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Introduction to Game Development | PDF
Introduction to Game
Development
Reggie Niccolo Santos
UP Information Technology Development Center (ITDC)
Slideshare: reggieniccolo.santos
Email: reggieniccolo.santos@gmail.com
Twitter: @reggiengfyre
Blog: sm0rgasb0rd.wordpress.com
!
Most content adapted from Ahmed Saker’s set of slides
Outline
Introduction
Define “video game”
Video Game Industry Overview
Aspects of Game Development
Outline
Game Development Community
Careers Available in Game Development
Testimonies
Options for Developing Required Skillset
Outline
!
Other Avenues for Career Development
Why Do I Want to become a Game Developer?
References
Q&A
Text
Do you like to play games?
Image credit: InspireKelly via flickr, Creative Commons
Text
Do you secretly want to develop
your own games and market them?
Image credit: TeamMeat at GDC 2012, CC-BY-SA 3.0
Text
How do you create a complete computer
/ video game from start to finish?
Image credit: TeamMeat at GDC 2012, CC-BY-SA 3.0
Text
What are the different elements to a
game?
Text
What makes a great game?
Image: (c) Konami
Define “video game”
define: video game
• a game played by electronically manipulating
images produced by a computer program on a
television screen or other display screen.
Difference from Movies and
Software
• Game as an interactive medium
• Difference from movies and other art forms:
interactivity
• Difference from software: content of the game as
a medium
• More fun
Games Have Got It All
Art
!
Science &
Tech
Business
Game
Trivia
Text
Game Structure
• Start up
• Introductory Movie
Game
Structure
• Front End
• Game Options
• Sound Options
• Video Options
• Loading Screen
Game
Structure
• Main Game
• Introduction
• Gameplay
• Game modes
• Pause Options
Text
Game Structure
• End Game Movie
• Credits
• Shut down
Game Loop
// a simple loop in C++
!
int main()
{
	 initialize();
	 while (true)
	 {
	 	 process();
	 	 update();
	 	 render();
	 }
}
What Actually Happens
	 while (true)
	 {
	 	 /* Process controller input */
	 	 process();
	 	 /* Update entities */
	 	 update();
/* Update graphics */
	 	 render();
	 }
Games vs. Movies (in terms of sales)
$239 million
First week revenue
$500 million
First week revenue
Source: Video Game Industry Trends by Ferrarra
Text
Games Market
Source: Video Game Industry Trends by Ferrarra
Text
Game Development Map
Programming Tools
• In addition to Unity3D and UDK:
Careers in Game
Development
• Production
• Producer
• Project Manager
• Game Tester
Careers in Game
Development
• Design
• Game Designer
• Level Designer
• Writer
Image credit: sezzles via flickr / Creative Commons
Careers in Game
Development
• Programming
• Programmer
• Specialized
Programmer
Careers in Game
Development
• Visual Arts
• Art Director
• 2D Artist
• 3D Artist
Image credit: Polytron / CC-BY-SA
Careers in Game
Development
• Audio
• Sound Engineer
• Composer
• Audio Engineer
Careers in Game
Development
• Biz & Misc.
• Administrator
• Marketing and Public
Relations
• Community Manager
Difficulties in applying for a local job
in game development: testimonies
“Balance of guessing which company is
right for me and getting the right salary”
“Skillset”
“Companies are expecting for us applicants
to have a year of experience before
applying to them.”
“My portfolio before wasn't that good… At
a young age, I didn't realize that portfolios
land jobs, not resumes.”
Options in Developing
Required Skills
• Enroll in an accredited program
• For computer programming
• For graphics
• For animation
• For computer systems
Options in Developing
Required Skills
• Landing an internship or apprenticeship with a
video game designing company
• Get hired as a freelance designer to invent new
aspects of games
• Build a game development portfolio
• Work as a game tester
Other Avenues for Career
Development
• Go to game festivals and events to speak to companies
• GDAP (Game Developers Association of the
Philippines)
• IGDA Manila (International Game Developers
Association Manila Chapter)
• UPLUG (Unity Philippines User Group)
• Philippine Indie Game Developers
Other Avenues for Career
Development
• Design own (micro) games and releasing them on
gaming websites or on personal website
• Keep up-to-date through gaming magazines and
websites
• Game Developer
• 3D World
Why do I want to become a
game developer?
References
www.slideshare.net/AhmedSaker/game-
development
http://ocw.tufts.edu/Course/75
http://iwa-hwg.eclasses.org/courseZGC12/
http://archives.igda.org/breakingin/
References
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/video-game-
designer1.htm (August 22, 2008)
https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/planning/
jobprofiles/Pages/computergamesdeveloper.aspx
http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/marcucci/ccs/skills.html
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/
games_developer_entry_requirements.htm (March 2014)
http://www.gamedegree.com/careers_skills.asp
Thank you! Questions? :D

Introduction to Game Development