Hey everyone!

This is my first post to the forum and one of the biggest questions I keep asking myself is how do I know when I am proficient enough to start a job as an Entry-level Gameplay Programmer?

I'm currently taking classes for my BS in Game Programming and Development at Southern New Hampshire University, and we've been exposed to a multitude of programming languages including C++, C#, Python and Java, as well as Unreal Engine 4 and how to somewhat use C++ to code some functionality.

I've got a few more classes until I finish school, so I wanted to know where should I sharpen my skills, and what are some of the steps you guys took to move forward with the best chance possible?

Thanks in advance!

Firstly: you should ask your professors at SNHU about what you should do.

Secondly: make games. Make games solo and with teams.

Thirdly: read the responses that other students have gotten when they asked the same thing. Scroll up and click “Back to Games Career Development" (your question has been moved to that forum).

my recomendation is you focus in C++ or C# with Unreal Engine or Unity cos that 2 engines are the most required for Game Development at this times…. Practice with it until you move enough confortably with languaje and the engine features itself….. then much jobs “accept” people with not excessive experience and you earn experience in the daily work …. just dont sleep on laurels, move quickly for find solutions or make the job they are expecting of you…..

also learn things with Youtube tutorials, and some books (in paper prefferredly too)

I recommend you use that 2 Engines cos if you choose the old style programming (C++ / DirectX / OpenGL) at “hand” is much more complicated and long to develop than using Unreal or Unity, this engines abstract you of much things related with 3D Representation (views, cameras etc) and much other things as deal with soundcard and sounds, joysticks or game pads, load 3D models or Sprites, create land terrains etc etc….all this is nearly solved with this engines without you have code so much complex things.

As I'm a manager, not a programmer, Here are a few recommendations from my perspective:

1. genuinely network = get to know people for who they are, not just because you think they can help you later.
2. specialize: There are a lot of generalists who can “do it all”, who carry entire departments on their shoulders. Most of these end up being indies and have a hard time breaking into higher levels of game dev, as most of the AA and AAA need and want dedicated specialists.
3. NEVER BURN A BRIDGE: you never know where someone will end up. you never know, so be kind and professional to everyone.
4. learn all you can by staying busy: if you find yourself bored or not have something to do or work on, find something fast.
5. Don't expect this game dev journey to be fast easy or have any kind of get rich quick scheme: this is hard work, for little pay or it usually starts that way.

That should get you started.

if you want more customized suggestions, we need to know more about you, maybe the “WHY?”