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Discussion on: I switched from software engineering to game development, ask me anything.

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paleri_safwan profile image
Safwan Paleri

hey
my ambition is to become a game programmer/ developer. Now i have completed my schools and going to join for software engineering. Can i become a game developer after software engineering or not?

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rapidnerd profile image
George

You can become a developer and start working for people when you feel you're ready, there really is no set line you have to get to start at. However there is some crucial aspects I'd suggest having before going into the field of your choice:

Knowledge

Build up a personal knowledge base of the field. As you've mentioned Game Development start looking into what languages the field uses primarily, and more specifically around the platform you want to develop for. A lot of PC games tend to use C# or Java, whereas console platforms (Xbox, PlayStation etc) are developed in C/C++.

Portfolio

Cannot stress this enough but your portfolio is vital when applying for any developer job. Outlining some projects that show off your skills and what you've done in the past (or currently) will show future employers what you can do.

Be prepared

Be prepared to enter the field and have the amount of work being given to you, its different for every industry. If you get a interview with a company research them, find out what they do, what technology they use and any other vital information that can benefit you. Remember its okay to fail, its okay not to get a job, use any negatives that the interviewer provides and use them to benefit yourself for the future.

Good luck!