As the sun rises, casting its warm glow across the city, a Game Developer awakens with a sense of excitement and purpose. Today is another opportunity to bring dreams to life, to create immersive experiences that will captivate players around the world. With a cup of coffee in hand, or in my case a cup of tea, we dive into the world of code, pixels and endless possibilities.
This article provides a unique perspective, offering a glimpse into the life of a Game Developer at Nordeus. Rather than focusing on a single day, I will try to showcase three distinct days that explain the challenges, triumphs and difficulties faced during the pre-production, production and post-production phases. From brainstorming concepts to fine-tuning the final product, our days are filled with a broad spectrum of exciting challenges. It’s important to note that while reading this article, you may encounter terms such as Client Dev, Client Engineer, or Frontend Engineer, which are used interchangeably with the Game Dev role at Nordeus.
Join me as we explore the captivating world of game development and unravel the secrets behind crafting unforgettable gaming experiences.
The morning begins with a team meeting, where ideas are shared, challenges are discussed and plans are set in motion. At Nordeus we call these meetings Daily Stand-ups.
Collaboration is at the heart of game development, and we thrive on the energy and creativity that flow through the room. This critical period involves pitching initial ideas by Game Designers, which are later built upon with the rest of the team.
Armed with a unique perspective, Game Developers contribute with valuable input to enrich the vision crafted by Game Designers. Through an iterative journey of exploration and refinement, ideas flourish and evolve until the desired outcome is achieved — a result that satisfies both the creative vision and the technical requirements. Every decision made during this phase lays the groundwork for what lies ahead.
With the foundation set, the journey proceeds to the production phase, where the game’s features gradually come to life. This stage requires a combination of creativity, technical expertise and collaboration with different roles.
The first stop on a Game Developer’s path is the User Experience (UX) Designer’s and the User Interface (UI) Artist’s office. Together, we harmonize our visions, crafting a seamless user journey that will immerse players in captivating gameplay.
The next stop is the Backend Engineers’ office, as we collaborate to define the essential communication channels between the client and server, laying the base for a smooth gaming experience.
With a clear direction in mind, we retreat to the workstation, ready to embark on the journey of coding and designing.
In our day-to-day work, Game Developers rely on different tools that empower us to bring our game visions to life. In Nordeus, we use Unity as a game engine which helps us to create visuals that our UI Artists and UX Designers have envisioned. Alongside the game engine, we use a coding environment that acts as our gateway to infuse these visuals with life, breathing logic into every pixel.
As the hours pass, we encounter obstacles that require problem-solving skills and creativity. We tap into our vast knowledge of data structures, algorithms and design patterns to overcome each obstacle. Since Game Developers write code that runs directly on the device, we often encounter obstacles rooted in device constraints such as CPU, GPU and memory limitations. In light of this, we seek innovative approaches to optimize our code while preserving the intended functionality. Balancing efficiency, we strive to deliver a seamless gaming experience that pushes the boundaries of what is possible within the given device constraints.
Amidst the implementation process, Game Developers maintain constant collaboration with the Quality Assurance (QA) Engineers. Through regular updates, they ensure that any new developments or modifications in the game are communicated while remaining vigilant to potential risks or challenges that may arise. This collaborative vigilance serves as a safeguard, guaranteeing the quality and stability of the game throughout its evolution.
With the implementation stage completed, the day reaches a pivotal moment—the play sessions. During these sessions, people from different teams and roles unite, providing valuable feedback on the fruits of our labor. This collective insight serves as a guiding light, highlighting areas for refinement and enhancement, and ultimately shaping the game into its finest form.
Once the game takes shape, the focus shifts to post-production—a time of evaluation and refinement. Game developers analyze the game’s performance, seeking to measure its success and identify areas for improvement.
During this phase, we are working in close collaboration with Business Analytics and Data Scientists to monitor all the metrics and analytics that have been implemented. This is done to effectively measure the success of our latest game feature.
Last but not least, at Nordeus Game Devs maintain constant communication with the Community team, who keep us updated on the sentiment of our players towards the new feature. This is the stage where we read through their comments in order to connect further with our players. It’s safe to say that one of the greatest perks of working in the gaming industry is witnessing player satisfaction with the game features we’ve created.
CONCLUSION
A day in the life of a Game Developer is a captivating journey filled with creativity, collaboration and dedication.
From the early stages of pre-production, where ideas are shaped and refined, to the production phase, where the game’s features come to life through coding and design, and finally the post-production phase, where evaluation, metrics and player feedback shape the game’s success.
The joy of reading players’ comments and witnessing their satisfaction adds a profound sense of fulfillment to our work. The world of game development is a realm where dreams are transformed into reality, and game developers are the architects of these unforgettable gaming experiences.
