The impression I get is that games programming is underpaid and overworked relative to other styles of programming, because games are fun and the resulting halo effect dramatically increases the labor supply for the games industry as a whole. You may be able to make more working on Excel than Halo, but that’s an guess from the outside with only a bit of anecdotal backing. (This may not be true for your particular skillset; my impression is that the primary consumers of intense graphics are games and animation firms.)
This also would trade off felt purpose- even if you have trouble convincing yourself games are worthwhile, you’ll have a harder time convincing yourself Excel is worthwhile- for income, which may not be the right move, and would depend on the actual numbers involved. (It might be that decreasing your felt purpose by 1 on a ten point scale is not be worth an additional $10k a year, but is worth an additional $50k a year, to use arbitrary numbers as an example.)
My understanding is that grad school in computer science is only worthwhile if you want to be a professor (which I don’t think will fit your criteria as well as working in industry) or you’re looking for co-founders. Another thing to consider along similar lines is software mentorship programs for undergraduate students (here’s one in Austin, I imagine there’s probably one in Seattle)- it’s a great way for you to meet people that might be cofounder material, and see how they work, as well as getting social fun (and possibly academic fun).
The impression I get is that games programming is underpaid and overworked relative to other styles of programming, because games are fun and the resulting halo effect dramatically increases the labor supply for the games industry as a whole. You may be able to make more working on Excel than Halo, but that’s an guess from the outside with only a bit of anecdotal backing. (This may not be true for your particular skillset; my impression is that the primary consumers of intense graphics are games and animation firms.)
This also would trade off felt purpose- even if you have trouble convincing yourself games are worthwhile, you’ll have a harder time convincing yourself Excel is worthwhile- for income, which may not be the right move, and would depend on the actual numbers involved. (It might be that decreasing your felt purpose by 1 on a ten point scale is not be worth an additional $10k a year, but is worth an additional $50k a year, to use arbitrary numbers as an example.)
My understanding is that grad school in computer science is only worthwhile if you want to be a professor (which I don’t think will fit your criteria as well as working in industry) or you’re looking for co-founders. Another thing to consider along similar lines is software mentorship programs for undergraduate students (here’s one in Austin, I imagine there’s probably one in Seattle)- it’s a great way for you to meet people that might be cofounder material, and see how they work, as well as getting social fun (and possibly academic fun).