I know what you’re all thinking, “We hear nothing from her in like a month and then it’s three posts in a row! WTF?!” Gimme a break, I’ve been busy! 
Plus, what better way to procrastinate studying for the Fundamental Information exam tomorrow than to do some housecleaning?
In addition to the two posts I just wrote, I:
- Updated the HAL FAQ
- Created a Visa FAQ
- Answered a few e-mails (this is a major achievement for me, believe me)
Anyway, just a quick update: I just finished my first week of my second year. It’s already shaping up to be even more busy than last year, but I’m really excited about my classes. I get to study DS programming! And DirectX! I’m nervous about the computer graphics class, though, because it’s mostly going to be about learning and understanding the math behind graphics and animation. But, hey, if I can learn that then I’ll have overcome one of the hurdles that’s plagued me since high school: my inability to do math.
Now that I’m in my second year of school and have a better idea of how everything works, I figured it would be a good idea to write up a more detailed description of HAL’s curriculum. I’ll explain the basics first and then get into a more detailed description after the cut.
The Basics
The first thing you should understand about HAL’s approach to teaching is that it is focused on ensuring that all students are able to get a job. It might not necessarily be in their desired field (especially in regards to video games; only about 40% of students in the game programming course and 30% in the planning course go on to get employment in the gaming industry), but almost everyone does get a job in the IT industry.
What this means in practical terms is that the curriculum focuses not only on teaching you how to program/design/whatever but also on helping you pass various certification exams that will make you attractive to potential companies. The last year of both the two-year and four-year programs is less about actual study and more about securing employment. Third year students also do a 3 month internship at a company (obviously limited to those in the four-year program only).
In terms of the curriculum for the video game tracks, the two-year program offers programming and game design (ie. graphic design) focuses. The four-year program has programming, game design, and game development focuses. The four-year program’s music course also offers a game music focus. For the four-year students, most of the first year programs cover the same material although that begins to change in the second half of the first year. After that, the exact curriculum varies depending on your focus and what year you’re in.
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Note: This information is based on the Japanese gaming industry.
I’m sure most people who play games have contemplated at one point or another what it would be like to be one of the people making the game instead of just playing it. But for those serious about breaking into the industry, it’s a long step between “I want to make games!” and actually doing so. Before anything else, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with what kinds of jobs are available.
Here is a simple breakdown of the basic jobs you can get at a gaming company:
| Job Title
| Description
|
| Producer |
A producer is the person who decides the what general content of a game (plot, setting, etc) will be. They are also responsible for the finances, including trying to ensure that the product sells. |
| Director |
A director is responsible for determining the main content of the game. They also have the responsibility of ensuring that the game is put out on time and as interesting/fun as possible. |
| Planner |
A planner is responsible for thinking of ways to make the game more interesting. There are many ways that a planner does this, one of which can be scenario writing/scripting (working out the details of a scene). Planners also act as intermediaries between the programmers and graphic designers. |
| Programmer |
A programmer is responsible for writing the code that enables the game to run. |
| Graphic Designer |
A graphic designer is responsible for the graphics of the game. This covers a wide variety of areas from character to background design, requiring knowledge in both 2D and 3D design. |
| Sound Engineer |
A sound engineer is responsible for the sounds and music in a game. |
The most widely-known jobs are the programming and graphic design ones, but what about a “game designer”? There isn’t actually a “game designer” position; the term usually refers to the job of a game planner, but can also cover that of a director or producer.
Programmer, graphic designer, and sound engineer are all entry level jobs. Planning is on the cusp; it’s possible to get a planning job without any prior work experience in the industry, but it’s less likely. Director and producer jobs are usually earned through promotion.
For those interested in producing and directing, planning seems like the obvious track for promotion, but the reality is that programmers and graphic designers are just as likely to be promoted to those jobs. For example, the basic promotion track for a programmer looks something like this:
Ultimately, for those serious about getting into the industry it’s a good idea to do as much research as possible into the industry and to then work towards getting the job that seems to fit you the best.
Andrea Rubenstein