if you want to be a designer, you either have to:

1. start with one of the other areas, eg coding, in which computer science, and DAMN GOOD MATH is crucial. or you could pick art, and thats cool because a designer REALLY needs to be able to express ideas visually, in which case sketching, and possibly 3d modelling could be really useful. the ''easy way in'' is as a tester, but most people would hate that after the initial "i work for a games company" buzz, and there''s a very real possibility that a tester won''t be promoted to a designer anytime in the next 5000 years.

2. get lucky. the easiest way here is to start your own studio with a group of people you know, and try to make something you can sell. this is much riskier than option #1.

if you don''t want to be involved with any of the coding, art, sound or anything, just design, then yes, communication is the key. communication is the key anyway, just being able to express ideas as code, or as art helps a lot!

my 2 cents worth....

quote:Original post by Scarto
What is a good major for a game designer? Just computer science. or is computer engineering/software engineering good too?

on the subject of compsci vs. engineering, you need to be able to do both. compsci tends to focus more on the theory - languages, compilers (including writing them), algorithms and algo analysis, etc.

engineering is far more about solving real problems using software.

both are needed for good games development, although i would settle more for the side of engineering, as you can pick up specific algorithm concepts rather easily off places like this, but learning to *solve software problems* is the thing you learn well at college.

edit: personally, im majoring in compsci, but thats only because i have 10 years experience doing to problem solving, and only about 2 seriously playing with algorithms.

[edited by - Qatal on January 7, 2004 4:05:55 AM]