Game programmer: description, pros and cons, training

A game developer is an IT specialist who solves the development of software code, graphical presentation and semantic content of a particular game that he wishes to create. He also knows the solutions to bring his creation to life for users. This profession takes its origin from the foundations of computer science.

The main feature is that not a single university will teach game development 100%. At institutes and universities, students take an in-depth (in comparison with the school curriculum) course in computer science, study computer technology and computers more fully. Even the faculties of information systems, computer science and management, which are part of polytechnic universities, are able to bring the future programmer up to date - he studies two or more programming languages, including the basics of website development.

However, the real developer of games and applications is becoming a student who has a keen and sincere interest in programming. Soon he is ahead of the university program in terms of education, heading into what will become a part of his work and professional life.

The main advantages of the profession are as follows.

• Really good, intelligent programmer receives a more than decent salary - 100 and more thousand rubles per month. But the money is not paid to him in vain. He is one of the IT specialists who remain at the forefront of computer progress - in the software part. His creativity and ideas are something without which the "software" industry would not have developed.
• His profession is a dream job. He is often visited by new ideas for creating something "sort of" or finalizing what is already there.“Make it better than others” is his motto, the ability to constantly develop, and not stand still.
• Constant movement forward. He not only refreshes his knowledge, but also strives, if not to get ahead of the future, then to keep up with the times. Keeping abreast of the latest developments - this concerns the software with which he creates and / or modifies games.
• A high level of education, self-organization, which some can only dream of. This allows the programmer to unleash their creative ambitions. Career growth provides an opportunity to leave work on games in the development of sites, application programs and even become a member of a company that develops operating systems and software for servers.
• Popularity, and not only in narrow circles like him. If he does not just work, but also acts in interviews, millions of fans are guaranteed to him, and this is the best advertising and self-promotion in the world. He always has the opportunity to profitably present himself as a specialist.
• Teamwork. A game programmer works in a team that includes game designers, testers, artists, composers, and sound engineers. A game with a long and gripping storyline, colorful and luxurious graphics and sound is too much for one person. Dozens of assistants come to his aid.

The development group is at least a game designer, artist, map designer, programmer, tester, PR specialist. Their work is managed by a manager, over whom, in turn, stands the director. This is how the simplest game publishing company works. The programmer, as the creator of his profile, is only responsible for "coding", assembling what other members of the group have provided. Others are engaged in graphics, sound, plot.

For example, the character Jade from the game Mortal Kombat was played by an actress. It was filmed by directors, the image itself was drawn by designers, artists, animators. And the programmer added it to the version of this game. The task of the profession is to bring game ideas to life in the form of program code. The goal of the programmer is to work out the basic controls in a particular game. He determines how the game will serve and reveal itself, what capabilities and features it has, how well and quickly it works. The programmer's actions are as follows.

• Examining design-related documentation for specific games.
• Creation of new and improvement of already written program code.
• Assigning game objects to their qualities and features.
• Working out the basics of control in the game - mechanics (key combinations and / or "swipes" on the sensor, basic keystrokes on the keyboard).
• Representation of the program in the form of a file structure. The game will not start without files. Even tic-tac-toe has a launch file, which records all changes during the game.
• Packing files into an installation package (installer), which the user downloads before installing and running the game.

A programmer must be fluent in mathematics, one or several of the most popular programming languages, in which modern programs are written.

An excellent start is a technical education at any of the relevant universities. But the university program lags behind programming - additional courses are needed. You cannot do without self-education - the best learning is practice. Easy and quick learning, self-discipline will help to achieve the set goals. You can't spend your free time only on entertainment - a person's life is limited, one day is one big step forward.

An example is Mortal Kombat with a 27-year history. Ed Boone started working on it in 1992. It was released for Dendy and Sega consoles. Around him and his brainchild there was a staff of dozens of specialists in various fields. Today he cooperates with four companies. The game has changed 11 versions and is ported to PCs and smartphones, has tens of millions of fans.