If you are applying for game dev jobs, C memory management, the gnarly parts of Unreal engine, vector math, and ray intersection are all things you could be doing on the job.
Game dev is lower paying, less structured, and more involved than typical web dev jobs.
I’d really only want to get into game dev early in my career or as an independent creator. It’s a touch exploitative.
- graphics/shader programming ( I do enjoy graphics programming, but I have been asked these questions despite not applying for graphics roles)
- GPGPU
- traditional software engineering (programming patterns, architecture)
- netcode (I never applied to a network engineering position. I in fact actively avoid that part of the stack)
- general industry questions (what kinds of bugs can appear on shipping build that may not appear on debug builds?)
- a myriad of gameplay programming paradigms
- coding tests in Unity, despite applying for an unreal engine position (this has in fact happened twice now. I know Unity, but come on: can you imagine getting a javascript test for a c++ position?).
I've been asked all of these in some capacity over the years. At what point is it on me for not being some sort of omni net/graphics/engine gamedev that can answer any question on the fly, and not on the company for being paranoid about professionals studying for the skills they are clearly seeking? If someone can "study for your interview", why wouldn't you want that person? That's what they do on the job after all.
> I’d really only want to get into game dev early in my career or as an independent creator.
I'm already 8 years in, so a bit late for that. My plan is eventually to go indie, but I need a bit more time in my career before making that jump.
Despite the common advice c. 2022, getting a boring cushy tech job right now isn't very viable, so may as well stick to what I'm actually getting interviews for.
Fair enough man. I've done hobbyist game development, independent game development, and applied to some shops myself early on. But eventually, you get a job and your path diverges, etc, etc. Like, I'm not anywhere I'd imagine I'd be when I was in school.
I think at least half of all programmers got into it because of video games. They know it's desirable, so they can filter almost as hard as they want.
Like, the industry is just way more jacked up than general software development. I understand your pain.
Although, if you're currently between jobs right now, you could crank out a prototype of something and see where it takes you while job hunting. Because you will always feel like you could use just a bit more time. Sometimes you just gotta do it.
>I think at least half of all programmers got into it because of video games. They know it's desirable, so they can filter almost as hard as they want.
I had this whole pipeline where I figured
- okay, I don't have a master's degree
- there aren't any junior graphics roles.
- I'll work in industry for 4-5 years in whatever I can while working on rendering tech, and then get a graphics programmer job this way.
- I'll be in a cushy, in-demand, highly skilled, more protected part of industry from the layoff hustle and bustle. You don't throw away engine programmers at the blink of an eye
Alas, the industry shifted around in the blink of an eye. Most studios cared less about fundamental graphics for an in-house engine as they all just changed to unreal. I did in fact get an engine programmer role, but was still first on the chopping block for layoffs. The industry tighted the heck up over the last 18 months and my side hobby projects on github barely mattered as they wanted 5+ years of graphics experience. Back in the catch 22 I was trying to avoid with all this prep.
I wouldn't say my dreams are crashing down, but it sure did show me that nothing is truly safe, no matter how experience or well liked you are. Nor even how exploited; definitely had freinds completely underpaid that put 80+ hours into the company, and they still get cut the moment RTO is announced. You have the dream capitalist candidate but can't handle not seeing them 5 days a week with butt in seat.
>if you're currently between jobs right now, you could crank out a prototype of something and see where it takes you while job hunting.
That's the weird part. Prototypes are normally a great way to stand out. But the market here is sending all kinds of weird signals. I don't know what companies want anymore, clearly not a plain ol' hard worker.
I am still getting interviews, but they are cut short in the process or am simply ghosted. Some are botched tehnical interviews, others I have no clue. So more prototypes aren't necessarily solving my personal issues.
Game dev is lower paying, less structured, and more involved than typical web dev jobs.
I’d really only want to get into game dev early in my career or as an independent creator. It’s a touch exploitative.