Topic: How do I become a games developer?

[Urusei0Yatsura]

What qualifications do I need? I am currently doing a BTEC level 3 IT diploma.

[FallinG_StaR]

Well you get a job at a game developing company... or... you can make one yourself.

For the second choice you dont need much qualifications...

I bit of copy/paste and:

Video games aren't just for arcades any more. People play video games at home, at the office, in the coffee shop, at the airport, while waiting for the bus. They play games on their phones, on personal computers, on specialized consoles, and on the Internet. They play everything from Solitaire to complicated strategy war games with mythical armies and adversaries down the street or across the world.

As the video game industry soars, so does the demand for video game developers. Electronic games are multimedia creations, requiring a video game developer team composed of designers, artists, sound engineers, and programmers.

One experienced video game developer may be skilled in all those roles, especially those who freelance or work for small companies. But as computer games become increasingly sophisticated, video game developer jobs are likewise becoming more specialized. Read more about the responsibilities and skills of these video game developer careers:

 • Video Game Designer
 • Video Game Artist and Animator
 • Sound Designer for Multimedia
 • Video Game Programmer

Links for the above careers requirements:

Spoiler (hover to show)

http://resources.courseadvisor.com/web-development/video-game-designer

http://resources.courseadvisor.com/web-development/multimedia-artist-and-animator

http://resources.courseadvisor.com/web-development/video-game-sound-designer

http://resources.courseadvisor.com/web-development/video-game-programmer

Know the smallest things and the biggest things, the shallowest things and the deepest things. As if it were a straight road mapped out on the ground ... These things cannot be explained in detail. From one thing, know ten thousand things. When you attain the Way of strategy there will not be one thing you cannot see. You must study hard.

[Urusei0Yatsura]

Video game designers don't make games, they tell the programmers, art and sound designers what to do.

[veehive]

I think the bigger question is, "how do I get a job in the Gaming industry?"

Another aspect of it to Get Involved at the Social Level. Meet other people who are doing this, and not just the professionals but also the amateurs and fans. Get into their social circles. GET KNOWN.

More than that: if someone is creating a game, JOIN IN. Even at the fan level: join in. Even if it's a piece of rubbish when it's done: join in. It's EXPERIENCE, and you build on that (gee, just like you do in a game) as you build your skills and your resume. Eventually you will be asked to help on better and better projects (as your circles of gaming friends also rise up out of the fan-level into the amateur level). And, that leads to being paid to do it: a Professional.

[Urusei0Yatsura]

Right now I'm more interested in getting qualifications than a job, although I would like a part time job to do while I'm studying that would give me some experience. I've looked at the jobs at games development companies in my area but they are looking for people who are experienced.

[Urusei0Yatsura]

 I went to a university and information about a foundation degree computer games and animation course that can lead onto either game design, game animation or art or tv animation and they said I would be able to do it after I completed my IT course. I'm currently doing a module on event driven programming (my tutor tried to get me onto a game programming course but couldn't fit it in with my timetable), I was wondering if anyone knew of any books or tutorials on programming for games in visual basic for Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 since I have had difficulty in finding one.