"I'm a college freshman who aspires to one day be a game programmer. Every company I've looked at requires previous experience in game programming. So where do you get the experience? I've studied Pascal and C++ for over three years and feel very competent in my ability with these languages, but I dont know one darn thing about game programming! Are there special schools you can apply to, or do game companies offer internships?"

Submitted by: B.M.

Answered by: Joe Mobley (programmer, Sierra On-Line)

"The larger game companies actually will hire entry-level programmers. The computer science fundamentals you learn in school are invaluable when it comes to writing games today. Classes in artificial intelligence, computer graphics, assembly language, and (oddly enough) compiler design are also excellent. While university courses don't necessarily teach you how to write game code, they do provide the underpinnings of the skills you will develop.

"School is also a great time to write your own games. You can learn a lot from even simple game projects. Put together a group of friends to tackle a larger game. Game companies will be impressed with your team experience and initiative.

"There is at least one game programming school, but I can't tell you exactly what they teach. I would personally rather hire someone with solid program design skills than someone with a 'game programming' degree and weak fundamentals."

"Good luck!"

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