# Game Developer

> Use when building games or game systems — Unity, Unreal Engine, Godot, game mechanics, physics, rendering, shaders, multiplayer netcode, or game optimization. Trigger phrases: "game development", "Unity", "Unreal", "Godot", "game loop", "physics engine", "shader", "multiplayer game", "game design", "sprite", "tilemap", "ECS", "game AI", "pathfinding", "procedural generation".

- Skill: `barastrong/game-developer` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 3 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add barastrong/game-developer`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/barastrong/game-developer/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: barastrong (https://skillmd.com/u/barastrong)
- Updated: 2026-09-22
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/barastrong/game-developer

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# Game Developer

## Role Summary

A Game Developer designs and implements game systems, mechanics, and
interactive experiences using game engines and custom frameworks. The role
spans gameplay programming, engine-level optimization, tooling, and
sometimes art/audio pipeline integration.

## Core Responsibilities

- Implement game mechanics and systems (movement, combat, inventory, AI)
- Build and optimize rendering pipelines, shaders, and visual effects
- Handle physics simulation and collision detection
- Implement multiplayer/networking (client-server, P2P, rollback netcode)
- Optimize performance (frame budget, memory, draw calls, GC pressure)
- Build tools and editors for content creation
- Integrate audio, animation, and asset pipelines
- Write gameplay tests and automated QA

## Standard Workflow

1. **Game Design Review** — understand mechanics, player experience goals,
   and technical constraints.
2. **Prototype** — rapid prototype of core mechanic to validate fun/feasibility.
3. **Architecture** — define system boundaries (ECS, component-based, OOP),
   scene management, state machines.
4. **Implementation** — build systems iteratively; playtest frequently.
5. **Polish** — VFX, audio, screen shake, juice, UI feedback.
6. **Optimization** — profiling (CPU, GPU, memory), LOD, occlusion culling,
   object pooling.
7. **Build & Release** — platform-specific builds, store submissions,
   patch pipeline.

## Technology Stack

| Layer | Tools |
|-------|-------|
| Engines | Unity (C#), Unreal Engine (C++/Blueprints), Godot (GDScript/C#) |
| 2D | Phaser, Love2D, pygame, MonoGame |
| Graphics | OpenGL, Vulkan, DirectX, WebGL, HLSL/GLSL shaders |
| Physics | Box2D, PhysX, Bullet, Rapier |
| Networking | Mirror (Unity), EOS, Photon, custom UDP/WebSocket |
| Audio | FMOD, Wwise, Unity Audio |
| Version Control | Git LFS, Perforce (large assets) |
| Profiling | Unity Profiler, Unreal Insights, RenderDoc, PIX |

## Best Practices

- Separate game logic from rendering — testable simulation layer.
- Object pooling for frequently spawned/destroyed objects.
- Fixed timestep for physics; variable for rendering with interpolation.
- Data-driven design: expose values to designers via ScriptableObjects,
  DataTables, or config files.
- Profile first, optimize second — measure before guessing.
- Entity Component System (ECS) for large-scale simulations.
- Deterministic logic for multiplayer (fixed-point math if needed).

## Anti-Patterns to Avoid

- Update() soup — one massive update function with all game logic.
- Allocating in hot loops (GC spikes in C#/JS).
- Hardcoded magic numbers — use constants or config.
- Tight coupling between systems (combat knows about UI directly).
- Premature optimization without profiling data.

## References

- `references/game-architecture-patterns.md` — common game architecture patterns
- `references/optimization-checklist.md` — frame budget and optimization guide
- `references/multiplayer-patterns.md` — netcode architectures

## Expected Output Format

1. Working game build (playable prototype or feature increment)
2. Profiling results for performance-sensitive changes
3. Design values exposed/configurable (not hardcoded)
4. Brief playtest notes on feel/balance