Build Your Own Games, Become A Programmer

Video games are a blast to play!  Wouldn’t it be great to have a part in creating them?  But where do you start?  For a gamer, being able to take part in creating games would be like a dream come true. Let’s look at a few facts about the gaming industry.  In 2012, the gaming industry accounted for $20.77 billion in revenue including hardware, software and accessories.  Most of these companies were based in the United States.  More detailed information can be found here.

So, we have an enormously large industry and most of it is located right here in the United States.  There is no reason why a person with the desire and discipline cannot make their dream job a reality!

The following are some steps to help get you out on the path to your future in gaming.  The best part is that most of these options are free.  But do require some discipline and effort... and practice, practice, practice!

Be informed, educate yourself

There are some major sources of information online regarding the gaming industry.  Become involved with these websites. join in on discussions in the forums and even try to contact individuals from the forums that seem willing to be helpful to newcomers.  These sources can be invaluable in learning what trainings and skills are a must for someone to become a professional.  A few industry online publications are Gameslice and Gamasutra.

Determine what skills and knowledge you now possess

Begin gathering information about the types of games you wish to program.  Having a firm grasp on the games you like to play and programming languages that were used to make those games will begin to steer you in the direction you need to go.  Programming, also known as coding, can be difficult in the beginning.  Luckily there are many web sites on the internet that offer free learning tutorials for beginners in any language you can imagine.  It is recommended to start with some of these free tutorials just to get your feet wet and get you used to the vocabulary of the industry. Check out below article to learn programming.

Get to know commercially available game engines

Most games have a game engine.  The game engine is kind of like the foundation that the code works with to create the desired effect within the game.  Most of these are available freely either with a game or can be downloaded.  You may have heard of some of them:  Unreal, Crysis, Source, FrostBite and Creation are just a few of the larger ones.  Discover which game engine your favorite games run on and play with the engine yourself.

Take a Coding Class

This is where it all begins to get real.  You need some official coding classes.  As a starter, consider a course in DarkBasic.  DarkBasic is one of the most recommended beginner languages.  At this point you should also consider taking a course in Microsoft Visual Basic.  A good knowledge of Visual Basic will provide you with the understanding of how code works with Windows operating systems.  There are numerous schools whose sole focus is coding.  Research the ones who are interested in and to go back to the forums, or individuals you met there and ask their opinions.  Then make your decision and register for the classes.

Develop a problem-solving attitude

It cannot be stated more strongly how important a problem-solving attitude can be in game development.  You really have to love solving problems.  The larger part of coding is developing the code itself.  The second largest part of coding is solving all of the problems with the initial code that you developed.  You will be spending a large portion of your time resolving problems in your code...  So having a problem-solving attitude is crucial to your future career.

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