have great games. That's because people who studied something non-game related rolled into games instead of opting to go only for games. It's a very instable industry and you wouldn't survive in the world with only such a degree. You have to have back-up, in case you fail in the industry. So, a gaming degree is pretty narrowed-down...
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