Have you ever pondered the creation of your most beloved video game? The fascinating field of game development is what takes those interactive experiences from concept to screen. Game developers are the masterminds behind the exhilaration of a tight story, the competitive edge, the emotional rollercoaster of an interactive experience, and the accomplishment of finishing a difficult level.
The field of game creation has a place for anyone, whether you see yourself creating compelling narratives, creating immersive environments, or writing thrilling soundtracks. Now, let’s delve into game development and processes behind the experience.
What is Game Development?
Game development encompasses the multifaceted process of conceptualizing, designing, developing, and ultimately releasing interactive gaming experiences. This intricate craft involves various stages such as ideation, design iteration, construction, testing, and eventual deployment. Throughout the process, key considerations include the refinement of game mechanics, the establishment of rewarding gameplay dynamics, fostering player engagement, and meticulous level design.
Within the realm of the game development career, students who want to pursue this career may assume diverse roles ranging from programmers and sound designers to artists and designers, among others. The field accommodates a broad spectrum of creative and technical expertise, contributing to the rich tapestry of gaming experiences available to audiences worldwide, whether indie or mainstream.
Game Development in the Philippines
Times have changed, and so have people’s career choices. Today, many Filipinos consider game development as a serious and lucrative career.
According to Newzoo, 74% of the country’s online population play games on mobile, 65% play PC games, and 45% play console games. Further, 43 million gamers spent around $572 million on games in 2019. All these add to the country’s standing as one of the major drivers of Southeast Asia’s overall games market.
In a recent industry analysis, approximately 4,000 skilled professionals were actively engaged across 60 dynamic companies within the game development sector. Notably, there has been a surge in project opportunities, indicative of a thriving ecosystem. Impressively, the industry raked in a staggering $70 million in revenue last year alone, underlining its robust growth trajectory. This landscape offers a compelling glimpse into the multifaceted realm awaiting aspiring game development students.
What are the 3 Stages of Game Development?
In game development, there are three processes that are more important than the launch: pre-production, production, and post-production. Yet, to view game creation through this narrow lens is to gloss over the intricacies and nuances that truly define the process. Let’s take a closer look into the multifaceted journey of game development, where each phase presents its own set of challenges, triumphs, and opportunities for innovation.
1. Pre-production
Pre-production marks the first concept of every game that everyone loves. It serves as the compass that delineates the game’s essence and the roadmap for its realization.
At this stage, you’re creating the main idea for your game. Whether it’s a new type of game, an exciting story, or a cool use of new technology like VR, pre-production is where your creative ideas turn into real plans. By carefully planning and thinking ahead, you’ll map out the journey, identifying the resources, people, and methods needed to achieve your vision.
In essence, pre-production lays the groundwork, sculpting the blueprint that will guide you through the labyrinth of game development, ensuring that every subsequent step is imbued with purpose and direction. It’s the pivotal phase where ideas morph into tangible strategies, setting the stage for the immersive experiences yet to be crafted.
2. Production
The production phase is the most extended and intensive stage of the game development pipeline, where every team member’s contribution is equally important. Spanning years to execute, this is the period when the game truly comes to life. During production, the storyline is meticulously polished, assets such as characters, creatures, props, and environments are crafted, gameplay rules are established, levels and worlds are constructed, and code is diligently written.
All the components of a video game — characters, settings, items, graphics, colors, noises, degrees of difficulty, gaming mechanics, and scoring — are outcomes of meticulous and bright ideas. Nevertheless, in order to conform to the original vision, initial ideas frequently need to be modified. To guarantee that the game fulfills the intended criteria, testing and improvement must therefore continue throughout the manufacturing process.
This stage is an exciting and dynamic period of game development, where creativity and technical skills converge to transform initial ideas into a compelling and engaging final product.
3. Post-production
Even once the production is finished and the game is shipped, the process of creating a game never ends. Some key team members move into important maintenance jobs, fixing problems and writing patches, while others concentrate on producing more content, such as downloadable content or bonus features. A few team members may go on to work on a follow-up or start a brand-new project.
In addition, every design document, asset, and piece of code is painstakingly completed, merged, and stored. By doing this, it is made sure that important resources are kept safe and easily accessible for use in upcoming upgrades or projects.Â
Is Game Development a Good Career?
Imagine a career where your passion for gaming translates into an exciting and lucrative profession. For those who love gaming, a game development career offers a perfect blend of creativity and technical skill, allowing you to thrive in a dynamic and ever-evolving industry.
Whether you’re crafting compelling storylines, designing stunning visual effects, or developing intricate gameplay mechanics, a career in game design offers a unique opportunity to turn your passion into a fulfilling profession.
The gaming industry is teeming with opportunities beyond the traditional roles, from level design and animation to sound engineering and user experience design, each role critical in creating immersive and engaging gaming experiences. Combine your artistic talents and technical skills to create worlds and stories that captivate players. Dive into the world of game design and discover the endless possibilities that await.
Reasons to Take Game Development Courses
The ever-changing fields of science and IT have paved the way for the emergence of many electronic platforms. In fact, based on a recent Statista forecast, the number of people worldwide using mobile phones is expected to grow to 7.49 billion by 2025. Aside from mobile phones, people access other gadgets such as laptops, tablets, and other consoles. Hence, game makers see this chance to extend their scope and make this field as promising as ever.
Based on recent news from Business Mirror, the Creative Economy Council of the Philippines or CECP submitted to the DTI and Board of Investments the Creative Economy Roadmap. This sets 5 development sectors, which include game development and design alongside advertising, film, and animation. With all these, a game development career is far from reaching its limit. It will continue to rise as long as many creators and hopefuls seek to improve it.
CIIT Philippines, a game development school in Quezon City, believes that Filipinos have a great edge in this field. If you’re clueless about it or still unsure of what course to take, here’s why you should pursue and learn game development.
1. You can fulfill your passion while earning.
With game development as a career, you don’t need to choose between earning for a living and doing what you love. This is because you can do them both at the same time.
2. It is IT and arts rolled into one.
Studying game development will help you learn how to better concoct games, story, mechanics, and 3D models.
3. You can earn big.
Taking up a mobile game development course can make it happen. Besides being in demand, this can get you one of the biggest paychecks in the country, too. The average gross pay for a game developer in the Philippines is roughly ₱687,465 per year.
4. The government supports the trade.
Our government backs the game-making field in various settings locally and abroad. In fact, they have been striving to make the country a leader in the game development sector across the Asia-Pacific.
5. The employment outlook is high.
With firms looking for competitive coders with a background in various programming languages and platforms, your hard-earned skills are salable even outside the gaming field.
6. We Filipinos have the edge.
We work fast, English comes second to our native language, and we are comfortable doing both Western and Eastern style artworks. All of these make it easier for other countries working with us.
How Do I Become a Game Developer?
A career as a game developer demands training, expertise, and real-world experience. To get a good start, get a bachelor’s degree in computer science, game design, or a similar discipline. Improve your physics and math abilities because they are essential to game mechanics.
Hone your expertise in software engineering, especially with C++, Java, and Python. To write gripping stories, you must be able to craft a strong and compelling narrative. It is also best to create a portfolio that highlights your accomplishments and skills.
Get ready for fierce competition on the job market by keeping up with industry developments, developing professional networks, and always enhancing your skill set. Or, you can start by studying a course related to game development.
Careers You Can Pursue with a Game Development Course
Contrary to what most people think, game development courses can lead you to numerous careers in the workforce. Here are some of the jobs you can choose in this field, along with the median pay for each post in 2024.
Web Designers
They prepare the game’s core elements such as plot, characters, and gameplay. They also help work on the game’s mechanics and other texts.
Median Pay: ₱465,000 per year
Web Programmers
They write, maintain, support, debug, and optimize systems and codes. Further, they program the game’s network, graphics, and AI.
Median Pay: ₱532,500 per year
Graphic Artists
They design the game’s visual aspects, from the game’s setting to gaming manual, packaging, and other materials.
Median Pay: ₱420,000 per year
Audio Engineer
They develop and process all required sounds in a game. These include background music, sound effects, and dialogue.
Median Pay: ₱508,692 per year
Script Writers
They write dialogues for each of the game characters. They create conversations and narrations especially for RPG games.
Median Pay: ₱514,069 per year
Kickstart Your Game Development Journey with CIIT Philippines
Are you passionate about creating immersive worlds and captivating stories? Get a head start onto your game development journey by enrolling at CIIT Philippines! Dive into the exciting realm of game development where your creativity meets cutting-edge technology.
At CIIT, we offer comprehensive programs such as the BS Entertainment and Multimedia Computing, if you want to master the art of game making. designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in the gaming industry. Whether you dream of designing the next big indie hit or working with top gaming studios, our industry-based academic approach ensures you receive hands-on experience and expert guidance. Don’t just play games, create them!
Be a part of fearless visionaries that make up our creative CIITzens. Join CIIT Philippines today and turn your passion into a successful career!