[JanSolo]

The article highlights how to get into the modding industry. While that is part of the games industry, it is a small fraction of the larger game production business.

I've hired many game programmers and the key to getting into the industry is demonstrating a few critical skills:

1. Sufficient technical skill in whatever your field is.

2. Curiosity applied to problem solving. How can we make this work?

3. An ability to finish what you start. Get it done.

If you're a new programmer looking to start out on this journey, I recommend picking an engine and just start making stuff. Participate in as many Gamejams, Mods or minigame productions as possible. Ship things; Finish them. Then, when you're interviewing for a 'real' game job, you will have some experience to share and discuss.

For technical candidates, there's a minimum threshold that you must cross to be considered. For programmers, it's often C++. So learn the basics, get proficient, use the tools. Read the books on programming interviews and learn the types of things that are expected.

[porridgeraisin]

3) there is my biggest challenge personally

[3036e4]

Absolutely necessary in a solo project, but in a team it is enough if a few members, or really only the leader, is good at that (as long as the leader is somewhat competent and has some cat-herding skills to keep everyone on track).

[lentil_soup]

Keep things really small. Small projects you can pull off in a few days and then move on. The kind of scope you'd do for a uni trimester for example. I used a lot of my uni coursework to build small game(ish) projects around them

[taytus]

What about unity? If you are proficiently with it, is that a good signal or not?

[ehnto]

Unity is used by so many studios, it's a great signal if you're joining one of those and probably a good signal for Unreal shops as well. I think knowing C++ is a more robust signal for senior technical roles but I don't think it's a silver bullet for every role.

I would prefer engine experience over language experience if wanting someone to join and get to work quickly.