Comments on: The value of education Excellent. I agree that it's a problem that trade-specific education is viewed as apart from general, "academic" education. You really need both, and it needs to be a coherent presentation...a combination of experience and practice and conceptual learning which is not entirely mediated by lecturers but simply advised and mentored by them. Probably the best way would be a combination of lectures, reading, and apprenticeship. University can only offer that sort of thing if you seek it out yourself, and even then not completely. Excellent. I agree that it’s a problem that trade-specific education is viewed as apart from general, “academic” education. You really need both, and it needs to be a coherent presentation…a combination of experience and practice and conceptual learning which is not entirely mediated by lecturers but simply advised and mentored by them. Probably the best way would be a combination of lectures, reading, and apprenticeship. University can only offer that sort of thing if you seek it out yourself, and even then not completely.

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By: Ben Sizer/2011/06/19/the-value-of-education/#comment-5953 Ben Sizer Mon, 20 Jun 2011 00:09:37 +0000 Need isnt the right term. But would they benefit? I think so. Look at how graphics technology has benefitted from academic research. If we apply that level of attention to areas like game design, or game AI, then something of use will come out of it. I dont think academia will "fix" anything with the industry for sure. But I think having some people who have time and the skill to study new areas of games is worthwhile. In the long run, I think any healthy industry has strong ties with education. Games just need to grow into it a bit (and eventually all of the skeptical academics will die off and you'll have a new generation with something to say. The fact is, the games industry has already benefitted greatly from education, just not "games" education. Need isnt the right term. But would they benefit? I think so. Look at how graphics technology has benefitted from academic research. If we apply that level of attention to areas like game design, or game AI, then something of use will come out of it.

I dont think academia will “fix” anything with the industry for sure. But I think having some people who have time and the skill to study new areas of games is worthwhile. In the long run, I think any healthy industry has strong ties with education. Games just need to grow into it a bit (and eventually all of the skeptical academics will die off and you’ll have a new generation with something to say.

The fact is, the games industry has already benefitted greatly from education, just not “games” education.

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By: snake5/2011/06/19/the-value-of-education/#comment-5935 snake5 Sun, 19 Jun 2011 18:59:36 +0000 Great post! I just started studying for a M.Sc. on AI Applied to Video Games and I'm always interested in these kinds of opinions especially coming from someone with both industry and academic experience. I don't really have industry experience but from what I can see it seems that the gaming industry doesn't seem to value academics as much as some other fields, which is a shame in my opinion... Great post! I just started studying for a M.Sc. on AI Applied to Video Games and I’m always interested in these kinds of opinions especially coming from someone with both industry and academic experience. I don’t really have industry experience but from what I can see it seems that the gaming industry doesn’t seem to value academics as much as some other fields, which is a shame in my opinion…

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By: Dave Mark/2011/06/19/the-value-of-education/#comment-5911 Dave Mark Sun, 19 Jun 2011 14:36:50 +0000 I didnt intend it to say "you know nothing" I intended it to say "we all know less than we think". There is a lot to learn and its useful for us as an industry to get academia to look at our problems in a way that actually helps us understand them better. Much like the use of design patterns has helped software engineering improve. I dont think its *required*, but its definitely going to be beneficial. But only if we take part and push for what we want, not what academia thinks we want (which is most often wrong). But I disagree that Universities and other education can't help us get better. It just takes the will and some effort in helping them to help us. Much like academic study of graphics has given us better hardware over the years. I didnt intend it to say “you know nothing” I intended it to say “we all know less than we think”. There is a lot to learn and its useful for us as an industry to get academia to look at our problems in a way that actually helps us understand them better. Much like the use of design patterns has helped software engineering improve.

I dont think its *required*, but its definitely going to be beneficial. But only if we take part and push for what we want, not what academia thinks we want (which is most often wrong).

But I disagree that Universities and other education can’t help us get better. It just takes the will and some effort in helping them to help us. Much like academic study of graphics has given us better hardware over the years.

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By: snake5/2011/06/19/the-value-of-education/#comment-5901 snake5 Sun, 19 Jun 2011 12:52:05 +0000 A really good article Phil and hits home with me as I've been wondering about moving across to education for a few years now but haven't yet taken the plunge. From the reading that I've done it feels that the UK is behind the US in this regard as well - I think that Universities in the States have been taking the industry more seriously that the ones over here. There's a few courses that are obviously starting to mature and shine and, as you say, it requires the industry itself to realise how important education can be. It'll be interesting to see if we can catch up. A really good article Phil and hits home with me as I’ve been wondering about moving across to education for a few years now but haven’t yet taken the plunge. From the reading that I’ve done it feels that the UK is behind the US in this regard as well – I think that Universities in the States have been taking the industry more seriously that the ones over here. There’s a few courses that are obviously starting to mature and shine and, as you say, it requires the industry itself to realise how important education can be. It’ll be interesting to see if we can catch up.

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