The gaming industry has seen a decent stream of revenue over the past decades. However, with the huge growth of mobile devices, gaming has been able to reach more people than ever, and not just hardcore gamers.
Mobile development is an area of that is experiencing continued growth in the job market. As devices become more and more sophisticated, so do the games and apps that are available. Also, with this type of developing, programmers are not the only field involved. According to a recent article on MoWeble,"A good game passes through various phases and different hands before it is finally released. There is designing, testing and examining. Though, the programmer is the critical element of game development, other roles also stand as good career options.”
A whole team of talented individuals is needed to bring forth a high-quality game, and this team can include game designers, testers, artists, and of course the programmer/developer. Designers have to think things out, and come up with the overall game design and functionality ideas. This can require both artistic and visualization skills in order to be successful.
If you fancy yourself an artist, and you possess the drawing and color skill set necessary, then the area of a game artist may be where you’ll best fit. Game designers come up with ideas, but it must then be brought to life, and that is where the artists/animator comes into play. Games must be visually stimulating enough to attract and keep the attention of game players, so this is a most important aspect of a great game.
Once all of those steps are done, then there is of course the need for the programmer/developer to actually make all of the pieces work together for logical game play. There is no great game without a great programmer to make it happen, and that is one of the reasons this position tends to pay a higher salary than the others. And if you possess excellent skills and a master’s grasp on logic, and the game becomes a hit, then you become a star in the field.
Take for example such games as the super hot game Candy Crush Saga, which is the latest gaming craze. According to AppData at the time I am writing this, it is ranked number one on their analytics chart, and with more than 15 million users playing daily, it has become one of the most popular games out there at this time. Byler, a young adults pastor in Wichita, Kansas said in a CNN Tech article, “It looks like the most childish, simple, throwaway game you could ever think of. And then you start playing it. It's challenging, and a real test on your brain, because you really have to think about what your next move is going to be." The game is very addicting, and once you start, it is not hard to find an hour go by faster than you can imagine. Of course, that is the sign of a very successful game.
The other necessary position in the mobile game market is the game tester. A game is only as good as it plays, and while programming logic and artistry may all be in place, that doesn’t mean a game will be devoid of conflicts or bugs. A game tester is someone that beta tests a game while on the look out for any glitches, loop holes, or bugs along the way. Once the game has been designed, drawn out, and programmed to work, it must then go through extensive testing to insure it will function properly in all scenarios. It's not necessarily the most rewarding of positions financially, but if you possess extra skill sets, it can be a good foot in the door and a stepping stone into more advanced areas.
Maybe you already have the skills necessary for this type of position, but have never given mobile game design a serious thought. Well, with mobile devices on the rise, it may be worth your serious consideration as you are on the job hunt.
Image courtesy of Suphakit73 from FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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