Video Game Design

Hollywood has already begun cashing in on 3D technology with a series of big-budget blockbusters, including hits such as “Avatar” and “Resident Evil: Afterlife.” With the movie industry’s many parallels to the video game industry, it should come as no surprise that video game developers are looking into 3D technology as the next big money-maker in their industry as well.

The top video games are already intense entertainment experiences with high-definition graphics, motion-sensitive controls, and wide-screen television screens, and the introduction of 3D technology promises to make the gaming experience out of this world. Any hardcore gamer will relish all the explosions and fight scenes of their favorite games in three full-on dimensions.

However, 3D gaming can be expensive for the consumer. While electronics manufacturers are rolling out 3D televisions, these are usually expensive and many people are not able to afford them, especially so rapidly after high-definition prompted a flurry of television set upgrades. This is something developers need to take into account as they plan their approach to 3D game design.

The three major console manufacturers have already established three very different approaches when it comes to 3D gaming. Sony has already launched software changes that will allow for games in 3D for the Playstation 3 console. This is perhaps due to the fact that Sony is ready to launch their own range of 3D televisions.

Microsoft, however, is taking a wait-and-see approach. Microsoft Game Studios executive Phil Spencer states that “people just don’t really have TV’s in their houses right now that are going to do 3D in a way that’s going to work.” For this reason, Microsoft issued a statement saying that although the Xbox 360 is capable of delivering a 3D gaming experience, they intend to wait until the time is right before moving forward with any 3D game programming initiatives for the console. He also believes that 3D game design cannot evolve until there is no need for 3D glasses to be worn, and this is why Microsoft is continuing their research and development before making any major 3D releases. However, there will be 3D versions of some Xbox 360 games. For example, Batman: Arkham Asylum, was released with 3D glasses in the box. Releases like this one could work as a sort of video game testing for Microsoft to see if there is sufficient public interest in 3D games.

Nintendo is taking a completely different approach, launching a hand-held 3D gaming console with their new “3DS” console, due for release in early 2011. Nintendo may have struck gold with this move, since (unlike Sony’s 3D technology) the Nintendo 3DS will not require the use of 3D glasses or the purchase of an expensive 3D television. This effectively eliminates two of the main hurdles facing the other gaming companies that are attempting to incorporate 3D technology into the mainstream. It seems that Nintendo has a knack for predicting new technology trends, as they were also the front-runners in motion-sensitive game design with their Wii console.

Straight and to the point. Let’s go.

Two things stand between where you are now, and making thousands with probably the coolest job on the planet, video game designer. Two things will give you an edge over the legions of guys (and gals) who are on the exact same warpath as we are. The most important of the two is education. Plain and simple, if you do not obtain a bachelor’s or associate’s degree you will have all but eliminated your chances of a job in video game design.

You can save yourself a ton of time, we’re talking years, by seeking a game design degree. Use this article as a spring board and check out some of the online courses in game development available today. See which schools help with job placement and check out where their graduates are working today.

The other important factor in transforming from a gamer into a game developer is industry experience.

I’ll be honest, but in the game development field, the label of Lead Game Designer [http://hubpages.com/hub/djgamedesign] is the top most sought after position in the entire industry. Everyone from the testers to the modelers, the writers and the coders, even the guy fixing the fax machine, is in their respectful positions for two reasons: To earn income and to get their foot in the door.

You. Must. Get. Your. Foot. In. The. Door. Period. Actually thats like eight periods, but still…

Look, if you live in Texas or southern California, or another city where there is a game studio, find a job as a tester. Be professional. Make your reports concise. Do not be late for work. Stay later than required, even if you don’t get payed for the extra time. Show initiative but don’t look like you’re trying too hard to impress. Interact with the video game design team and most importantly… network yourself.

This is called work ethic, or the amount of effort seen in an employee’s performance of his or her duties. People with good work ethic, get the good jobs, the good money, and the good life. Work ethic is of paramount importance in a field like video game design that is heavily relied on deadlines and reputation.

Check out my Hub for more. If you got the sauce.

Choosing Your Game Engine

Choosing your first game engine is a touch task. Lets start by listing the more popular and known ones:
Source
Unreal

And lots more however those two are the most known to gamers and game designers.

The best way to start yourself in any topic including game design is to start at the bottom. The more basic games can be extremely popular. I’ve found myself that many of today’s newer game engines are a lot like some basic ones you can get today.

Game Maker 8 starting interface

Game Maker 8 is a basic but extremely useful game design engine that can teach you basics from tutorials, and even drag ‘n drop icons. From their you can get into advanced coding and scripting. But this well lead you onward in your game design journey. Although the choice is yours for other starting engines, this engine is an excellent preview of what your wanting to do.

Starting from scratch

Now that you have chosen your game engine you can start to learn how to use it. If your new to game design everything well seem pretty overwhelming. Do not fret though, there is many different ways to learn game design. If you have chosen game maker 8 than I welcome you to try it out as I explain things.

If you’ve read all this so far and expect that in 1 or more years time you well be able to make something like “Halo” then I am sorry to inform you that you are wrong. The picture above is a recent addition to the game maker 8 site yoyogames it clearly shows the approximate highest point you well get in game maker. However this is only an approximate and remember learning to do the above in game maker could lead to working on Activision’s “Call of Duty” franchise or other games out to date. But your gonna start as a beginner, and soon you might just make yourself known in the online gaming community.

Want to become a game designer?

Acquiring a Game Design degree online is perhaps the easiest way to get the qualifications you need to become a game designer. There are a number of accredited schools offering Game Degrees online, and depending upon your desired course of study, these schools offer a variety of cutting-edge degree programs.

Video Game Art & Design

If, for instance, you wanted to focus more on the artistic or creative side of game design, then the Art Institute of Pittsburgh might be the place you want to consider. They offer some courses in their Online Division that are focused on the artistic side of gaming, not programming.

Video Game Programming

There are various other schools that offer more game programming-oriented courses. The degrees and courses available include Digital Entertainment and Game Design, Game Art and Design, as well as Game and Simulation Programming, to name a few. Programs include Cinematography, Color Theory, Fundamentals of Programming, as well as 2D and 3D graphics programming.

Summary

So, when seeking information on acquiring a Game Design Degree online, be sure to look beyond the degree name to find out what courses are required for completion. These courses can range from the artistic, such as those offered by the Art Institute, to more technical, such as Game Programming and Simulation Programming.

For those who want a well-rounded degree, most online game degrees also include an element of management and developing general education as this is considered to be fundamentally important by most game industry professionals.

There are a lot of people who have an interest in becoming a game designer but are unsure whether or not to make it a career. The main purpose of this article is to provide information which will help you make this choice. Many different variables should be taken into account and below is a list with some of the pros and cons of being a game designer.

Pros

Designing games is fun. Creating them as a whole is very enjoyable as is working on all the different game mechanics and coming up with new and interesting concepts. Many times as a player, you might think how something in that game could be changed for the better. When it’s your job, you not only get to think of these ideas but also put them into practice.

You also get rewarded for creativity and innovation. Creating games in itself can feel very rewarding and when there’s a positive reaction to your game, it is even better. Contrary to many professions where things are predetermined, game designers are constantly seeking things that are new and improving things that already exist.

Though the salary may not be as high as other professions, there are a lot of professionals in this industry who do earn pretty well even though the game design market has not existed as long as other industries. Several industry-related sources indicate that the salaries for this profession range from $50,000 to $80,000 annually and averaging $57,500. Some companies also give bonuses and shares of the profits.

There is a variety of niche markets which are opening up. For example, you might choose to design games for PC, console, mobile or web. Then again, your choice might be based on the game genre you like best, such as: FPS, RTS, MMORPG, puzzle, sport, etc. With this variety, it is possible for game designers to choose the area which they like the most and learn to create games in those areas.

Cons

Long hours. Not only does practicing your skills for creating games take a long while, working in designing the games also takes up a lot of time. The game designing business is also well known for employees having to work exhaustively during crunch periods, which can often span several months.

You may have to work on games that your not very interested in. Due to the incredible growth of this industry, and the immense number of games being created, the probability of this happening isn’t very high. Even if this does happen, it can be turned into something positive if it later results in some sort of promotion, an increase in pay or equips you with new skills.

With the growth of the game design industry, the competition is also increasing. While there are new jobs opening constantly, the competition is becoming more fierce. Of course, this just means you need to be well prepared.

As with any profession, there are both pros and cons to being a game designer. Anyone that has a passion for games, has a keen sense of problem solving and a good dose of creativity, will find a job in game design a fun and rewarding option in a fast growing industry that has a promising future.

There are more video game design schools out there today than ever before. This is because more and more people are playing video games and more people are looking to get into the industry as a profession. Over the past 10 years or more, the industry has been growing at a rapid pace. This means there are more demand and also more need for people to attend video game design schools.

This is a demanding industry and very lucrative to attempt to get into at this time. There are many different courses based around video game design, all depending on the type of design you will be doing. The level of education that you need to attend these design schools will also vary according to what you will be doing. When you want to find information on game design, there are also many more resources available to you than ever before. You can use these resources to your advantage to help you learn more about game design and what opportunities exist for you. This means you can find video game design facts, information about schools and so much more.

When looking for a video game design school, you should look at the history of the school and what kind of reputation it has. You will also want to look at what courses they offer, what kinds of instructors they have and what experience they have in the industry as well. If you’re serious about becoming a game designer, you will want to be serious about your choice in design school. Take the time to do your research and choose wisely. This could be the deciding factor when it comes to a great future in the gaming industry. Remember that in addition to the right design school, you are also going to want to practice as much and as often as possible.

You may want to find out about scholarships that are available in design courses aimed at the gaming industry. This is because these schools can be very expensive and there may be very detailed courses that you need to take. If you show promising abilities in the area of design, then you may want to apply for one of these scholarships to help you cover some of the costs of tuition. It could just be one of the best decisions you ever make towards a future in game design.

Maya is one of the most popular programs being taught at video game design schools. You will find that many schools with a great reputation for giving solid advice and lessons on how to be a great game designer. If the thought of working in the video game industry sounds fun and exciting to you, then this might be the type of school you want to look into attending.

You can learn about game mechanics when you attend a video game design school and this is what will help you know how to create games the proper way. It’s important to understand how the game is played in order to help you create a great game. Choosing the right school is a crucial step to becoming a video game designer.

The entertainment field is actually the most lucrative and growing industry we have today. Due to this there has been an increase in the demand for skilled personnel in the entertainment world. Video game enthusiasts have been given an opportunity to study video game design in an in depth manner. The communications field has created opportunities for people interested in this field by coming up with animation productions.

There is a game design school where you can get to know about what the field encompasses. This is having the following modules in which one gets to learn about: user interface design, interactive application design, product design, audio and video editing, game development, web design and industrial visualization. The best thing about the these programs is that they are engaging and anyone with an interest in the arts can do them successfully. The digital arts programs are categorized into many disciplines meaning that there is a wide scope of subjects that a learner gets to know of. The subjects are namely: illustration, traditional drawing, graphic design, sculpter, 3D modelling, story development, sound design, animation video, story telling, media integration and storyboarding

These design programs offered at a game design school are technical and they come in applied courses. These programs which are utilized by companies which embrace an integrated media and are usually structured in such a way that they allow the learners focus and specialize in a specific area. If your interest is in video editing then you can choose to pursue video editing which is your area of interest.

To take up these packages of video game design you have to have web design skills like web interface and fundamental programming graphics. These are the concepts required for any students aspiring to do the course. The video game design Students are usually introduced to the graphics, concepts, strategies and terminologies required in order to understand the whole subject .A student is usually accredited with a bachelor of science in Digital Art and Animation and a Bachelor of Science in Digital Audio Technology.

There are different types of video game design software available today. When you learn more about this and what is available, it will help you to make the right decision for your software choice. If you have a passion for video games and you want to be a part of video game design, then you are going to need to learn to become familiar with the software that is out there.

Do you want to know how to design a video game? You are not alone. As the popularity of games increases, the desire for more people to get into the industry also increases. This is a great thing for everyone involved because it means there is more demand for video game designers and related services. You can also find free game design software that helps you to practice and keep up to date on your design techniques. If you stay updated on these types of tools, you can ensure that you stay at the top of your game when it comes to your designing games.

Some examples of video game design software you might like are:

• Crystal Space 3D Design Engine
• Cube – Design software for first person shooter
• DimensioneX- Design engine for MMORPGs

You will find that animation software is a very helpful tool when it comes to video game design. This will help you to get a good idea for what your creations will really look like. If you know what types of games you want to design, it will help you to choose the software that is best for your needs. If you are still unsure of what type of design you want to do, then you may use a more general type of game design software that allows you to do different things. Once you discover which specialty you want to go into, you will be able to pick a software program that is specific to that.

Maya is a very popular name in the world of game design and you probably also know that C++ is commonly used in design so if you have knowledge here already, you will be a step ahead when it comes to understanding design and the software programs that are available to you. You may have also heard of Digitech as this is a name that is well known when it comes to design world. If you go to video game design school, there may be certain types of software that you are required to be familiar with to get through your school.

There may also be some that are given to you, depending on the school or college that you attend. You may also be required to become familiar with different types of programs because you never know what you will be required to do once you are out of school and start taking on jobs. Understanding the types of popular video game design software that is available out there will be very helpful in furthering your career.