How can I become a Game Developer?
When India’s online gaming sector reached US $1.027 billion in 2020, the career path that was pretty unrealistic to people became a goal for a number of youngsters. The game industry was already in a flourishing stage before 2020, it was just so underrated that people barely noticed. A Game Developer is not as hyped as being an Engineer or a Doctor’; we think there are no proper job prospects in the gaming market which is absolutely wrong! The opportunities are limitless.
Up until 2013, there weren’t any user-friendly frameworks to create games online, but now that we have free game learning engines easily available, being a game developer is not a flight of fancy. These free development software hyped game development profiles to their peak, which makes this the right time for you to turn your dream of being a game developer into reality.
A Roadmap to becoming a Game developer:
For the start, there is a free website named “Pie Game” which is a Python library and can help you understand the basics of game making. You can create primary-level games in it. After you understand the prelims then there are free game engines like Unity, Unreal which can be your best options to understand how the next level games are made. You can always opt for free tutorials online to learn the mechanism of these engines. As Unity has a lot of documentation already available in its library and a very supportive community, you’ll be able to grasp things quickly.
Previously the concept of video games was pretty simple and it doesn’t really concern anyone if it’s following the laws of nature or not. But now that we are advancing into the future, the concept that resembles reality is more appreciated by the users. So, in order to meet their expectations, Game developers need to consider the fundamentals of Math & Physics during designing and developing games. So, Math is essential folks!
Take an example: If a character breaks the wall, which way should it fall? These are the basics that a game developer needs to consider. Sometimes these practical approaches disturb your creativity, that’s when game engines come to the story. These engines will help all the laws fall into place so that you can focus only on your creativity.
Coding<< Game Development:
Working on these game engines sounds really fancy. But before you jump into this high-level software, you need to learn how to give the command to these engines. Learning programming languages is the start of everything. Languages like C, C++, C#, JAVA are the most common and widely used for coding.
As OOP being an essential part of game development, get your foundation-level knowledge of coding right.
For your note: Unity specifically requires you to know C#. If you are switching engines and going to Unreal then you need to learn C++as well, but if you are familiar with C# then it is just the language that changes but the core concept remains the same. Learning one language and going to another can be easy unless you are going from Python to C.
Some Tips & Tricks:
Once you master programming languages and get an idea of game engines then there is no stopping you! To make things easier I’ll give you some tips.
Tip 1:
Instead of copying a game like flappy bird or something, it would be better if you take that game’s library and start adding new elements to it. Make a new game by using an old library. This will enhance your creativity for sure. And then test it out with your family and friends to see the response.
Tip 2:
If UNITY PRO tempts you, then you can actually use it for free. You can register with your college ID and get all the benefits of the paid version. This leisure is only for students.
Tip 3:
If you are a fresher then start with text-based games like dungeon and dragons which basically have a bunch of “If” conditions. This will help you create a simple command game. Then you can slowly progress to 2D games and have platformer types like Mario. And once you master both, then try your hands on 3D games where you understand the basics of fps and everything.
College or Free Tutorial?:
To learn all of these you can go for online tutorials, I cannot say they are not good. There are some YouTube channels that can definitely give you a walkthrough of these languages as well as about the engines. But, you can also look for certified courses that will give you mentor-based training on all these engines.
There are so many colleges that offer game-related courses in India, but if you are looking for game development courses exclusively then Backstage Pass Institute of Gaming & Technology is a good option.
The college offers a Bachelor’s in Computer Science & Game Development where you’ll get a thorough knowledge about the basics of programming language and then you’ll learn the details of game engines as well.
The mentors have years of experience in the game industry, so they will not only give you bookish knowledge but also will give hands-on information about the current gaming industry.
Also, the college provides 100% placement assistance which will help you get into the gaming industry with ease. Plus being a certified game developer will increase your chances of getting placed.
Overall, if you want to compare an online tutorial to a certified course then we’ll suggest better go for a certified course that can add a jewel to your resume.
All you need to do is start gaining knowledge and building connections to bring your career to the top!