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Article » Game Institute FAQ
Is there a specific date I need to enroll by?
No. Game Institute courses are all open enrollment. You can enroll in any course at any time.
Are the courses online?
Yes, all the Game Institute courses are online and can be taken by anyone who has access to a computer and an internet connection.
Do I have to show up at a specific time for class?
No. All our courses are self-paced. You control how quickly or slowly you want to progress and when you want to learn. Our courses work around your already busy schedule – not the other way around. Upon enrollment, you will get immediate access to the course material downloadable through the web site which you can study whenever it suits you; morning, evening, or even in the middle of the night. When you need a hand, just log on to the web site to access expert faculty through forums and instructor office hours held as live chats.
What are time blocks?
Time Blocks are what allow you to control the pace of your learning. They are one week periods of time which you “activate” to enable access to the classroom forums and the instructor live chats through the web site. The beauty of time blocks is that you can decide to activate a time block at any time. See our time block video to see time blocks in action:
http://www.gameinstitute.com/content/videos/Time%20Blocks/TimeBlocks.html
What are classroom forums and instructor live chats?
When you activate a time block, you will be given access to the classroom forum and instructor live chats. The classroom forum is a bulletin board on which you can search for and post questions to the instructor and fellow students about anything course-related.
The live chats are like professor “office hours” where you can show up and talk about anything. These chats are conducted by your instructor at a specified time using our proprietary chat interface which includes a white board and streaming audio.
Do I have to take exams?
Yes. All exams are taken online through the site. The only exception is taking a proctored examination in order to earn college credit for your course.
How are the courses graded?
For the most part, grades are based on a weighted average of the test scores that you received during your studies. Exam count and grading policy will differ from course to course and will ultimately be determined by the course instructor. Your instructor will let you know what those policies are when you begin class.
Do I get a certificate when I finish a course?
Yes. Students receive a certificate upon successful completion of each course. This involves, at a minimum, passing all of the exams. The certificate is given electronically and can be printed out for your needs.
We also have partner schools that offer our courses through certificate programs through Continuing Education Programs at thousands of schools across the country. To locate a partner school in your area that offers our courses for this option, please see:
http://www.gatlineducation.com/search.php
I'm a beginner. Where should I start?
We recommend most beginners interested in programming start with the C++ Programming series with Module 1:
http://www.gameinstitute.com/C++_Programming_for_Game_Developers_Module_1.html
and those interested in design can take our 3DS Max series beginning with Module 1:
http://www.gameinstitute.com/3DStudio_Max_for_Games_Module_1.html
We also recommend taking these courses within a package to get the most savings:
http://www.gameinstitute.com/packages.php
How do I earn college credit?
In order to earn college credit, you must take and pass a proctored final examination. For more information about earning college credit, please see:
http://www.gameinstitute.com/support/index.php?cmd=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&id=59
We also offer CEUs and PDHs through IEEE. To learn more about this, please see:
http://www.gameinstitute.com/support/index.php?cmd=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&id=54
What can I expect to learn at the Game Institute?
Game Institute's training program is designed to provide students with an education in the fundamentals of game development. The game industry is large and varied with different companies using different engines but our goal is to train you to understand the concepts that all game developers need to know. By successfully completing the training, you should be able to comfortably work on any game development team.
Will I be able to build my own video game?
Very few people ever work by themselves on the types of games that Game Institute trains students to build. By completing the training, you would certainly be able to comfortably work as part of a game development team or as a programmer in general. This is not to say that you wouldn’t be able to build very simple games on your own but for commercial level titles, you probably would want to seek employment in the industry.
What software do I need?
The only software that you need beyond what is provided with the programming courses is a C++ compiler--for instance, Microsoft Visual C++.NET. You will also need a copy of the DirectX SDK which you can download for free from the Microsoft website.
There is an article in our Knowledge Base about obtaining a compiler:
http://www.gameinstitute.com/support/index.php?cmd=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&id=27
For our art courses, you will need a copy of 3DS Max software which we do provide as an optional purchase for students at a discounted rate. Your best bet is to always consult the course description page for the specific course which lists the requirements for each course.
What are the minimum hardware requirements for the courses?
Please see this article:
http://www.gameinstitute.com/support/index.php?cmd=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&id=50
How old do I have to be to take classes?
There is no strict age requirement but we generally recommend:
15 and over for the programming courses because they have taken most of the high school math (i.e., algebra, trigonometry, pre-calculus) that is required
13 and over for the design courses because they have been exposed to basic geometry
Individuals under 13 need parental consent.
I already have some programming knowledge. Can I skip a course?
At Game Institute, you can take as many or as few courses as you like. Each course has a list of recommended requirements for taking a course on its Course Description page. If you feel you can skip a course, you certainly can. If you find that you are in over your head, you can still enroll in the course you skipped.
Do you have tuition assistance or financing plans?
No. All courses must be paid for in full at the time of purchase.
How much does it cost to take classes?
Please see our current course offerings listed at:
http://www.gameinstitute.com/courses.php
If you click on the course you are interested in, you will be taken to a course description page which gives you all the information about the course including pricing, downloadable lesson plan, recommended requirements, how many credits the course is worth, etc.
We also have packages of courses at a significantly discounted rate. These can be seen at:
http://www.gameinstitute.com/packages.php
How much will my order cost?
The best way to get an accurate cost for your order is to do the following:
1. Register an account on the Game Institute website (if you have not already done so), log in, and fill in your profile information. Your address is important because this is how shipping costs are calculated.
2. Add the courses you are interested in to your shopping cart, fill in the shipping details, and select a shipping option. You can then abandon the checkout procedure if you so wish.
Do you have a job placement program?
We do not currently have a job placement program but it is a service that we are planning on offering in the future. It is possible that your teacher could provide leads and assistance for employment, but that is on an individual dependent basis and not a company policy.
Can I return courses for a refund?
Because all our courses are online and the material is available to you for download upon enrollment, all sales are final and there can be no refunds.
Can I get a degree through Game Institute?
Game Institute is not a college. We do not award degrees. We are a training program designed to teach game development. Our program is used in conjunction with many colleges either for credit or certification programs and there is also the option to earn credit towards a degree taking our courses through the site. You can learn more information about this at:
http://www.gameinstitute.com/support/index.php?cmd=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&id=54
If your question was not answered in this FAQ, please submit a ticket to the Help Desk.
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