At some point in my life I got a job at very big and COOL (facebook = sh*t) web 2.0 company as a community manager. Later our team was made redundant and I find it unbelievably hard to work as an Admin at a standard company.

I always wanted to study Java because I like programming in simpler languages such as applescript etc.
Friend of mine (who is a programmer) told me that I am not going to be accepted in java programming team because I am not a geek – and they will think that I am there for money. Is it really THAT black and white?

It upsets me – I want to work with cool people once again.

Here is a list of my interests, please tell me which once are not appropriate:

1) Dropping hints (dual speach)
2) Fashion
3) Design/photography/animation etc. (at the moment do not have cool portfolio = lame)
4) Japanese anime manga etc.
5) Bradbury books and other sci-fi
6) diets
7) do not mind “class A”s time to time

At the moment dislike the following:
1) Simpsons, South Park and almost everything that is produced for masses.
2) Beer
3) weed
4) rude people (f words, racists; I’m not a gay, but do not like if someone hates gays)
5) politics (especially – I’m natively Russian and hate “what do you think about Putin?”)
6) cheap clothes

Please tell me if there is anything that can be considered inappropriate among programmers and what is a MUST interest/hobby.

Using information you and possibly others can amend personality.
Is it necessary to follow common dress code?
Thanks!

I’m also very analytical, attentive to detail, and business-minded. My interests include small businesses, the internet (especially Web 2.0 Trends) and marketing. I have 2 blogs up on the internet; one about Web 2.0 Trends, and one about computer game development.

I’m considering becoming a consultant for small business IT solutions such as web sites, databases, and computer systems.

The only thing I’m doubting myself for at the moment is my experience in the field. I have a college diploma (2 years) in Computer Programming. I have about 1 year of experience in web design, web application programming, and .NET programming. I know I have the skills to pull it off (I graduated with honors, and am very self-motivated), but I worry that I don’t have the experience to back me up.

Do you think I have enough experience to kick-start a career in consulting? If not, do you have any possible alternatives?

Thank you
“Consulting” might require too much experience in my case. Can anybody think of alternatives for me?

How would I go about being officially recognized as a freelance web designer? Would I need to essentially start a business to get a vendor number, or something like that?

Please, only answer if you actually have a clue about this sort of thing.

At Centennial’s School of Communication, Media and Design, an Ontario College Advanced Diploma is provided just in two years to all those applicants who pursue this Post-secondary program under Centennial’s dedicated faculty. Centennial has a unique combination of design skills and practical experiences to set their graduates to stand apart in the competition. This will make graduates more flexible and their design solutions will be more effective.

Toronto’s Graphic Design Diploma will spark up your abilities under the Integrate knowledge of visual graphics with creative communications strategies for print publications, packaging and illustration.  Along with the development and implementation of solutions to problems encountered in all phases of the graphic design process, Centennial aims at enhancing your creativity in visual communications through the application of design theories and principles to develop effective design solutions. Here, Media experts will bring out the areas of applying typographic skills and knowledge to create effective visual communications and the usage a variety of technologies to create, capture, and manipulate design elements in producing a final product. Later on, there will be high focus to communicate effectively, credibly, and accurately with clients, supervisors, coworkers, and target audiences by using a variety of media. Even the chance of applying effective business practices and project management skills appropriate to his/ her position in the graphic design field is looked appropriately with the development of personal and professional strategies and plans to improve students’ career prospects.

Centennial has its own criteria of admission requirements for which the college expects applicants to present at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) for diploma or certificate course at this college or equivalent, or be 19 years of age or older.  Take note that possession of minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission to this program. Academically, a student should fulfill 12C or U or skill assessment or equivalent in English subject. Centennial also demands for non-academic and portfolio requirements to get admitted at this multidisciplinary program. Non- academically, applicants need to attain a program admission session where a portfolio work will be given to them, which will be considered along with the students’ English proficiency for their admission process. Furthermore, your portfolio presentation should consist 15 pieces of your original art and design that demonstrates your creativity of materials, media, techniques, and colors along with your innovative abilities and interest towards the work. Present the digital illustrations and image applications with short research paper on design philosophy and interesting graphic fields. Try to present mounted or framed work with numbered pieces in your portfolio.

Formally, Centennial College is recognized by the Association of Registered Graphic Designers of Ontario (RGD Ontario), which represents more than 3,000 graphic designers, managers, educators and students across Ontario. Thus, Centennial College would be the right choice for acquiring in-depth graphical knowledge and innovative technical capabilities for a bright and stable future.

- So What Exactly is a Game Design Degree Anyways? -

If you have a deep passion for video games, and would love to join the industry, a games design degree can help turn these dreams into reality, giving you the skills, knowledge, and creative inspiration to become a top-notch games designer in the rapidly expanding interactive entertainment industry.

Degrees in Games design prepare students to join the companies that create the games they love, such as World of Warcraft, Halo, and Half Life. If the design and creation aspect of video games intrigue you, then getting a game design degree is definitely an option you should explore, as it will allow you to join the industry that creates that which you are so passionate about.

- What Will I Learn While Earning a Game Design Degree? -

You will learn an understanding of the fundamentals of all aspects of creating video games, to include programming, art and design. You will also have the opportunity to specialize.

Programming is of course the foundation of creating games, so acquiring knowledge in this area is one of the many benefits a games design degree will provide you. Game programmers are in extremely high demand, and typically command salaries averaging from $65,000 to $100,000 a year.

Equally important to programming in creating video games is art and design – and becoming a Game Artist is another career option that will be explored in the next issue. The majority of games design programs have a strong emphasis on graphics, art and design. Game Designers learn to develop animation in 2D and 3D.

- Besides Game Companies, Who Else Hires Those With a Game Design Degree? -

Most graduates of a video games design program will find employment in the video game industry; however, there are other options and career paths that you can consider. The educational industry hires video game designers to help meet the need for modern interactive educational software; language programs, reading programs and programs that help students to learn in an immersive, interactive setting are becoming the new standard. Government agencies and large companies are also hiring game designers to design training software. Finally, internet advertising agencies are also hiring game developers, in order to create interactive and animated ads that are engaging and entertaining.

- Is a Game Design Degree the Right Choice for Me? -

If you have a passion for games and love the thought of designing them, then yes. Earning a degree in video game design will help you develop the skills needed to achieve success in this arena, as well as fine-tune your own talent and creativity. You will need to develop good programming and design skills, and a good game design program will help you achieve that. If this is something you dream about, then starting a career in game design will in all likelihood be a perfect fit.

- Educational Programs in Game Design -

There are now literally dozens if not hundreds of game design programs – something to meet every need. If you want to earn your degree completely online, you can do that. If you simply want a certificate in order to get your foot in the door in a more entry-level capacity, such as a game test-developer, you can do that too (some of the best programmers don’t have full B.A. degrees; an AA or certificate is a valid option). Today, you can earn your degree online, at a local college or community college, at an institute that specializes in just game design, or a combination of all of the above.

For the Academic Year 2008/2009 NABA presents different design degree programs, and among them the Bachelor of Arts Degree Program.

NABA, Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti, is an Italian Design Academy founded in 1980 and located in Milan, that offers a variety of programs inherent to creative and business design world.

In our design and fashion school we integrate the more traditional disciplines of visual representation with the new digital technologies and the critical project-oriented culture of Italian Design.

Naba training courses are based on a cross-disciplinary method aimed at developing artistic-professional skills and profiles in the fields of art, design, fashion, media and graphic design.

The Bachelor of Arts program (BA) is a three-year undergraduate program held in the following areas:

Interior and Industrial;

Fashion and Textile Design;

Theatre Design;

Graphic Design and Art Direction;

Media Design (Computer Animation, Editing and Compositing of Film and Video);

Visual Arts (Painting, Videoart, Photography, Public Art).

All these Italian design undergraduate programs are based on different learning methods of individual and group course:

· Theoretical-critical lessons: students will develop cultural and methodological tools in order to face professional work in a critical and conscious way.

· Project workshops: students works and products are developed through free practical exercises or through projects made in collaboration with firms and companies

· Instrumental workshops: techniques and tools are acquired for the realization of projects according to the needs of each teaching program.

All qualifications awarded by NABA are internationally recognised: the undergraduate three-year courses are Bachelor of Arts programs that corresponds to 180 credits.

Therefore, this degree, entitles you to continue your studies (at a master level) in any country in the world.

Undergraduate programs will start in September but application deadline is April.

NABA graduates work for many important Italian and international firms.

Therefore NABA BA programs facilitate direct access to the world of work.

All BA curricula are available in our website: Italian design academy

Designing a masterpiece graphically is the art of combining text and graphics to communicate an effective message. It is primarily used in the design of logos, brochures, newsletters, posters, signs, and other type of visual communication. Graphic design is the use of words and images to pass on information or to create a certain visual effect. This art form is sometimes referred to as commercial art because of its application to advertising and its vital contribution to business function.

Graphic design practice embraces a range of cognitive skills, aesthetics and crafts, including typography, visual arts and page layout. Graphic designers have a unique ability to sell a product or idea through effective visual communications, and are asked to perform the difficult task of being creative every single day.

Combining visual communication skills with the interactive communication skills of user interaction and online branding, graphic designers often work with web developers to create both the look and feel of a web site and enhance the online experience of web site visitors. Color is also another powerful way of helping users find their way around a site, and color coding sections of the site helps users identify where they are.

Graphic design adds a visual and emotional context to the purely cognitive text on the site. The primary tool for this art form is, of necessity, the creative mind. With the advent of computers and software applications, the task of the designer has become a little easier, as these have provided more effective production tools than traditional methods. It is a creative profession and things that were once only conceived in the mind are brought to life through skills and imagination.

There is a downside to the inclusion of graphic design on websites. Many designers have tried to force the Web to be what it is not, creating ineffective and sometimes unusable websites. There is a tendency to forget that words, and not images, are the building blocks for the vast majority of websites. People are strongly visually orientated, and their response to the website’s aesthetics and visual structure plays a strong part in how they interact with it as a whole.

The mid 1980s heralded the arrival of desktop publishing and the introduction of graphic art software applications. This introduced a generation of designers to computer image manipulation and 3D image creation that had previously been a tedious and intensive process. Today’s graphic designers often use desktop publishing software and techniques to achieve their goals.

Graphic design requires that the advocate must continually keep up to date with the development of new and updated software, usually either on their own or through software training programs. Contrary to popular belief, anybody with the right software can not necessarily do it, creativity is the biggest attribute that needs to be added.

Graphic design is not just a case of being fluent in some type of software, but also about communication, solving visual problems, and imagination. The tools that are now available do not detract from the need for creative imagination, rather just make the performance of the task easier, and perhaps open the floodgates to applications that may have been out of reach previously.

Step 1. The source of video game testing job

The first step is to find the source that has a list of gaming companies that are looking to hire people to test play their games. ‘Xbox’ owned by Microsoft, if you want to become a game tester you should look for its company title. The easiest way to get the job is to visit the source. The place where they gathered a list of gaming companies and they teach you how to get the job with your best resume. Gaming Testing Ground is the source that gathered these information where you can use to get the job.

Step 2. Be serious

Video game tester is like a regular job, you get paid for testing their video games. You should take your job seriously so gaming company will want to hire you for future game testing. Become a game tester can be very tedious and stressful because Xbox games are designed with complication system, it could take up a whole day just testing for one game. If you don’t enjoy playing video game, then this job is not for you.

Step 3. Be active

The final step is to apply for more than 3 gaming companies so you can make a steady income and constant game test. Xbox game tester has a high pay rate compared to other gaming companies but you would want to earn more money by working for more than one company. Keep working for the company and find new job from Gamer Testing Ground’s source. Soon you will have a higher paying game testing job in the future.