Video Game Design

Job Summary:
Video game designers write the blueprints for computer games. They decide the mission, theme and rules of play. They oversee the entire game-playing experience. The early stages of game design involve brainstorming, teamwork, and revision.

Most development teams have a lead games designer. The lead designer is responsible for the overall concept and feel of the game. Level designers work with artists and programmers to lay out smaller sections of the game. Writer-designers write game text and dialogue. Some also write manuals and hint books.

Designers test their ideas by writing short scripts and narratives. They also sketch storyboards which describe the action of the game with a sequence of pictures. After designers decide on a game concept, they write a detailed plan called a design document. Everything the player might do, see or hear is described in this document. As their concepts become clearer, designers supervise the production of working versions of the game.

A designer's main concern is to make the game entertaining.

Qualification:
Most video game designers earn a college degree in Design. The most common degree concentrations are English, art and computer science. However, a designer's most significant training comes from experience.

Salary Range:
Industry sources suggest that the salaries of game designers vary widely. Surveys by placement companies found that annual salaries ranged from $35,000 to $75,000 in 1998 and 1999. This range reflects the varying job responsibilities designers have. Salary also depends on reputation. Game designers with the best reputations earn the highest salaries.

Prospects:
There are no entry-level positions for video game designers. Designers usually begin their careers as game artists, programmers, testers or producers.