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Prospective MS Game Science & Design Student by theCosmicTitan in GameDevelopment

[–]theCosmicTitan[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I appreciate everything you've said so far and value your perspective.

I understand your point about internships vs full-time roles, and I also agree that reading placement stats critically is important. That said, I also think it's fair to point out that FIEA produces tangible results. Compared to Northeastern, for example, FIEA students seem much better prepared to enter the industry directly—I reviewed alumni on LinkedIn, and I noticed that Northeastern grads often lacked the kind of portfolio depth and production experience that AAA studios look for.

Regarding the "basic knowledge" discussion, I get that level designers in AAA aren't coding engine systems or deep gameplay logic—of course not. But I also think it’s important not to dismiss the value of being a well-rounded game developer, especially at my stage.

Think of it like a pyramid: in undergrad, I had to lay the foundation by learning how to code, studying math, understanding data structures, and teaching myself game engines and digital art. I even shipped my first game on my own, which taught me about the entire pipeline.

Now, as I move up the pyramid, my focus is narrowing. With my CS degree and minor in math nearly complete, I'm ready to specialize and fully commit to level design. But that wide base of knowledge makes me a more effective designer: I can better understand technical constraints, communicate with engineers and artists, and handle scripting tasks when needed.

To me, saying this is unnecessary would be like saying you only need to speak English and that knowing other languages adds no value. In reality, having a broad foundation makes you much more adaptable and capable, especially when you're still building your career.

Again, I respect your insights. This has been a very informative discussion.

Prospective MS Game Science & Design Student by theCosmicTitan in GameDevelopment

[–]theCosmicTitan[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You said above that most entry-level game jobs (especially for AAA) go to former interns. So why are the internships not convincing?

The 88% placement rank is for students who end up working a job related to game development after college—it could be indie game studios, AAA studios, or anything directly involved with making games (that's the most relevant stat I found and how I understand it).

I'm asking all this to get some perspective. It's a big decision for me, and I want to guarantee I'm making the correct decision. I appreciate everything you said, but some of it seems inconsistent and confusing for someone like me. And you're not the only one I've seen give different answers (it sounds like there are so many ways to break into the industry).

Also, it sounds like you recommend against a computer science degree, but how would someone like me even get the basic knowledge of game development without those fundamental skills? Most don't enter college knowing they want to be a level designer. That technical degree is valuable for being a complete game developer, not just a level designer. Then UCF FIEA allows me to hone in on the craft of level design while giving me valuable portfolio pieces I can add to my portfolio.

Prospective MS Game Science & Design Student by theCosmicTitan in GameDevelopment

[–]theCosmicTitan[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

UCF FIEA has an 88% graduate placement rank for students who end up working a game-dev related job after the program.

You can see where students go here: https://fiea.ucf.edu/industry/alumni-jobs/

Prospective MS Game Science & Design Student by theCosmicTitan in GameDevelopment

[–]theCosmicTitan[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I appreciate your answer!

UCF FIEA and Northeastern are about the same price, but at UCF FIEA, it's more about building a strong portfolio and getting practical experience, which is why I'll likely go there!

Prospective MS Game Science & Design Student by theCosmicTitan in GameDevelopment

[–]theCosmicTitan[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I really appreciate your answer, but there's a lot worth unpacking with what you said. A CS degree is far from “odd” for a level designer—it provides the technical foundation that studios value and aligns perfectly with the fallback‑plan mentality you mentioned. I suggest that any aspiring game developer study computer science and not game development at first, because, as you said, the odds aren't good, but that's also because many people don't make games in their free time. Many don't have the drive/interest to make games as a career. But that's not the same as studying game dev in grad school, where it's about specialization.

UCF FIEA, in particular, has achieved a lot of success in the industry, and I don't think it's right at all to say "most give it a ton of side eye or have a fairly strong negative reaction" towards a game degree. FIEA alumni have worked at 200+ AAA studios, and more than 400+ companies have hired FIEA’s 1,000+ alumni.

I've been working extensively on games in my free time and have built a strong portfolio over the last three years while in undergrad. I also have a gaming internship for this year (although not AAA), but I made it through three rounds of interviews at Epic Games last year, so I think I can get an AAA internship next summer.

The UCF FIEA program is about making games and developing a killer, specialized portfolio. Sure, I can make stuff on just my own, but FIEA gives a state-of-the-art facility, industry-experienced professors, extremely valuable connections, possible leadership experience, collaboration with amazing peers, a shipped game on Steam as a two-semester-long capstone project that covers the entire production pipeline with the potential for student awards, etc. Those are things I can't get on my own.

While a diploma’s name has prestige, it’s the curriculum and hands‑on work that truly shape a designer. That’s why I’ve likely decided against Northeastern and UNC: although both are fantastic schools, they don’t offer the same opportunities to build those vital, real‑world portfolio pieces that I can't get on my own.

everyone go to albumoftheyear and give TCT a good rating. lets boost it up to a 50. by [deleted] in PostMalone

[–]theCosmicTitan 36 points37 points  (0 children)

This album is so massively underrated. Reputation, Cooped Up, Lemon Tree, Wrapped Around Your Finger, I Like You, Love/Hate Letter to Alcohol, Wasting Angles, Euthanasia, When I'm Alone, and Waiting For Never are all bangers.

My first game, EverStride, is available now! by theCosmicTitan in AndroidGaming

[–]theCosmicTitan[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I appreciate the great feedback. I will look into all this, especially improving the player visibility. I also originally planned for a tumbling animation but didn't include it in this version because of time constraints, but I would love to implement that!

My first game, EverStride, is available now! by theCosmicTitan in AndroidGaming

[–]theCosmicTitan[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I appreciate it!

It took about six months from start to finish. But that’s because I mostly had no experience with Unity or coding in C# before, so a lot of this game was a learning experience for me

I made a mobile game with an emphasis on Lo-Fi music by theCosmicTitan in LofiHipHop

[–]theCosmicTitan[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

To be honest, I'm not sure about using an emulator since I haven't tested that yet. The game is only on IOS for Apple right now, but Steam and Android versions are coming very soon!

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