A lot of people dream about being a game developer. Of course, it sounds like a lot of fun to create games for a living, yet few realize that it takes a lot of hard work and dedication. So how hard is it to be a game developer and is it something that you should pursue?
Is it hard to be a Game Developer?
In short, being a game developer is hard because it requires a lot of hard work, passion and dedication. Most developers spend years developing a game that they don’t even know will be successful.
Throughout development, developers will spent countless hours problem solving, testing and perfecting every single element that goes into developing a game. However, that does not mean that being a game developer is impossible.
Can anyone be a Game Developer
These days, there are many tools available for people to develop games with. Most of these tools have become so advanced that making a game has become accessible to anyone. As a result, anyone using such a tool can develop a game. However, that’s not the whole part of the story.
Simply mastering the tools is not enough to become a game developer. Being a game developer requires a lot of hard work, dedication and knowledge about creating a fun game. To be a game developer, you need to know about a lot of different skills and bring them together to into a fun experience for the player.
What makes a good Game Developer
Usually, a game developer is a general term for someone who develops games. Yet, working on a game requires a variety of skills and disciplines which are often split up across different roles in a team. In large teams, each member has a specialization such as level design or programming. In smaller teams, developers tend to have more broad skills.
When looking at the various disciplines found in game development, a good game developer can be described as someone who is:
- Passionate about games
- A team player
- Analytical
- Creative
- Curious and eager to learn
- Employs good work ethics
- Tolerant to stress
- Dedicated
- Goal oriented
Do you need to be smart to be a Game Developer
Often, people wonder how smart you have to be to be a game developer. This is because games are complex to make and require a lot of knowledge. However, being a game developer does not require an above average IQ and it depends on what skill you would like to focus on. More importantly, a successful game developer should have passion, dedication and an willingness to always learn new things.
Should I learn programming to make a game?
One of the biggest fears that people have when they want to develop a game is they will have to learn programming. While learning more about coding will definitely help you in making a game, it is certainly not a requirement anymore.
This is because the most popular tools out there such Godot, Unity, Unreal and Roblox have visual scripting tools. Using these tools, you can build a large variety of games without even touching line of code. However, if you are really serious and passionate about being a game developer, you should start programming as soon as possible.
Do I need to be good at math to be a Game Developer?
Another fear that people often have is that they need to be a mathematical genius to make a game. While this was true in the early years of game development, these days many people can develop a game without a complex understanding of math. However, learning about math will definitely aid you in your goal of being a game developer.
How to become a Game Developer
These days, there is nothing really stopping you from becoming a game developer. Simply the amount of free tools and available resources online are enough to start your game development career. However if you are young and really serious about a career in game development, we urge you to get a degree.
Still, the best way to become a game developer is to start developing games. Even if you are considering to enroll game design or game development education program, it can be worthwhile to start developing a game right now and grow as a game developer. Even if it is just to figure out if is something that suits you.
How to make your first game
As mentioned before, there are a lot of tools out there that will help you start making your first game. However, the most important tip on how on to make your first game is to keep it small. Don’t expect too much of yourself and enjoy the process. If you are interested, please read our article with 25 tips for developing your first game.
Summary
What you learned in this article:
- It is hard to be a game developer because it requires a lot of hard work, passion and dedication.
- Anyone using such a tool can develop a game
- Working on a game requires a variety of skills and disciplines.
- A successful game developer should have passion, dedication and an willingness to always learn new things
- If you are really serious and passionate about being a game developer, you should start programming as soon as possible.
- These days, many people can develop a game without a complex understanding of math
- The amount of free tools and available resources online are enough to start your game development career
- The best way to become a game developer is to start developing games
- The most important tip on how to make your first game is to keep it small.
Conclusion
To conclude, you learned that being a game developer is hard work and that it requires a lot of skill and knowledge. However, if you are really passionate about becoming a game developer then these obstacles you can be overcome. As with everything, it takes time and patience to get good at something. If you found this article helpful, please share it.
Further Reading
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