A Comprehensive Guide for Becoming a Game Developer

Are you a technology professional aiming to pursue a career in the gaming industry? You are just at the right place because this post will guide you on how to become a game developer. Since the gaming industry is developing quickly, it is becoming a trending career choice for many. Game developers are responsible for building the framework for video games compatible with various platforms like the computer, mobile or gaming devices. Read to know about what game development is and how to become a game developer here.

What is Game Development All About? 

Game development is one of the fascinating career options available to software engineers today. The need for game developers has significantly increased due to modern games' ever-increasing sophistication and complexity. Game creation is among the highest-paying professions because well-known gaming businesses are willing to pay the highest salary for the right expertise.

Creating and developing a game from the concept to the launch stage is fundamentally called game development. The procedure consists of several phases, each calling for a certain set of abilities and a group of highly talented, creative and motivated developers. 

Who Is a Game Developer?

Creating user interfaces, artificial intelligence, visuals, and game logic are all common responsibilities of game developers. Any video game's success is directly influenced by its makers. They turn a game development concept into a finished product or playable reality. Video game makers must code graphic program components and other aspects to develop a game. The developers conduct certain tests to ensure the game runs well and fix bugs.

Qualifications of a Game Developer

A talented game developer can help you build fantastic next-generation games. They must be skilled at computer programming to create real-life games. There are various game development areas in which the developers must be expert at such as AI sound, graphics, user interface, scripting, porting, tools, network etc. To become a game developer, one must complete an undergraduate program in game technology, computer science or any related field. 

Given the gaming industry's popularity, several colleges offer bachelor's degrees specialising in game development and design. You can also join professional certification programs in the field of game development. This could be a great option to supplement your career or forgo college. Certificate programs take less time to complete. Hence, it's a quicker way to start your career in the gaming industry compared to the four-year course. 

Skills Required to Become Game Developer

A game developer should possess certain skills to excel in the gaming industry. Analytical and creative skills help to develop the gaming concepts and interact with the team to create top-notch games. If you’re curious and want to know how to become a game developer, make sure that you have these following skills in you:

1. Communication 

   A game developer must possess excellent communication skills that help others grasp technical knowledge. It includes written and oral communication skills. Communication is key to developing a good game when working in a team. 

2. Teamwork

   To know how to become a game developer and launch a fantastic game, a developer must operate in a team with common goals. They must have cooperation abilities and interact efficiently, offer feedback and exchange ideas. 

3. Problem-Solving 

   Creating a game involves various stages that need careful planning. However, at times there could be certain challenges in the game development stages that need to be solved immediately. Problem-solving skills can help you efficiently solve such issues through research, analysis, and proper judgement. 

4. Creativity 

   Launching a terrific game with high standards takes much effort. Creativity plays a vital role in designing a game. Developers must be creative enough to find innovative ways to resolve complicated game issues and take them to the next level. 

5. Adaptability        

   The everchanging gaming industry needs you to adapt to the various changes in this field efficiently. New game development technologies will continue to evolve, eventually affecting the game's development stages. Hence, adaptability is an essential skill for a developer.

Tasks of a Game Developer

The work you perform as a professional game developer will differ based on the company size and your specialisation. Bigger gaming firms will require you to be specialised in working on a specified game element. In general, the role of game developer may require you to perform the following tasks:

1. Design and Develop New Ideas for Game Design

   In this game development stage, game developers must plan and develop the game design into a playable reality. Ideas will continuously change, and you must develop creative concepts to produce a good game. So, you must hone your skills on how to become a game designer.

2. Transform Visual Ideas into Code      

   The visual content includes designing props, characters, game assets, environments etc. It also includes colouring, sketching, and adding animation effects. Next, the developer must code these elements using programming language to merge the contents using game engines. 

3. Prototype, Iterate, And Polish Gameplay       

   In this game development stage, developers see the storyline's functioning, user-friendliness, errors, etc. The game developers must complete the unfinished parts by adding more elements or adjusting them to produce a fully functional and polished gameplay. Learn the Top 5 Common Challenges Faced by Game Designers in India here. 

4. Interact with Designers, Artists, Producers, And Quality Analysts        

   A game of any complexity must be tested to ensure it is error-free and bug-free. This is because a single issue can have a negative impact on both the user experience and the overall enjoyment of a game. As a result, functional, non-functional, and beta testing are frequently carried out.

5. Monitor Game Stability Across Platforms     

   The choice of a game development platform is generally based on the popularity of its use, as well as the company's coding capabilities. After launching the game on various platforms, you need to check the platform's technical requirements for game development and remove any errors to ensure smooth gameplay. Learn more about Your Guide to a Career in Video Game Development and Design here.

Guide to Become a Game Developer

There isn't any definite path to a game development career. With the right skill set, exploring this field can be interesting. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to become a game developer.  

1. Analyse Video Games

   To know how to become a game developer, one needs to study and analyse the game types, its components and framework, to design the game appropriately. 

2. Earn a degree    

   Having the appropriate degree or certificate to pursue a game development career is necessary to gain the skills required for a game developer.

3. Know Your Computer Languages       

   Excelling in programming languages is necessary for coding the game in its development stages to create a continuous and smooth gaming experience. 

4. Develop Math and Physics skills        

   Learn coding skills, with a good knowledge of maths and physics. Mathematical skills help to perform a few elements of the developmental stages skilfully. 

5. Learn Storytelling Strategies   

   Many firms have writers to develop stories to help game developers create a plot for the game. This is essential when you want to know how to become a game designer.

6. Build a Game Developer Portfolio      

   Building a gaming portfolio can help to boost your career in this industry. Gaining practical experience can help to add to your portfolio to attract large game companies. 

7. Perform Routine Job Searches

   Reputed game companies keep posting job vacancies. Hence, it's ideal for keeping an eye on such positions to start your job career.   

Salary & Future of a Game Developer

The future of game development will definitely grow; and to give it a try, you must know how to become a game developer. With new game development trends emerging every year, bringing the latest opportunities to innovate, this can be a rewarding career for many. In India, it is rapidly growing at 50% per annum. One can earn up to three to five lakhs per annum with proper knowledge of how to become a game designer. The pay scales can vary depending on the company, but the range is almost the same everywhere. It can also increase with skills and experience credentials. So, if you excel at the skills required for a game developer, it can be a great realistic and profitable career choice. Click to learn Why Game Development is Getting Sudden Recognition in India?

Conclusion

This blog outlines all the steps on how to become a game developer, the duties and obligations involved, as well as the pay for the position. If you're prepared to advance in your profession as a game developer, think about enrolling in Hero Vired's Full Stack game development course to start with the skills and resources you need in this course to create your video games. 

About the Author

Hero Vired is one of the leading platforms popular for designing and delivering industry-relevant online programs for game development, gaming & esports, data science, finance, technology, management, future tech etc.