How statistics are calculated
We count how many offers each candidate received and for what salary. For example, if a Video Game developer with Python with a salary of $4,500 received 10 offers, then we would count him 10 times. If there were no offers, then he would not get into the statistics either.
The graph column is the total number of offers. This is not the number of vacancies, but an indicator of the level of demand. The more offers there are, the more companies try to hire such a specialist. 5k+ includes candidates with salaries >= $5,000 and < $5,500.
Median Salary Expectation – the weighted average of the market offer in the selected specialization, that is, the most frequent job offers for the selected specialization received by candidates. We do not count accepted or rejected offers.
Trending Video Game tech & tools in 2024
Video Game
What is a Game Developer?
Game developer is the process of creations of the video game. There are a lot of different people involved that work together to come up with the games people play on their screen. The Game Developer is in a way a software developer and applies tech abilities to the creation of video games.
In fact, if there is one word to describe the reality of who is working on such a game, and all that Game Developers do while working, it would be ‘many’. For instance, some Game Developers work to conceptualise what the game should be. Others create such assets as graphics and sound. Some write code that gets executed – ‘runs’ – the game. Others focus on improving the user experience in some small but valuable way for a person who plays. Still others are testing the game with real people (known as ‘QA’ or ‘quality assurance’). And so on.
What does a Game Developer actually do?
A Game Developer does not only program (although much of their work is coding!). In fact, they can be an active participant in many different phases of game development and design as well as production and have a hand in the process of literally creating the entire game. Depending on the size of an organisation, an individual Game Developer could be involved in any or all of the following steps.
Design
Here, the Game Developer or Designer rolls up their sleeves and comes up with the rudimentary concept, characters and narrative premise for a new game and outlines its general shape: a puzzle to solve, a set of obstacles to overcome, enemies to kill, and so forth.
The mood (or ‘feel’) of the game, its targeted audience, and market strategy are doublessed out at this stage, so the intent for what it’s meant to do is clear, and progresses well as development strides ahead.
In the Introduction to Game Development class, you become familiar with how to form the structure and goals of the game. How to define what rules or constraints the game has. And how to choose the right platform. You learn how a Game Developer might design a player’s goals and objectives based on the player’s motivations, emotions and challenges.
Programming
Having an idea and how it will look is one thing, but actually getting a computer to understand that code and wire the concept into a tangible experience is a whole different ballgame. There are multiple programming languages and logic requirements, as well as performance tweaks and technical requirements that come into play when someone decides to game design. In Introduction to Game Development, you will receive a crash course in the most used programming languages in the industry as well as the most utilised game engines or gaming-specific code bases that are used in today’s game development.
Asset creation
An asset, in games development, then, is any of the art that goes into making the game look and sound the way it does. For instance, the different appearances of the characters, the class of the level visuals and sets, the sounds that get made, and the music that gets played. (You’ll learn more about how character assets and environmental assets are made and used in Introduction to Game Development.)
These are the modern-day assets of a game, big and realistic, sometimes so life-like it will blow your damn mind. You will find a team mostly comprised of Game Developers, 3D Artists, Environment Artists, Audio Engineers, Composers, Character Artists and many more working very hard to refine games into these few factors that will make them unforgettable.
Game Developer requirements
Some of the job descriptions for Game Developer seekers mention that you have to graduate in Computer Science to apply — this is not always the case. Many Game Developers are hired if they have a lot of experience in gaming, one or more rock-solid portfolios, and a great resume.
4 essential skills you need to become a Game Developer
Next to creativity, imagination and passion for gaming, what other skills do you need to be a Game Developer?
- The ability to code. The programming languages at the heart of game development include C, C++, C#, but also Python, JavaScript, TypeScript and HTML5.
- Familiarity with one or more gaming engine(s). So, a gaming engine is the canvas you paint your (video) game on. It’s also variously referred to as ‘game framework’ or ‘game architecture’. You might have heard or read about Unity and Unreal, along with other, less obvious ones.
- Math, physics and problem-solving. A good background in math and physics will help you turn creative ideas into games. For example, if you are working on a game, you may well need maths to develop algorithms for some of the code in the game. Many employers do interviews to evaluate experience beyond mere coding. They want to see your problem-solving skills, too.
- Good communication/documentation skills. Although, to be clear, I’m not talking about docs as Frazier discusses but simply generating proper use of adverbs. Any pitch (as a freelancer) or bottom-up idea from within your chosen firm will live or die from the combination of good communication and documentation.
Where is Python used?
Web Crawling Shenanigans
- Python slinks through websites like a ninja, snatching data and whispering '404 error' as a joke when pages evade capture.
AI's Kitchen
- Python stirs the AI pot, tossing in a pinch of algorithms and a dollop of data to cook up some truly mind-nibbling intelligence.
Game of Codes
- In the realm of game development, Python plays the jester, not the king, but it still juggles codes and enchants indie developers.
Astronomy's Telescope Lens Polisher
- Python keeps its head among the stars, polishing data from the cosmos and helping boffins unlock the universe's cheat codes.
Python Alternatives
Java
Object-oriented programming language used for enterprise applications, mobile apps, and large systems development.
Example: Android app development
// Python code
def greet(name):
return "Hello, " + name + "!"
# Java equivalent
public class HelloWorld {
public static String greet(String name) {
return "Hello, " + name + "!";
}
}
- Runs on billions of devices worldwide.
- Static typing can lead to fewer runtime errors.
- Comes with a rich set of APIs and a vibrant ecosystem.
- Verbose syntax compared to Python.
- Slower development time due to explicit compilation.
- Can be more challenging for beginners.
JavaScript
The scripting language primarily for the web, used in front-end development and increasingly in back-end with Node.js.
Example: Interactive websites, server applications
// Python code
def add(x, y):
return x + y
# JavaScript equivalent
function add(x, y) {
return x + y;
}
- Essential for client-side web development.
- Highly versatile with frameworks like React, Angular, and Vue.
- Event-driven non-blocking I/O with Node.js.
- Dynamic typing can lead to runtime errors.
- Asynchronous programming can be complex.
- Fragmented ecosystem due to rapid evolution.
Go (Golang)
A statically-typed language designed at Google, known for its simplicity and high performance in concurrent operations.
Example: Cloud services, distributed networks
// Python code
def add(x, y):
return x + y
# Go equivalent
func add(x int, y int) int {
return x + y
}
- Optimized for multi-core processors with built-in concurrency.
- Statically-typed with a clean and readable syntax.
- Efficient execution and a strong standard library.
- Limited third-party libraries compared to Python.
- Interface-based type system can be tricky.
- Less versatile for certain applications.
Quick Facts about Python
Monty Python's Love Child
Let's kick things off with a chuckle: Python, a coding language that's as much about fun as function, was born in the late '80s thanks to a chap named Guido van Rossum. He was on a quest to combat the drudgery of the season (think Christmas with no presents) and ended up crafting this nifty script-slinger in 1989. But here's the twist—it's named after the British comedy troupe Monty Python. So remember, always expect the Spanish Inquisition when you're debugging!
The Zen of Python
If Python was a dude, it'd be the 'chill' one at the party. It's got this mantra—The Zen of Python—which is basically the 'Hakuna Matata' for coders. It whispers sweet nothings like "beautiful is better than ugly" and "simple is better than complex." Want a piece of that Zen? Just type
import this
into your Python console and get ready for some programming enlightenment.
Release the Pythons!
Eyebrows hit the ceiling in 2008 when Python 3 sauntered into the scene. Codenamed "Python 3000" or the cooler-sounding "Py3k", this bad boy was no mere update—it was like Python had drunk a whole new type of coffee. It had impressive new features, but also broke backwards compatibility, meaning code written in Python 2 needed to shape up or ship out. It sparked a love-hate relationship that has kept forums buzzing and devs chugging energy drinks into the wee hours.
What is the difference between Junior, Middle, Senior and Expert Python developer?
Seniority Name | Years of Experience | Average Salary (USD/year) | Responsibilities & Activities |
---|---|---|---|
Junior | 0-2 | $50,000 - $70,000 |
|
Middle | 2-5 | $70,000 - $95,000 |
|
Senior | 5+ | $95,000 - $120,000 |
|
Expert/Team Lead | 8+ | $120,000+ |
|
Top 10 Python Related Tech
- Python
Python slithers its way to the top of the list, being the charming and easy-to-read language that woos developers of all levels. Renowned for its clean syntax and powerful libraries, it's like the Swiss Army knife in a techie's toolkit. It's the VIP pass to a plethora of frameworks, tools, and libraries. Python's versatile nature lets it code everything from a tiny script to a full-fledged spaceship (okay, maybe not a spaceship).
def greet(world):
print(f"Hello, {world}!")
greet("Developers")
- Django
Picture Django as the cool kid on the block that lets you whip up web applications without breaking a sweat. This high-level Python web framework follows the "batteries-included" philosophy, which means it gives you everything and the kitchen sink to avoid the dreaded "NotImplementedYet" blues.
from django.http import HttpResponse
def hello(request):
return HttpResponse("Look ma! I built a web app with Django!")
- Flask
Flask is your minimalist buddy in the Python web framework world, who is a fan of simplicity and elegance. If Django is a Swiss Army knife, Flask is your trusty scalpel — precise and perfect for smaller incisions into the web dev body. It gives you the foundation to build basic web services quicker than you can say "micro-framework."
from flask import Flask
app = Flask(__name__)
@app.route("/")
def home():
return "Flask makes web dev fun!"
- NumPy
NumPy is like the gym for Python where data goes to get buff. It's all about handling those heavy-lifting numerical operations with its powerful array objects. Data scientists and engineers flex their coding muscles with NumPy to crunch numbers faster than a calculator on a sugar rush.
import numpy as np
a = np.array([1, 2, 3])
print(f"NumPy says hi: {a}")
- Pandas
Pandas is not your everyday black and white bear. In the Python jungle, it's the go-to data manipulation expert, ideal for munging and messing around with data frames. Its ability to devour messy data and spit out clean results is legendary among data wranglers and analysts.
import pandas as pd
df = pd.DataFrame({'A': [1, 2, 3]})
print("Pandas and chill: ")
print(df)
- Git
Git is the timeless classic of version control systems. It's like that trusty old spellbook for developers, keeping all versions of their magical codes safe and sound. The incantation "git commit" is often followed by a sigh of relief, knowing that changes are tucked away in their repository repository, safe from accidental catastrophes.
- Docker
Docker is the sorcerer's stone of consistent software deployment — converting applications to portable, containerized spells that can run almost anywhere. With Docker, you can stop saying, "But it works on my machine!" and start shipping apps in their cozy little environments.
- PostgreSQL
PostgreSQL, affectionately called Postgres, is the database giant that won't give you a "sql-ache". It's an open-source relational database that juggles SQL compliance with, throwing in enough advanced features that you'd think it’s doing data magic.
- Redis
Redis is like that flash memory card that surprises you with its speed every time. It's an in-memory data structure store, used as a database, cache, and message broker. It’s like giving your data a triple espresso shot, so your app's data-fetching game is always on point.
- AWS
AWS, or Amazon Web Services, is the colossal cloud playground where developers deploy their apps without ever worrying about running out of sandbox space. It's a haven of scalable resources, with enough services to make any developer feel like a kid in a candy store, or rather, a techie in a tech store.