2 answers
Siara
Student
Otisfield, ME
2
Questions
Asked
458 views
What Skills are required to be a video game desginer?
#video-game-design #gaming i need all the advise i can take.
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2 answers
Gloria Ortiz
Instructional Designer
845
Answers
Irving, Texas
Updated
Gloria’s Answer
Hi Siara,
While there is a technical element to video game design, I would offer two areas for you to also study - storytelling and how things are made.
The storytelling element will help you understand a narrative. Whenever I interact with gamers, they talk about the journey they are taking along with how cool the graphics are. Whatever the journey, there are ups and downs, things that can and should happen, and things that wouldn't happen, unless it was set up in advance.
I offer how things are made as another element since for a fantastical story to be believed, the humans and animals that inhabit the space need to be real. And when you create characters in tools like Character Animator, the focus is often on the skeleton of whatever you are creating. So for people, it would be anatomy. For architecture, maybe some elements of structural engineering. I don't mean become a doctor or architect, but learn how things are made. How does a human hand move? For example, very few people can fold their fingers back over the top of their hand. Usually people go to the hospital to fix that. I am a huge fan of the series "The Mandalorian". Grogu is a small puppet in some scenes and CGI in others. The CGI never exceeds the range of what the puppet can do. That is about knowing how something is structured or made.
Video game development is an exciting field. It is also pretty competitive. Make sure to take a look at all the elements that come into the creation of games.
Gloria
While there is a technical element to video game design, I would offer two areas for you to also study - storytelling and how things are made.
The storytelling element will help you understand a narrative. Whenever I interact with gamers, they talk about the journey they are taking along with how cool the graphics are. Whatever the journey, there are ups and downs, things that can and should happen, and things that wouldn't happen, unless it was set up in advance.
I offer how things are made as another element since for a fantastical story to be believed, the humans and animals that inhabit the space need to be real. And when you create characters in tools like Character Animator, the focus is often on the skeleton of whatever you are creating. So for people, it would be anatomy. For architecture, maybe some elements of structural engineering. I don't mean become a doctor or architect, but learn how things are made. How does a human hand move? For example, very few people can fold their fingers back over the top of their hand. Usually people go to the hospital to fix that. I am a huge fan of the series "The Mandalorian". Grogu is a small puppet in some scenes and CGI in others. The CGI never exceeds the range of what the puppet can do. That is about knowing how something is structured or made.
Video game development is an exciting field. It is also pretty competitive. Make sure to take a look at all the elements that come into the creation of games.
Gloria
Katie Swenson, CPTD
Learning Designer/Instructional Designer/Multimedia Designer
6
Answers
Spokane Valley, Washington
Updated
Katie’s Answer
Hi Siara,
There are several programs at universities that offer concentrations and degrees in animation and game design. I found this list: https://thebestschools.org/rankings/best-video-game-design-schools/ and the program descriptions help list some of the specific skills that would be needed for the career. It looks like several have partnerships with large companies as well.
For a skills list it looks like:
Visual design
Art
Digital design
Programming
Editing
Storytelling
Interactive storytelling
Gameplay mechanics
Storyboarding
Character development
Sketching
User experience design
There are several programs at universities that offer concentrations and degrees in animation and game design. I found this list: https://thebestschools.org/rankings/best-video-game-design-schools/ and the program descriptions help list some of the specific skills that would be needed for the career. It looks like several have partnerships with large companies as well.
For a skills list it looks like:
Visual design
Art
Digital design
Programming
Editing
Storytelling
Interactive storytelling
Gameplay mechanics
Storyboarding
Character development
Sketching
User experience design