Summary of The Four Types of Video Game Designers - Game Design Specializations - Extra Credits

Types of Game Designers:

• Content Designers:
  • Focus on creating the story, lore, and mission content in games.
  • Strong creative writing skills and the ability to deliver consistently on a schedule.
  • Responsibilities include:
    • Developing high concept stories and lore.
    • Creating quests and missions.
    • Crafting NPCs and their backstories.
    • Writing dialogue and item descriptions.
  • In card games, they work on lore and character identity; in RPGs, they focus on quests and dialogue.
• Level Designers:
  • Conceptualize play spaces and layout environments for gameplay.
  • May have technical art skills but primarily focus on gameplay aspects.
  • Responsibilities include:
    • Mapping areas and determining cover and spawn locations in shooters.
    • Planning environmental challenges and movement puzzles in platformers.
    • Designing maps in MOBAs that dictate game flow.
• Systems Designers:
  • Specialize in building and balancing game systems and mechanics.
  • Strong math skills and communication abilities for documentation.
  • Responsibilities include:
    • Balancing game economies, combat, and skills.
    • Maintaining master spreadsheets for unit abilities in RTS games.
    • Designing mechanics and balancing cards in collectible card games.
• Experience Designers:
  • Focus on the responsiveness and feel of game controls and elements.
  • Rarely recognized as a distinct skill set until recently.
  • Responsibilities include:
    • Fine-tuning controls for vehicles and weapons.
    • Enhancing player experience through feedback and control feel.

Key Takeaways:

Each type of designer plays a crucial role in the development of a game, and understanding these roles can help aspiring designers identify their interests.

It's possible to have strengths in more than one area, and the specific genre of the game may dictate which skills are most needed.

Featured Contributors:

• Jeff (studio director and game designer)
• Sponsored by NordVPN
• Acknowledgments to contributors: Ahmed Ziad, Turk Gunner, Clovis, Alicia Bramble, Kyle Murgatroyd, Casey Muscha, O Reals 1, and Dominic Valenciana.

Notable Quotes

— 04:42 — « Systems designers are game designers who specialize in building and balancing systems and mechanics. They're the spreadsheet wizards who enjoy taking things apart, tinkering and putting them back together. »

— 06:02 — « Experienced designers specialize in the responsiveness, feedback and the general feel of a game's controls and of elements within them. »

— 07:00 — « We hope that as you begin your journey into game design that our discussion of these four types of game designers inspires you to ponder what type of skills you're passionate about and what type of game designer you want to be. »

Category

Gaming

Video