Comments on: So You Want To Be A Graphics Programmer… [...] «So you want to be a graphics programmer?» A blog on graphics. Shader tutorial. [...] [...] «So you want to be a graphics programmer?» A blog on graphics. Shader tutorial. [...]

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By: Jurie/2011/05/10/so-you-want-to-be-a-graphics-programmer/#comment-4724 Jurie Sun, 22 May 2011 10:53:16 +0000 thanks a lot for this post..i'm a second year computer science and information technology student ..and to be honest my lecturers have no clue as to what they are teaching us :\ .i'm gnna try and do as much as possible before my placement ! once again thanks a lot ! :) thanks a lot for this post..i’m a second year computer science and information technology student ..and to be honest my lecturers have no clue as to what they are teaching us :\ .i’m gnna try and do as much as possible before my placement ! once again thanks a lot ! :)

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By: So You Want To Be A Graphics Programmer… » #AltDevBlogADay « Game development jobs/2011/05/10/so-you-want-to-be-a-graphics-programmer/#comment-3939 So You Want To Be A Graphics Programmer… » #AltDevBlogADay « Game development jobs Thu, 12 May 2011 15:47:16 +0000 GDC lectures tend to be spread over the internet (which is why I didn’t link directly to them) as the GDC site doesn’t hold an archive. However, you can find the session titles there ( I have a much better picture now. Thanks for both responses, Ben and Mr. Judge. I have a much better picture now. Thanks for both responses, Ben and Mr. Judge.

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By: Ed Bartley/2011/05/10/so-you-want-to-be-a-graphics-programmer/#comment-3898 Ed Bartley Wed, 11 May 2011 21:10:32 +0000

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By: Spliter/2011/05/10/so-you-want-to-be-a-graphics-programmer/#comment-3896 Spliter Wed, 11 May 2011 20:50:14 +0000 I'll agree with that. A good subset of the things I mention would be a good basis for getting a job. Also agreed that there's no end to learning - that's a big part of the attraction of the job for me. I’ll agree with that. A good subset of the things I mention would be a good basis for getting a job. Also agreed that there’s no end to learning – that’s a big part of the attraction of the job for me.

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By: James Stanard/2011/05/10/so-you-want-to-be-a-graphics-programmer/#comment-3884 James Stanard Wed, 11 May 2011 15:35:01 +0000 I only have a years experience so I may be generalising from the particular but I will attempt a rough answer of what a gameplay programmer does. Gameplay programmer is a specific sounding title for what is often a generalist programmer doing game specific work (non project-shared/ engine/tech). It's design and content implementation using the game engine, often with a very broad scope. However the scope of the role is very much dependant on the size of the company and the quality of the toolset and pipeline. For example much of the hud, ui, and level scripting should really be implemented by the people designing them allowing much more control, iteration, ownership etc but without the tools it's left to the programmer to get it into and working in game. On a small project or a project reusing a lot of code, roles you may normally regard as specialist or distinct such as ai and network programmer may be absorbed into gameplay programmer. A slightly off the wall way of explaining it would be open up the valve source sdk (the one any game owner can download) - anything you can edit in there a gameplay programmer could be expected to do :) I only have a years experience so I may be generalising from the particular but I will attempt a rough answer of what a gameplay programmer does.
Gameplay programmer is a specific sounding title for what is often a generalist programmer doing game specific work (non project-shared/ engine/tech).
It’s design and content implementation using the game engine, often with a very broad scope. However the scope of the role is very much dependant on the size of the company and the quality of the toolset and pipeline. For example much of the hud, ui, and level scripting should really be implemented by the people designing them allowing much more control, iteration, ownership etc but without the tools it’s left to the programmer to get it into and working in game.
On a small project or a project reusing a lot of code, roles you may normally regard as specialist or distinct such as ai and network programmer may be absorbed into gameplay programmer.

A slightly off the wall way of explaining it would be open up the valve source sdk (the one any game owner can download) – anything you can edit in there a gameplay programmer could be expected to do :)

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By: Keith Judge/2011/05/10/so-you-want-to-be-a-graphics-programmer/#comment-3819 Keith Judge Tue, 10 May 2011 20:27:23 +0000 I disagree. If you don't know how to write a basic shader, or use simple features of a performance analysis tool, then the job will go to a candidate who does. I'm not expecting a graduate to be able to write a physically based realtime global illumination system, or anything like that, but at least the knowledge that such things exist, and of course (as you say) a willingness to learn a lot on the job are essential. I disagree. If you don’t know how to write a basic shader, or use simple features of a performance analysis tool, then the job will go to a candidate who does. I’m not expecting a graduate to be able to write a physically based realtime global illumination system, or anything like that, but at least the knowledge that such things exist, and of course (as you say) a willingness to learn a lot on the job are essential.

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By: James Stanard/2011/05/10/so-you-want-to-be-a-graphics-programmer/#comment-3817 James Stanard Tue, 10 May 2011 20:18:12 +0000 That's a whole other article in itself, but essentially, the graphics coders work for the art team, the gameplay coders work for the designers. That’s a whole other article in itself, but essentially, the graphics coders work for the art team, the gameplay coders work for the designers.

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By: Adam Romney/2011/05/10/so-you-want-to-be-a-graphics-programmer/#comment-3815 Adam Romney Tue, 10 May 2011 18:50:14 +0000 Thanks for the comment. The course I did was useful for maths and general algorithmic stuff (nothing specific to graphics though), but mostly seemed aimed at training people to write databases for banks which I found incredibly dull at the time (although that kind of thing is becoming more useful for gamedev). Still, I stuck with it and got a degree whilst doing graphics stuff in my spare time. Thanks for the comment. The course I did was useful for maths and general algorithmic stuff (nothing specific to graphics though), but mostly seemed aimed at training people to write databases for banks which I found incredibly dull at the time (although that kind of thing is becoming more useful for gamedev). Still, I stuck with it and got a degree whilst doing graphics stuff in my spare time.

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By: Lloyd Crawley/2011/05/10/so-you-want-to-be-a-graphics-programmer/#comment-3812 Lloyd Crawley Tue, 10 May 2011 18:06:47 +0000

This is a cool course, teaches all the basics in linear algebra up to some cool shader effects and shadows, procedural geometry but seems to rely on the dreaded scene graph as a way to represent 3d scene management.

The rest of the courses from the school can be found here:
I think that to be a successful graphics coder, in addition to the math and CS items you listed, I'd add to it: - intersection tests of geometric primitives - acceleration data structures - animation systems These 3 are pretty common requirements in day-to-day activities. I think that to be a successful graphics coder, in addition to the
math and CS items you listed, I’d add to it:
- intersection tests of geometric primitives
- acceleration data structures
- animation systems
These 3 are pretty common requirements in day-to-day activities.

]]> By: Keith Judge/2011/05/10/so-you-want-to-be-a-graphics-programmer/#comment-3804 Keith Judge Tue, 10 May 2011 15:56:54 +0000 Great article Keith. I wish I had something lime that when I was starting out. My background is GL so I'd add gDEBugger to your list of graphics call debuggers. Believe there's a free version at http://www.gremedy.com/. Great article Keith. I wish I had something lime that when I was starting out.

My background is GL so I’d add gDEBugger to your list of graphics call debuggers. Believe there’s a free version at It seems to me that the main drawback of a game university degree is the price, which tends to be outrageous. When I was looking at colleges, I took a long hard look at DigiPen, and realized there was no way I could afford it. I got my CS degree, but in order to increase my edge for games, I made small games in my free time and used my electives to take graphics courses and a computational physics course. Even still, those courses didn't seem to have much to do with games graphics programming. Regardless, it gave me a pretty good understanding of the basic linear algebra I needed to know, and put me in a good enough position to land an industry job right out of college. It seems to me that the main drawback of a game university degree is the price, which tends to be outrageous. When I was looking at colleges, I took a long hard look at DigiPen, and realized there was no way I could afford it. I got my CS degree, but in order to increase my edge for games, I made small games in my free time and used my electives to take graphics courses and a computational physics course. Even still, those courses didn’t seem to have much to do with games graphics programming. Regardless, it gave me a pretty good understanding of the basic linear algebra I needed to know, and put me in a good enough position to land an industry job right out of college.

]]> By: Karl/2011/05/10/so-you-want-to-be-a-graphics-programmer/#comment-3798 Karl Tue, 10 May 2011 14:35:20 +0000 I think the main critcism the games design university courses have been getting, at least from those interviewing the graduates for coding jobs, *is* the lack of a strong math element. If graphics is where you're going, a CS degree is going to be far more useful (I'd even argue the same for gameplay coding, but I know that's more contentious) I think the main critcism the games design university courses have been getting, at least from those interviewing the graduates for coding jobs, *is* the lack of a strong math element. If graphics is where you’re going, a CS degree is going to be far more useful (I’d even argue the same for gameplay coding, but I know that’s more contentious)

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By: Adam Romney/2011/05/10/so-you-want-to-be-a-graphics-programmer/#comment-3794 Adam Romney Tue, 10 May 2011 13:36:10 +0000