Sunday, May 13, 2012

Computer Game Programming and Video Game Design Jobs Draw Many Techies


If you are interested in working in an exciting field where you develop games other people will have fun spending hours of time playing, than consider getting a job with a video game company.

If you have the ability to take someone else's idea and translate it into a game, then the work of a game programmer may be the right choice for you. Your training as a software engineer will help you take other mediums, such as music and art, and incorporate them into the games you will be working on.

You will control the speed of the game, along with features like how high characters or objects can jump as the player goes through the various levels of play.

To be a successful game programmer, you will need to be able to think on your feet. Your goal is to write computer code that gives the desired effect with as few steps as possible. As computer games and the people who play them become more sophisticated, game programmers are called on to come up with versions that are even faster and which have more graphics than previous versions.

Other types of programmers hired by video game companies are engine programmers, who design the software used by video games, and artificial intelligence programmers. The A.I. programmers are the people responsible for making the characters in a game act realistically; it's their job to write the code that allows these characters to react to the player's actions as the game progresses.

The job of game tester may seem like a video game fanatic's dream job, since they make their living playing video games. The purpose of testing a video game is to find any errors in the game software before it leaves the video game company and winds up on store shelves.

Game testers look for problems with the technical aspects of a game, as well as problems with the play itself. If it's too difficult or takes too much time for a player to get to the next level, then the game is going to have to be redesigned.

A person who wants to work as a game tester must have a lot of experience playing several types of video games. Having great manual dexterity and eye-to-hand coordination is a necessity. They must also be able to describe the language in clear and concise language, so that company computer game programmers are able to understand exactly where the problem with the game is.

Programmers and video game testers aren't the only types of positions available with video game companies, though. You can also find work in the marketing department as an analyst who works conducting focus groups to help determine what audience is most likely to buy the game.

Video game companies also need lawyers who specialize in the area of intellectual property. Their job is to register patents for new programming tools, as well as advising on copyright matters.

Since video games are available in languages other than English, translators are also needed. These talented people take both the text and dialogue from a video game and translate it into foreign languages so that players from other countries can enjoy them as well.

Not all jobs are highly technical. You can also find work at a video game company doing administrative work or as a customer service or technical service representative. Opportunities exist for payroll clerks, accountants, managers, and warehouse personnel. All of these staff members are necessary to keep the company running smoothly and producing the games that players love so much.




Video game jobs are highly sought after by recent college grads looking to advance their technical skills and ingenuity. The industry needs people for game tester jobs, marketing, sales, and even sound engineering and animation. JobMonkey provides free information to people who may be interested in creating video and computer games. Learn from Lisa Jenkins, a freelance writer, what types of jobs are available including computer game programming, engineering, animation, and more. Find out how you might fit into the industry.




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