What Does a Video Game Programmer Do?
Video game programmers are responsible for the more technical side of creating video games. Without them, video game production would never leave the ground. Video game programmers in the United States are estimated to earn between $50,000 and $90,000 a year, according to ADigitalDreamer.com. Those who are interested in video games and would enjoy writing the code that makes the game function may be interested in a career in video game programming.
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Function
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Video game programmers are responsible for the coding that goes into making a video game work. The job is similar in nature to that of a computer programmer. While a computer programmer is responsible for writing the code of computer software and programs, the video game programmer is responsible for the code of a video game, or a specific part of a video game. Coding is like the bones of any project. Without it, the program cannot exist. Only after the basic coding is created can the workers move on to design.
Work Environment
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Video game programmers often work in teams, or only work on a small part of an overall project. The team must work together to make sure everything runs smoothly and that the area they are in charge of will interact the way it should when combined with the rest of the game. Video game programmers often choose a specialty, which they are in charge of developing for a specific video game.
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3-D Graphics
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According to DegreesDirectory.org, video programmers working with 3-D graphics are the most in demand of all the video game programming specialists. The characters and the worlds you see in a video game look more and more realistic with each passing year. This is because those who work with 3-D graphics are constantly producing new models and ways to add more detail and make the video game elements mimic real life as closely as possible.
Game Audio
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Those who specialize in game audio are responsible for the music in the game. It is not as simple as sticking a background song into a game and calling it finished. Each sound effect or noise in the game must be carefully coded and timed to interact with the characters on the screen. Not only should the sounds be realistic and fitting, but they must be on time. When a character swings his sword into a tree, the sound of it hitting should occur at the moment of impact, not later.
Artificial Intelligence
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The artificial intelligence of a game is what makes it work so well. The computer needs to know how to react to a player's actions and how to anticipate what a player might do. The virtual bad guys need to know to shoot when an enemy player is on screen. Boss fights wouldn't be very challenging if the boss you were fighting had no aim and walked into doorways. They must be carefully programmed to react as a human player would in the same situation.
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References
- Photo Credit Michal Zacharzewski: stock.xchng
