Got the basics of Game Development down? Looking for a more specific field of expertise within the dynamic world of Gaming? You’ve come to the right place! In this article, we will be going through some of the most prominent Game Develop Career paths you can pursue to land your dream job. Whether you’re looking to create a new game, expand on an existing game or bring something truly innovative to the field, knowing your strongest point and improving it is vital within the industry.
Below are our top careers for Game Development enthusiasts;
- Game Designer
It is the Game designer’s job to focus on the function of a game, while creating the systems, rules, and gameplay for it to work. They must aid in the world-building and story aspects to make sure the game is playable, fun, and engaging.
These people are imaginative geniuses who envision almost everything about a game, including the plots, characters, visual designs and layouts. They must also meet and collaborate with various other departments to forge a cohesive vision.
It is no small task to oversee the foundation and execution of game mechanics as well as the overall user experience. For this purpose, they must be highly technical and very adept at complex problem solving 24/7.
Focus Software: Unity 3D, Unreal Engine, Office Software, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Jira, Python, LUA, C#, Unreal Script, Blueprints, C++ and Python.
- Systems Designer
A Game System Designer creates the software systems needed to power a video game. They are vital in the early development stages to critically analyze the scope and design of the game and set up the necessary platforms to give it life.
Depending on the genre and mechanics of the game, they will proceed to assist in establishing the project. They are required to assemble the plethora of technical resources required and identify all custom software needed to be scripted for the game.
Focus Software: Unity, Maya, Adobe Creative Cloud, Substance Painter, Unreal 4, C and C++.
- Level Designer
A Level Designer is a combination of an artist, game designer, storyteller, and engineer. They hold the vision of the game in their grasp and assemble the world in which it exists to the best of their ability.
They focus on the creation and practical implementation of game levels, environments, stories, and quests while considering the overall flow, pace, and space. It’s their job to ensure that players stay focused while progressing and achieve the set goals without feeling utterly confused.
Focus Software: Unity 3D, Unreal Engine, Office Software, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Jira, Python, LUA, C#, Unreal Script, Blueprints, C++ and Python.
- Game Programmer
These guys are the Computer Engineers who work on video games. They are well trained in the basic languages of computer programming and thus bring the game to life through coding. They can specialize in various areas of coding like graphics, AI, sound, scripting, user interface, network, tools, porting, and so on.
Their role involves developing the software to create the game and assembling the platforms and engines to power it. Writing code for custom software to support the unique requirements must totally be up their alley.
Focus Software: C, C++, Java, Nuke, Unreal Engine, Maya, 3D Studio Max, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects and Unity.
- Game Artists
The role is exactly what it sounds like, these people are the Visual Artists of games. These positions can be held by generalist animators and/or 3D modelers who visualize all the 2D and 3D art. Working with only the design briefs and concept art at the initial stages, these artists give true expression to the script from the storyboard in order to populate the vibrant world of the game.
Game artists are masters of visual elements essential in a game. This includes characters, objects, textures, assets, environments, props, vehicles, weapons, etc. It’s also their job to make the video game’s general style a memorable and attractive one. Thus, they create the world, its mood, and unique personality. Specialization happens under character design, architecture and landscapes, lighting, modeling, special effects, texturing, and animation.
Focus Software: Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, Maya, Blender, 3D Studio, Max, Mudbox, Zbrush, Substance Painter, CAD, Quixel, TVPaint, ToonBoom Harmony, CelAction, Unreal Engine, Nuke, Unity 3, Python, C++ and Houdini.
Thus concludes our Top Five picks for the most notable Game Development Careers out there! There are so many other careers like AI Programming, Gameplay Engineering, Testers and so many more coming together in a near perfect symphony to bring the Games we love to life. It goes without saying that there are Specializations within these careers too. We hope you learned something of value here and wish you luck on your Game Development journey. Thanks for reading!
