Game designers work as part of a team to come up with a video game’s concept, characters, environments, story, target audience, and overall game play (levels, interface design). They work with programmers and artists to create a general script, and an artistic vision for the game. All of this information is stored in a Concept Document, which constantly changes as new developments are made
Knowledge of computer programming/coding is important for game designers, as well as being able to problem solve, and having basic drawing and storytelling skills is also valuable. And obviously, having an understanding of games and gameplay would be beneficial.
On the personal/social skills side, game designers need to be willing to work collaboratively as a team; be able to accept other people’s ideas, communicate their ideas, be open and learn from others (accept constructive criticism)
Most game designers have a computer science degree, a game design degree or a qualification in another computer related field. They would also have come from another role within the games industry as a game designer is not an entry level role. To be a game designer you need a high level of experience and knowledge of the industry.
Within a game design team there are many specialties. Some people will specialise in creating levels, and placing props within them (level designers), others assist with writing the story and dialogue of a game and design the missions in a game (content designers), another team will craft the scenes, text and dialog of a mission within a game (game writers), a system designer will focus on one system within a game (creates all the weapons/avatar creation), and another creates the interface of the game (UI designer). Junior designers work under a senior or lead designer, learning through practical experience
After working in general game design, and having worked in some of the specialised roles, you could progress and become a lead designer (someone who manages a team of designers), and then senior designer (someone experienced in every aspect of game design).
All roles within the games industry need to communicate with each other. It’s a very open environment where people accept their colleagues’ advice and criticism. Different roles feed off each other and work as a big team to get things done in a way that can please everyone.
This job could match my skillset as I always make sure that every idea is heard and taken into consideration, I’d try my best to please everyone and be flexible when other ideas were put to me. But I would need to work on being able to take criticism without applying it personally to me.
If I wanted to progress into becoming a game designer, I could to university for something computer/games related and enter the industry in one way or another, it might also be possible to work my way up to the role.
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