4 tips for becoming a successful remote game developer

If you want to be a game developer, you will be lucky enough to join a huge and rapidly growing industry. However, you might also have to relocate to a big city, where many game studios are located. The other option is to be a remote game developer. In order to get that right, you will need to follow these tips.

Get the right tools

You can’t work properly as part of a team unless you all have access to the same tools. Find out what your team are using and get a copy of everything. Beyond actual development software, you will also need communication and organisational tools. These can include sites and programs like Slack, Skype, Google Hangouts, Trello, and so on. Once you download them, learn how to use them and familiarise yourself with the current practices that other team members are using. This will help you to get into the swing of things more quickly. Getting a secure connection is also very important. Check the VPN reviews on Secure Thoughts to see which might be the most suitable for you. All of this will help to make you more valuable to the team from the outset.

Communicate more

However much you think that you should be communicating, do more than that. You can’t really over communicate when it comes to remote work. It’s important that everyone understands each other as clearly as possible. Ask for clarification when you need to, and double-check before starting laborious processes. Reply to messages as soon as possible, and schedule in real-time chats if you can. This will help to get everyone on the same page and will simulate the real office environment. It’s better for bouncing ideas off one another as well as clearing problems and grievances in a positive way.

Set working hours

It’s easy to be a little bit more relaxed when working from home. You might decide to get up late some days, or spend a few hours at lunch time watching a film rather than getting back to it. But it’s much better for your productivity if you set working hours and stick to them. You need to be a reliable employee who is in the “office” at certain times and can be counted on. You also have to be even more strict with yourself about meeting deadlines when there is no one breathing down your neck. If anything, slack off less, not more, than you would in a traditional office.

Create a workspace

It’s also important to have a dedicated workspace in which to do your work. Especially for your line of employment, you need to have a good screen in a place without too much glare. If you have a static computer which sits on a desk permanently, you will be able to see everything clearly. As soon as you move your computer around, you are creating issues with screen calibration and glare. Having a dedicated workspace also helps you to concentrate more, so that you can achieve your goals and focus well during working hours. It will also help you if you have a set uniform or you at least get dressed for the working day! Everything that you do to create a formalised work environment will do wonders for your productivity.

Following these 4 tips will make you a more valuable employee for the games company. You will be able to work to deadlines, smash project goals, and communicate whenever needed with the rest of your team. Your physical location will no longer be a barrier to your success.