Ok so im 18, Ive been into game development for a bout a year now. Ive learnt javaScript and C#. Ive been primarily been using Unity. Recently I've been wondering if I'm going down the right path. Like would it be more beneficial in the long run to use something like UDK?
Also I really want to start working on some of my ideas and start making good games and possibly submit to websites like kongregate/newgrounds etc. But since I'm doing this solo would it be better to use something like flash? it seems like a lot of successful web games are made with that.
Kinda of a two part question, any advice would be really appreciated
Want to program for big developer. what should i be learning?
Using UDK isn't the best way to learn programming, it is good for artists and game designers, but programmers, even if modding udk, should start at the basics. You are only 18 years old, so if you like to be a coder for a big studio you should start with a degree.
An other thought about UDK: studios don't need coders to use the UDK, that will be handled by game designers/artists, they need coders to do the things which are not supported by udk out of the box.
An other thought about UDK: studios don't need coders to use the UDK, that will be handled by game designers/artists, they need coders to do the things which are not supported by udk out of the box.
the industry standard for game development, at the moment, is C++. There are no signs the language will be dropped for anything else any time soon.
Most game company have a demanding C++ test as part of the interview process.
That's your best bet. You need to get really familiar with C++. Most game studios will also request some familiarity with graphics API, so that's your second step.
Being 18, you might want to get some expertise on something that might become very hot topic in 4-5 years time, such as sparse voxel based rendering, software rendering, ray tracing.
Most game company have a demanding C++ test as part of the interview process.
That's your best bet. You need to get really familiar with C++. Most game studios will also request some familiarity with graphics API, so that's your second step.
Being 18, you might want to get some expertise on something that might become very hot topic in 4-5 years time, such as sparse voxel based rendering, software rendering, ray tracing.
Author
cool thanks 
also, when I graduate this year I'm planning to get my bachelors degree in computer science and then go on to do a masters. So by then I should have the programming knowledge. I just wana start designing/developing games now so Ill have some experience when i start job hunting
also, when I graduate this year I'm planning to get my bachelors degree in computer science and then go on to do a masters. So by then I should have the programming knowledge. I just wana start designing/developing games now so Ill have some experience when i start job hunting
just never forget that school and colleges will never teach you how to program and optimize. that's YOUR job, and it's essential you do that by yourself.
just never forget that school and colleges will never teach you how to program and optimize. that's YOUR job, and it's essential you do that by yourself.
This is so true. Especially if the professor is utter crap. Best advice: dont wait for school, get started already. School is just a formality
I usually recommend Java these days, but if one means serious business...
1. Learn C++.
2. Learn to program with WinAPI, and write a small 2D game with it. Keep it simple.
3. Before rushing into a graphics API, write a Ray-Caster demo with the WinAPI first. Don't forget floors and ceilings!
4. Learn DirectX.
...as for education, try and sign up for courses in Maths and Software Development. For maths, you need to aim for at least Algebra - Calculus and Physics are very much recommended. For the computing side, you can teach yourself the language, but software development is not about the language but good habits, planning and implementation - this really comes down to experience, so it pays to be taught by an experienced person...
In conclusion, teach yourself with a strong foundation on C++, but seek to improve your CV with qualifications when the opportunity arises. And when the going gets tough, always stand strong and know that any problem can be broken down and solved.
Good luck!
1. Learn C++.
2. Learn to program with WinAPI, and write a small 2D game with it. Keep it simple.
3. Before rushing into a graphics API, write a Ray-Caster demo with the WinAPI first. Don't forget floors and ceilings!
4. Learn DirectX.
...as for education, try and sign up for courses in Maths and Software Development. For maths, you need to aim for at least Algebra - Calculus and Physics are very much recommended. For the computing side, you can teach yourself the language, but software development is not about the language but good habits, planning and implementation - this really comes down to experience, so it pays to be taught by an experienced person...
In conclusion, teach yourself with a strong foundation on C++, but seek to improve your CV with qualifications when the opportunity arises. And when the going gets tough, always stand strong and know that any problem can be broken down and solved.
Good luck!
Firstly, this is not the appropriate place for this topic. This is: http://www.gamedev.n...games-industry/
If you were to go there, in the upper-right corner you would see inside under a green header this text: “Breaking In FAQs (please read before posting)”.
If you were to then click that link you would find all the answers to your question(s).
Especially http://www.sloperama.com/advice/
To answer your first question, C++ is obvious.
To be blunt, this is something you could have easily answered yourself by going to the jobs section of whatever major studios interest you and checking on what they require.
For example, I randomly sampled the following:
Valve’s Software Engineer Listing: Proficiency in one or more of the following programming languages: PHP, SQL, C/C++, (or equivalent)
Naughty Dog’s Graphics Programmer Listing: Strong knowledge of C and C++ programming languages
Nintendo’s ???????????? Listing: C/C++?????Perl?Ruby??????????????????
Even if you can’t read Japanese, the obvious common denominator is C/C++.
If for whatever reason you can’t find the site for any major studio you are considering, you can always use GameDev Map.
To answer your second question, it would be a waste of time. If you already knew Flash it would be fine. But you should be focusing on C++ fairly heavily now, especially since you are at least 4 years behind the learning curve on it. By 18 you should already know C++ fairly well, along with C# and Java. It isn’t that those projects wouldn’t help to get a job (anything you can show would help), it’s that you don’t have time for something like that when you are playing catch-up with C++.
It would be more useful both to your own learning and to your job hunt to make games in C++ instead.
Major strategy failure. Neither a Bachelor’s nor Master’s degree will help you in the least, and can in fact hurt you.
Not only are they non-impressive, many studios consider never to hire such people because they always ask for a huge salary while not being able to perform so well in the work place.
My first job’s CEO told me he almost always just throws away applications from the best university in that area for exactly that reason.
Just because you went through a lot of school does not mean you know what to do in the workplace.
I also interviewed a guy for a Japanese company who had a Master’s. I felt he had the skills and I gave him a pass, but then he ended up asking for too much of a salary and didn’t get the job. He was 6 years older than myself and unemployed, struggling to make ends meet, and being interviewed by someone 6 years younger than himself who had dropped out of high school.
At my current workplace another person started on the same day as myself, but he had a Bachelor’s.
My salary is double his because all the time he spent studying I spent working. He had to take a lesser position until he gains enough actual workplace experience to graduate up to my position.
Ultimately you are just going to spend a lot of money on an education that has no meaning only to find that you are 28 (after a Master’s degree?) and living on a 21-year-old’s salary. Regardless of your education, you start with an entry-level salary, so you may as well actually be 21 when you have such a salary.
To put it frankly, a 28-year-old with 7 years of work experience will 100% always get the job before a 28-year-old with nothing but school on his or her belt.
If you want to get a Master’s, go be a doctor. This is not the industry for that. We care about results, not education.
I myself dropped out of high school in order to get an early start on actual workplace experience and as such I currently travel the world programming video games. The janitor has a higher level of education than myself.
My salary and desirability are based on my actual performance, not education.
L. Spiro
If you were to go there, in the upper-right corner you would see inside under a green header this text: “Breaking In FAQs (please read before posting)”.
If you were to then click that link you would find all the answers to your question(s).
Especially http://www.sloperama.com/advice/
To answer your first question, C++ is obvious.
To be blunt, this is something you could have easily answered yourself by going to the jobs section of whatever major studios interest you and checking on what they require.
For example, I randomly sampled the following:
Valve’s Software Engineer Listing: Proficiency in one or more of the following programming languages: PHP, SQL, C/C++, (or equivalent)
Naughty Dog’s Graphics Programmer Listing: Strong knowledge of C and C++ programming languages
Nintendo’s ???????????? Listing: C/C++?????Perl?Ruby??????????????????
Even if you can’t read Japanese, the obvious common denominator is C/C++.
If for whatever reason you can’t find the site for any major studio you are considering, you can always use GameDev Map.
To answer your second question, it would be a waste of time. If you already knew Flash it would be fine. But you should be focusing on C++ fairly heavily now, especially since you are at least 4 years behind the learning curve on it. By 18 you should already know C++ fairly well, along with C# and Java. It isn’t that those projects wouldn’t help to get a job (anything you can show would help), it’s that you don’t have time for something like that when you are playing catch-up with C++.
It would be more useful both to your own learning and to your job hunt to make games in C++ instead.
cool thanksalso, when I graduate this year I'm planning to get my bachelors degree in computer science and then go on to do a masters. So by then I should have the programming knowledge. I just wana start designing/developing games now so Ill have some experience when i start job hunting
Major strategy failure. Neither a Bachelor’s nor Master’s degree will help you in the least, and can in fact hurt you.
Not only are they non-impressive, many studios consider never to hire such people because they always ask for a huge salary while not being able to perform so well in the work place.
My first job’s CEO told me he almost always just throws away applications from the best university in that area for exactly that reason.
Just because you went through a lot of school does not mean you know what to do in the workplace.
I also interviewed a guy for a Japanese company who had a Master’s. I felt he had the skills and I gave him a pass, but then he ended up asking for too much of a salary and didn’t get the job. He was 6 years older than myself and unemployed, struggling to make ends meet, and being interviewed by someone 6 years younger than himself who had dropped out of high school.
At my current workplace another person started on the same day as myself, but he had a Bachelor’s.
My salary is double his because all the time he spent studying I spent working. He had to take a lesser position until he gains enough actual workplace experience to graduate up to my position.
Ultimately you are just going to spend a lot of money on an education that has no meaning only to find that you are 28 (after a Master’s degree?) and living on a 21-year-old’s salary. Regardless of your education, you start with an entry-level salary, so you may as well actually be 21 when you have such a salary.
To put it frankly, a 28-year-old with 7 years of work experience will 100% always get the job before a 28-year-old with nothing but school on his or her belt.
If you want to get a Master’s, go be a doctor. This is not the industry for that. We care about results, not education.
I myself dropped out of high school in order to get an early start on actual workplace experience and as such I currently travel the world programming video games. The janitor has a higher level of education than myself.
My salary and desirability are based on my actual performance, not education.
L. Spiro
cool thanks
Computer Science isn't programming, it's doing science with computers.[/quote]
Getting a degree in Computer Science won't help you a bit. In this industry, it's you that has to take the initiative and start learning. Just because you have a computer science degree won't help you one bit. You need to have solid code samples and games. Think about this: If you were hiring someone, would you pick the person with a Masters Degree in Computer Science, no code samples, and who only can use Unity, or would you pick someone without a degree, with a published game and solid code samples, who has programmed everything himself. 99.9% of employers will pick the latter, because in Video Game Design getting a degree isn't experience. The only way to get hired is too actually have a game out or actually have a strong portfolio of art.
Unity or UDK aren't helpful. Anyone who only had these tools on their resume won't get hired. They won't even get glanced at. If I was hiring someone, I'd look for strong code samples from a programming language, and it's a huge plus if they also can script nicely.
However, a college degree has some advantages. It shows you can spend 4+ years working on and completing projects. It shows that you have dedication and won't give up halfway through something. But if you haven't taken the initiative, those qualifications will go to waste.
First, you need to get the CS degree.
A bachelors degree in computer science is the bar for entry level.
As for languages, learn whatever you want. Major studios use JavaScript. Major studios use Flash. Major studios use Java. Major studios use C#. Major studios use C++. Major studios use Python. Major studios use many other languages.
Whatever programming language you learn, you will be better for it.
A bachelors degree in computer science is the bar for entry level.
As for languages, learn whatever you want. Major studios use JavaScript. Major studios use Flash. Major studios use Java. Major studios use C#. Major studios use C++. Major studios use Python. Major studios use many other languages.
Whatever programming language you learn, you will be better for it.
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