The Games Game

The Elusive Game Designer (May 2003)

Dear Tom:

I am 20 and two months away from finishing my second year in a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Information Science. After some soul-searching, though, I have come to the conclusion that the job I want is not Programmer or Artist, but Game Designer. From my understanding, the Game Designer is the one who comes up with game ideas and writes the stories, essentially acting as a Director of sorts. It sounds like a dream job! The problem is that I don't know how one becomes a Game Designer.

I know of many schools that teach programming and art that are geared directly at Game Development but none that specifically offer a Game Designer degree. I'm thinking about dropping out of CIS and transferring to an art school to become a game artist, which probably fits my creative temperament better than programming anyway, but only if you think that would prepare me better to become a Game Designer.

Mack

Dear Mack,

Yes, there does seem to be quite a bit of cachet to the title "game designer," but as you've probably noticed, there is also quite a bit of confusion as to what it actually is. Schools that offer degrees in game programming often refer to "game design" as an aspect of programming, and schools that offer degrees in game graphics refer to "game design" as an artistic endeavor. They are both right in a way, but your understanding of the situation is closer to the reality.

That said, some game companies don't even have a job position called "game designer." Most games are designed by team members whose actual job titles vary from programmer to artist to producer to marketing... to customer support or tester! In a sense, "game designer" can be more a listing in the credits of a game than a job title.

Some folks do wind up with the title of Game Designer eventually, but it takes years of working in the industry, contributing significantly to several games, before that can happen. Some folks your age are laboring mightily to get a "Game Design" degree in hopes of being hired as a "Game Designer" right out of college but that isn't the way it works. The way you become a game designer is by starting with programming or art or some other skill that'll get you hired at a game company. It sounds like you're torn between programming and art, and are having second thoughts about having chosen to major in programming. If you're doing well in that program, why not stick with it, and minor in art.

That way, you would wind up being an artistically inclined programmer. The other way, you would be a technical-savvy artist. Both would be good pathways to game design. Especially if you also include writing in your studies. If you want to be a game designer, you need to have excellent written communication skills.

Good luck!