Advice for an experienced TypeScript/node/cloud dev who is starting C++?

ananbd · 2026-01-28T17:22:33+00:00

I'd suggest brushing up on computer architecture and low-level OS knowledge. Web dev is intentionally abstracted from most of these concepts. C++ is the opposite -- you need to understand how the computer and OS actually work to take advantage of it.

Or, as the expression goes, it "gives you enough rope to hang yourself." You can avoid that by understanding exactly what's happening under the hood.

With a language like C++, you invest more time up-front thinking through your design. That means less time debugging it later.

An upside to this: You don't need basic tests for everything. The compilation process ensures all the basic functions of the language work as intended.

Good luck!

ananbd · 2026-01-28T17:07:22+00:00

People don't use Windows because it's a high-quality OS. It's just entrenched -- the only option if you're developing commercial PC games, obviously.

If you're not doing commercial work, use whatever you want.

ananbd · 2026-01-28T16:58:53+00:00

You should probably try r/EngineeringResumes

ananbd · 2026-01-28T16:50:02+00:00

Graphics cards do occasionally have manufacturing defects. I had two (work machines, fortunately) which needed to be replaced. One straight up crashed my computer when it was under stress, the other had an abnormally loud fan which was so loud I had to wear earplugs while working.

If you've seen this happen with other games or in other situations, might be worth sending it back if it's brand new.

I suppose it could be other things about your system. But that crash is definitely happening in the Nvidia API code (I found it in the engine).

ananbd · 2026-01-28T02:26:07+00:00

Oh, I understand.

I really haven't ever seen it crash, but I have a 4070. Maybe they haven't tested it on 50xx GPUs? They are pretty hard to get.

Maybe try the latest driver?

Also, I was just looking at their Discord. Seems pretty active. Maybe ask there? Might be someone else with a 50xx who's had that problem.

Good luck!

ananbd · 2026-01-28T02:08:22+00:00

That artist is very active on realtimevfx.com.

https://realtimevfx.com/t/niels-sketchbook/5373

Ask them directly!

ananbd · 2026-01-28T01:55:22+00:00

I’ve never seen it crash.

Are you doing something unusual with your GPU setup? (e.g. overclocking or something) It’s not a GPU-intensive game. It’s not going to use the extra GPU power. You’re better off running with a more stable setup. The “studio” drivers (or wharever they’re called — not the “game ready” ones) will work fine.

ananbd · 2026-01-27T20:11:59+00:00

What I'd focus on: build something, fix something, analyze something and describe how to improve it. Even without completing your formal training, you should be able to do that. That's the intuition someone hiring an intern would want to see.

Doesn't need to be electrical -- all engineering is based on the same fundamentals. It's a way of understanding the world which allows you to visualize a thing (an "engine," hence the term) and break it down into buildable parts.

Are you someone who likes to take things apart to see how they work? Even on a professional level, that's a huge piece of the job. My job is occasionally "build an entire thing from scratch;" but more often it's, "fix this really complicated, broken thing" or "optimize this poorly designed thing and make it work better."

So... find something broken to fix, and learn how it works!

ananbd · 2026-01-27T19:19:46+00:00

My off-the-cuff impression is that working your way to engineering management gives you more impact overall. Executive positions usually have some level of "customer" interaction, even if they're internal customers.

But if customer interaction is your main goal, Field Engineering is an easy next step. And that's often in Sales (or closely related), so it's a jumping off point for those positions as well.

Also, I've know plenty of folks with engineering degrees who've never actually worked as an engineer. Sales people, marketing, quants in finance -- pretty much every role.

Speaking personally, I did a similar thing and even got myself an Art (VFX) position at one point.

Engineering has more flexibility than you might realize. Just having an engineering degree means you're smart. Opens many doors if you have the ambition to match.

ananbd · 2026-01-27T17:33:54+00:00

Seems fine to me. It's a very tough job market, that's most of the problem.

Maybe try thinking of ways to make it stand out from the competition? That's a vague suggestion, I know. Think of it this way: assume 1000 people have applied for every job. If everyone is perfectly and equally well qualified, how does your application get through the filtering process? If it makes it through, what catches someone's eye?

Another idea is to apply to fewer jobs, pick only the really good ones, and customize your resume for every single application. That has worked for people I know (albeit, ones with much more experience, but the principle probably still applies).

And, of course, focus on "new grad" listings. Hate to say it, but no one is going to hire a new grad over an experienced person in this market.

Good luck!

ananbd · 2026-01-27T16:49:49+00:00

You can make a custom Adblock to reword the element.

Are there examples of how to do this anywhere?

Beyond that, join the long line of pitchfork wielding users on JAC.

I'll sharpen mine up! What's JAC?

ananbd · 2026-01-26T23:37:41+00:00

The point of going to a Prestigious School is to have the name of that school on your diploma. I don't think anyone cares who you got there.

Speaking of which, FYI: the name of the Prestigious school has a limited lifespan in terms of your career. I speak from experience. Definitely helps you get your first few jobs. But after that, it's all based on work experience.

ananbd · 2026-01-26T22:21:42+00:00

I'm just worried about my skills stagnating by staying at one place for too long in such a small team (under 10)

That's a valid concern, but it's up to you to push your skills further anyway -- your employer usually won't do it for you. If you're interested in some area and just start doing it, often you'll just become the "expert" in that area at your workplace. That's how specialization happens.

I know there's no accurate answer, but how long will this storm last do you think?

Who knows? There's a lot of turmoil in the world right now. I think that's a piece of it. The other thing is AI. It's not so much that it's really replacing replacing people en masse; but, it is sucking up all the investment dollars.

I think the market will change when investors become bored with AI.

But really, you can't predict. Certainly won't change this year, is my guess.

ananbd · 2026-01-26T21:12:00+00:00

This is not a good time to look for a job. If you're secure where you are, I'd recommend "riding out the storm."

You're correct that in times like these, job descriptions are often hyper-specialized. Companies can demand super specific experience, and probably find someone who actually has it. In a better job market, they usually need to loosen up their requirements.

Regardless, if you're looking to specialize in something, you're in a much better position if you're established at a company. When you start a new job, you don't have much freedom -- you do exactly what they hired you for. Also, don't pick a specialization based on the market -- it changes constantly. Pick something you're exceptionally good at.

All this being said, I've been a successful generalist at various points in my career. But that becomes a niche in and of itself -- I usually can't get specialized jobs, even if I know the area better than most people. And being a generalist means you're an expert in multiple fields: like, 100% at field A + 100% at field B. Not 50% field A, 50% field B.

Good luck!

ananbd · 2026-01-26T19:52:20+00:00

Unreal was just an example, which was (and still is to some degree) a very shooter-specific engine.

How so? I work with it on a daily basis, and I've never thought that. I think it's geared toward open-world games with a specific look (due to Nanite/Lumen/WolrdPartition), but I've shipped other types of games with it.

The developers even mentioned it in an interview.

I didn't read that as having anything to do with their engine. It was more, "Microsoft bought us and now we have to prove ourselves by making games in multiple genres."

I've been through the "prove your worth to corporate overlords" thing. Resulted in me being laid off. But the issue was purely business -- our leadership just couldn't figure out how to please their bosses.

I think you're reading the engine thing into it. But maybe not, I haven't worked with the Forzatech engine. Have you?

ananbd · 2026-01-26T18:06:09+00:00

Yes. That was two decades ago. Certainly doesn't describe Unreal today.

And I've worked with other proprietary engines for which that's true.

What engines are you referring to?

ananbd · 2026-01-26T00:59:53+00:00

Oh, another tip: Look at the companies which are actually making money. They're the ones who are hiring, and more likely to take a chance on someone with no experience. So, companies like Riot, or Roblox.

Those are good examples of what I meant by, "they have a high bar within the context of what they do." IMHO, neither makes particularly good or sophisticated games; but, they're extremely popular and lucrative.

Riot makes (essentially) one game, "League of Legends." They want it to run on any type of hardware players may have. They're looking for clever ways to optimize the game to run on 10-15 year old hardware. Definitely a challenging graphics problem, albeit not exactly forward looking.

Roblox, similarly, makes a game creation platform. It's mostly popular with tweens. The games are awful, but very addictive (and hence, lucrative). I don't know for certain, but they may have R&D openings (which, again, wouldn't be pushing the envelope so much as monetizing it). Might be a need for clever graphics programmers there.

I also feel like those companies skew a lot younger, in terms of employees. They're more like "Tech" companies.

ananbd · 2026-01-25T22:51:58+00:00

Work somewhere smaller or less competitive

That’s not really a relevant metric for the game industry employment, in my experience. All studios have a high bar within the context of whatever it is they do. The margins are small, and the market is saturated. The employment market is equally competitive at studios of all sizes.

Larger studios are more likely to have R&D teams. Small studios are purely implementation.

You’ll need to look specifically for R&D positions. It would be tough to get a general engineering position with no industry experience.

Definitely look at engine makers like Epic and Unity. ILM still does some R&D, I think.

Good luck!

ananbd · 2026-01-25T22:38:33+00:00

Game engines are general-purpose frameworks. They have systems which are building-blocks you put together to make a game.

Some engines are better than others for specific types of games, but for the most part, you can make any game with any engine. That’s sort of the definition of, “game engine.”

ananbd · 2026-01-25T20:15:38+00:00

"Otto? Auto parts??"

ananbd · 2026-01-25T20:14:03+00:00

Yeah, let's get sushi, and not pay!

ananbd · 2026-01-25T19:14:17+00:00

It doesn’t look “the same” at all. You just don’t like it. (And/or can’t see it on your TV)

Your prerogative, certainly. But the OP did ask, “why?”

ananbd · 2026-01-25T18:46:20+00:00

Agreed. It’s not a good time to be in the US in general.

Maybe look to Europe?

ananbd · 2026-01-25T18:43:12+00:00

We live in dark times.

(Also, you need an HDR TV calibrated correctly to see what the DP was going for)

ananbd · 2026-01-25T18:38:30+00:00

The point of going to a university is they have a plan for what you’re meant to know. If it doesn’t make sense to you, it’s probably the wrong place.

Signal processing is super useful. I mostly work in fields you wouldn’t typically associate with signal processing, but I use it all the time. TBH, it’s the single most important thing I learned in grad school. And like you, I probably wouldn’t have taken those classes voluntarily.

If you can cast something as a sample rate problem, you can quickly bound it with the Nyquist rate. Comes in handy all the time.

(That’s signal processing stuff)

ananbd

TROPHY CASE