IT student Bree reflects on how her curiosity for games paved the way for studing games design and development.
Where do you study? What's the name of the course?
I study at Deakin University, Waurn Ponds campus in Geelong. The course I study is Bachelor of Information Technology - Games Design and Development.
How did you find out about the course you're doing?
It was word of mouth really. Way back when I first enrolled at Deakin University in January 2004 for Bachelor of IT - E-Systems, the course advisor at the time, told me that Deakin was going to open a new IT stream in games design and development. It sounded like it would suit me to a tee.
Was the course easy to get into? What did you have to do to qualify?
I actually transferred into the games course from Bachelor of Information Technology E-Systems. To be eligible to transfer I needed fairly decent grades, and fortunately for me my grades were good.
What made you decide that you wanted to study how to make games?
It was my curiosity and interest in both multimedia and IT. I've been playing games since I was a kid, and every game that I've picked up I've always wondered about what was really involved in making that game and where games really get their fun factor from. Doing a course that focuses on games satisfies that curiosity.
What sort of things do you study as part of learning to make games?
You study a broad range of things, like the fundamentals of I.T, programming, software design, fundamentals of games, audio and visual design, story design and games production. It's almost like a mix of I.T and multimedia.
What's the hardest part about designing a game?
Getting the ball rolling with an idea that works well.
What's the most fun part about designing a game?
For me, it's designing the visual and story content. I enjoy designing characters and developing their personalities.
How big a part of your life are games?
I'd say half my life is dedicated to games. I'm a rather competitive gamer and I do enjoy the social aspects of online games and playing for teams. I grew up around computer games and I was heavily influenced by my older brother who had a love for first-person shooters.
What's your favourite game? Why?
My all time favourite game is the old Half-Life mod, Team Fortress Classic. That was the first online game my brother got me into, and also the first game I played for a clan in. It's my favourite game because it's a simple multiplayer first person shooter game with great gameplay and it allows me to be competitive.
What kind of job do you want to end up with?
Ultimately, games tester or public relations manager for a big games development or publishing company. I wouldn't mind being a storyboarder or level designer.
