Jaime
What classes do you have to take in order to be a game designer?
I am a student that is interested in working as a game designer, but want to know what classes are required for me to take this career. #college #video-game-design #game-design
3 answers
Eugene Cordell
Eugene’s Answer
The problem with game design is that it's always changing. One year it's Corel, the next it's something else! Better to get a major in Game Development to understand the basics. Here in Cali, we have App Development businesses everywhere, so I would encourage you to get involved in the the game festivals, like Indiecade or Blizzcon, to meet people in the field and converse - volunteer or buy a ticket to get in.
Personally, I'd learn GameSalad, since its a mini-entrepreneur system, like Machinima, that's open to teenagers. If you can build a game there, you can present your ideas anywhere. But if you're more worried about graphic designing, I would highly suggest starting with Corel or Illustrator. If you want to take classes, Adobe and Microsoft have certification courses
Chris Allen
Chris’s Answer
No classes are required, but there are things that will help. Your greatest skill as a Game Designer is the ability to Design Games.
Make games. Make them in software (like Unity or GameMaker), or just make them with bits of paper and plastic.
More importantly, play those games you make, play them with people, and watch people play them. Figure out how to improve them. The greatest skill a designer can have is to figure out why something isn't working/fun and be able to fix it.
There are classes that will help you understand that, Math (especially Discrete Math) is key to understanding why elements of your game aren't working.
Once you can break down problems and understand how to fix them, then the next skillset you'll rely on is communication. Be a good presenter, be a clear writer, have the ability to turn ideas into understandable drawings. You don't need to be Obama or Picasso, but being able to clearly communicate what is in your head to other people is vital.
Catherine Silvestre
Catherine’s Answer
I'd definitely recommend taking some classes in math and data analytics. This will help you to understand game balance, tuning, and player progression. Once the game it out, you can use the data to validate if your players are moving through the game as you intended.
Your best bet would be to join a Game Design program in an accredited school. Look online and find one with a great reputation. I taught Game Design at the Vancouver Film School, which is one of the top 10 programs in the world. Not only will you learn about all of the possible roles in game development, you will get a chance to build something along the way. It's also great for networking. In many cases, you may still want to further your education in art or engineering, but quite often a Game Design diploma may be all you need to become an entry level Designer, Producer or Tester.
Devin Seto