Android game programming is the industry of programming games that can be applied and run on the Android operating system.
Currently, Android is one of the most commonly used operating systems worldwide. So the games for this operating system are extremely rich and diverse.
That leads to an increase in demand for the Android game programming industry, making it one of the most popular careers in Software Programming.
How to become an Android Game Developer
The first thing for you to become an Android game developer is technical knowledge. Android game development can be done on a Mac, Windows PC, or Linux computer. However, you still need an Android device to be able to test the feature live.
Then you need to have knowledge of some tools to be able to program as follows:
Java
The most basic foundation of Android development is the Java programming language. To be a successful Android Game Developer, you need to have a good understanding of Java concepts like loops, lists, variables, and control structures.
Java is one of the most popular programming languages used by software developers today, so learning its insights will benefit you for this job, even beyond the Android platform.
SQL
You will also need to learn the basics of SQL to organize databases in Android apps. SQL is a language for expressing queries to get information from a database.
Android Software Development Kit (SDK) and Android Studio
One of the best things about developing for Android is that the necessary tools are all free and easily available. The Android SDK is available and can be downloaded for free.
The Android SDK includes sample code, software libraries, handy coding tools, and more. to help you build, test, and debug Android apps.
Android Studio, the official integrated development environment (IDE) for Android application development, is also available to users for free. Android Studio is the main program by which developers code and assemble their applications from various packages and libraries.
XML
Programmers use XML to describe data. The basics of XML syntax will be helpful in your journey to becoming a full-fledged Android developer in performing tasks like designing user interface (UI) layouts and parsing data feeds from the internet.
Much of what you need XML can be done through Android Studio, but it builds on the basics of markup languages.
However, to be able to become an Android game programmer, you also need to have the skills to use game tools in combination with Android Studio. Here, the best choice for Android 2D games is the Unity engine. Together, Unity and Android Studio should be enough to handle nearly any type of Android game development.
In addition, you can also use other Game tools to be able to build 2D game products for Android such as Unreal, CryEngine, … Refer to more articles about Game tools here!
You can refer to the basic steps of 2D Game programming on Android Studio as follows:
Create a Game Project
Prepare images and sounds
Set fullscreen mode (Version:1)
Show character on game (Version:2)
Player interaction (Version: 3)
Game with many characters (Version: 4)
In-game effects (Version: 5)
In-game sound effects (Version: Release)Above are some basic steps to build 2D games for Android, for more details, please see the article: Android Game 2D programming guide for beginners
Soft skills
Besides these knowledge, you need to cultivate more appropriate soft skills to be able to become a game programmer in general and an Android game programmer in particular.
Teamwork and Collaboration: You’ll be working with different people on many projects, so being able to coordinate with people is an essential soft skill to have.
Persistence: You will encounter errors and mistakes – a lot of them. Persistence will keep you from giving up when you really want to.
Problem Solving: You will encounter a lot of problems while working on Game projects. Knowing how to solve them will make you a powerful game developer.
The thirst for knowledge: Technology is always changing. You need to be curious about the latest trends and developments to stay on top of what’s new.
Communication: This is an important skill required for all the jobs out there. As a programmer, you need to be able to communicate your ideas and solutions to other colleagues, clients, etc.
After you have the appropriate background knowledge and soft skills, you can practice and build yourself 2D game products on Android for yourself.