User:William Joseph Geraghty

 Who doesn't love playing video games? It's easy to get lost in fantasy worlds or get caught up in an epic quest. The games we love to play take months or even years to create. Behind the scenes, a team of skilled people work together to design, write, program, and test the games. If you want to be a part of this team, consider a career as a video game developer.

Video game developers design fun and interactive video games. A lot of pieces have to come together to make a game. For instance, there's the story, graphics, game mechanics, music, and AI. Developers' tasks depend on which of these areas they focus on.

Game designers plan every detail of the way a game is to be played. They decide on core features like structure, mechanics, and rules. They create design documents for how a player progresses through the game. These diagrams are like blueprints of the game. Designers also come up with the levels, missions, and challenges that players must complete. For example, if a player needs to solve a puzzle before moving on, a designer creates it.

Some designers come up with the whole concept for a game. They dream up the story, setting, and characters. In these cases, they may oversee the writers and artists who bring their ideas to life. They also have to pitch their concepts to clients or their employers.

Writers help create a compelling story for the game. They write the on-screen text, dialogue, and voiceovers. They also create character profiles and write any event scenes. Sometimes they write the script based on a plot they get from the designer.

Artists and animators come up with the look of a game. Artists create storyboards and concept art for the game. They also design characters and backgrounds. The work they do can help to establish the mood of the game. For example, dark colors and shadows can add to the gritty feel of a crime game. Artists may also create 3D models of characters using special software. This allows animators and programmers to bring the character to life.

Some artists focus on only one area of the game. For instance, some just design the environments in the game. Others may work on textures, making sure skin, hair, and fur look as real as possible.

Animators inject life into the characters by animating these models. They also design moving special effects, like ocean waves or laser beams. They are experts at making sure all the movements in the game are believable.

Of course, programmers are at the heart of the game development. They write the code that makes the game playable. They create the engine that the game runs on. They also make sure the on-screen action corresponds to players' input. The game needs to respond to the touch from a keyboard, mouse, or controller. When a player pushes the jump button, the right character better jump!

Programmers also deal with the game's AI (artificial intelligence). They program the logic and rules that tell the computer how to respond to the action inside the game. For example, when a player attacks an enemy, the computer responds with a counterattack. Programmers figure out all the possible outcomes of an interaction. They then program the computer to "play" the game with the player.

Programmers also handle the game physics. They make sure things move and fall the way they do in real life-or the way they should in the game's world.

Musicians or sound designers take care of the music. They also make sound effects, like fighting noises and scary voices. Their role is often unnoticed, but it is very important. Without sound effects, the game will not seem realistic.

Play testers play prototypes and unfinished games. They try to identify any bugs or problems with a game before it's released to the public. Producers or project managers oversee the entire process. They make sure the game is finished on time and on budget.