My Journey from
PC Builder to Game Developer
Introduction
To be honest, I essentially grew up in the world of computers. Bata pa lang ako, exposed na ako sa hardware kasi my father was in the business of selling PCs. I used to watch him work, at dahil doon, natural na na-spark yung love ko for building rigs. Akala ko noon, hanggang doon na lang that I would just assemble units, manage cables, and look at spec sheets all day. I even competed in a PC Assembly and Disassembly contest nung high school and won 2nd place. Confident na ako na hardware ang path ko. But surprisingly, hindi pala doon nagtatapos ang kwento ko. The real question I had to ask myself was: Do I just want to build the machine, or do I want to build the world inside it?
From Hardware to Hello World
The turning point happened noong Senior High School. I was tasked with creating an Arduino robot for a thesis project. Dito ko na-realize na iba yung thrill ng coding. While I loved the mechanical parts, I discovered that breathing life into the machine through code was a different kind of satisfaction. Yung robot na ginawa namin won "Best Thesis Group Project" and even brought me to an inter-school competition.
That experience was the main reason why I made the conscious decision to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (BSCS) instead of IT. Gusto ko kasi yung deeper understanding of logic and algorithms, hindi lang basta application. Ngayon, as I dive deeper into languages like C++ and Python, mas lalo kong nako-confirm na tama yung naging choice ko.
The Dream: Creating My Own Game Title
Right now, ang pinaka-malaking goal ko is to venture into Game Development. I’ve always been fascinated by how games work under the hood. Recently, I’ve been experimenting with game design documents and mechanics, specifically for a project I call "STRASHER."
Being a CS student isn't easy maraming sleepless nights kakaisip ng solution sa logic errors pero yung process ng pag create ng something from scratch is what keeps me going. My background in hardware actually helps me understand optimization better. Alam ko yung limitations ng machine (lalo na gamit ko yung Ryzen 5 5600 at RTX 3070 ko for testing!), kaya mas nagiging mindful ako sa resources ng program na ginagawa ko.
Conclusion: The Next 5 Years
In the next five years, I don't just see myself as a graduate. I see myself as a developer who has shipped a working game title. From selling PCs with my dad to building the software that runs on them, malayo na ang narating ng interest ko.
My realization is simple: Skills can be learned, but passion is the fuel. Whether it's mastering number system conversions or designing complex game mechanics, kailangan mo talagang mahalin yung process. The goal isn't just to be a "coder"—it's to be a creator. And I’m just getting started.
"If you can organize complex data structures, kaya mo ring i-organize ang buhay mo. One line at a time."