I'm a highschool senior looking at going to Full Sail for Game Design courses. I'm thinking of focusing on programming, but heard that there is currently no future in that due to saturation. I'd like to know what you all think (especailly those who are profesional programmers already) about job availability in the Programming field, specifically programming for game companies. I'd really prefer NOT to 'job-screw' myself.

Programmers seem to have a better job pool than support staff at the moment. If you are just starting school and have 4 years before you will enter the job force, who knows. A lot can change before then.

You are looking at a specialized field with Full Sail I believe. I think their programming track is game development based. You would probably have a better chance of landing a game development position than someone that comes out with a computer science degree without any specialization.

I personally don't believe that the job pool is that bad for developers or even support staff. No, it isn't the boom of the dot com era. It is more reasonable now.

You should check out the job sites like Dice, Careerbuilder, Hotjobs, and Monster see how things are going and what kind of skills employers are looking for. You may want to look more specifically at Gamasutra for job postings since they are more game development oriented.

RedLobo
Systems Development Analyst

I think there is a big future, my father is a programmer for living and what they need is actual experienced people. you have to be better than the rest, who cares about saturation, if you are good you will get by.

Ok.
Game development is complex. There are lots of positions.
Usually QA is the easiest place to start.

Graphics programmers work on the game engine itself.
There may be several game engine teams - one for Windows, One for XBOX. Depending on the platform, development is usally in C++, C, and assembler.

OS specialists work on interfacing efficiently with low-level OS routines. And porting e.g. moving from PSP to Windows

Network programmers work on building Web servers to support internet play.

Graphic artists use programs like Maya to develop sprites,
tiles, and background in general. They may work with the game designers in character design.

Game designers work on the look and feel, the stragegic play, balancing, or whatever applies to the game "appearance" and user interface and user experience.

Script writers do just that - write storyboards and scenarios

QA people test modules - sometimes they are responsible to develop test harnesses. They test what other people develop.
Sometimes they asre responsible for overseeing integration

Marketing and legal people are business support.

Pick one. Everybody in the list except Marketers and office staff (and character actors) develop some kinds of high-leverl language scripts or program in general at one time or another.

Game development will burn you out very quickly.
Game companies hire very young people fresh out of college and university for a reason, and that's because experienced people aren't going to work themselves to death (sometimes literally) for a rather meagre salary.

Expect 12 hour work days as standard, getting up to 20 hours during crunchtime (which will be most of the time).
At the same time expect no overtime pay, and no more benefits than anyone else working a real work schedule.

Joy.

The truth that you won't find at a computer website is that there is no future in programming

Why won't you find it at a computer website ?

Well if you have to ask that question your not to bright

I agree.
It sounds luxurious and all but its hard work.

There is just too much competition in this industry.

Have you thought of going it alone?

Internship accually...use that as a way to get a chance of a company hiring me back, ride it for experiance and to expand my portfolio, and go from there.

I would like to share with you what history has taught me. Throughout my undergraduate degree, I always had a doubt in the back of my mind that most of the programming jobs were going to be outsourced, in turn decreasing the demand for programmers. Therefore, once I finished my B.S. of Computer Information Science, I changed my major to Business Administration and went on to graduate receiving my MBA.

After receiving my MBA, I went to work as an executive officer for large corporations in the banking and title insurance industry. Over the course of the years, I was unhappy with my job occupation because deep down in my heart my ideal occupation was to be a programmer.

So, one day while working at a banking organization I was presented with the opportunity to develop a web-based internal office application. When I finished and launched the application, I received many comments such as outstanding job; what are you doing working as manager in this department? You should be heading the programming department; creative works; and what are you working on next.

It was very clear from that day on where my heart was and where I belong. Moreover, my boss called me into his office to tell me what an oustanding job I did and why did I never come forth before. Then my boss offered me a contract to do all the web development work for the bank, and that's when Global Technology Solutions was formed.

Till this day, we still occupy an office within that city dedicated to providing web development work to that banking organization.

From there, it was no limit to where Global Technology Solutions could go. Now we offer PHP/MySQL, ASP.NET, C++, Java, Design, Flash and much more via our website at www.hiremanagepay.com , and web hosting, dedicated servers, eshops and more at www.gtsmicro.com.

The moral of this story is to follow your heart; if game development is where your heart takes you, then ride that wave. Because, later in life you may be upset with yourself for never giving it try.