Other applications of game design skills

[Neuman]

As I'm sure many of you are aware, getting a job in the video game industry can be extremely difficult, and many people eventually learn that it's not something that's as appealing to them as they originally thought. The video game industry is known for long hours, low starting pay, and a lot of applicants trying to get a few jobs.

Still, that doesn't mean the skills learned in the field of video game design can't be applied elsewhere. When we were originally putting Better Bodies together, I was an undergraduate university student working on my degree in biomedical/mechanical engineering. My dad saw some of the work I was doing with video game modding, but he was always telling me I should be applying myself toward something more practical, possibly related to my work field.

This past fall, I started graduate school. Initially I didn't do that great, but this spring semester, I started a course in Virtual Reality Applications. Its focus is on developing simulations for engineering applications, using OpenGL and C++. Immediately, I saw the connection to my past experience modding Morrowind. Within a short amount of time I established myself at the top of the class in this field, and I've turned what was previously a fairly mediocre grad school performance into being offered a position as a research assistant, and possibly a fellowship. I'll be working with the VR lab staff and Roswell Park Cancer Institute to develop computer simulations for robotic surgery. It's like a video game that saves lives!

So, I'm just letting everyone know, there are definitely applications out there for the skills acquired in the field of video game design, without necessarily designing video games. Even my dad has had to admit this.

Here's the link to the VR course I'm taking, for anyone interested:
http://wings.buffalo.edu/courses/sp09/mae/574/

[OldeCow69]

That's very cool!

[Growlf]

Congratulations.

I also used some of my Oblivion babes to illustrate a workshop in first aid. This presentation was very funny because the male listeners were excited.