What job is right for me?

Games Career Development Business

Started by IIandrew August 14, 2013 11:58 PM

3 comments, last by Jungle Friend Studios 10 years, 7 months ago

IIandrew

105

Author

August 14, 2013 11:58 PM

Hello I'm new here so if this is the wrong place I'm sorry.

Anyway I was doing some research about what job I would like to do in the future. Just things like, what degrees I'll need and what job integrates a lot of things that I like to do.

I came upon two jobs that both sound good for me but I am a little unsure.

The two jobs are game designer, and game producer. I'm leaning towards game designer.

First off let me say that I like gaming, but I'm not trying to get into the industry because I like playing video games. Unlike most players I play for the experience because I like the feeling of video games taking me to another world, or place and having me do something I will never get the opportunity to do in real life.

I think that I would like to be a game designer because I like the idea of creating new worlds for players and I think I could be good at it. I'm good at writing (at least I'm willing to work on it). And also I am good at managing people and I think I make a good leader, especially on projects. Some of my problems are that I do not draw very well. I enjoy drawing when I can get my ideas out on paper, however often I cannot get what I want drawn. I was wondering if this was a major problem though because I can work with an artist pretty well. I have a friend who is an artist and I started describing ideas to him and he was able to get pretty much exactly what I wanted down on paper. Also I showed him some of my drawings for a reference.

Anyway I like thinking outside the box to solve problems, I like coming up with ideas for new worlds, and I can manage people pretty well.

My question is should I be a game designer a game producer, or something else?

Feel free to ask me more questions and I will try to answer them the best I can. If you can, list degrees that would fit well with what I have told you so far.

Thank you for your time.

Tom Sloper

17,201

August 15, 2013 01:13 AM

1. I came upon two jobs that both sound good for me ... game designer, and game producer. I'm leaning towards game designer.
2. I think that I would like to be a game designer because I like the idea of creating new worlds for players and I think I could be good at it. I'm good at writing (at least I'm willing to work on it).
3. And also I am good at managing people and I think I make a good leader, especially on projects.
4. Some of my problems are that I do not draw very well.... I was wondering if this was a major problem
5. My question is should I be a game designer a game producer, or something else?

1. Usually, when you're "leaning" one way, that's the way you should go.
2. It's good that you are able to express a reason for your choice.
3. Now you're talking about the producer job (not the designer job). Designers don't manage people or lead a project.
4. It's not.
5. So you have a decision to make. Make a decision grid. Read more about producing (you already know a lot about designing), and ask questions.
http://sloperama.com/advice/lesson42.htm
http://www.creativeskillset.org/games/careers/profiles/article_4737_1.asp
http://archives.igda.org/breakingin/path_production.htm
http://sloperama.com/advice/m70.htm

-- Tom Sloper -- sloperama.com

Sacaldur

943

August 15, 2013 03:46 PM

First of all: I'm neither a game designer, nor I'm a producer, nor I'm working in the games industry, so my answer is based on books, videos, and articles rather than experience.

For the choice you have to make the videos Extra Credits: So You Want To Be a Producer and Extra Credits: So You Want To Be a Game Designer should be interesting. The most important thing regarding the producer is: You won't develop games (except for small studios... maybe...).
The book "The Art of Game Design" is in my opinion worth reading if you want to do something in the game development (said the programmer). It contains some informations about working in a team on a game projekt, documents during the development, and how playtesting could be done, but most of its content addresses to game designers.

I heard several times, getting into the industry as a(n "unexperienced") game designer is not as easy as it is for a programmer, producer, or artist. (But like I said befor: I have no personal experience so I'm possibly misinformed.)

4.) For all I know, as a game designer, you only need some drawing skills to support your explanations. If you have an idea for a specific topic, a simple sketch somtimes explains this idea better. None of your drawings will be used in the final game because doing the graphics stuff is a job for other people. ;)

Ronnie Mado Solbakken

610

August 15, 2013 09:45 PM

To expand a little on what Tom said about drawing skills:

1. The drawing skills required to make something that works as a prototype for a producer, literally takes about 2 days of Youtube fanboyism to learn. And it looks awful.

2. If you want to get something that looks great yourself (e.g. for a downloadable indie title on your own website), you can literally get someone to do the artwork for you.

--------------------

As for game developers, that's just anyone who literally and physically makes the software. In big companies, nobody is just a "game developer", cause that's just a general term. Everyone have specific roles. In that case, they call the big boss the Lead Developer, The one who coordinates with Designers or even Lead Designers of specific disciplines (depending on the team structure).

The disciplines of game design include:

* World Design

* System Design

* Content Design

* Game Writing

* Level Design

* User Interface Design

* Audio Design

(ref. Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_designer#Game_designer)

As an indie developer, however, you're doing most or all of that work yourself. So you're "The Developer", and sometimes even the producer and distributor to boot (if you're making your work available for download on your own website). If you're really good, the marketing can happen through fans themselves simply enjoying your game and sharing that experience with their fellows. Kinda interesting how Mojang haven't spent a single dime on marketing Minecraft.

- Awl you're base are belong me! -

- I don't know, I'm just a noob -

Jungle Friend Studios

115

August 23, 2013 07:47 AM

Being a producer inherently means having an understanding of Game Design.

I'd get experience first in game design and read EVERYTHING you can. Here are some quick book suggestions:

Level Up by Scott Rogers

Theory of Fun by Ralph Koster

The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design by Flint Dille

Read Gamasutra & Venturebeat.com/games to get the general direction of the industry and for job postings along with gamedev, indiegamemag, reddit.com/r/gamedev

If you'd like to talk Game Design, message me on skype :) JungleFriendMax

Max

Looking to meet strategic partners and other game developers!

Skype: JungleFriendMax

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