The gaming industry is hot, and profits are expected to skyrocket as more and more people embrace gaming. Experts at PwC, for example, anticipate that by 2026, the sector will be worth an astounding $321 billion. With this unprecedented demand comes the need for elite developers to delight gamers of all kinds.
Significant technical skill gaps currently stand in the way, but these can be addressed through targeted academic opportunities, especially gaming degrees. Gaming companies are eager to build a stronger talent pipeline and will go to great lengths to hire the best-trained and most passionate developers.
Not sure if a game development degree is right for you? In this guide, we answer several key questions that can help you make critical college decisions: What do game developers do — and what will it take to develop essential game development skills? Keep reading to learn more about a Bachelor of Science in Game Software Development and how it can play into your career goals.
Understanding the BS in Game Software Development
There are many ways to prepare for an exciting career in game development, but a targeted degree program may provide the best opportunities for skill development and plenty of options for networking.
Well-rounded preparation can be found with Baker’s Bachelor of Science in Game Software Development. This undergraduate degree delivers a strong foundation in computer science, especially as it relates to modern game development. The program’s compelling and highly relevant courses are taught fully online. Examples include:
- Unreal Game Programming
- Unity Game Programming
- Application Security Practices
- Game Design and Analysis
Skills Obtained in a Game Development Degree
Game development requires a unique blend of creativity and technical acumen. It also requires collaboration toward common objectives. The ideal game development program will encourage aspiring developers to build a comprehensive skill set and gain plenty of practice applying those skills in real-world environments.
Software Development Skills
Software development forms the foundation of game development, so naturally, it plays an outsized role in game development degree courses. Technical essentials include:
- Programming languages – Necessary for writing game code and improving mechanics, programming languages serve as valuable building blocks, allowing developers to bring creative visions to life. Different types of games are better served by different programming languages, so it behooves aspiring developers to learn several. Among the most utilized in modern game development includes Python, JavaScript, C++, C#, and Java.
- Game engines and tools – Even as some games use their built-from-scratch engines, most titles are created using third-party software tools. Unity, Unreal Engine, and GameMaker, for example, provide swift iteration times, plus a strong graphic pipeline, code reusability solutions, and a limited learning curve.
- Graphics programming – Bringing an artistic vision to life calls for a thorough understanding of critical graphics software. Industry veterans and newcomers alike rely on reputable programs such as Blender, Maya, and Houdini to create cutting-edge designs and environments.
- Artificial intelligence – Equipped with next-level tech skills, developers can craft or utilize AI algorithms that procedurally generate various aspects of a game. These range from items and weapons to entire levels, but the main benefit is the automation of routine tasks so developers can focus more on problem-solving and creative pursuit.
- Networking – Many modern games contain always-online or live service functions, so network protocol mastery is a must. Dependable netcode will ensure that players never see any downtime. A thorough understanding of client-server game architecture is also crucial.
Design Skills
Although technical development skills establish a solid structure in which gaming functions can be completed, this would mean little without narrative and audiovisual elements to boost the experience. This is where design comes into play.
While many developers focus on the technical aspects of gaming, there remains a strong need to develop game design skills or at least understand the principles of game design. Beyond this, developers can expect to work closely with game designers to ensure that both the technical and creative components of games are properly implemented.
Whether you aspire to work in game development or design, these skills will prove valuable:
- Game design principles – Game design determines how artistic visions are integrated with technical components to create a cohesive and meaningful gaming experience. Principles and best practices guide this process while making games feel both cohesive and fun. Essentials to master include storyboarding, narrative development, and level design.
- User interface (UI) – Offering visual cues that help gamers carry out intended functions, user interfaces influence how the virtual space is navigated and how enjoyable that process feels. Though UX design ensures that the player’s journey is properly mapped out, elements such as content hierarchy and even typography make game navigation that much more appealing. Developers should understand UI elements and integrate these into their work with UI-oriented software.
- Audio design – From background music to voice-overs and even sound effects, software developers should understand how sound plays into the overarching gaming experience. As audio is synthesized to fit the needs of the game in question, developers can help users achieve stronger emotional connections and greater satisfaction in gameplay.
- Creativity – The development skills outlined above must be underscored by a strong creative vision. Innovative designers are among the most successful, and those with unique perspectives can play a valuable role in crafting original, immersive, and exciting game experiences.
Testing Skills
Game developers and designers maintain high expectations but, with so many elements to consider, it’s easy for missteps to occur. These are best avoided or addressed via extensive testing. This process centers around strict and in-depth evaluations, which determine whether games will meet the requirements or expectations of targeted users. Bugs or other errors can be pinpointed along the way.
Even if developers are not actively involved in the testing process, they should possess a thorough understanding of the types of issues these tests seek to uncover. This will help developers maintain a proactive approach, and hopefully, avoid common issues in the first place. Valuable testing-oriented game developer skills include:
- Quality assurance (QA) – From gameplay to functionality, QA testing covers the full gamut of game development. The primary goal is to uncover areas of inconsistency early on. Success in QA means developing an extensive understanding of the bugs likely to occur, along with developing a systematic approach to finding these inconsistencies. Error reporting and documentation are also essential.
- Debugging – If errors are revealed, debugging tools and techniques ensure that these are promptly analyzed and resolved. The debugging process should include troubleshooting to reveal the nature of the error, plus targeted interventions in which the code is changed so that the bug can be removed.
- Performance optimization – Even if bugs or inconsistencies are few and far between, games can always benefit from performance upgrades and general fine-tuning. This aims to improve both game mechanics and visual appeal. Level optimization delves into lighting and streaming, while code optimization ensures that scripts and algorithms are efficient and easy to maintain.
Soft Skills
Technical skills form a solid foundation, but soft skills also play heavily into game development. This focus goes beyond creativity and design, although both are important. Soft skills needed to be a game developer include:
- Teamwork and collaboration – Game developers work closely with talented professionals, including game designers. They may differ in skill sets and perspectives, but their collaborative efforts can boost innovation and originality when guided by a shared vision. Teams may also incorporate specialized roles such as sound engineers or QA testers; each has something unique to bring to the table, and game developers benefit greatly from seeking input from all team members.
- Communication – At its heart, gaming provides a powerful form of communication, complete with storytelling and complex emotional responses. Communication skills help developers convey meaningful messages through game design while also allowing them to work more effectively with other game development team members.
- Project management – Strict deadlines and limited resources can be expected, but the most effective game developers will produce quality products despite these concerns. Project management skills allow developers to allocate critical resources and delegate tasks to ensure that game development projects are completed on time and under budget.
- Problem solving – Challenges abound within every phase of the game development process, but strong problem-solvers can resolve these issues or even use them to fuel exciting innovations. Rather than relying on surface-level corrections, developers should be willing to dig deep and get at the heart of problems that stand in the way of an elite gaming experience.
- Adaptability – As new trends and technologies emerge within the ever-changing fields of game development, professionals must be capable of adapting accordingly. This adaptation means keeping up to date with industry trends, continuing to hone technical and design skills (and being willing to adjust based on users’ evolving preferences or demands).
Formats and Platforms Learned in a Game Software Development Degree
The modern gaming environment is wonderfully diverse, with opportunities available across a wide range of platforms and in every format imaginable. To leverage these, aspiring game developers should develop a far-reaching technical skill set that encompasses the following forms of development:
- Cross-platform development – Learning the nuances of each game console platform will ensure that any title bound for multiple systems will play and feel the same. More platforms translate to a larger gaming audience but can also lead to performance issues. Bridging this gap is easier when equipped with high-level UX and UI skills, plus extensive QA testing and a thorough understanding of networking protocols.
- Platform-specific testing – Each platform has its trials and tribulations that impact testing. What may work perfectly on one console could be a disaster on another, making platform-specific testing skills that much more important. Cross-platform frameworks such as Unity can be helpful, but developers must be thoroughly familiar with the nuances of each platform.
- Cloud-based testing platforms – The ability to test central game functions and features in a cloud-based environment allows for better scaling and improved feedback between testers and programmers.
- Mobile game development – Mobile gaming is a big business that calls for advanced application development skills. Game development coursework explores the nuances of Android application development while providing valuable opportunities to gain practical experience with engineering mobile applications.
- Version control systems – All game development team members should be on the same page, so they know when changes are made and what those changes involve. Version control systems such as Git and SVN help teams track these changes. Insight into current and historical versions can facilitate both increased focus and valuable peace of mind.
Become an S-Tier Creator with a Game Development Degree at Baker
Do you feel drawn to the fascinating world of game development? As a game software developer, you could help shape the games of tomorrow. Not just anybody can succeed in this challenging field, however. Well-rounded preparation is a must, and thankfully, when you enroll in the right game development degree program, this is well within reach.If you want to make your mark in game development, look to Baker College for guidance and support. Our Bachelor of Science in Game Software Development can help you level up your skills so that players can level up their gaming experience. Reach out to learn more, or simply apply today!