Greetings fellow PolyCounters...

I was posting this thread because I wanted to hear the opinions of the community on the GuildHall. I've kept pretty up-to-date on how ya'll feel about "game schools", but I have also noticed that GuildHall has it's own rep.

When it comes to general 'game schools', I've always been told; Save your money and your time and invest it into online tutorials, self practice, and PolyCount :-) . Although, GuildHall always seems to come up.

Well, now I am a recently separated military veteran who has this GI BIll, and I'm looking at the GuildHall. I wanted to get feedback from PolyCount, on whether or not attending the courses at GuildHall is the way to go or continuing to self-educate only should be the route. Hmm, Both?

I know there are some very talented, knowledgeable, industry types here. I was hoping on alittle 'Green' insight before making a decision like this, on this topic. I look forward to any comments, advice on the subject... and I thank you all for your time.

Guildhall used to be considered pretty solid even by Polycount standards. I don't think anyone has mentioned it recently. A few oldschool Polycounters used to teach there

Well thanks Ninjas... hey, how many polycounters do we have out there that have gone to the school or were a teacher there?

Does seem like talk of the place is less as of late. Still just tryin' to gather infio

I don't want to take anything away from Guild Hall, but their program seems a bit light-weight from a 4 year school perspective. (the sample they have up has their semesters with only 9 or 10 credit hours. Not enough to be a "full time student" legally)

If you don't have a family, I would take consider an easy-ish degree program from some cheap 4 year school. You may want to "get serious" etc, but college is your last best chance to fuck off and do stupid stuff.

When I was 24 I went to a 4 year school and spent a couple years in the dorms hanging out and having fun. In my free time I made a movie, for example. I also met my wife.

Warren Spector taught at UT Austin, and if you are thinking about Texas, Austin is probably the best town to live in (having personally lived next to SMU in Plano, and other places in Dallas for about 10 years)

As you pointed out, you know the Polycount take on game schools/education. To sum up, I would go to a 4 year school to get any major I had interested in and spend my off time making game art.

It seems fairly hard to get in due to their portfolio requirements. So you shouldn't be getting a lot of lazy hacks going in there. I have been thinking of going there. You can always ask how many credits you can take a semester. The classes don't look like nonsense. To be considered full time all you need to take are four 3 credit classes each semester. Four art classes should keep you extremely busy.

Alex

I work with a number of folks who went there and they all seemed to dig it. I think we had mostly designers from there? They all came out of school ready to go.

I go to the Guildhall if you want to pick my brain for what its like to go there, etc.

It is not an easy program. Four classes don't sound like much, but they are three hour classes that are 2x or 3x a week. I can only speak for the art track, but the rest of my time is dominated by homework and meetings for team game projects. It's a master's program, so with exceptions to experience or genius talent, you are expected to already have a bachelor's coming in. I suspect it's less about relevant background and more about emotional maturity as the age range tends to be 23 and up.

That being said, the teachers are fantastic. I've met a lot of professionals, not counting the instructors. Having classmates that are going through the same experience and are dedicated like you make a difference. Even with how exhausting it is, its exciting and fun. My skills are improving faster than when I was in undergrad or when I was trying to self teach while working a crappy job. It's a decision not to take lightly. It took me a year to decide.

Not downing self education versus school. I still collect DVDs, read tutorials, and lurk on boards.

well as they say, the chance to further learn is never over...

@ Sage, Noia, Ghostscape, Ninjas :

Thank you all for the information, insight and perspective... It has all helped greatly!

Ghostscape, I have heard that too, and as Sage and Noia has stated... the others there, the dedicated people along side you sounds great... not having people that arent 100% into what they want to get out of it sounds like a great perk... dedication and motivation always play a major role... something i learned at my last job.

Noia, I am going to send you a PM... If you wouldnt mind, there are a bunch of questions I would love to ask you! If you have the time that is, I can only imagine how crunch cruch crunch you must be atm.. heh

again thank you! and if anyone else has anymore they would like to add! please... this thread is becomming fastly informative for me!

tc

Bump*

Just wanted to give ya'll an update, I got an email from one of the admins at the school today, they informed me:

I'M IN! I GOT ACCEPTED! w00t w00t...

I'm so pumped.. just wanted to share with the group!
Thanks to everyone and the advice again!

Grats dude, best of luck

Congrats!

I was considering it at one point, but getting contact with some of the instructors wasn't easy, and this was during a time when they were going through a PR transfer, and it literally took them months to reply to my inquiries. Plus, I felt if I were to get a masters, I would want something a little farther ranging and with more "freedom" to choose and even control where and how my projects went. In example, a Digital Arts masters program I knew about, the graduating class would each get to have their own personal art projects... which the 1st years would be supervised under. Seemed a fair trade.

Congratulations Mike! Are you C14?

@ Filbot - Thanks man!

@ oXYnary - Thanks! and I hear what your sayin' .. Fortunately, I've been in great contact with the faculty and former / present students! It's helped me big time in my research and decision to attend the school!

@ Noia - Thank you! and Hey! long time no talk... Yes! I am going for C14.. starting in JAN... :-D

Here's a good read about the Guildhall @ SMU ... just came out... thought I would share...

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/arti...s-of-the-Guild

That's a great article! I'm glad to be a part of the Guildhall.

Yeah I wish I would have picked the Guild Hall over The Art Institute of Dallas, it seems like every job I apply for gets won out by someone from SMU, the schools cost about the same, private schools are sooo expensive, but SMU is probably worth it...

hey monster! good to hear from ya... we all miss you and hope to see ya soon!.. :-)

firecracker.. we are about to have an open house.. you should come out :-D ...

http://guildhall.smu.edu/fileadmin/n...espring11.html

I graduated from their first "cohort" and in my opinion its pretty much the same as any art school - If you go in there expecting to be handed or even taught everything you need to know, you will be sorely disappointed. You need to work your ass off and be very self motivated to get through art school with a shot.
I haven't kept up with any of the changes there, but the absolute best thing about GH versus other schools was the group projects each semester. I hope they still do them. You learn more in actually making a game than you could possibly any other way. And for us at least, every horrible thing that has happened during the creation of the group project has also happened in a company after I graduated.

@ Devoid

C1 eh? Awesome! Yes they still do the group projects... we are in the middle of the main capstone game project now... and I know exactly what you mean.... and with your other comments as well... :-) cheers

Originally Posted by Mike_Carlyle

firecracker.. we are about to have an open house.. you should come out :-D ...

http://guildhall.smu.edu/fileadmin/n...espring11.html

Haha a little late for that! I got my degree last year.

they have a Certificate and Masters program... the students take the same classes side by side as one unit.. tho the masters obviously have more work to do later in the program...