Must-Write programs for self-taught enthusiasts (game programming)

Question

I finally found a reasonable thing to do during my short summer vacation. I got a job as a programmer on a start-up company (who shall remain anonymous), and I will be starting around the first of June. Now, the company will soon have a senior programmer that I will at some point have to impress.

The company will be using Unity as their primary game engine and the target is small/casual games.

What I am asking from you guys right now is the following:

1. Programs and challenges to waste my precious four days on, in order to have something to show for.
2. Give your opinion on whether actual coding or reading should be a priority at this stage.
3. Your experiences with working with start-up companies.

I am not actually asking for code samples or your projects.

Allow me in advance to thank you very much for your precious time.

Answer 1

1. Try write a quine in whatever language they will be using, always an interesting challenge.

2. Both. Read to gain an understanding of what is possible and what you should and shouldn't do, but also code to practice.

3. Sorry, no experience.

Answer 2

Reading is of the uttermost importance. But, it is nothing without coding. Always try to code it. Start small and simple. Yes, the "hello world" approach is irritating (at least for me) but it does serve a purpose.

It is almost impossible to fail at that and it boosts your confidence levels.

As for ideas...Well why not something simple: the hangman game? Or some kind of variation of it. Better to chose something you know.

Start-up companies differ a lot... So no advise there.. Just work hard, listen to everyone else and don't ever stop learning.

Answer 3

1. Space invaders (3D or 2D). Try to do with very clean code, make it run on a variety of systems (needs testing), make an installer. Let the user select resolution and windowed mode. Make it load graphics and sounds from the exe or from an archive of some sort. The challenge is to make it complete. I believe this is doable in an industrious four days. Perhaps use the Unity engine to do this with.

2. code code code. Reading is important, but practice makes perfect. Things move on so quickly in the game development world (e.g. APIs like DirectX/OpenGL) that when you learn something you should put it into practice or you knowledge will become outdated (example: a few years ago shaders were fairly rare, now most games have custom shaders, geometry shaders and other new techniques such as mega textures).

3. Sorry, no experience.

Answer 4

Not sure what your background is, but if programming a computer player for a game like checkers or reversi is in your grasp, that's surely a good challenge. Also, playing with computer graphics (e.g. drawing a b-spline, 3D/2D perspective transformations) will probably be a good investment.

Experience with startups: Avoid the slippery slope that ends in working late into the night for little or no money for a completely hopeless project. It's ok at the beginning, but you should write down some deadlines for yourself, and act on them. These can be wide deadlines, e.g. "if we can't pay average saleries 3 years from now, I'll quit". Otherwise, there's always some kind of vague hope (e.g. company X might buy the product next year) that will keep you to busy to assess your situation realistically.

Answer 5

I recommend trying a Tetris game. It has real-time motion and has to handle user input. I wouldn't hire someone who can't implement a Tetris clone.