Vet or Game Designer?

[Zandri]

I am in a conundrum.
I am still in high school, but I am at the age in which I should be considering a career path. The two main careers I seem to lean toward the most are veterinarian and a video game designer. I know, very separate ends of the spectrum.
I love playing video games, but I just don't know if I'd like doing all the drafting crap in order to make them. Testing them would be awesome, or even just overseeing what the game was like and suggesting changes. It would even be really cool to work at a video game store or something.
I also love animals, but I just don't know if I could bring myself to performing medical operations on them. I would like to do something with animals, maybe like a behavioral expert or something. Even working at a zoo for a while would be very neat. My favorite animals are white tigers = )
I'm not sure. Oh, and I would like to make a sufficient amount of money.
Any insight on this is greatly appreciated!

[Dudebro]

If you don't think you can handle blood and/or working with wounds needing operations then don't consider being a vet. You have to deal with some heartbreaking things if you're an animal lover.

[Slime Slayer]

testing games is not fun, your under strict directions to test out specific things, and dont just play the game.
overseeing things and suggesting changes is called a director, most people in the game industry will never see this position and the ones that do are lucky, and put in years of work to get to that position.
you can make good money being a vet (not vet assistant) but this might ruin your compassion for animals over time.
i would take the game design route, you'll have alot of fun and meet lots of nerdy boys along the way. (in my 2 1/2 years of college there was not one girl in game design.)

[Kong]

Originally Posted by Zandri

I am still in high school, but I am at the age in which I should be considering a career path.

Considering yes. Deciding no.

There is a supply and demand problem with video game jobs. More applicants than jobs. It will be tough to break into.

[jim5cents]

may i suggest designing a game for the ds where you do surgerical procedures on animals (like a vet, not like a blooming serial killer)

[RU Joe]

Zandri:

Testing them would be awesome

I went to school with someone who did testing, and they said while they thought it would be gaming heaven, it was more of a hell.
1-2 minutes gametime = 15-20 minutes writing time in specific gaming/programming jargon so programmers and developers can tweak their games.

Jim5cents:

blooming serial killer

I picture a crazed guy foaming at the mouth with a gas-powered industrial lawn trimmer revving full tilt, hacking and chopping away at someone's flower garden.
Now THAT would make a great game!

[Kugyince]

Large animal vet. It will lead you down a few routes. Working for a zoo or an animal preserve is one route. Another could be working with race horses.

[Zandri]

@Kong
Yes, I suppose you are right. I don't need to be actually deciding my future yet.
@Tenser
I have never thought of that before, and that seems like it would be a very amazing job. I would love to work on the tigers and other big animals in zoos. And horses are pretty neat too. I will seriously consider this option = )
@Jim5Cents
That would be a very strange game, but thats a good idea. I'd find a good game site to suggest that to if you haven't already.

[Kugyince]

You could also work for specific animal breeders or specific organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund.

[Zandri]

Oh man, working with breeders would be pretty sweet. One of the little "side-reasons" that I'd want to work with animals is so I could maybe pull a few strings and get myself a little tiny pet monkey = ) I want to train him to sit on my shoulder and grab food from my pockets = )