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okay after thinking about it, i know what i want to with my life. I want to created my own Minature War Game series/bussiness. now im in college i have now clue how to start this, what kind of classes do i need to take. im only 19, i have autism, and have a entire multivese i created to draw from for ideas and concepts of desings and whatnot, and have no artistic ability at all

If you want to do any type of business, then a business degree always helps regardless of your type.

It is also a nice degree for alternative careers if your dream falls through/

I would also minor in English literature and creative writing to help build your ideas. Business and English. Go with em, they're good. Maybe a few courses in mathematics or physics (intro level) to see how some machines can work in order to make your game realistic. Basically, there are many ways to go for it. Getting friends who want the same thing to help is good too. But nkelsch is right-get a business degree as your major. Just minor in the other things, in case it doesn't work out-business degree is always great, and that would even help you open a game store and do well with it (possibly) if the gaming company doesn't go the way you planned. Good luck.

It will be really hard. The gaming business is tough, tougher than many other businesses, and no matter how hard you work you are not guaranteed success. Even if you are successful, you will make less money than you could in almost any other field.

That said, if you are passionate about it, and are going to keep doing your best, learning from your mistakes, and making sacrifices to achieve your goals, you should have a fulfilling career. Hard work and determination is more important than anything else.

I wouldn't plan to go straight into it. It would be best to start it up as a part time thing to keep a steady cashflow to cover initial costs. Also, try not to do everything yourself, getting someone in to help with the parts you're not comfortable with is a good idea and will keep you from burning out too much.

If I were you, I'd get work in the industry, and talk to everyone you can. Even if you're working behind the counter in a LFGS, you'll hear things.
Get the feel for how the suppliers work, what companies had to get through to get to where they are, what gripes people have with all areas of their field.

Experience is going to be just as important as management and marketing theory. You won't get told about the wargaming scene's foibles in college.

If you know the people you'll be selling to, or are selling for you, you'll be far better off than going in blind.

Honestly?

You're 19. If you're like most 19 year olds, you change your mind more often than you change your underwear.

Work on the game in ALL of your free time. Every last bit. That is the kind of dedication it's going to take.
Give it 6 months and see if you still have the same passion for it after 6 months of focusing on it. If so, then revisit the advice above.

Eric

MagickalMemories wrote:Honestly?

You're 19. If you're like most 19 year olds, you change your mind more often taht you change your undeawear.

Work on the game in ALL of your free time. Every last bit. That is the kind of dedication it's going to take.
Give it 6 months and see if you still have the same passion for it after 6 months of focusing on it. If so, then revisit the advice above.

Eric

I agree with this. My advice was going to be more along the lines of "dont' bother, it's a dying industry that you seem to know nothing about," but MM's advice was both kinder and more useful.

MagickalMemories wrote:Honestly?

You're 19. If you're like most 19 year olds, you change your mind more often than you change your underwear.

Work on the game in ALL of your free time. Every last bit. That is the kind of dedication it's going to take.
Give it 6 months and see if you still have the same passion for it after 6 months of focusing on it. If so, then revisit the advice above.

Eric

Hell, I'm 19, and even I agree with this.

Just my openion...

Don't set your education on it...

Get your degree, get a full time job.

Work on the rules in your spare time.

And there is much more then rules.

You need to be able to create models from nothing.
You need to be able to write fluff backgrounds
You need to be able to have art for the game.

There is alot of aspects.

Check with the ADA and see if there are special "Govt Loans" you qualify for as a person with disabilities.

Democrats love to give money like that away... why not take it and chase your dream.

Go with Industrial Design or something around there because you learn that you need for both making stuff AND how to run your own business.

infinite_array wrote:

MagickalMemories wrote:Honestly?

You're 19. If you're like most 19 year olds, you change your mind more often than you change your underwear.

Work on the game in ALL of your free time. Every last bit. That is the kind of dedication it's going to take.
Give it 6 months and see if you still have the same passion for it after 6 months of focusing on it. If so, then revisit the advice above.

Eric

Hell, I'm 19, and even I agree with this.

Heck I'm thirty and.........Oh look pancakes!!

Get a real job, in a real industry first.

Work on your passions as your sideline/hobby in your spare time.

You're 19. If you spend 10 years in the corporate grind (or the work of your flavor), you still have the entire rest of your life, and much of the prime of your life, to pursue this dream.

Get financially stable first, unless you really feel that you have some sort of significant competitive advantage.

Connor McKane wrote:Check with the ADA and see if there are special "Govt Loans" you qualify for as a person with disabilities.

Democrats love to give money like that away... why not take it and chase your dream.

Yes, the Americans with Disabilities Act, signed into law by well known Democrat George H.W. Bush, and amended later to be less restrictive by known Democrat George W. Bush. Liberals strike again!

If you're going to awkwardly try and shoe-horn in a political argument in a non-political thread, try and at least know what you're taking about.


To the OP: try and get a job in the industry. See how much you love it in a year.

Ouze wrote:Yes, the Americans with Disabilities Act, signed into law by well known Democrat George H.W. Bush

Though to be fair, if George H. W. Bush was an active politician today, he'd fit more comfortably as a blue dog democrat than a modern republican.

The most important part of starting your own business is knowing about business.

The fluff/rules/models/whatever you have in your head will be meaningless if you don't have any idea how to implement them as a business.

Learn business first.

I wasn't quite planning on opening a game store when I went to college, but damn, a masters degree in Statistics has helped keep me going and make the right decisions. So my recommendations are:

Basic business degree
Economics
Advertising/Propaganda
Enough math to deal with the econ.
Computer classes to let you use the econ, and inventory programs.
History Classes. (As electives, and will help with historical mini games!)

And set up an internship with a gaming company. Needs to be big enough to pay you a salary when you graduate. Learn by doing.

Cyvash wrote:okay after thinking about it, i know what i want to with my life. I want to created my own Minature War Game series/bussiness. now im in college i have now clue how to start this, what kind of classes do i need to take. im only 19, i have autism, and have a entire multivese i created to draw from for ideas and concepts of desings and whatnot, and have no artistic ability at all

I'm not sure if this is a joke or not.


Are you sure you're in college?

Grot 6 wrote:

Cyvash wrote:okay after thinking about it, i know what i want to with my life. I want to created my own Minature War Game series/bussiness. now im in college i have now clue how to start this, what kind of classes do i need to take. im only 19, i have autism, and have a entire multivese i created to draw from for ideas and concepts of desings and whatnot, and have no artistic ability at all

I'm not sure if this is a joke or not.


Are you sure you're in college?

im completely serious..... i have taken a few courses most of them in math, there is nothing else im good at, if i cant do this then theres nothing else i can do, this is my last chance at a future, other wise i dont know what, besides begging a life as a shut in in a deep depressive state since i cannot do anything else

Cyvash wrote:

Grot 6 wrote:
Are you sure you're in college?

im completely serious..... i have taken a few courses most of them in math, there is nothing else im good at, if i cant do this then theres nothing else i can do, this is my last chance at a future, other wise i dont know what, besides begging a life as a shut in in a deep depressive state since i cannot do anything else

this level of melodrama rarely appears prior to college, so I'm willing to believe him.

to the OP: seriously, if you have genuine neurlogical/emotional problems, you should seek out all the help you can get in those areas. It's my full time job to explain to people that think they can't work that they can. If nothing else, you'll want to build a medical file for your inevitable SSI claim.

But few people know what they want to do at 19. And few people are good at their jobs. You might not be a beautiful little snowflake, but odds are, there's plenty of stuff out there you can do.

If you really think running a small business that relies on creativity and intense personal interaction is your "last chance at a future," than you're ignoring the fact that any of the skill sets required to do that would give you a decent living. So, take the advice of all of those in this thread, and work towards learning how to run a business.

Cyvash wrote:

Grot 6 wrote:

Cyvash wrote:okay after thinking about it, i know what i want to with my life. I want to created my own Minature War Game series/bussiness. now im in college i have now clue how to start this, what kind of classes do i need to take. im only 19, i have autism, and have a entire multivese i created to draw from for ideas and concepts of desings and whatnot, and have no artistic ability at all

I'm not sure if this is a joke or not.


Are you sure you're in college?

im completely serious..... i have taken a few courses most of them in math, there is nothing else im good at, if i cant do this then theres nothing else i can do, this is my last chance at a future, other wise i dont know what, besides begging a life as a shut in in a deep depressive state since i cannot do anything else

Stop being so melodramatic.

If you have it so bad, your not going to take rejection very well when you get the door slammed in your face a few more times.

You've already written yourself off before you've even done anything. First thing is to pull your pants up. Second is to go take a few of those "What am I good at" types of job placement tests. Keep your head up and get ready for a fight.

Then go down and talk to a few poeple in the industry. Tell them your goal, and see what it really takes to get it on.

"Game companies" seem to need writers, games designers, graphic artists, and business oriented- consumer related skill sets.

Negativity is not in the job description.

Cyvash wrote:im completely serious..... i have taken a few courses most of them in math, there is nothing else im good at, if i cant do this then theres nothing else i can do, this is my last chance at a future, other wise i dont know what, besides begging a life as a shut in in a deep depressive state since i cannot do anything else

Wait, you're good at math and you don't know what to do with your life?

Have you considered Engineering? Physics? Mathematics? Statistics? Finance?

Note that these are all great career fields to get involved in.

Grot 6 wrote: Stop being so melodramatic.

Negativity is not in the job description.

Oh I don't know, those traits seem to be a must if exploring a career at Games Workshop!

I would send your C.V. to those guys......if nothing else, they'll teach you how to run a great Business!

I never said i was good in math, im just sub par, and i have tried seeking help from conselors, though we cant affored them, and i have been denied by organizations who are supposed to help people me to attend those sessions, and something recently happened that i might be denied financail aid for my next college semester otherwise i cant afford it, for some reason i dont know, im supposed to fillout a form, but on that form it says i was to supposed to recive a letter telling me what i have to fill out, i havent recived one, and the office is closed most days during the summer,

Cyvash wrote:im completely serious..... i have taken a few courses most of them in math, there is nothing else im good at, if i cant do this then theres nothing else i can do, this is my last chance at a future, other wise i dont know what, besides begging a life as a shut in in a deep depressive state since i cannot do anything else

Try stacking shelves, flipping burgers, washing cars or all the other rubbish jobs that people do till something better comes along.

Better than that, finish school and get out into the real world. You'll find that your classes have very little to do with succeeding in the workplace.