What It’s Really Like To Study Video Game Design

This post is presented in partnership with the Academy of Information Technology (AIT).

What started out as playing around with the inner workings of old DOS [disk operating system] games soon became a passion for twenty-year-old Stirling Mulvey.

With his final year of Interactive Media at the Academy of Information Technology (AIT) just around the corner, Stirling told Student Edge what it’s really like to study video game design.

“It’s much larger than just the creation of the games,” he said.

“A lot of the classes cross over with film courses, so you do a lot of film analysis and script writing.”

Though some of the non-game subjects initially seemed a waste of time to Stirling and a few of his classmates, they soon realised things like typography and video editing all have a place when looking at the big picture.

“[It’s] stuff you wouldn’t have expected to learn in a gaming degree that helps along the way… stuff that you would’ve never thought that you needed,” he said.

Yet Stirling hasn’t always been so studious (at least not in Maths or History).

“I wasn’t writing my History report [be]cause I was off trying to 3D model something for a personal project,” he laughed.

But perhaps this wasn’t such a bad thing. From fixing worn-out family snaps on Photoshop, to making music videos for his dad’s band, Stirling’s personal projects were ultimately more valuable than his ability to understand the Pythagorean Theorem.

With all these personal projects compiled, a portfolio showcased Stirling’s talents better than any score could.

“Your whole future can’t be summed up in one number,” Stirling asserts, referring to the typical university entry pathway, the ATAR score.

Stirling’s support system is abundant. Family and friends are all on-board, with some of Stirling’s high school friends choosing to study the course alongside him. The friendly nature of AIT also helps.

“It’s like a family,” he told Student Edge, “It’s very inclusive.”

With graduation just a year away, the hard decisions are coming fast, though Stirling doesn’t seem too worried. Making money begins at the ‘AAA’ (pronounced ‘triple A’) companies, known for their higher budgets and promotional abilities. However, going independent is the goal for many, as the designer receives recognition for their work. Stirling is aiming even higher, with hopes of building his own all-encompassing AAA Company.

“I have friends who are into music and film, so in the massive picture [my dream job] would have be to a media company that does games and movies - a publishing brand,” he explained.

Stirling believes that it's more important than ever to have a broad range of skills to find success in creative industries, as well as practical experience under one's belt.

“If you want to be independent, it’s not necessarily the qualifications you are looking for. It’s the experience and the work behind it that you are more interested in having. If you are trying to be your own boss, you don’t care what your own qualification is; you can’t hire yourself, so it is more about what you can do,” he said.

A motto that rings true to Stirling and perhaps all of the gaming design students is, “It’s not about learning the tools; it’s about learning the skills.”

As Stirling explains, “[an] inexperienced person isn’t going to be able to make something good on the most professional software.”

“It doesn’t matter if you have Photoshop or Microsoft Paint, if you’re using the same principle skills behind it; you’re going to get something looking good.”

Pictured: A glimpse at Stirling's desktop.

For those wishing to enter the very real world of game design, creativity is key.

“If you don’t have the individual creative flair to do this stuff, it doesn’t matter what qualification you have if you can’t actually execute it,” he said.

As for Stirling, this last year will be the hardest.

This last year is Endgame.

All pictures supplied by Stirling Mulvey.

The Academy of Information Technology has teamed up with Student Edge to give members very special courses in 3D animation, game design and film editing. You too could follow in Stirling's footsteps. Find out more!