Here's how you can assess the technical skills of game developers.

A developer's portfolio is a treasure trove that reveals their technical prowess and creative ingenuity. As you delve into this collection, you'll encounter a diverse array of projects that paint a vivid picture of their capabilities and experiences. The heart of any compelling game lies in its gameplay mechanics. Look for projects that demonstrate not just functional mechanics, but innovative and engaging ones. These projects should showcase the developer’s ability to create fluid, enjoyable gameplay that captivates players and keeps them coming back for more.

Assessing the technical skills of game developers involves a multi-faceted approach that includes evaluating their coding abilities, problem-solving skills, understanding of game development principles, and familiarity with relevant tools and technologies.

Following are a few things I have considered in the past when reviewing candidate portfolios: - Game Engines: does the candidate have a rounded understanding of game engines - Programming Languages: having an understanding of various programming languages cements a strong technical foundation - Version Control: helps in understanding a candidate's collaboration practices - Complexity of Projects: look for a variety of implementations, like gameplay mechanics - Performance Optimization: code efficiency is crucial to game development - Problem-Solving Skills: a good problem solver can help guide difficult requirements and solutions to them

Hey how's it going? I have a doubt, maybe this isn't ideal for her hehehe. I'm starting out in the technology field and one of the areas I'm interested in is game development. I've already developed three games for college work: two text RPGs using C++ and an Overcooked-style game called "Brownie Edition" using Scratch. What would be the first step to entering the game development market? Thank you very much in advance!

Today Games are very rich and detailed in their code, artwork, music and sound, as well as the hardware we use. Rather that seeing it as a linear progression of sophistication and graphics and computing power, I see it as an evolving medium, where new innovations tend to branch out into their own respective corners of the Game Industry. With AAA Games, a lot of time they follow the trend of Movie Making, much like how we progressed from the VHS to DVD/Blue-ray era of movie quality and fidelity. However, for Indie games, we see a lot of different designs and angles of the same devices with unique ideas that you may not see in the mainstream. Keep Innovating on your Games, Interactive Apps, and also Hardware! Cheers! -Ling Lin

Coding tests, especially with the advent of AI tools like GPT have become challenging to assess candidates in general. I've started resorting to old-school coding tests like Game of Life, or the Mars Rover challenge to test candidates' ability to think outside the box and develop something unique to the environment I'm hiring for, like a 2D Unity game to control a rover over a grid, using a D-pad. The coding assessment needs to be unique to the role you're hiring for, and should not be meant to "catch" a candidate out for now knowing how to reverse a string.

In an interview, I am more interested in understanding a candidate's ability to navigate a problem verbally; the intent is not to paint the candidate into a corner, but rather, to assess if the candidate can reason themselves out of a challenging situation. Asking the candidate what type of games they play, and identifying a scenario on one of those games that the candidate might find poorly implemented and how they would go about making it better for the players.

First, they should be asked to create a small game within a short period of time, say 10 days, and then review the various parts of the game source, editor, and script. In the editor, components should not be used aimlessly, and objects should not be arranged irregularly in the scene, using the correct name for each object relative to its function. In the coding section, the cleanliness and readability of the code should be checked first, then the engineering principles. Note: Many game developers have high expertise in making mechanics,but their engineering is weak,These are your winning cards. Engineering principles can be taught in the future, but a proper understanding of the process of making a game is not something that can be taught.

Assess the technical skills of game developers by conducting coding tests relevant to game development, such as scripting in Unity or Unreal Engine. Review their portfolio to evaluate previous projects and the complexity of their work. During interviews, ask detailed questions about specific technologies, tools, and programming languages they’ve used. Include problem-solving scenarios to understand their approach and thought process. Implement peer reviews and pair programming sessions to observe their collaboration and real-time coding abilities. This comprehensive approach ensures an accurate assessment of their technical proficiency.

To assess technical skills in game development, you can: 1. **Review Their Portfolio**: - Look at their past projects to see what they’ve built and how polished their work is. 2. **Check Their Code**: - Examine the quality and structure of their code. 3. **Conduct a Technical Interview**: - Ask them questions about game development and problem-solving. 4. **Give a Practical Test**: - Assign a small project or task to see their skills in action. 5. **Assess Knowledge of Tools**: - Check their familiarity with game engines (like Unity or Unreal) and other development tools. 6. **Evaluate Soft Skills**: - See how well they communicate and work with others.