Skills needed to be a game developer

If you are passionate about gaming and are looking to start a career in it, you may be considering the directions you can go down. The industry has many roles to offer so you will never be short of choice. However, if you already know that you want to take on the exciting role of being a game developer, or are considering it, then this blog is for you!

As a game developer, there are a range of tasks you will be expected to complete such as creating, testing and debugging code, using computer animation and modelling and working with other professionals involved in the creation of a game (such as designers and artists) for you to successfully programme the game.

We thought putting together some of the skills you will need to be a good game developer would be useful to those looking to strengthen their own to become a great fit for the role; and who knows, you may already have some of the skills needed already! So, let’s not waste any more time and get into it.

Computing skills

Starting off with the most obvious one, you will need to have excellent computing skills to succeed in this role. This is the base of software design, coding and programming which basically sums up the role.  If you are not familiar with any of that, don’t worry! Instead, it’s a good idea to start looking into ways to build up skills. This might include taking up a course, personal research and development or, if you want to really become confident in computing, a degree specified to the role that will teach you everything you need to know.

A key thing to remember is that putting time and effort into developing or strengthening your computer skills will help you massively, even if you already feel you have good enough skills. Continuous learning is how successful people stay successful.

Problem-solving skills

This is an important skill to have since you will need to fix bugs in the programming and will most likely come across complex problems with each game you develop. The ability to resolve technical issues and find your way around challenges that are thrown your way is essential. If you are a person that can think on your feet and come up with solutions quickly and effectively, you will be good to go.

Creativity skills

You may think this is left to the people that are game designers and animators, which the majority of it is, however, you need to have some base knowledge of the two since it will help you create realistic and immersive games. As you will be developing the entirety of the game such as the characters, objects and storyline, knowing how to bring the feel of the game to life is important.

In order to bring a different creative angle to the game, you need to have an active imagination that can come up with new concepts to keep players of the game engaged and wanting more.

Time management skills

 If you are someone who prefers to get work done in their own time, you will need to work on completing tasks within the short deadlines that you may be given. Although creating a game can take several years to complete, it is important that all tasks are done within specific periods to ensure there are no delays that could lead to pushing back the release of the game.

It is an important responsibility that you must take on. Letting people down in this industry will not get you very far and when there are delays, the target audience becomes less interested.

Communication skills

Taking on the role of a game developer means you will be communicating and liaising with many different people. This could include game designers, artists and sound engineers so that -as a team- you can create the best game possible! If you fail to communicate new updates or problems in the development you will potentially be affecting the creation of the game, misleading others and putting the release date in jeopardy.

Concentration skills

If you take pride in being thorough with your work and pay attention to detail, the job may be a smooth and easy ride for you.  You need to get into a concentration zone when working as the wrong letter in a code could lead to disaster. Of course, mistakes are bound to happen, no one is perfect. However, if you are not double-checking your work and rushing, you are holding yourself back from greatness. Who would want to do that?

 A way to strengthen this skill is to find out what working environment works best for you. By doing this, you are enabling yourself to produce efficient work.

Do you have any of these skills?

Even if you only own one of these skills, you are off to a great start and you can work on gaining the other skills later! After all, we haven’t mentioned all the skills needed to be a successful game designer… If you can bring passion and a willingness to learn and develop, then you will do just fine in the role.

Considering starting your future as a game developer? Then you should take a look at the University of Bolton’s BSc (Hons) Games Programming course. If you are still weighing out the options, we offer two other courses dedicated to games that you can look at by clicking here.

We also offer a BSc (Hons) Computing course that can also help you kickstart your game-developing future, just click the link!

At the University of Bolton, we will offer you one-to-one support throughout your learning journey so that you are confident and ready for employment upon graduation. So, what are you waiting for? #UseYerLoaf… and choose #UniAsItShouldBe, providing a small friendly, happy and inclusive campus.

For any further information contact us at enquiries@bolton.ac.uk or call us on 01204 903903.