So You Want To Be a Game Designer ?

daRk_heLmet · Jul 24, 2005, 05:38 AM

"No one just falls into the position. You claw, kick and scream and push your way into it. Most designers start off as programmers or artists. They understand gameplay systems; they live and breathe games. From my perspective, I was making my own games, programming them, doing all the artwork, the production, level design, and everything because I didn't have anybody else to do it for me. That background helped give me the perspective it takes to pull a product together and have a creative vision for it. Being a designer is about having a creative vision and adhering to it."

Gamespot is running a feature which talks to designers such as CliffyB and Akira Yamaoka on the subject of what it means to be a game designer.

YAYitsAndrew · Jul 24, 2005, 06:58 AM

I love seeing articles like this. There's nothing more insulting than your random internet citizen who thinks he can just up and make a game. There's a lot more to it than anyone thinks about.

Now if only people would read these things.

klevo · Jul 24, 2005, 09:18 AM

yeah its bs. and its on gamespot for so time...

YAYitsAndrew · Jul 24, 2005, 03:49 PM

LOL speaking of stupid kids, I posted a link to battalion at gprime and some kids responds with "turn based strategy games are boring make it an rts because those require more skill". Yeah, lemme just spend ten seconds here...ok, now my game is magically real time with all the inherent balance and networking issues resolved!

Plus he's totally off base. An RTS by definition is a TBS with skill leak. Skill leak is the real time aspect where your strategy can fail if you're unable to manage the units in real time. A good strategy may be to attack from 2 angles and flank the opponent but can you scroll and click around fast enough to do that? If not, you're leaking.

The general populace likes RTS because you may not have to be a good strategist to win. Usually you can get away with leaking less than your opponent.

The_Neon_Cowboy · Jul 24, 2005, 05:51 PM

I'd like to head a team, with full control, but then to many would would die unable to pull
them selfs away from my game lol', loseing thier jobs, girlfreinds, wifes etc... Kinda like
lot of people do with some of the RPG's

Jul 24, 2005, 05:38 AM	#1
daRk_heLmet Keep firing, assholes! Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Death Star Posts: 1,072 Rep Power: 0	So You Want To Be a Game Designer ? "No one just falls into the position. You claw, kick and scream and push your way into it. Most designers start off as programmers or artists. They understand gameplay systems; they live and breathe games. From my perspective, I was making my own games, programming them, doing all the artwork, the production, level design, and everything because I didn't have anybody else to do it for me. That background helped give me the perspective it takes to pull a product together and have a creative vision for it. Being a designer is about having a creative vision and adhering to it." Gamespot is running a feature which talks to designers such as CliffyB and Akira Yamaoka on the subject of what it means to be a game designer. __________________ [color=white]My Blog[/color]

Jul 24, 2005, 06:58 AM	#2
YAYitsAndrew Anti-Piracy Poster Boy Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: NJ Posts: 2,605 Rep Power: 79 System Specs	I love seeing articles like this. There's nothing more insulting than your random internet citizen who thinks he can just up and make a game. There's a lot more to it than anyone thinks about. Now if only people would read these things. __________________ "It is because the resistance to paying for copyrighted material, although often characterized as arising from a supposed technical burden or principled concern for the public interest, arises rather from exactly the same segment of the brain that is dominant in shoplifters." - Mark Helprin, Digital Barbarism In other words, it's never okay to steal even if you think you have a good reason! www.yayitsandrew.com

Jul 24, 2005, 09:18 AM	#3
klevo 2 l33t Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Slovakia Posts: 587 Rep Power: 0	yeah its bs. and its on gamespot for so time... __________________ My blog

Jul 24, 2005, 03:49 PM	#4
YAYitsAndrew Anti-Piracy Poster Boy Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: NJ Posts: 2,605 Rep Power: 79 System Specs	LOL speaking of stupid kids, I posted a link to battalion at gprime and some kids responds with "turn based strategy games are boring make it an rts because those require more skill". Yeah, lemme just spend ten seconds here...ok, now my game is magically real time with all the inherent balance and networking issues resolved! Plus he's totally off base. An RTS by definition is a TBS with skill leak. Skill leak is the real time aspect where your strategy can fail if you're unable to manage the units in real time. A good strategy may be to attack from 2 angles and flank the opponent but can you scroll and click around fast enough to do that? If not, you're leaking. The general populace likes RTS because you may not have to be a good strategist to win. Usually you can get away with leaking less than your opponent. __________________ "It is because the resistance to paying for copyrighted material, although often characterized as arising from a supposed technical burden or principled concern for the public interest, arises rather from exactly the same segment of the brain that is dominant in shoplifters." - Mark Helprin, Digital Barbarism In other words, it's never okay to steal even if you think you have a good reason! www.yayitsandrew.com

Jul 24, 2005, 05:51 PM	#5
The_Neon_Cowboy HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 16,009 Rep Power: 92 System Specs	I'd like to head a team, with full control, but then to many would would die unable to pull them selfs away from my game lol', loseing thier jobs, girlfreinds, wifes etc... Kinda like lot of people do with some of the RPG's __________________