Game programming implies much knowledge of various types (if you are alone developer) one of main obstacles you find when developing a “game” is for example if you are the Programmer, try doing also another different parts very differenced like for example modeling 3D for characters, animations 2d or 3d, sprites, sound and music (even searching in resource websites made for use it, the documentation if needed, the GDD (normally useful for have clear idea of you want reach) the marketing promotion, some other accesory things like Blog, Patreon Project, etc etc are things that if you sum all consuming lots of time…very valuable time that you normally dont have (that you mainly must employ on Game Programming that also comsuming time a lot)…. probably you will think “oh, not a problem, i will search co-workers that help me” and yes, (smile) here the second part of the problem….. normally people offers for help and contribute but soon you will see that them loosed on chatting etc and really dont produce much of what you need (graphics etc) or they busy in other RealLife things (studies, family, girlfriend, hobbies, other works etc) then 1st or 2nd day nothing happens but when you take a look to calendar and see 6 or 8 months passed and you really dont have nothing made (much times cos the “co-workers” dont make nothing really valuable for your idea or game) is when you begin to enter in Frustration or even ANGRIED with them……. the reasonable solution for this is 1) find people really involved with you and determined to work hard every minute and days and months or 2) co-workers payed with real money (this is usually very expensive to most pockets even with a very cheap salary)…… then the main thing if you want start to produce and develope something with some guarantees is have someclass of SEED MONEY or FINANCIATION of a rich guy (AngelBussiness or something) and try compensation of enfforts of people with some money salaries or payments or something (this serving for they being motivated and you also can trick them sorry…. promise them when game sales, they receive a good part of earnings ? )……also money for buy tools, compiler or resources (assets etc) textures, sounds or whatever the game requires for its development and of course the Technical and Programming knowdledges for mount all the “Puzzle” and it works fine without much errors serious……and yes, i forgot it…. money also for TONS of Pizzas and Coke and Beers :D …. never spend money on a good bed or blanket…… the good game devs always sleep in the sofa covering them with the empty boxes of the Pizzas……but overall, never, i repeat NEVER clean the room, a good dev always lives in middle of the Shit….is mandatory hahahah : )

Communication skills, both verbally and written, are invaluable. You can also search the web for something like “top 10 soft skills for developers” and skim a handful of articles, and that should give you some good ideas of what to work at.

As for actually landing the first job, again the web is full of advice of varying helpfulness, but when I've been on the other side of the desk at interviews, beyond probing to find out if the person know their stuff for the level they're applying for, I try to find out if they actually give a damn. You'd be surprised how many people you can ask about their pet project or ANYTHING they've developed themselves for the love of it, only to hear that they've never done a single hobby project outside of school/work. It doesn't have to be ambitious, but if you can tell a story about something you made that you're proud of or thought was cool/interesting, then that immediately puts your resume in the good pile.

Hello…

I have worked as a professional software engineer for over 43 years. I have also produced several commercial products over the years. I have always been interested in game design and am now working on several projects that will eventually support my own game development. As a result, I have a large breath of experience and knowledge of working as a professional.

In terms of developing your own path in the industry there are several areas you must be prepared to deal with. The first is pressure and deadlines. Most of the major game companies run on this type of environment but not all. Tough environments are not unique to the game industry as they proliferate out into both the business arena (where I worked) and the scientifics (where my wife's adopted brother-in-law worked).

That being said, if you believe you cannot handle such environments, then your next option would be to either find a small game development company where the pressures may not be as greator become an independent game developer but that road has its difficulties as well.

The next item would be that you would be required to have a good working knowledge of C++ and DirectX, while also having some exposure to OpenGL. Despite the advances in quite a few development languages (including interpretive languages such as Python) that now support full game development environments, C++ is still the mainstay in many companies in this part of the profession. In addition to C++, you should also have a working knowledge of a secondary language such as C#, which should include some database experience. Since many games are for the desktop alone, a working knowledge of the SQLite or Firebird Database Engines would be very helpful.

Having a good working understanding of the “Unity” environment will also be very beneficial to your resume.

Just as importantly, you must decide what type of game development you want to concentrate on. If it is 3D games, there are many tools and support projects you can take advantage of freely. If 2D, the modern tool-sets are just coming online as this area of gaming is beginning to see new interest such as with military simulations. A good engine for this type of work would be the latest version of the Godot Game Engine.

Starting out in this profession and in any aspect of it is not a “walk in the park”. You may find what you are looking for relatively quickly but this is more an exception than the rule. As a result, be prepared to spend quite a bit of time researching the employment market and sending out your resume.

When you do get an interview, do not act over confidant in your abilities but be prepared to answer any and all questions with as much smoothness as possible. And don't dress like a slob. Get some nice business outfits with a tie. A suit may not be necessary but the better your physical presentation, the more you will be respected, even if the person interviewing you is dressed in pajamas. Remember, the people interviewing you will most likely not know who you are so you want to make a good impression at the start.

Lastly, if you haven't begun already, start developing your own game projects even if you are starting the development with the most basic constructs. Doing so will allow you to promote two things on an interview. One, you will show your own interest in the field by working on your own development endeavors. But second, it will allow you to steer the interview to your own points of reference when the opportunities arise; and they most often do.

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UPDATED: 7-25-2023

Here is a recent sample of what even small game companies are looking for. The link is from this forum…

https://www.gamedev.net/forums/topic/714666-clevrer-is-looking-for-dedicated-talent/​

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Steve Naidamast / Sr. Software Engineer