I believe that the position that I want to become is called a gameplay programmer, but I don't know if this is a specialized role, or if this is just a small part of the responsibilities that are split between tech artists. It probably depends on the studio size and if it is a AAA developer, but can this be something that I can specialize in and only/mostly deal with? Thank you.
 

53 minutes ago, Tom Sloper said:

It's a mystery why you used the term "tech artists" at the end of that sentence. I believe you meant to say "programmers."  Gameplay programming is a subset of programming, not technical art.

There is no guarantee that any programmer is going to spend 100% of his time doing nothing but what his job title defines. You would likely be called upon to do coding of various sorts. Even if your title is "gameplay programmer."

I didn't realize that tech artists are different than programmers. I thought it was an umbrella term to describe non visual art game developing. This is what I meant when I said tech artist earlier, "a gameplay programmer focuses more on a game's strategy, implementation of the game's mechanics and logic, and the "feel" of a game."

Yes I do, and yes a BA in Science ( Game Art & Animation degree )

7 hours ago, Greg DAlessandro said:

Yes I do, and yes a BA in Science ( Game Art & Animation degree )

I've got to ask... If you have a degree in art and animation, why are you looking for a programming job? The typical degree for programming is computer science or a similar degree covering algorithms and data structures, code and mathematics, not art and animation. 

Follow your own path of course, but be ready to answer that question at every interview. If your coursework didn't focus on algorithms and data structures and writing code, you've got a lot of self-directed study required to get the required skills. You'll be quizzed about the topics before landing the job. 

If you have a background in art and animation it seems a job doing those tasks would be more fitting. The ratio varies by studio and by project, but overall rates are similar between programming roles and art roles.