The right university?

[Skeat]

I want to do a Game Creation University, since I don`t have one here in Brazil. So I am thinking of going to Japan to study at the Katayanagi Institute, Nippon Engineering College and later on transfering to the Tokyo University of Technology, but i don`t know if any of these college/university are any good since i can`t find a rank or anithing of the kind anywhere.
I was hoping if someone could tell if they know it, and if there`s any other University in Japan or the USA that have the Game Creation/Developing, or even a very good Computer Engeering course. Thanks...

[nice gaijin]

Your English seems alright, how is your Japanese? That will probably be a deciding factor.

[Skeat]

I`m still learning japanese, but I`ll problably going to Japan to do the 2-year course of the Japanase Language School also from the Katayanagi Institute.

[Kirirao]

There aren't any official ranking for senmon gakkou's/college as far as I know (I saw a book before, but those are crap IMHO), but I went there for the open campus last year and from my perspective the place is an OK place. Since I don't know what you want to do or learn or what do you want from the college, so I can't give you a specific answer. Some college is great for their programming , some college are good for the Game CG stuff etc. If you want to know specific details do ask with a specific question. Oh and, Tokyo University of Technology don't have any game course.

Here is my advice :
If you're coming for the Japanese Language School, then there's no need to choose which college to go first. Just come for the Japanese Language School first.

Why? around January every year, most of the college will have some events every month till April. Like "Open Campus" and the most important part for choosing a college in my opinion "Taiken Nyuugaku", where you can experience the lesson for 1 day. Trust me, what you experience in the "Taiken Nyuugaku" is pretty much the same as the real one that you will have everyday after you enter the college. You can experience the facilities, how the teacher teach, hows the classroom is like, what kind of system do they have etc. Some college even have those Open Campus, Bunkasai, and "Taiken Nyuugaku" all year round which you can go. So my advice is come to Japan first, and see if the college suits you and your need or not.

I'm on my last year of my Game Programming Course, so I would be happy to help answer any question that you might have. And I can probably list a few college that I deem a good place to study game courses in my opinion. Tho the info would be meaningless if you are not in Japan yet. Websites contents don't really portray the real thing.

edit :
there are a lot of game course related college, but only a few university that offer game course. And some of them are hard as hell to enter. Some are expensive as hell (for me).

In my opinion, If you want to study Game Creation course, University is not a good place to study for it. (In the case of Japan, I don't know about the US). I went to the open campus for kogeidai to check their Game Course, all I can see in their syllabus are filled with too much with theory classes and crap. Where in college you start learning on how to create your own game after a few months.

[Skeat]

Thanks Kiriao. The course that i would like to do it would be the Game Programming :D. I only said the Tokyo University of technology for it`s Media Science program, that i thought it would something similar to Grapich Design and Programming... And for the part as for the Universities being too difficult, I`m already used to it xD since Brazil got some universities that have like 100,000 ppl for 30 spots, and some don`t even fill those 30 spots because they only let in those who got more then 90% in the entrance exam :X
I don`t know very much how each of the gaming related courses can offer, since I don`t have anithing of the sort here and I`m having some troubles finding information :X. I only know that I would like to work with the Graphics part but I would like to do the Music, and the history/scipt part xD. (I got a few ready, but are 60 hour + RPG and 1 FPS history plot :X)

[Kirirao]

The courses for all the schools are basically the same, some school have all of them or more, some only have a few. The syllabus also varies between schools. I'd list all the course related to Game Creator course that I know and what they offer (generally).

- Game Programming Course.
..mostly related to game programming, but does include system programming. Mostly done in C++ since most game company in Japan uses C++ for example playstation etc. Extra syllabus include JAVA (for cellphone games), C#, Network Programming, DirectX, Game Planning, CG, Math.
..Mostly the course are separated to 2 kinds (for colleges) 2 years course and 3/4 years course. 2yr mostly concentrate on 2D games while 3/4yr on 3D games.
..in Japan 2D games sells more then 3D games.
..Can apply work as a Game programmer or SE programmer in Japan.

- Game CG Design.
..obviously related to CG and modeling, heavy on math, software used depends on schools. My schools uses Maya. Extra syllabus includes simple game programming, planning, drawing class. (there are more, but I can't remember)
..Work as CG designer in game company.
..CG designer job offer is way alot more then Game Programmer.
..If you want to go CG, go for the real CG course. They are usually better and have wider range of knowledge you can learn. Wider job types too.

- Game Planning.
..Planning stuff. Syllabus include on how to create your 企画書(kikakusho/game proposal),仕様書(siyousho/thing that comes after proposal is accepted, where the planner draw every details of the game, how the character move for example.) You will be writing hundreds of proposal. Extra syllabus include simple game programming. (Other then that, no idea)
..New course.
..Job offering are available. Until now game planner are also the director and company seniors, which mean they don't take entry-level applicant. But now, the need for planner is growing, and they started to take new fresh graduate. Thats what they said, for me honestly, unless you can think something that no one have ever thought before, you won't stand a chance at all.
..Definitely need a really really really high Japanese proficiency.

-Music
..Game Creator course doesn't offer this, they are offered on their own.
..No idea about this.

Usually the longer the course are the better they are.


I don`t know very much how each of the gaming related courses can offer, since I don`t have anithing of the sort here and I`m having some troubles finding information :X

It's easier if your are here in Japan in the flesh. Well you need to make up your mind on either to go to Japan or US tho.

And for game creator course, no need to concern on "how good the schools are", "are the school are the top ranking school" etc, those question doesn't really matter honestly. Every school are basically the same. They will teach you the basic stuff, how to create a game properly, and how to create a game as a team (which you need when you start working). The only thing that matters are you willing to go the extra mile to make a good game, to learn the new technology, to think of a new programming technique etc. Game Creator is all about creativity, meaning its all about you, not the school. Even there's such thing as a best school for Game Creator, and you went there just to be spoon-fed like a lot of those lazy idiot in my class. Trust me, even after you graduate, you will still be the same like before you enter the school, unable to make a game. Even is the school is the best in the world that teaches you everything. Plus with the fast advancing computer technology, what you learn today might be out of date when you graduate in 2-4 years. Entering a school that are great at programming for example, doesn't make you great at programming. Entering top-ranking University/College doesn't mean that you will be able to make top-ranking games when you graduate too.

So no need to burden yourself, over thinking if the University/College is good or not, top ranking or not. Come to Japan, go to the Univ/College and see if the place fits your style, that all that matters since you going to spend years there. Then when you make your choice, go all out. Heck, you don't even need to go to University/College to make a game. The reason why you would want to go to a University/College is just to get a head start from others who don't. In Japan (for entry-level), people who didn't went to Univ/College need to go start as a part-timer even if their skills are god-like but for people who does, they don't need to start as a part-timer. They start as a normal employee (keiyaku or seishain). For foreigners (specifically in my case), entering the univ/college here means having a chance to get a job directly from the company itself, avoiding working at a company in your home country hoping you will get a transfer to Japan someday.

umm yea.. I typed too much.


and smillies make me dizzy. :X

[Skeat]

Thanks Again Kirirao. I think I`m more inclined on doing the Planning course from your description, the main problem would be the "really really really high Japanese proficiency"... but that`s nothing that i can`t learn by studying like a maniac. But I think that I`ll end up deciding only when I get there and see the courses myself.
Well you need to make up your mind on either to go to Japan or US tho.
My first choise is Japan because I already lived in the US for couple of years before.... xD
One major doubt that I have is that everybody tells to don`t go to Japana, since I`m not even a descendant (My family is 100% Italian) the discrimination will be huge, and it will be very hard for me to get anything there... Not that this is a problem, but I`ll like to know if it really is like this...

[Kirirao]

Well, since you choose planning, then I can go into details a bit.

In case if you want to get a job in Japan in a Japanese-owned company. Which I'm guessing you're since If you aren't then theres really no point taking the course. Since the planning process that they teach only valid for Japanese game company. heh

Even if you can get those proficiency, theres one more barrier you need to pass. The culture thing. If you don't know what kind of game that will sell in Japan. So how can you plan/create a game that will sell in Japan. Same reason why game like mushi-king or train simulator will sell like hot cakes here but won't sell at all outside of Japan. Which in my opinion the most impossible barrier to pass. You need to live here a long long time to assimilate the culture. And you probably need to be born here to like/understand game like mushi-king or train simulator.

But who knows~


But I think that I`ll end up deciding only when I get there and see the courses myself.

:cool:

[Skeat]

Hehe, Planning is something that with a little bit of talent maybe I can do it after doing a Creation/Programming/CG course, cause I don`t know if I`ll want to work in Japan. I got 3 options of places to work, Usa/Britain, Japan and France. Brazil doesn`t count because the only market we have here is cellphone games, and I would like to work with consoles/PC. xD