Entertainment has always been a pastime activity with less monetary value. People perceive entertainment, not like activities which bring money. We think about entertainment, like reading books, singing a song, or watching TV. However, not much we know about the changing trends of this industry. Gaming- is the industry that emerged not so long ago, became more famous than any other sector of entertainment. One segment of it - video game development- has a steady growth during the last decade. Because more people engage in gaming, the demand for video game programming increases. This field is highly lucrative. However, developing a video game is not an easy process. In this article, I will help you to know what game development requires and how the process happens.
Statistics of Gaming
Statistically, in 2018, the Gaming industry generated more than $110 billion. This number is higher than any other segment of the entertainment industry. TV services created only around 100 billion$ while the movie and music industry made 40 and $15 billion, respectively. Besides, while those industries had a negative growth rate, Reuters reported that every form of gaming, including poker game development, has steady growth rates. The reasons for this considerable growth are various. It was partially due to the rise of the Chinese market.
On the other hand, some video games became so popular that they gained billions from taking off. Besides, esports gained more importance and ticket sales for spectators increased. Despite the media indicating gaming as an unnecessary waste of time, the future of the gaming industry is promising. Gaming faces criticizing a lot; however, by time, mass media will accept its importance.
Game development vs. Game design
Before I pass to video game programming, I want to explain the difference between video game development and game design. These are the two different jobs. However, usually, people can get confused about them.
In simple terms, game designers decide how the visuals will look and work in the game. They need to be more creative, and they need to bring new ideas. On the other hand, developers or programmers write code that will make the game work in the way that designers wanted. Therefore, video game programming is more practical and involves math-related operations.
Designer
Video game designers need to get a background in computer science. Some designers work in offices; others can work from home. Designers also need to have an extensive understanding of programming. Otherwise, they may design games in a way that is not possible to code. Therefore, many designers started their careers as programmers. As they gained experience, they moved toward video or strategy game development.
The primary responsibilities of designers include the following gaming trends, find ideas, and create a design plan. They can also change existing games to make better versions of them. Also, they need to determine who the target segment will be for the game.
Developer
Programmers or developers get their degree in computer science or engineering, too. They need to specialize in writing the codes for games. There exist many programming languages for developing games. Therefore, it is better if you get familiar with many of them. Developers mostly work in isolation, spending long hours writing the codes. Responsibilities of programmers include writing codes and testing them for any errors. They also meet with other developers to improve the process.
Explanation of Video Game Programming
Every year a new video game becomes a hit in the gaming industry. Many people acquire the game, play it for hours, and desire for the latest updates. However, not so many players know how video game programming and development happen. Whether it is turn-based or real-time strategy game development, the process of developing is extensive. In this section, I will explain the four stages of video game development. I will try not to touch technical sides much and help you understand the development cycle.
Idea Generating
The video game industry seems fully stacked. Sometimes you can think that there is no new ideas left for gaming. Yet, you become thrilled by the introduction of entirely unimagined ideas. There exist several ways to come up with the idea for gaming.
Recycling
The first way is recycling. Recycling means that for game development companies take a well-known but out-dated game and renew them. They add animations and make the game compatible with many devices. Besides, they put great care to the design of the game by using shiny, bright characters and visuals. Gamers become excited with such types of games as they look both new and familiar.
Creative Teams
Another solution for game development is hiring creative teams. The number of groups usually depends on the budget and goals of the game development company. For example, if the company wants turn-based strategy games, then they will need many creative members to find ideas for characters, stories, etc. Besides, sometimes they might need the help of professionals from different fields like history, biology, or even cooking. They will ensure the game is more catchy.
Well-known Concepts
There is also a short-cut to idea-generating. Sometimes companies use famous movies, or tv-series as a base idea for their games. It makes their job easier for several reasons. People already like these characters. This way ensures the popularity of the game. Besides, the game developer does not need to spend much time thinking about the traits of characters, stories, or themes.
Planning
This stage involves many different teams to work together and interact to create the desired video game. The company needs to hire software engineers, designers, developers, or project architects to cooperate for video game programming. For preparation work, the game development team also needs artists or writers. They will mainly deal with the appearance of characters and their behaviors. You should not forget that the full storyline for each character should be planned in detail beforehand. They should create the draft version of the blueprint for the game. This stage is the most important for one any unity game development.
Requirements
If your initial idea is based on a popular movie or well-known concept, you should stick to the needs of that content. This determination is essential for delivering a high-quality product. These requirements can be about appearances of characters, clothing, and how they act. Video game programming will become a part of a vast concept once the game is developed. Therefore, you should also think about franchising. Here exist many rules for it. Hence, you should be careful about Digital Rights Management to protect your content.
Accuracy
For a successful video game programming, it is essential to consider all concerns and solutions beforehand. Detailed and accurate planning ensures the smooth flow of the game development cycle. If you plot the narrative lines correctly and understand the logic of the game, you guarantee that your video game will be accessible. To ensure accuracy, creative teams should test monitor the mindset of leading characters and create clear storylines. It is also wise to go through the whole theme and detect if something is not suitable. Unlike online casino games, many video games have extensive dialogues among characters. Therefore, it is necessary to understand their actions, roles, and psychology.
There are two points to keep in mind. First, you need to create a game blueprint with all the details. This task is not easy, but once you have a comprehensive blueprint, your development will be secure. You will have a clear picture in your mind. Besides, developers will know the details of environments, control panels, etc. The second issue is ensuring that technically, your idea is flawless. Sometimes design is perfect, but when it is developed, technical issues create barriers. Hence, your pipeline should be compatible with your technology.
Final Blueprint
From now on, your main task is creating the ultimate blueprint. It is essential for middle managers to work closely in this stage of video game programming. For example, project leaders need to monitor the work of developers and design leaders. They should also create schedules for meetings. On the other hand, technical specialists need to ensure that whatever producers visualized will be achievable by the technology. In this stage, if any flaws or drawbacks exist, it is advisable to engineers analyze and solves it.
You should also be sure with which software you will work on. There exist many programs for animations, backgrounds, and characters. Programmers need to code every movement of characters and ensure they act as planned. Also, they create a library of the game and use Big Data tools. As the game is updating, databases are also updated. Today much data is stored in cloud-based databases in the form of encryptions to provide security. Developers also need to understand IOS and Android game development, to make the game more compatible.
Testing
As the game development process finishes, it is advisable to test the game. In this stage of video game development, you need to find Quality Assurance specialists. They should be skilled in any area of game development, for instance, casino game development or others. They should ensure that the video game does not have any bugs and durable to stress. Besides, the game should work fast and smoothly while many people connect to it. The game development company is interested in detecting any errors before the game becomes popular. Any errors found in the later periods will have the potential to damage the reputation of the game.
It is a common practice to detect bugs by others. For instance, if one programmer codes the character, another should check for the bugs. It increases the level of attention. Besides, you should also test if your video game works the same in different devices or operating systems. One game might work correctly in Windows but not in Linux.
How to Become a Video Game Developer?
All the stages of video game programming are essential. However, what is more, essential is the skills and knowledge of a video game programmer. The developer should have extensive experience in tools. For example, he/she should be professional in both Android and IOS game development. Those programmers write the codes for the video game software. It is like telling the device what it should do. Besides, they work closely with designers artists in a team of creatives. From a career perspective, this profession requires creativity and hard work. However, you will also need to be competitive to get a job.
Math Skills
What is more important than any other requirement is math skills. I understand that many people do not like math. However, if you want to deal with game development, you need to know it. The reason is that coding means, by definition, creating mathematical equations. These equations act like orders to the computer in terms of what it should perform. Linear algebra and algorithms are essential to programming. If you lack math skills, it will be necessary to work on it before getting a degree.
Bachelor Degree
It is a debatable topic whether you need a bachelor's degree or not. Nowadays, you can even find teenager programmers without any background at university. However, I believe that getting a degree will not do any harm. Developers usually obtain a degree in computer science or engineering. They learn more about math, game algorithms, video game programming languages, and fundamentals of the network. If you do not want to attend classes, you can also get online education in this field. Overall, the possibilities that programming.
Portfolio
If you want to be demanded programmer, you need to have your portfolio of the games that you developed. There exist several criteria for successful portfolio creation. One of them is that there should be some small games. For example, online casino software developers create a portfolio of slot games. You should also put the links for installation software. Each viewer should get access to those links. To make it more interactive, you can also use screenshots from your game scenes. These pictures will be handy if your software is not ready for reviews, yet. Besides, your portfolio should include source codes for each game. You should also not forget to mention the names of any partners that helped you with other elements of the game.
Entry-Level Job for Video Game Programming
As competition is fierce, it may be challenging to make yourself visible. Video game development is difficult. However, having a task is more stringent. The best way to get projects is by having an entry-level position. I do not say that having a job will be more comfortable. A professional game development company requires experience. Therefore, you need to search for a career in smaller, inexperienced companies. There you can make small games such as the ones on social media sites. Then, you can get competitive by having networks. For networking, you can use forums or websites where many programmers visit. You can even find a new job announcement there.
You can also find internships. Those internships are also the best ways that lead to entry-level jobs, but you should also be quite competitive. Usually, they require knowledge of physics and hard skills like C++ and 3D design. In terms of soft skills, you need to have excellent problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
Stallion Gaming
If you have a game idea and you want to realize it, you do not need to be a video game programmer. All you need to do is to find a reliable game development software provider. However, the process can be challenging as there exist many different providers. I am here to make your job easier and offer you a great deal. Stallion Gaming is the address that you need to contact. Stallion Gaming has excellent experience in different fields of gaming, including mobile game development.
Any game idea that is in your mind will come true with these services. They ensure the compatibility of the game to multi-platforms. In this way, you will be able to reach a broader base of global customers. Besides, they will inform you about every stage of video game programming. You will not face any risk of having a different final product. Their video game development team considers all the details you requested. On every stage, they get your approval. As a first step, they create the storyline, characters, and actions in the draft version. In this way, you can visualize what your dream game will look like in the end. Also, the project manager assigned to your game ensures the smooth flow of communication among parties. Therefore, you will not even have any troubles due to miscommunication. Stallion Gaming is the best option for realizing your dream game.