Fortnite, Overwatch, Call of Duty: WWII, Grand Theft Auto V– what do these games have that not only makes them extremely popular, but also makes admirers out of gamers and non-gamers alike? It’s the meticulous attention to detail, creative narratives, original and captivating graphics, the innovative design and coding. Basically, the hours and hours of hard work put in by game developers and the product and graphic designers.

 

The gaming industry’s boom in recent years, especially in the Asian markets, is driven by many factors. The most central being technological development, and the proliferation and easy accessing of newer technologies through smartphones. It is common, today, to come across people of all ages, genders and backgrounds enjoying mobile games virtually everywhere you go.

 

Therefore, the profile of a Game Developer looks very attractive as a profession and a career to pursue. But what is the skill set required to enter the gaming industry as a game developer? Here are five basic skills you need to kickstart your career in the field.

 

1. Strong Technical and Graphic Skills

Knowing your programming, video graphics and hardware is the most important requirement on your journey to becoming a successful game developer. Programming and software knowledge is the anchor which will ground your career as a game developer to a good foundation. Players are very inclined to judge the quality of a game on the basis of its interactivity, graphics and animation. These aspects of a game require knowledge of the coding process, and a flair for design for all areas of a game be it scenery, characters or even the user interface. Software applications like the Adobe creative suite, Maya and Toon Boom Harmony help designers improve the quality of their work. Similarly, game developers need at least a foundational knowledge of coding, data structures and basic coding terminology. Being conscious of the medium in which the player will be viewing and playing the game- a PC system, a phone, or a TV- would help the designer tweak the games accordingly.

 

2. Creativity

From developing new and interesting challenges to keep the player engaged, to creating a complete storyline with various characters and character arcs, and then personalizing the former for the latter- all require a creative and imaginative mindset. With the increasing competition in the game developing market, your creativity would be your USP. Every step of the way, developing a game would require you to come up with new ideas on how to design and structure the interface and the narrative to make it as compelling for the player as possible.

 

3. Staying up-to-date on industry developments

To become a good game developer, you also need to be a gamer yourself. This is not to say that you need to play all the time and break records and win tournaments, but the best user research can be done if you yourself are aware of the goings on of the gaming market, and the nuances that affect a player’s interest in any game.

 

It is important to keep up with new technological, graphic, and user trends in the gaming world. A game developer needs to constantly ask themselves - What kind of stories, concepts, ideas and visuals are compelling to the user today?

 

4. Time Management

Game developing is an extremely taxing exercise. It is also one that is very time consuming, and requires constant reworking. It is also a very layered, and thus, collaborative field with multiple teams coordinating and working together at the same time. To thrive in such an environment, you will need to be able to work well under pressure, learn to collaborate well with others, and keep to project deadlines as your work can affect that of the others even during the process.

 

5. Communication skills

It is a soft skill that is often looked over by programmers and technically inclined professionals. Since gaming is an industry for the masses, it is important to understand the mass dispositions, and be able to communicate in a way that your audience can understand and relate to. An aptitude for communication will help you to apply your knowledge in effective expression of your ideas, and would be an added benefit to your skill set as a game developer.