What Should I Study to Transition into Game Development?
I'm currently a web developer with 3 years of experience, and I want to transition into game development—a childhood dream of mine. I'm unsure whether to start with Unity or Unreal Engine, and how to prepare a portfolio. I'd really appreciate practical advice from those working in game development. Specifically, are there any areas where my web development experience could be helpful for game development?
7 answers
I recommend starting with Unity. The entry barrier is low, and C# will feel familiar to web developers. Your experience with the MVC pattern on the web can help with game logic design. For your portfolio, it's best to complete 2-3 small projects.
I also transitioned from web development, and I recommend starting with simple 2D games in Unity. Upload your portfolio to GitHub, and participating in game jams will help you build a network. I found that experience with asynchronous processing in web development is useful for game event systems.
It's good to learn both, but I recommend starting with Unity. Unreal has a steeper learning curve since it's based on C++. Your web development experience will definitely help with UI/UX design and server integration. For your portfolio, one playable build is enough.
I started with Unreal, and thanks to Blueprints, it was great for grasping concepts without the burden of coding. If you're a web developer, your sense of data structures and optimization will still be sharp, so you'll pick up Unreal's C++ quickly. For your portfolio, try aiming for a genre that stands out.
I'm a professional game developer. Web development experience can actually be a strength. Knowledge of REST APIs and databases really shines in online game backends. Start with Unity and complete a small mobile game. That will be your best portfolio.
Game development is ultimately coding, so don't dismiss your web experience. However, it's important to learn game-specific patterns like the update loop and state management. Start by following Unity learning sites or YouTube tutorials to build small games.
I worked in web development for 5 years before switching fields. I built a 3D puzzle game with Unity and used it as my portfolio to break in. The debugging skills I learned from web development helped a lot in fixing game bugs. Even if you just work on it a little bit consistently, you can make the switch within 6 months. Keep it up!