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Video Game Design Foundations
CASE STUDY
Game Programmer
A game programmer is the person who can
talk the language of the computer. Using
that language, the programmer asks the
computer to perform tasks. This person is
the “computer guru” who takes the design
ideas and makes them happen in the game.
If you like math and are good in algebra,
geometry, calculus, applied mathematics,
and computer science, you would probably
be a good game programmer. To be a good
game programmer, you need to be skilled in
math, logic, and problem solving.
As a game programmer, you will work with
three types of programming languages:
computer platform-specific languages,
scripting languages, and object-oriented
programming languages. Computer languages
like C, C++, C#, Java, and assembly are
popular for designing games. These languages
can “speak” directly to the computer operating
system. Scripting languages like Python, Ruby,
and Perl are simplified languages. They are
easier for a person to use than a computer
language. When a script is finished, it is
compiled into a computer language so the
computer can read it. The last language type
is an object-oriented language. These are very
simple, user-friendly languages that build
in a script language and are compiled into a
computer language. This type of programming
language is used by The Games Factory 2.
Game programmers are very highly recruited
by game design companies. These people
have important skills that can be used to
build games, proprietary software, and other
tools outside of gaming. A programmer
straight out of school would likely enter a
company as a junior programmer. There
they would learn how to function best on
the programming team and learn how to
make programs needed by the company.
Later, they would be promoted to a game
programmer and have duties to work with
the design team and share ideas on what a
game could be programmed to do.
Other game programming-related jobs
include lead programmer, technical director,
AI programmer, software engineer, network
engineer, graphics engineer, and engine
programmer. All of these higher-level jobs
offer more responsibility and leadership in
the projects being created.
Most game programming jobs require a
college degree in computer science, game
programming, or software engineering.
In 2012, the average salary of a game
programmer was between $71,380
according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
A programmer is the person who takes game design
ideas and gives the computer the instructions needed
to make the game function.
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Several programming languages are common in
game programming.
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