Hi Richard,
I’ll try to address your questions as best I can.
-Invest in PC?
It’s up to you. Some things to consider might be: are you getting a PC exclusively for this course? What else might you use said PC for? There’s a lot of options as far as PC’s go, and they can hoist a hefty pricetag.
I haven’t used Macs very often, but they seem very capable for doing the coursework.
If it’s mostly screen real-estate you’re worried about, you might see if there are options about hooking-up your Macbook to an external monitor.
-Dual Monitors?
If you’re seriously thinking about doing this sort of thing long-term, it might be something to consider. However, if you’re still wetting your toes, I’d recommend not breaking the bank just yet for it. If you’re comfortable simply using “ALT + TAB” (or the Mac equivalent) to switch windows, that’s served me well so far in the course (I’ve been using a single 27’’ monitor for coding and lectures so far, plus used a laptop to watch a couple videos).
If switching windows back and forth becomes agonizing, and you’ve got the dough and desk-space to dish-out, it might really help you out; otherwise, I’d try things out for awhile and see if you really want to keep pursuing this path before committing to a potentially bulky setup.
-Early Signs?
Alas’, I’ve just began this course myself.
My past experience with other courses is that it can be hard to remain completely motivated when the going gets tough. That’s not particularly unusual.
Do you connect with the instructors? Are you able to grasp the concepts reasonably well when being taught? Do you know what subject material is covered in the course? At this point in time, are you excited to keep going forward and learn how to create games?
An affirmative answer to each is a good sign this can be a positive experience for you.
Hope this helps!
-Dan-
