First things first, game development is really cool. Choosing game development for a student who already did BTech/ BCA/ MTech/ MCA or BSc it is really a great career decision because it offers a:
- Good career growth
- Exciting job opportunities
- And even chances to work with companies not only in India but all around the world
But, once you start learning about how games are actually made, one question which will not leave your mind that ‘do I also need to know maths?’
“How much math do you actually need to know?”
Relax. You do not need to be a math genius like Ramanujan or Katherine Johnson. But yes, you will definitely need to understand some basic math concepts. Which concepts are the most important, we will be discussing it in this blog.
Start With the Basics (Artithmetic & Algebra)
The first thing which you need is basic arithmetic and algebra. This is the kind of maths which we actually use in your day-to-day life.
So, if you already know:
- Addition
- Subtraction
- Multiplication
- And division
Then, you are already ahead. So now, where does the algebra come in?
It helps you to solve several other simple problems while you will be creating a game.
For example, think like your player has (100) health points and then an enemy attack which causes 30 damage. How much health does the player is left with? The answer is 70.
Another reason you need algebra when you will be calculating the position of characters or placing enemies at equal distances.
Trigonometry Is Not As Scary As It Sounds
The word trigonometry actually sounds a bit complicated but you do not need to be scared of it.
Trigonometry is useful when you are working with 3 things:
- Angles
- Movement
And rotation
For example: When a character will be aiming for a weapon at an enemy. You need to calculate the right direction for the weapon. You also need it when you are rotating objects such as a door or making a character move smoothly.
So whenever your game involves:Aiming
Shooting
Rotating
Or moving objects
Here is where the knowledge of trigonometry will be useful to you.
Vectors Are Important
Vectors are another important part of game development. They help you work with:
- Direction
- Movement
And speed
For example, if you want a character to move in a particular direction, vectors can help you control that movement.
They are also useful for things like:Object positions
Collisions
And motion in both 2D and 3D games
Popular game engines such as Unity as well as Unreal already have built in systems for working with vectors. So you will not have to calculate everything manually.
What About Physics?
Physics is not exactly maths but you will need to understand it while developing games.
Physics will be helping you to make the game world feel more realistic.
(NOTE: You may come across some algebra and calculus while working with the game physics. But the best news is that modern game engines already have some physics systems. You will just need to adjust the settings and make them work properly for your game.)
To Wrap Up
In game development maths is indeed necessary, but you need to understand the fact that you don’t have to be math genius like Ramanujan or Katherine Johnson. Mentors of game development course, will help you to have all the knowledge and skill which you need to become a game developer. A game development course will prepare you for a successful career. All the best!
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