Friday 18 March 2011

The Programming Languages Required for Video Game Development

If your career goals have you aiming for the game development industry, you’re more than likely planning on becoming a programmer – someone who can code the game on the backend, developing the systems that will support everything the gamers see. However, to get there, you need to focus heavily on the languages that most games are written in.

Of course, you can also study programming in college and get a degree that will surely help you in acquiring a job. Even a two year degree in basic programming can be a major boon in getting a job as a game tester on your way to programming. However, know that most developers do not require degrees in computer science. They simply want you to know what you’re doing, something that is possible with self-study (though it can be harder to prove).

·         C++ - This is the most common and basic of programming languages used in game development. Taught in almost all computer science programs, C++ is the basic Object Oriented Programming language in gaming and will be incredibly easy to find information about. If you need more details or help with specific issues, join the Microsoft developers network – a major resource for all software developers.
·         Java – Java is a powerful web based object oriented programming language. Not nearly as complex or powerful as C++, Java is still a very useful tool to have in your programming toolkit. You’ll use it frequently for all browser based gaming. It can also provide the tools needed to showcase your programming skills in a portfolio.
·         XNA – The XNA programming language is a newer game-only language developed by Microsoft to speed along game development. It reduces repetition and therefore cuts out quite a bit of potential errors and bugs that develop in highly user crafted code.
For the most part, programming is the basis of the gaming industry and the variety of languages used is vast. If you plan on getting into the development field, you should spend time learning what you can and even attending college courses where possible to supplement that knowledge.

And spend as much time with games as possible. Testing, programming, and design are all good ways to build your own portfolio and prepare for a career in this field. At the end of the day, game development is a very competitive field, but it is also very rewarding, so be persistent and it will definitely pay off eventually.
 

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