This is the first part of a look into a junior game developer’s not-finished quest to become the very best. It’s a bit of a narcissistic piece, talking about my seven-year experience up until now. However, it is by no means unique; in fact, a lot of this mirrors the typical stages of a programmer - a bit too closely sometimes.
The second article will talk about what to expect from the field. While I am by no means a master, I think hearing something from one’s peers is often better than from the mouth of an old seasoned veteran of the field. Fresh perspectives and all, especially to someone more relatable to yourself.
To start, I’m a junior software developer with a focus on Game Programming. My part of the game development process is putting the design document into working, reproducible, easily digestible code. This is the job I chose after a long while of bouncing between my passions in the programming field. While I could totally talk about my time making apps, I’m here to mostly talk about what I study on a daily basis.
Being a programmer has been a passion of mine for a while now - about seven years and counting to today. I’ve always been subtly interested in the world of computers, and delving into the techie lifestyle was a natural leap for me after a while. I started out with the development of websites, then moved to apps, before jumping into games. It was some sort of quasi-logical progression.
Now, with that said, my first year in game development was a bit tumultuous. I fell in and out of love with it before I decided to study it full time. I took some side CS courses and learned a lot before going into college to study in the field. It definitely helps, especially since the school I go to throws you directly into the process with only minimal background preparation.
What I expected going in was what everyone else did: making the next incredible gaming experience, drawing in millions. I wanted to be the next Call of Duty, just like every fresh-faced, aspiring developer coming into the field. I would be rich and famous!
Unsurprisingly, those dreams were shot down pretty quickly. It took a while for the realization to sink in; the realization that my ideal game made by me would be both in the far future, and with a group of like-minded, passionate, talented individuals who can handle a workload. There was a long period of time where I moped. It didn’t deter my getting better at programming, but it definitely hindered my drive.
That passed at some point or another a few years ago. I became a sponge, soon after. I wanted to absorb as much knowledge as I possibly could on any and everything. I read a lot of books, made a lot of friends who loved to do what I did, stalked forums, perused documentation, worked on coding challenges -- the whole nine yards.
I think that was around the time I became just a tiny bit arrogant, too. I took compliments to heart and it boosted my ego. I projected a feeling of superiority over others, and wanted no one to know of my failures. I showed off a lot, and may have offhandedly said some unflattering remarks around my family. It was strange, considering my normally quiet and mild-mannered personality around them.
It wasn’t attractive, I was called out on it. I felt disgusted at myself for a very long time; I still do, if we’re being honest. Still, I don’t want to forget that. It’s a reminder of what I don’t ever want to be. Being proud of my achievements didn’t mean being an obnoxious, snobby know-it-all.
The details get far more mundane after that. Now, I work as an app developer intern, and am planning to release a tiny mobile game as my second project. It’s hard work. Someone’s got to do it.
Stay tuned for things to expect when you first begin.
