Do you have an addiction to a particular computer game? Or have you tried playing almost all computer games that are popular today? Well, you have to thank who is behind those games and you might think of becoming one. Who are they by the way? They are our game programmers. Want to find out more? Let us read what does this career entails.
What is a game programmer and what do they do?
A game programmer is also called as a software programmer as they are the ones who write codes for video games and are responsible for making the game working properly. Most of the game programmer may design a specific story play in which characters would have to move from one level to the next, the different obstacles, and so forth. Aside from that, game programmers are also held responsible for the smooth running of the games which means that never in any instance that a game would crash. In addition to what has been mentioned, game programmers also develop games for PCs like PlayStation that is why all programmers need to have extensive knowledge with regards to the internal mechanisms of creating games.
What are the educational and training requirements?
The requirements of being a game programmer would require one to earn first a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in computer science. Taking the course would hone one to develop excellent analytical and reasoning skills. The degrees can be obtained by enrolling to colleges and universities that offer degrees in computer game development because such degree can help the potential programmer in developing his or her skills. Also, an active involvement in open source software development projects can surely help for further improvement. Almost all game programmers should have knowledge on different games and they must also love playing those games. This is very true since part of their duty is to ensure quality running games and they have to experience playing the games by themselves.
Working Environment
There are a lot of conditions that a game programmer may work into such as most of the programmers in well – established game studios are working in a well – lit and comfortable workspaces. Their duty hours in regular shifts are up to 40 hours in a week. Nevertheless, they only extend their duty hours if projects are meeting their deadlines.
Annual Income and Benefits
Game programmers are earning, whether veteran or inexperienced, can earn as much as $57,000 in annual basis. That is quite high compared to other careers. However, in United States, the median annual salary of game programmers can amount to around $83,000. If one is an adept and experienced programmer, he or she may earn yearly salary of $100,000. Aside from the big income they are getting, those programmers who are employed in well-established big companies can also enjoy a lot of benefits such as paid leaves and holidays, vacations, and many more.
Game programmers have a lot of job opportunities as many people whether kids or adults are getting crazy in almost any kind of video games. If you are taking interest in this career, you better decide now when are you getting started and you have to make sure you have what it takes to be a game programmer.
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