Turning your hobby into your work seems like a very tempting idea. If you can monetize your hobby, the saying goes that you’ll never work a day in your life. It only makes sense that you pivot in it, and if you enjoy gaming, then you might find game development to be something you’ll enjoy.

But how do your gaming skills translate to game development? Learn how your gaming skills can prove integral to a successful game development career.

Remember the Basics

Like learning any video game, the first rule is always sticking to the basics. Like learning new video game mechanics, it’s always best to tackle each step one at a time. The same goes for video game development. Whether learning how to code or creating new models from scratch, the only real way to learn is to start from the beginning and go from there.

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Set Your Goals!

Like in any video game, it’s the objectives that you set for yourself that truly matter. Take each day one step at a time, and focus on something that will round your career for the better. Try to learn something new each day, and polish up your skills. It’s the best way to ensure that you’re getting better.

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It might feel boring or frustrating, but the little steps you take each day will determine how good or bad you’ll do during your job.

Follow Your Passions

Remember that it's best to keep following your heart when you’re doing things out of passion. If you enjoy certain aspects of your career, pivot into it, and let that be your guide on how to proceed. If you enjoy coding, learn game development. If you enjoy testing out games and finding bugs, enlist in a game company’s QA team. If you have a talent for talking to people, consider being part of a game’s marketing team.

At the same time, don’t let new things stop you from experimenting. You never know if it’s something you’ll enjoy, and while uncertainty can be scary, it’s better to try and realize it’s not for you than to never try at all.

Forge a Community!

Like any video game, making friends and forming relationships with others will help you in your career long-term. Don’t underestimate the value of a friendly face! Having a cordial working relationship can help keep you invested in your job, especially when you’re surrounded by like-minded people. Moreover, a good working relationship is the cornerstone of ensuring operations run smoothly. Having a friend to rely on is an almost vital part of office culture, and knowing someone has your back will make work feel a lot less lonely.

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You get special points if it also helps you discover a new passion. Friends often help people discover more about themselves and their tastes, and a good working buddy might just help you find something new to enjoy in game development.

Learn from the Greats

As with all things, imitation is the highest form of flattery, and what better footsteps to follow than those of the greats? There have been many great games and great developers, and learning from their game designs and their histories will help you understand more about good game development.

Image of John Romero at Codemotion Milan 2018 courtesy of CodeMotion

Some development stories can even impart lessons you can learn during work. While we can’t all be Hideo Kojima or John Romero, understanding the rationale behind their actions will help you design a game worth playing.

Know Your Limits

While it might be exhilarating to learn something new, remember not to push yourself too hard. Burning out is an easy way to turn something you like into a frustrating, passionless experience. Take frequent breaks, and remember that even when you’re learning something new, do it in moderation.

These are just the beginning steps that a gamer-turned-game-developer should keep in mind. If you’re hungry for more tips, consider dropping by our Discord, where we do our best to help new developers get their feet off the ground. You can also visit our LinkedIn and learn firsthand the ins and outs of game development straight from our studio! Some hands-on learning with talented developers might just be what you need.

This article was written by Alexander Cuaycong.