Game Developer Roadmap

The journey of creating virtual worlds, from the first lines of code to 2D & 3D masterpieces.

🎮 Overview: Who is a Game Developer?

A Game Developer is a programmer who specializes in building and developing video games. They turn ideas, graphics, and sound into a complete interactive experience on platforms like PC, console, and mobile.

Roadmap by Stages

Stage 1: Programming & Math Fundamentals 0-6 months

Goal: Build logical thinking and core programming skills

Stage 2: Getting Started with a Game Engine 6-12 months

Goal: Understand how an engine works and create a simple game (Choose 1)
  • Unity: Interface, GameObjects, Components, Prefabs, Scripting (C#).
  • Unreal Engine: Interface, Actors, Components, Blueprints, C++.
  • Game Loop: Understand `Update()`, `FixedUpdate()`, `Start()`.
  • First Project: Remake classic games like Pong, Flappy Bird, Space Invaders.

Stage 3: 2D Game Development 1-1.5 years

Goal: Build a complete 2D game with more complex mechanics
  • 2D Physics: Rigidbody, Collider, Forces.
  • Character & Controls: Input (keyboard, mouse, touch), Animation (Sprite Sheets).
  • User Interface (UI): Canvas, Text, Buttons, Sliders (health bars, scores).
  • Game Management: Game State (Menu, Playing, Game Over), save/load game.

Stage 4: Entering the 3D World1.5-2.5 years

Goal: Apply knowledge in a three-dimensional space
  • 3D Math: Quaternions (for rotation), 3D Vectors.
  • Basic Graphics: Meshes, Materials, Shaders, Lighting.
  • Camera Controls: First-person, Third-person.
  • 3D Animation: Rigging, Keyframing (understand the concepts).
  • 3D Tools: Get familiar with the basics of Blender to create and edit simple models.

Stage 5: Specialization & Optimization 2.5+ years

Goal: Enhance skills to create high-quality games
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI): Pathfinding (A*), State Machines, Behavior Trees.
  • Networking: Understand client-server, multiplayer game programming.
  • Optimization: Profiling, memory management, graphics optimization (draw calls).
  • Build & Deploy: Package games for PC, Mobile, Web. (Knowledge of DevOps is a plus).
  • Design Patterns: Singleton, Observer, Object Pooling.

🧩 Specialization Paths

Gameplay Programmer

Focuses on programming the core mechanics, logic, and experience of the game.

Graphics Programmer

Specializes in graphics, shaders, rendering, and visual performance optimization.

AI Programmer

Builds intelligent behavior for non-player characters (NPCs). (See AI Engineer roadmap)

UI Programmer

Responsible for programming the user interface, menus, and HUD in the game.

Tools Programmer

Builds support tools for game designers and artists within the game engine.

Network Programmer

Specializes in online gaming, handling synchronization and connections between players.