I applied for computer programming. Still does anyone know if Salford's (Liverpool) or Bradford are worth applying to?

I have literally 17 hours to do my personal statement and UCAS form.

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I have literally 17 hours to do my personal statement and UCAS form.

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#include <abrain.nexttime>

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i had salford on my list, but i never had any intentions of going there. it was just to fill the other spaces really :)

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Thankfully though, that's just because they've now changed the name (and name only I presume) to 'Computer Games Programming'. So Interactive Computer Entertainment is now called Computer Games Programming.

Just an update to those, yet to send in their UCAS.

Good afternoon to yourself. My name is Thomas Timperley, Management Consultant for a Recruitment Consultancy by the name of Entime Solutions. We have offices based in Manchester, Milton Keynes and European Headquarters located in Munich in Germany.
I specialise in the Games sector, and currently hold a prestigious portfolio of clients throughout the UK & EU wide, who are always on the look out for fresh talent from animators, 3D designer to programmers and producers etc. I have come across your details today on the web, and just wanted to take this opportunity to discuss a number of opportunities I have available at the moment with clients of mine based in the UK.
I’ve been reading your comments from this forum. Now, I know that it’s 50/50 chance whether or not you would be looking. If you are interested in a fresh opportunity, then I have no problem with forwarding you anything I have available that I feel would be a good fit for yourself, company, experience, environment, salary etc.
Please do not expect phone call after phone call pestering you with “I have this, this and this”. If you are interested with anything I forward you then, I will leave it up to yourself to contact me at anytime with any questions you may have.
If anything this will enable you to keep an ear to the ground with what opportunities are out there and what the state of the market is like.
If your interested Jumpin Jim drop us an email at [email protected]

I do look forward to your response and hope to speak to yourself in the future.

Kind Regards

Thomas Timperley

EnTime Solutions

Tel: +0044 (0)161 200 1880
Fax: +0044 (0)161 200 1888
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.entime.co.uk/

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Jumping Jim, I'm curious, are you in the industry now? , how long have you been there, and what would you say it's like? (oh and did you start in Testing?)

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Yep, I'm a coder and I've been in the industry 4-5 years. What it's like varies. Some crap happens that you wouldn't have to put up with a more mainstream job, but it's mostly great. Right now, it's *really* great, actually (Gamecube is a dream to work on).

I got started in scripting not testing. While I was scripting, I made myself useful doing optimisation work off my own bat; as soon as they sussed I was a decent coder I got moved up.

I know it must be frustrating trying to break into the industry, but once you're in, how well you do is completely up to you. Demonstrate some talent and enthusiasm and you WILL get noticed. Best of luck with uni.

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My advice to you, when looking at the Universities running games oriented computing courses, are to look at the course units contained on the course, ask yourself these questions:
· Are these units going to give me the skills I need
· What programming language do they use, “Java” or C++
· When do they implement the games part of the course
· Will they give me help in finding an industry placement
· Do the lectures have industry experience & contacts

Create a checklist of your requirements, and does the Uni meet your requirements, if not don’t go there.

To find out about the course go to this site:
http://dcc.humber.ac.uk/Archive/Specifications/Awards/BSc(Hons)%20Games%20Computing%20(Software%20Development).pdf

I’ll tell you a bit about Hull campus’s games course, the first year for my year did not include any games element, as it was just a computing course for the first year, programming consisted of Pascal for the first semester, and then Java in the second semester.
I’m now on the second year first semester, the only games element this semester is 3D graphics, Studio Max version 3 is what we are using and Maya is on the network now, but I don’t know when we will be formally taught this, the first year students on the new course will be learning C++, but for second year students, we get to continue our studies in “Java” next semester.

Being on the second year I’m interested in a year placement, but I find my Uni gives help to find placements to every other course but mine, they will however support this course and the new games course in another three years though, oh well looks like I’m on my own then.

Hope you have better luck in selecting a course/Uni, I didn’t now what I know now when I selected my course, I just looked at my unconditional acceptance and said yes.

To Mchugh, how did you go about getting your industry placement? And to any one working in industry, what do you think about games courses, do you feel they are specialised enough, or give people the skills needed to get into the industry?

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For God's sake do it in pencil first. And good luck.

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It's all different these days - just a simple form filled in on the computer. Well... not simple, but it's on computer nonetheless.

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#include <abrain.nexttime>

Still, it does the job. No Search function, and I kept selecting Dundee instead of Abertay (like I'm going to THEM...), but it does do everything.

I'm going to give them a call tommorow

So far I've got three offers which are as follows:

- Bradford (Interactive Systems and Video Games Design)
A minimum of 280 UCAS Tariff points to include 180 points in any two 6 unit awards.

- Middlesex (Computing Science (Graphics and Games))
A minimum of 240 UCAS Tariff points 160 points must be obtained from 6 or 12 unit awards.

- Teeside (Computer Games Programming)
A minimum of 220 points from 6 or 12 Unit Awards, including grade C at GCE A-Level in Mathematics.

Now, I'm most impressed with the Teeside one. Not only does it kinda mean they want me (the points needed are lower - therefore they want me right?), but they also sent quite abit of 'welcome' material. Like stuff about the college, course etc. None of the others have done that yet. Yay for Teeside. All I gotta do now is actually drive up there for the day (yawn 4:30 start) and actually see the place.

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