Hi all,

I'm a software developer from Israel, I've been programming professionally since 2011, my first job was in HP software and lasted 2 years after which I decided that I want to pursue my dream in working in game development and focusing on C++.

for a year an a half I worked for a mobile kids games company, doing small mobile games for kids using C++ and Cocos2d-x.

Unfortunately I was laid off last December and since then I've been focusing my free time on studying Unreal engine 4, studying openGL and computer graphics and working on my C++ skills while searching for a new job.

I'm very passionate about computer & console games and especially the rendering part and my dream job would be to work on AAA games and to be a graphics programming specialist.

The problem is that there aren't any AAA game companies in Israel so I started looking at positions in Europe and also in other jobs that involves computer graphics but aren't necessarily in games.

Last week I got a job offer for a small start up making a game in the "Clash of Clans" genre, the company seems nice, its not my type of games but I'm sure it presents all kinds of challenge but my biggest concern is the fact that the game is implemented in Unity and Python, which are two technologies I'm not so crazy about.

I wonder if I should take the job or keep looking for something that involves more C++,OpenGL,DirectX etc.

Do you think that taking a Unity\Python job will take me too far from the OpenGL\DirectX goal I'm trying to reach?

I know that good software developers aren't supposed to limit themselves to a certain programming language but I think its good to become really professional at something specific instead of changing language every 2 years.

I guess its being a specialist vs. a generalist question.

What do you guys think? should I take this job even though I have some concerns? should I keep searching? maybe doing some freelance work in the meantime?

any advice will be appreciated.

should I take this job even though I have some concerns? should I keep searching? maybe doing some freelance work in the meantime?

You should make a decision grid. It's a tool that lets you analyze the pros and cons of different choices. http://www.sloperama.com/advice/m70.htm

I actually wrote about this not that long ago.

Learning new languages (and being fluent in multiple languages) is something that I consider part of the baseline for being a professional developer.

Dave, would you think of doing a version of your article here on the site?

After a few days I decided to decline the offer, the guys at the company said that they appreciate my honesty and they understand my concerns but they believe that the position might be a good fit for me and they asked me to come and see the work they are doing.

I went there yesterday and it seems that most of the work is on the client side and not server (python) side which is better and they also do a lot of work on the graphics side inside unity in order to optimize their game for mobile phones.

So I'm reconsidering the position, my main worry is that I won't be able to move back to C++ and PC\Console gaming after working 1-2 years in Unity\Mobile.

What do you guys think?

I think "worry" is guiding you. I think analysis would help you stop looking to others to help you make your own life decisions.

I think "worry" is guiding you. I think analysis would help you stop looking to others to help you make your own life decisions.

I disagree with this approach, not everything is solvable by math.

I'm looking for people's opinion, specifically people in the industry that know what the requirements for the position that I'm interested in are or have been on this path before.

Don't worry about it. You will be switching languages and platforms continuously over the course of your career.

So I'm reconsidering the position, my main worry is that I won't be able to move back to C++ and PC\Console gaming after working 1-2 years in Unity\Mobile.

Why do you think that? You seem to think using a language is some kind of absolute. As Dave said, being familiar with a lot of languages is a base skill for any decent programmer. And unless you are specifically hired to be an engine programmer your day to day work is going to be much like working with Unity at a PC gaming studio.

So I'm reconsidering the position, my main worry is that I won't be able to move back to C++ and PC\Console gaming after working 1-2 years in Unity\Mobile.

Why do you think that? You seem to think using a language is some kind of absolute. As Dave said, being familiar with a lot of languages is a base skill for any decent programmer. And unless you are specifically hired to be an engine programmer your day to day work is going to be much like working with Unity at a PC gaming studio.

Thanks, actually my ideal position would be as an engine programmer on the rendering pipeline, or at least implementing graphics effects etc. using the engine's API