Are you happy enough as a designer/developer?

absolutely loving it

I work for myself and I work with pixels that render the same no matter what the browser is*

If you’re going to learn Flash and Actionscript do your self a huge favour and start with AS3 , skip AS2 and completely ignore it, you’ll end up far better off

*there are a few minor bugs here and there but nothing like CSS in IE vs CSS in FF….

First of all, don’t forget, you’re just 14. It’s a great step that you even decided to THINK about your future, but it’s normal not yet to be used to work for hours on end without a visible result in sight, and instead play a game after just a few minutes-hours.

I don’t know what to recommend but I can give you a few pointers on “what not to do” as I know that is what I did wrong, even to this day… might be fun to read, might be depressing so enjoy either way:

I am 21 years of age, going on 22 soon… I started playing computergames at the age of … 9-10 years of age, and ever since then I realized I liked going really in depth, learning all controls of primitive flight simulators, beating my own high score as often as possible, and started exploring the computer in all the possible directions from using paint to the first Web-page visited, by the time we were still using 14400 bit modems. By the age of 14 the games already evolved and so did my wish to create interesting art that would somehow fit into the games. I started using photoshop and 3DStudio max quite a while ago, and as with the flight simulator… I started learning it to perfection, but I somehow got lost within the learning process and did just that… LEARNED how they work, and basically if you would ask me to write tutorials, I could rewrite entire books on either one of the two programs… but I never actually did something I was proud of in either one. Yeah, friends liked the few things I showed them, but I never did… and up to this day, I never managed to create a healthy portfolio. I regret this fact so much, I can’t even explain… by now, I am a proud owner of a decent laptop, wacom tablet, and quite a collection of original software, but only a few months ago did I start working on my actual portfolio… but now, I don’t really even have the time to do that, since I’m busy with my studies in architecture. By now, I’m advanced in Cinema 4D, Adobe PS CS3 , 3DS, Zbrush 3, and have some knowledge of basic webdesign, using Dreamwaver, but absolutely no coding experience.

In your case, you just have to decide on a good mix of designer and developer if you want to really do something. I believe in the next few months I will start learning AS3 as well, and at least get my design skills used for webdesign, because Gamedesign or any other concept is just not an option for me due to lack of time.

WORK ON BUILDING a portfolio of ANYTHING you excel at and by the time it’s already become a stupid habit, some people will already have seen your past work, and might consider using your services… that’s the only piece of advice I would have that might sound a bit more logic.

Oh yeah, and don’t do it if you just don’t have ANY sort of drive towards it… it’s just lost time.

Best regards, Contrastblack.

WORK ON BUILDING a portfolio of ANYTHING you excel at and by the time it’s already become a stupid habit, some people will already have seen your past work, and might consider using your services… that’s the only piece of advice I would have that might sound a bit more logic.

definetly.

On one side of the coin you’re very lucky to have started so young, i’m 23 and wish I had worked out what I wanted to do 10 years ago rather than 3-4 years ago..

but and its a big but…

its SO easy to get sucked in within this industry and spend alot of hours in front of a computer making cool stuff all night long… dont do it... you’re young… make sure you enjoy your youth, its over before you know it

Best of luck

Take it from me… I’ve been doing graffiti, hitting trains and subways, the city bombing, it brought me nothing! But it was something I could only have done then… now there is just too little time, too much responsibility, and the money somehow starts to be counted to every cent. Back then I would work my ass off to make money for spray cans… and made nothing in return, nowadays I have to make something, just for the hell of it, in order to make money, you know? be creative, whatever it takes, so that you can also look back and be proud of something other than good grades and happy parents. Do NOT deny your social life… just be sure to keep it balanced. Going all out in either direction is BAD for your future, either as an individual, or as a moneymaker. By the age of 30, you will have NO freedom. You will be stuck with the money-making mentality that needs to cover your daily expenses, and the only happiness you’ll feel is when you’ll be getting a fat paycheck so you can buy yourself or anyone dear to you something nice… that’s no freedom.

I pretty much managed to somehow f… it up on both ends, but luckily ever since I’ve met my current girlfriend, by the age of 18 everything started making sense.