The profession of a gamemaker
A game developer is a person who brings the entire game universe to life.
The first but not the only task of a game developer is to write code. It is with its help that the game mechanics and any related services required for its operation are created.
Quite often, the responsibilities also include the creation of tools that are used to create the game itself. This is necessary to automate the development process, speed it up, and simplify the life of the developer and the team in general.
As in any profession, game devs need to check the result of their work before passing it on to the next level. For example, to make sure that a new feature (in programmers’ jargon, a well-thought-out capability, a trick) works as intended and does not break other systems within the program. Therefore, it is very important to devote time to testing so as not to slow down (or even worse, block) the work of other project participants.
Pros and cons of the game development profession
Let’s start with what is both a plus and a minus. Often, a game developer is faced with the need to create a technology that has never existed before (for example, so that the player can do something completely unique). On the one hand, it is almost impossible to say exactly how long it will take and whether it will work at all, but on the other hand, it is a cutting-edge experience for the player. It turns out that the developer becomes a pioneer, creating something that no one has ever done before.
Among the disadvantages of the profession, overtime is the first thing to note. They can arise for various reasons, and then the developer has to find and maintain a life-work balance in order not to burn out and remain productive. Of course, any overwork has a negative impact on the project and its participants, but sometimes it is simply a vital necessity, especially during the game release period.
The game development industry is growing very rapidly – faster than other related industries. New technologies appear at lightning speed, and you have to work hard to keep your technical knowledge up to date. And to improve your skills, you have to spend even more time on self-education.
Compared to the salaries in the enterprise projects segment (creation of business/production management information systems), the salary of a game developer is on average lower.
But this profession certainly has a lot of advantages, which is why we love it!
First of all, besides creating games, you can also play them, testing what you have made at the same time.
You can also literally show others your work. Not every developer can boast of this. Even apps are often released for a specific audience (let’s say, for doctors), and in this case, it’s hard to explain the coolness of your work to other people.
Until recently, almost no one taught the craft of game development on a global scale. Now, there are plenty of courses and resources with video tutorials that can answer many questions of a novice developer in great detail and give them the opportunity to try their hand at it.