Qualifications to be hired as game programmer
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Does anyone know what qualifications you need to be hired as a game programmer for a gaming company. Do you need to take any university courses (get a degree in something). Or can you study C++ and DirectX or OpenGL on your own and create demo games for your portfolio (and use these projects to show your knowledge to future employers). I''ve checked with some gaming company''s websites and they don''t explain really what they are looking for. Does anybody know?
Well, I''m only 15, but I''ve read up on this.
Basically, it''s a really good idea to major in computer science and have some physics under your belt. A+ certification if you wanna look good.
Really you need experience. Gaming companies want a guy who knows how to do his stuff and not a kid out of college who just knows the syntax.
I''m not sure on exact qualifications, but try your hardest to be the best damn coder you can be
Basically, it''s a really good idea to major in computer science and have some physics under your belt. A+ certification if you wanna look good.
Really you need experience. Gaming companies want a guy who knows how to do his stuff and not a kid out of college who just knows the syntax.
I''m not sure on exact qualifications, but try your hardest to be the best damn coder you can be
I dont speak out of experience, but when you will just send a very good Demo, of what you can do, then you should have a nice chance. But it also depends of the company, any big company would ofcourse prefer/insist you having a former job in the industrie.
You dont need an university, but they highly recommend, because of the experience you will get.
The far most import thing they wan''t is experience in what you do.
I looked at www.blizzard.com site and they say:
"Aside from talent, the first and foremost thing we are looking for in a programmer is experience. Unlike most other companies, our definition of experience is pretty broad. We don''t need to see three years of Cobol or nonsense like that. Our requirement that programmers be experienced is really a test of their passion for coding. Programmers who code for code''s sake tend to write lots of little programs on the side, outside of school or the scope of their job. So if you don''t have two years of working experience in the game industry, try to let us know what you have worked on in your spare time. The more code you''ve written, the better."]]
Good luck
phoenix
You dont need an university, but they highly recommend, because of the experience you will get.
The far most import thing they wan''t is experience in what you do.
I looked at www.blizzard.com site and they say:
"Aside from talent, the first and foremost thing we are looking for in a programmer is experience. Unlike most other companies, our definition of experience is pretty broad. We don''t need to see three years of Cobol or nonsense like that. Our requirement that programmers be experienced is really a test of their passion for coding. Programmers who code for code''s sake tend to write lots of little programs on the side, outside of school or the scope of their job. So if you don''t have two years of working experience in the game industry, try to let us know what you have worked on in your spare time. The more code you''ve written, the better."]]
Good luck
phoenix
Ok, I don''t think A+ certification would really help you that much with getting a job as a game programmer, perhaps if he wanted to do tech support for the damn company. I would say get a degree in computer science, if you can get a specialization in your degree, that could be helpful, depending on what aspect of game programming interests you(graphics, AI, networking, etc..) build a portfolio as you go, not only will this help show future employers what you are capable of doing, but if the games are cool, then you have examples for yourself in the future, if you get stuck on programming something. Most companies also would probably like experience in a real world programming company of some sort before hiring, so perhaps look into what kind of internships you could do. Something along the lines of(taken off of blizzard''s employment section)
Perhaps that could help
quote:
Tips for a Programmer Resume Submission
Aside from talent, the first and foremost thing we are looking for in a programmer is experience. Unlike most other companies, our definition of experience is pretty broad. We don''t need to see three years of Cobol or nonsense like that. Our requirement that programmers be experienced is really a test of their passion for coding. Programmers who code for code''s sake tend to write lots of little programs on the side, outside of school or the scope of their job. So if you don''t have two years of working experience in the game industry, try to let us know what you have worked on in your spare time. The more code you''ve written, the better.
Also, for legal reasons, please do not send us a game demo or anything that you or your employer considers proprietary or confidential. So things like a game demo you want to have published eventually, source code to NT, or the NSA''s encryption algorithms would be a bad thing to send to us.
It is okay to send us any sample source code, shareware, freeware, personal programs or currently available commercial applications you have worked on. In fact, it helps when we have a sample of what you have done. The only real exceptions are ideas or demos for games, unless they are already available to the public. A good rule of thumb is this: If the public can download your program from the net, or buy it off a shelf for their own use, then it''s safe to send it to us.
When you do send us something, make sure it is your best stuff. It is better to send us one cool program than lots of mediocre ones. Pick the one best thing you have done and show it to us. We can read about the rest in your resume.
Finally, scan for viruses on everything you send us! Nothing makes a worse impression than receiving a resume or program that infects one of our computers.
Perhaps that could help
heres some good info for ya, offa big huge games web page. also look at their want ads and see what they want.
http://bighugegames.com/jobs/industryjobtips.html
http://bighugegames.com/jobs/industryjobtips.html
But be aware that companies are starting to look at Uni students once again.
Quite literally the old farts are getting past it and new ideas/ways of working are comming in.
Someone with 15 years experience will aways be 10 or even 15 years behind the very latest ways/formats of coding.
But if the team has loads of 35 ish people onboard already then a newbi from uni would probaly not be choosen.
Game companies should invest in uni students, give them a small game to do with a small budget and allow them to get the experience they need while being payed, even if it is just enough to get by with. That way when the old people really are getting tooo old to learn new things (Its a sad truth) the newer/younger people will be there with new ideas.
Even if uni students are just set tech demos to make, they can lean a lot mere that way than focusing on one dev project and one engine design.
Well there my 2 pence worth.
Quite literally the old farts are getting past it and new ideas/ways of working are comming in.
Someone with 15 years experience will aways be 10 or even 15 years behind the very latest ways/formats of coding.
But if the team has loads of 35 ish people onboard already then a newbi from uni would probaly not be choosen.
Game companies should invest in uni students, give them a small game to do with a small budget and allow them to get the experience they need while being payed, even if it is just enough to get by with. That way when the old people really are getting tooo old to learn new things (Its a sad truth) the newer/younger people will be there with new ideas.
Even if uni students are just set tech demos to make, they can lean a lot mere that way than focusing on one dev project and one engine design.
Well there my 2 pence worth.
so, does that mean that a 35 year old grad just coming out of uni has no hope according to your philosophy?
Caroline M.
Caroline M.
"Someone with 15 years experience will aways be 10 or even 15 years behind the very latest ways/formats of coding."
Watch the sterotypes. There are a lot of programmers out there who have been at it longer than that who have kept up. The main difference is that they know when to IGNORE the latest, greatest ways/formats and do it a way people know works.
I think the average programmer age is games probably is closer to 35. Experience is gold.
Watch the sterotypes. There are a lot of programmers out there who have been at it longer than that who have kept up. The main difference is that they know when to IGNORE the latest, greatest ways/formats and do it a way people know works.
I think the average programmer age is games probably is closer to 35. Experience is gold.
Yup ok,
Maybe 45 should be the mark.
I know from people i have asked/worked with what in the mid 40''s most of them have a lower capacity of learning. So new languages, ideas, engine or more complex stuff takes longer for them to learn.
It is a sad fact that as people get older they have a smaller capacity of learning. For example my Dad creates very high speed networking for a very large telecommunications company, and he addmits that learning the new ways of working round problems is a problem in itself.
He has been in the comapny for 25 years and know what he is doing, but the younger people can figure problems out faster fix them and/or find an alternate way of doing it.
This is not to say the experience does not matter, loads of lead programmers are there becuase they have experience. Even some of the people that program the actuall game need the experience if you are using older technologies. The newer technologies may be better done by people comming straight from uni or are younger with a larger learning capcity as they have been taught it and it is all they know.
For example i know PHP and PERL but even though i am young i still have trouble keeping up with the newest server software and lanugages compared to another guy who has just started to learn.
I am most probably gonna start a big flame here, but hey everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
Maybe 45 should be the mark.
I know from people i have asked/worked with what in the mid 40''s most of them have a lower capacity of learning. So new languages, ideas, engine or more complex stuff takes longer for them to learn.
It is a sad fact that as people get older they have a smaller capacity of learning. For example my Dad creates very high speed networking for a very large telecommunications company, and he addmits that learning the new ways of working round problems is a problem in itself.
He has been in the comapny for 25 years and know what he is doing, but the younger people can figure problems out faster fix them and/or find an alternate way of doing it.
This is not to say the experience does not matter, loads of lead programmers are there becuase they have experience. Even some of the people that program the actuall game need the experience if you are using older technologies. The newer technologies may be better done by people comming straight from uni or are younger with a larger learning capcity as they have been taught it and it is all they know.
For example i know PHP and PERL but even though i am young i still have trouble keeping up with the newest server software and lanugages compared to another guy who has just started to learn.
I am most probably gonna start a big flame here, but hey everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
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