JDog053 DevBlog

[fog]

As for FAT BAT Fog, i'll most likely finish coding the full game for the PC first, then port it back to the phone, which is just a case of sorting the already well tested phone controls out Hate to say aswell that i've been recoding some sections of the game after getting used to virtual functions and overrides as its making design and additions alot easier.

Ah cool.  I thought you meant there wasn't going to be a mobile version any more

[T_M_C]

Funny you should say that Masked but no, we had 7 weeks to create a 2D rigid body engine from scratch...

Well, if thats not dropping you in at the deep end i don't know what is.   

It's interesting to hear your thoughts on your course.

I'm forever reading David Braben moan about how poor computer courses are, and how his new employees often lack the real world skills he needs.

Hope it stands you in good stead for the future.   

TMC

[Prime_8]

problem is the real world / uses / go well beyond the scope of what a course can teach .

i woudl fault his hiring practices ..  looking for cheaper fresh blood == green horns.
+ not everypne who takes something is as passionate about the subject .. comp - sci is so large rite now it is reachinig a point it need deeper internal splits .

guys who are good with real phaysics and have comp-sci might be well suited and passionat for modeling real world systems .

yet a guy with a art degree who is self driven to code may be leaps and bounds ahead in usefull for gamimg .

and some places will only take you if y ou have a few years of mundane DB coding .. its crazy .

it almoast needs teh apprentice , journyman ... like tiers that trades industry has now .

i think Poly Smithing / Code Smiting  is the best analogy i have heard recenty .

I have had employees who never knew what the use of what they were takingin course  was for .

I'm prolly wrong here , but arn't the biggest (games) studios orginaly started by guys withiout (at the time formal training ? ) ( many went and got formal training after the fact )

bah i could be wrong . LOL . well prolly am  it just seems that way to me ..
the few game studios in my neck of teh woods here are well digital snobs , yet i know one of them got started doing 2d art for TV not games.. no degree nothin,  but they act like you have to have comp sci degree just to colate thier reports .. LOL
so silly .

if i was to start a game co . it would be by portfolio / previous merrit ,  and a test related to what i need.
~( soem houses application tests are actual problems they are working on ) ( what a great way to get solutions to a problem , ask a bunch of young minds that you dont have to pay .. LOL )

[T_M_C]

I'm prolly wrong here , but arn't the biggest (games) studios orginaly started by guys withiout (at the time formal training ? ) ( many went and got formal training after the fact )

Yeh,  i think thats probably true.

The computer industry is still very young, especially games, still in it's first generation of people really.  30 years maybe.

So, the veterans of the industry started out without any formal training but like me, were self taught.

if i was to start a game co . it would be by portfolio / previous merrit ,  and a test related to what i need.
~( soem houses application tests are actual problems they are working on ) ( what a great way to get solutions to a problem , ask a bunch of young minds that you dont have to pay .. LOL )

lol, i think a portfolio of previous work you've done is far more valuable to a bunch of exams.

But where exam coursework can be used in a portfolio, you get the best of both worlds then.

TMC

[JDog053]

To add though, this year has had no exams and only assessed coursework, which is why compared to previous years i've been so busy. So in that respect its been a much better year, both for grades and work.

I intend to upload both the snow globe and the physics engine at somepoint aswell, and maybe even the source (probably privately to you guys) if you fancy a poke around.

[fog]

I'm prolly wrong here , but arn't the biggest (games) studios orginaly started by guys withiout (at the time formal training ? ) ( many went and got formal training after the fact )

Yeh,  i think thats probably true.

The computer industry is still very young, especially games, still in it's first generation of people really.  30 years maybe.

So, the veterans of the industry started out without any formal training but like me, were self taught.

We didn't have any choice though did we

Actually being self taught has it's benefits.  I think if I had had any formal training I would be incredibly anal and insist on doing everything by the book.  Right now I'm just happy if something works

[Prime_8]

^^^^ LOL

me too

[T_M_C]

Amen brother.   

Sure Jdog.  I'd love to see what you've been up to.

Sounds like you have some decent stuff to put into a portfolio.   

TMC

[JDog053]

Contemplating making a newer development blog/thread on here, so I don't have to worry about a backlog of 117+ pages when working on projects. More of my Post Uni coding stuff and games (FAT BAT) and more importantly, updates with screenshots or stuff highlighting work instead of just taking my word for it... how does that sound?

[T_M_C]

Hey, thats cool.

It's been far too quiet around here without you.

I'm guessing now you have a lot more free time on your hands for coding fun stuff.

I bet the time running up to you leaving Uni was real a Crunch effort.

I'm still coding away, although i havn't shown my latest project yet.  It's all very top secret and hush hush,  lol.

No, not really, it's just that i've been stuck on a maths problem for ages now.

I've been visiting maths forums trying to find a solution and trying to teach myself Newtons Method for solving differential equations.     

No luck so far.

Look forward to reading your blogs again though.   

TMC

[JDog053]

Thats always nice to hear!

I've actually just returned from a two week holiday and spent the time before that just reading around. I dread to think what the problem is if you're struggling with it, sounds difficult lol

Yup and i'm looking forward to making some progress, since FAT BAT was pretty close to completion gameplay wise, just a case of sorting out the art (the fun stuff) and recoding/improving Snow Globe and stuff

[TheKhakinator]

Hahah, don't even get me started on differential equations. Had to re-teach myself how to solve them every single maths course I took. Must have learned them 6 times over. Just never stuck, a real pity cause I used to be great at learning maths at lower levels.

[fog]

Hey JDog.  Hope you had a good holiday 

I used to be great at maths.  Did differential equations at college many years ago and had no problems.  Then the computer age came along, everything is calculated for us and now I'd struggle to do long division 

College & uni studies are such a con.  I can't think of anything I had to learn there that I've since applied at work. 

[TheKhakinator]

Hey JDog.  Hope you had a good holiday 

I used to be great at maths.  Did differential equations at college many years ago and had no problems.  Then the computer age came along, everything is calculated for us and now I'd struggle to do long division 

College & uni studies are such a con.  I can't think of anything I had to learn there that I've since applied at work. 

I wish potential employers would remember that and stop looking down on my grades...

[fog]

I wish potential employers would remember that and stop looking down on my grades...

Yup unfortunately that's the way it generally works.

It sucks as, speaking from experience, even someone with great qualifications wont necessarily be any good at the job where common sense, being able to work as a team and general attitude are far far more important.