First, I want to thank you all for the dedicated time, shared experience, knowledge and different advices, opinions you gave me. I didn't expect that so many people will give so much devotion to my question. This forum is just swarming with honest, kind-hearted people. Actually, almost every programmer or hardware tech guy I've been communicating with on the internet was this awesome. I don't know why, maybe it's just a global trait in our profession or I'm just living surrounded by wrong people. I'm eager to work
in a team, I think it should feel totally amazing. I tried to show initiative in school to some guys that said they knew photoshop but few days later they told me they don't work on pixels. Obviously, they expected me to make something like a Quake or GTA. And I'm not really sure how could I find a coding/graphics/any project partner on the internet, how and when (timezones, eh?) we would connect and discuss the thing we would create. Maybe I need some more experience before entering the arena
Anyways, thank you. Now I will take some time to respond to all of your thoughts.
Please don't try to change who you are on the account of everyone else. There are enough people in this world who try to be just like everyone else. Be an individual. Be proud of the name you were given and who you are. Don't change it just because someone may not pronounce it properly or is unfamiliar with it. Don't ever tailor yourself to fit in with other individual's ignorance or myopic view of the world, because at the end of the day, you're just lowering yourself to their standards.
I'm not changing myself on the account of everyone else. If I did, I would be already drinking alcohol, smoking and following my classmates as a dog. It's quite opposite - I blow against the wind and keep neglecting their priorities and virtues. They have no power to change my character and beliefs. For example, I am an open atheist, even though it's against to the whole system. My new name is a part of me - I decided to change it because
I wanted to. Yes, now it may sound that it was because it's difficult pronounce for the others, but I know that in the future it will cause problems to me too! I am almost sure I won't be living here, in Lithuania. I dream to live in an English-tongued country. There, this new name will help me to blend in and feel native faster. Secondly, it shows my beliefs. I can say without any fear - I am no patriot. I am a cosmopolitan. If my country will be an aggressor I won't go to it's side, I may even go against it. Because I look at the world as a land of people with global problems and perspectives, not as a ripped pieces, each looking for their own good. Therefor, my name has to be global too - understood and natural for the most of the people in the world.
I don't think you could work for any game company at 18 without diploma, because it's already very hard to work there with experience and/or diploma.
Yes. You can find a job as a programmer as long as you have the skills for it. Is it easy? Probably not, but it is indeed possible!
There is always a chance of landing a job without a diploma, but as others have said you need to have skills.
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Don't think you can learn absolutely everything from the internet : you can't.
It is however possible to learn computer science with online courses and materials, as well as good books, sample code and healthy brainstorms about the topic with a community!
University education level knowledge can be obtained in a self-taught way, even though the path to it may become longer than having some tutoring in an adequate institution.
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What you absolutely need is experience, so never stop to make games, programs, stuff you will be able to get out of you magic hat someday and that will make the difference between you and some random bachelor guy with no experience in video game programming.
I love different opinions! Those let you know the best arguments for each side and you can find something in common, that means, something stated by all and most likely to be true in them! So I did here.
- I may or may not find a job without a diploma. It all depends on the country you're living in, the economy, your skills and, of course, luck. And there is no real answer - it's risky, it's probably not going to work, but who knows? But there's one for sure - if one is creating his own business, diploma doesn't matter - all that is important is his/her skills.
- There are things you can't learn on the internet. But the internet may be enough to provide you with enough resources to fit for a job, and you can get the rest of the lessons later... Anyways, a good education institution can't be a bad shot.
- Whenever, wherever, your skills are the most important thing. You have to practice. You have to code. You have to advance and improve yourself. That is mandatory. You must learn! I get it and I'll try to improve my skills as much as possible since right now.
Not to sound harsh, but I think you have a ways to go before you have enough skills to land a job. For example in your post here you said that the collision detection code was hard to understand. Well out in the world you will see a lot more crappy code / hard to understand stuff than that. And your employer will expect you to understand it. I'm not saying give up and that it is impossible to get for you to make it in life without a diploma, but sometimes it is easier to follow the system than trying to go around the system. 
Ha, not to sound harsh
[/quite]I know that I need to climb mountains to get the required skills, I am very new to programming, but I will do my best from now on
And by the way, I said that it
seems to be difficult, but I didn't actually read the code. I just searched for a quick few-lines solution, and apparently, there isn't one like that. Give me time and I will implement my own algorithm, without using that code snippet. I already know how to check alpha channels and made some nice working rounded buttons, and that is a step to the collision detection.
And maybe there are opportunities for programmers to code online? Other ideas and solutions?
Google around, there are sites out there where programmers can offer themselves for hire. But your better off going to a university and getting an intern position.
I am happy there are opportunities! Though it will be really useful only when I'll learn a bit more, because right now I definitely lack skills but later, I'll have this in mind! Thanks!
I am sick of school and my controlling parents. I mean, like really, really sick of them...
Alright, you are entitled to your opinion. But I think you should consider everything you will end up paying for once you get out on your own. Far from a definitive list... clothes, food, rent, gas, insurance, monthly bills (internet, electric, water, phone, tv, ect...). I'm not sure you realize how much your parents are actually helping you and trying set you in the right path.
wowow, I don't expect to live like a king after I leave them
Gas? What gas? You think I'll have a car? You think I'll be changing clothes very often? Or renting a luxurious flat? And wait, a TV? Why do I need a TV when I've got all in one, my 350$ laptop? I understand the help of my parents and I am thankful for them. When I said I am sick of them I didn't want to say I hate the or something like that. I just want to try to live on my own. A worse life. A poor life. But, a free life. I meant I am sick of that good, nice, yet locked life...
I promise I'd sacrifice all my freetime for coding because I love it. And what would I need if the answer would be yes? I don't think that C++, SFML and STL would me enough... What more I should look up? OpenGL? Qt maybe? Multithreading?
Getting a job isn't (for the most part) knowing a specific library or specific language. It is more of the concepts behind coding (logic thinking, problem solving, data handling, ect...). With good skills you should be able to pickup any language or library and get going with it in just a few hours. That is why employers mainly look for people with experience under their belt.
I'll have this in mind.
Oh and if you want to test your aptitude for coding / problem solving take a look at facebook's test. It should give you an idea where you stand.
I will definitely try it! Only a little bit later. Because I know that now my results won't be very surprising
I'll try it just after the holidays end, because these holidays will be all dedicated for programming, so I could achieve much better results after them
I think that repetitive test trying (now and later) would spoil the results, because I would know some answers from the last time...
I remember thinking almost the exact same thing when I was close to your age. And now at the age I am now (almost twice as old), I look back wishing I had spent more time doing the things typical people of that age did. Be happy you don't have to work yet and have your parents to help support you.
I am happy to know there were (and are) people that thought (and think) just like me. But I'm not sure I should be happy I'm not working yet. That's like avoiding responsibility. Trying to prolong the easy part of life. But if I worked harder earlier, wouldn't it be easier earlier too?
All parents suck but keep in mind that they are doing what they feel is best for you. Remember that they have a few more years of experience on this planet than you do and they are most likely trying to keep you from repeating their mistakes .
Well, I know some parents that don't suck so much
They seem to give more freedom to their kids (well, they aren't using it to do the right things, like learning what they like to), but maybe it's just because the grass is always greener on the other side
But do they really try to keep me from repeating their mistakes or they just follow the system? I see too many things that are totally bad in the system (especially in educational, because it's the one I meet the most), and I don't trust it because of it. There are so many ways the educational system could be
drastically improved but nobody there, higher, seem to give a damn about it.
Also keep this in mind that the working environment sucks for 99% of the world.
Then the world is obviously missing the course. And I don't think the numbers are that big. I think that almost many people that created their own business are happy about their choice and job. Rarer case between the employed ones, as they are not bosses to themselves, but still, there should be things they like. And yes, I understand that there will be many things I won't like, but again, it should be temporary, until I build up grounds for myself. Then I will try to create my own little indie game company and give 100% of myself.
And that's what it really boils down to - the working world and life in general is a competitive market where you try to sell yourself and your abilities for the highest bid you can, to do work for something you'll never own yourself. Limiting yourself to only learning computer related subjects really inhibits the industries you can work in and what companies you can work for. Take my advice in that you may not enjoy learning about other subjects (I wasn't fond of them either), but take the approach that it only makes you much more competitive in this competition called "life".
Well, that's when there's an overflow of the workers of that profession. You described that as a monopoly of employers. But I've heard things are little different at least here, in Lithuania.
The whole class of programmers just finished their university course was grabbed out immediatly. And I've heard that the there is a
lack and need of programmers not only in Lithuania. Are you really sure there will be 100 people that will stand in line of another programmer? Is there such an overflow of us? Not contrary? And I think that lines to McDonalds cashier positions are longer
Huh, that was a lot of typing. I know I've did a hell lot of mistakes... Sorry. I think I should just practice programming until 18 (no better options?), maybe try some communal programming online (
maybe someone has tried it? How to start it?) and then the things will get more clear as I'll know my capabilities better.
And SHIROKAGE, I wanted to thank you once more - I've never seen a such big, helpful and informative post
