maths related problem

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Ryanrulez5

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Nov 24, 2010
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hi i dont really post life advice stuff on the net im afraid of people ripping on me for it. I really suck at maths and biology i think my gaming is related to it is this normal and im only good at ict and history and i really want a carrer in gaming or computers do i need maths for a carrer in gaming because im scared of not being able to get it if i fail at maths any advice?
 

DoPo

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Jan 30, 2012
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Ooh. Tough. How much do you suck at maths? You will need a fair amount of it for gaming. It's visual stuff, so matrices, vectors and 3D related things. I'd assume you'll need at least some amount of statistics and game theory. Actually, you'll need more maths than if you just do another computer science related course. The reason that video games courses tend to be computer science with emphasis on visualisation and games. Those latter two require the nastier stuff (if you ask me, at least).

Saying that, it tends to not be too hard maths you get taught as part of Uni courses. If you're able to follow along, you should be fine. You need to know a fairly small number of things and for some you you only need to know generally how they work. You can use a calculator/software if you need really precise results, otherwise you'll just need a general idea of what to expect. Case in point: look here [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_O_notation] - just a brief look. What you should know is that O(2^n) grows really fast while O(n) is OK-ish and O(log n) is really slow to grow. Oh, yeah, slow is good, by the way (plot them on a graph to see what I mean - the faster they grow, the worse). All that maths behind it - you're probably not going to need.

Don't expect compsci to make you solve the numbers (ALL OF THEM!), but don't expect it to be totally devoid of maths either. Some things will require you to grit your teeth and learn some but I doubt people will expect you to be a Math genius who juggles complex equations in his head for fun. Even the maths required for graphics isn't too bad but it really depends on how much you feel will hold you back.
 

Endersgate1321

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Jun 11, 2011
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Math is good for everything nobody really likes it at first until you relize all the cool things you can do with it... like taxes and tips for that hot waitress who you eyeing
 

Keoul

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Apr 4, 2010
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Hmmmmmm If you're that afraid just lower your gaming? either way depends on what part of the gaming industry you're looking to get into, obviously the publicity side (e.g Yogcast) won't need as much maths as those who actually make the games
 

DoPo

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Jan 30, 2012
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Erm, I forgot to mention in my previous post that when doing A.I., you need some really ugly Maths. It's not that it's incomprehensible or hard (well it isn't really), just the human brain is usually really bad at understanding probability. Once you wrap your head around it it's not really too difficult, the problem lies in the time it would take you to do it.

So, yeah, if you really, really hate Maths, I'd suggest skipping video games.

Then again, Keoul[/I] is right - it depends which part of the industry you're aiming for. When I read "carrer in gaming or computers", I immediately thought you're thinking of programming or programming video games (not a huge difference, the former is a bit more specialised, that's all). Well, there is much more than those. You can do a course in business and computing[footnote]Depending on where you are/which university you're going to.[/footnote], so you'll be able to have a more people oriented position - meeting with clients or managing staff. And there are courses in Business IT which specialise in, well, IT for the business field[footnote]Some business is involved but it's not nearly the same as business and computing.[/footnote], graphics design, web development, database administration or internet service administration are all different to each other and are all careers in computing.

Can you tell us a bit more about yourself - when are you planning to start university and what exactly (if any) do you have in mind for the future? Also, anything you think is relevant. Maybe we can help more with suggestions and recommendations.
 

Ryanrulez5

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Nov 24, 2010
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its not that i dont like maths its that i just cant do exams i am relativley good in class but i hope to get an A or A* in ict and mabye a c or b in english and i do get a tutor for maths but its only helping a small bit
 

renegade7

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Feb 9, 2011
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Ryanrulez5 said:
its not that i dont like maths its that i just cant do exams i am relativley good in class but i hope to get an A or A* in ict and mabye a c or b in english and i do get a tutor for maths but its only helping a small bit
If the problem is exams have you thought about a test taking skills course? They can help with things like finding out what your ideal study habits/environment should be, manage test anxiety, organize better, etc., etc.

Really, I found that once I started doing better on math tests I felt much better about the class on the whole. Being ready and confident when you take a test is a huge confidence booster.