Design core features of video games. Specify innovative game and role-play mechanics, story lines, and character biographies. Create and maintain design documentation. Guide and collaborate with production staff to produce games as designed.

Also Known As: Design Director, Designer/Writer, Game Designer, Game Designer/Creative Director, Lead Designer, Lead Game Designer, Lead Level Designer, Mid Level Game Designer, Senior Game Designer, World Designer

Daily Activities / Routine Tasks

Video Game Designers execute the duties below as part of their Job

1. Balance and adjust gameplay experiences to ensure the critical and commercial success of the product.
2. Provide feedback to designers and other colleagues regarding game design features.
3. Create core game features including storylines, role-play mechanics, and character biographies for a new video game or game franchise.
4. Devise missions, challenges, or puzzles to be encountered in game play.
5. Guide design discussions between development teams.
6. Develop and maintain design level documentation, including mechanics, guidelines, and mission outlines.
7. Create and manage documentation, production schedules, prototyping goals, and communication plans in collaboration with production staff.
8. Present new game design concepts to management and technical colleagues, including artists, animators, and programmers.
9. Conduct regular design reviews throughout the game development process.
10 . Oversee gameplay testing to ensure intended gaming experience and game adherence to original vision.

Key Knowledge Areas

To be an excellent Video Game Designer, it is paramount that you pay close attention to these knowledge areas

Computers and Electronics — Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.Developing Games requires one to write code
Design — Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Communications and Media — Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
Psychology — Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Mathematics — Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Top Skills

To be a great Game Designer, it is important that you work on perfecting the skills below as they are very important in Video Game Design

Computer Programming — Writing computer programs for various purposes ie ability to write languages such as C++,Java,Python and many others
Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Complex Problem Solving — Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Operations Analysis — Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
Systems Evaluation — Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.