Funding your project while in school

[EccentricDuck]

First of all I'd like to say hi, this is my first post on the forums. I've been following the Elyssian Shadows videos on Youtube for awhile now. I started working on a small XNA game project at the beginning of January (scheduled for completion within the next 10 days) - and seeing the recent updates on the GyroVorbis channel brought me back to Elyssian Shadows and this site. I have another project I'd like to start after this one is complete, and my question relates to it.

My question is this - what is the best way for a programmer who is in school and has regular expenses (rent, vehicle, food, etc) to spend the time necessary to work on a major game project while going to school? Do you work through the school year to meet your expenses, fund them on student loans, work your ass off in the summer (often to the exclusion of other things, such as the project), or take a more creative approach? Personally, the first three options are ones I am trying to avoid or minimize since they either take focus away from school and the project, or they are a pain in the ass to deal with afterwards.

I ask this because I am starting computer science in the fall (when I first went to post-secondary I was in a different program) and I plan on working on a game project during that time. I'm determined to work on this project, but I need to figure out how to pay the bills and I was just wondering how others who've had similar experiences have dealt with that challenge. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[qpHalcy0n]

Welcome to game development :]

I used to work in the industry until health issues forced my resignation so now I've taken the opportunity (for the last 7 years....) to go back to school and get a degree under my belt. There's no easy way to do it, if it were easy then everyone who set out to develop games will have succeeded. It's all about priority and sacrifice. My first priority is to pay rent and eat. The sacrifice is after work and school there isn't really much room for a social life to speak or head outdoors much less.

The situation used to be that I'd go to class from 8 to Noon. Work (mechanic) from Noon:30 to 6PM. Then I'd stay up until around 2AM doing work. So I suppose one of the other sacrifices is sleep ;]

If you're looking for funding for a game I can't imagine what expenditures directly related to your game that you've got at this stage.

It really takes a lot of hard work to break into the industry and that's kind of what they're looking for out of you. Especially why they look for degree toters. Because they know that they've done what it takes to succeed in school AND make games.

Trust me, when the last week before code complete rolls around and you're trying to rush out a gold disk.....you won't see your home for a week. Priority and sacrifice.

[dandymcgee]

I do almost the same thing. Class from 8-12:30, work from 1-7. I do homework and work on whatever project I'm working on after work until I go to sleep around midnight.

[Trask]

One nice thing that I had going for me in my first college experience is that I worked for the school in their IT department so I didn't have obligations that would take me further away from school and my apartment(a few blocks from the school) which helped me keep a more realistic schedule and allowed me to use the schools resources for somethings. Plus, through happenstance, my boss nominated/landed me a $500 scholarship for all the hard work and great grades that I had. So I guess what I'm saying is that working for my school opened up some doors for me and gave me a nicer schedule to work around with, so if there's opportunities for you, I'd take them.

[Falco Girgis]

It's kind of like qpHalcy0n said, there really is no easy way to do it.

I'm a junior (senior after this semester) computer engineering student. I have to attend class, work, and find time to work on Elysian Shadows. Luckily, I have been hired by a starting game development company here (as a C# engine programmer working with Unity). They are extremely lenient with my hours, when I show up for work, and how much time I have to put into work. I'm extremely grateful for this, because my life is already busy enough. It's actually turning out to be quite a dream job.

[hurstshifter]

Luckily, I have been hired by a starting game development company here (as a C# engine programmer working with Unity). They are extremely lenient with my hours, when I show up for work, and how much time I have to put into work. I'm extremely grateful for this, because my life is already busy enough. It's actually turning out to be quite a dream job.

Oh rly? How are you liking the transition from development in C/++ -> C#?

[davidthefat]

I say try to start a group/club of people with similar interests and support each other and or make a game all together. Sounds like the most reasonable way to do it... Like worker's unions/guilds and school clubs, they are all groups with common interest uniting for the same cause

[Falco Girgis]

Luckily, I have been hired by a starting game development company here (as a C# engine programmer working with Unity). They are extremely lenient with my hours, when I show up for work, and how much time I have to put into work. I'm extremely grateful for this, because my life is already busy enough. It's actually turning out to be quite a dream job.

Oh rly? How are you liking the transition from development in C/++ -> C#?

I'm not, but it happens I guess.

I had kind of a fragment in my programming expertise. I'm extremely good at low levels (C/C++/ASM), and I'm experienced at high level scripting languages.

But I haven't ever really gotten into the VM/JIT middle-level language spectrum of Java and C#. It's interesting, and it's something that I would like to learn anyway.

[EccentricDuck]

Thanks for the responses. Regarding work, how many of you found that you were able to land a programming related position during first year in whatever respective program you were in (Comp. Sci, Software Engineering, etc)? I'm sure that it would depend upon previous experience as well, along with having something to show for that (like a completed app, utility, or game). I've been programming for about just about a year now, which I realize is not particularly long. I've touched on C++, though most of my experience has been with Python and C#.

I know what juggling a busy schedule is like, but if I do it I want to make sure that what I'm doing is worth it - above and beyond simple necessity. The least I could do is work in something that will allow me to practice the skills I'm trying to develop or pursue an area I'm interested in. That being said, I'm not particularly interested in working directly for someone else in the long term anyway - I do better while working on my own/team projects than I do as an employee of a company that I don't have a major role in.

[Falco Girgis]

I do better while working on my own/team projects than I do as an employee of a company that I don't have a major role in.

That's why we're all here.