| The video game industry is a wide open field, | | | | multiple programming languages and getting your |
| complete with dozens of possible options for | | | | degree in Computer Science. There's a lot of |
| those that want to craft the next great video | | | | math and you'd better have a keen eye for |
| game. For those that are good with numbers, find | | | | detail, but for those that do, video game |
| themselves incredibly adept at picking out small | | | | programming is among the most interesting and |
| details and more than anything like seeing how | | | | exciting jobs you can get as a programmer. |
| things work on a basic level, video game | | | | The video game industry is as varied as any and |
| programming might be the job for you. | | | | you might find yourself in a series of different |
| As a game programmer, you must remember | | | | roles, working on different projects every six |
| that you are not a game designer. It's not your | | | | months or so. Once you've mastered the details |
| job to craft the how or what of the game. You | | | | of your craft, it's a matter of specializing and |
| are instead tasked with taking a set of specific | | | | video game design. That means getting to know |
| instructions and making them come to life in your | | | | certain engines, programs and concepts. |
| code. The video game industry is filled with roles, | | | | For example, a simple role playing game might |
| but the role of game programmer is probably the | | | | require a single physics engine programmer, a job |
| most important. You lay the foundation for the | | | | that leaves you with a lot of responsibility and |
| entire project. | | | | duties. Your next project might be a shooting |
| Over the years the role of a game programmer | | | | game though, or an action RPG, the kinds of |
| has become more and more specific, changing | | | | games that require massive teams of physics |
| from a catch all designer, programmer, artist role | | | | engine programmers, putting you on a very |
| in the 1970s to a very specific job now. There | | | | specific detail, like gun mechanics. |
| are more than a dozen different positions you | | | | Or you could very well find yourself on an entirely |
| might hold as a game programmer, ranging from | | | | different team, programming artificial intelligence |
| game physics to sound to graphics, and artificial | | | | for alien enemies. The possibilities are endless and |
| intelligence. Every facet you can imagine in a video | | | | the variance in the programming you'll do |
| game has a specific engine operating it. As a | | | | immense. But, if you find that you want more |
| game programmer your responsibility will likely be | | | | than anything to work in the video game industry |
| working directly with one of these engines to help | | | | but aren't a math wizard or want to get involved |
| complete a very specific portion of the game. | | | | in the visual aspects of game design, there are still |
| You should expect to spend a decent amount of | | | | plenty of options open for you in the game |
| time in school preparing for this job, learning | | | | industry. |