Any wannabe game designers?

I am attempting to make levels with various games and then insert custom objects and AI triggers. I decided against actually going to a game design school but perhaps I should rethink it. I find myself having trouble making levels I like becuase all the level editors available are games I dont really care to play. Not that Half-Life 2 isnt a kick butt game but wouldnt it be more impressive to a potential employer to show up with a Rainbow Six Vegas Level ? What are they telling you in design school? Do they seem to know there stuff or are they just telling you things you already know ?

Well, I have only really started, and I dont have enough cash (currentlly, 90k) for the schools, so I am taking starter courses at a junior college. The class is more about the whole process not specific things like levels. Try to download a trial version of 3d studio max. That is what most game designers use for the creation of their gamers. Also download the tutorials that I belive should still be on the site. Some things I already know and some I don't. Mostly, it has to deal with how to come up with proposals and writing stories and ideas, and hte like. This class doesn't really go into how to physically make it, not in any indepth manner. The instructor does give side lessons and what not, just to show you what it is that the various departments(writers, animaters, story boards, modelers, coders, etc.) have to go through, but you don't have to do that your self. This is basically about coming up with an idea and saying you have the people to do it, so here is how you do it.

I see, so its an overall approach to Game Design that your courses are teaching. Probably a good thing. The level design is fresh on my mind because I would assume that entry game design is level design unless u pitched a proposal and were the lead designer. In which case it would probably be very hard for any young person to be taken seriously as a lead designer without a few games under his/her belt.

I've signed up for a modelling (no not that type of modelling) and animation course at college next year, though not specifically game related, it's a start, games need animations!

The best way to get a jump start on modelling would be to download a free modelling program and tinker (for a few months, at least). You'll learn all the nifty terms like what bevelling means, whats a polygon, faces, triangular polygons, bevel, vertices, etc.

I recommend Wings3d, if you're really interested. I spent, perhaps, a year or less and I've gotten pretty apt. Nothing great, but I know what I'm doing.

I have Google Sketchup as well as Maya, which has laid a pretty good foundation, I know all the basics etc etc, can't wait 'til I start!

MS Paint... if it can't be done in paint... I can't do it! Lol....

I would advise against using Sketchup as it isn't a formal 3d modelling program.

Thanks for the advice I'll bear it in mind! Maya actually has a pretty good modeller attached so I'll tinker with that for a bit.