Am I a developer or just can use AI? New decade, same dilemmas
The topic of artificial intelligence doesn't remain silent, even though in the case of game development, it seems to primarily concern the production of graphics. Meanwhile...
Available for free as a Visual Studio Code (and much more) plugin, and as it turns out, it provides support not only for C# and C++ (industry standards) but also for GDScript!
If you think that this will make junior developers and wannabes obsolete then let’s not start with the panic button. But I understand where the reservations come from.
Contrary to appearances, the lack of faith among programmers in their abilities is not new.
A decade ago, Scott Hanselman published a post on his blog - Am I really a developer or just a good googler?
Even back then, the issue of copying and pasting code snippets from the Internet existed, but instead of AI, the source of problems was Stack Overflow 😉 (or anything you could google…)
The main difference lies primarily in time savings.
In some cases, searching for solutions to your problems could end up with a blank mind, especially when after an hour of scrolling, you find neither an answer nor a hint.
AI will return something, even if that piece of code doesn't meet your expectations 😉 But that can also be easily verified.
Programmers will still be needed. But the distribution of duties will change slightly:
You will write more unit tests to immediately verify if the code generated by AI meets your expectations.
Instead of learning the details of programming languages, you will learn to design your code
You will return to the basics of programming: patterns, and architecture.
The advice given by Scott still stands. Learn your basics, think from a higher abstraction perspective, and learn how to properly break down your tasks. Not only you should be fine, but you should also profit from our AI overlords assistants 😉
This post brilliantly navigates the nuanced landscape of game development in the AI era, underscoring a vital point that often gets overshadowed: game development transcends mere coding. It's a multifaceted discipline that hinges on effective problem-solving and the sophisticated level of communication required among developers, designers, and product managers. As AI tools become more integrated into our workflows, enhancing productivity and perhaps altering the tasks developers focus on, the essence of game development remains rooted in collaboration. The shift towards AI-assisted coding doesn't diminish the role of human creativity and interpersonal skills; if anything, it amplifies the need for these skills. Understanding code is one thing, but crafting engaging, innovative games that resonate with players requires a deep synergy between technical prowess and creative vision. As developers, our ability to communicate, conceptualize, and collaborate is what truly brings a game to life. This post serves as a timely reminder of the evolving yet enduring nature of our roles within the game development ecosystem.