Twin Fox Studio

Every game that gets released on one of the different platforms like PC, Sony PlayStation, Nintendo Switch & more had to be designed at some point. So what exactly is game design? How is it different from game development? All of this and more will be answered in the upcoming paragraphs where we talk about the core elements of game design and its purpose.

The Definition of Game Design

Game design is the process of creating and shaping the mechanics, systems, and rules of a game. They are created for all sorts of purposes like entertainment, education, exercise, or experiments. Nowadays games can be found almost everywhere, no matter if it’s in digital or physical form. In order to stand out from the crowd, it requires not only a good idea but also a great execution of what you came up with.

At its core, Game Design is the process of building and figuring out the base of your game. No project can be made without proper planning and the right preparations. It doesn’t matter if it’s a single developer or a whole team, there has to be a good foundation on which you can build up on.

Game Design VS Game Development

Game design and game development often get mixed up with each other. While they are rather similar, there are in fact very distinct differences between the two of them. Especially if we’re going to take a look at the distinctions between the jobs and their respective tasks.

Game Development is the process of creating a game as a whole while game design is all about figuring out the frame work for your game like genre, style, story and more.

Game Designers focus more on the creation of the general layout of the game while a game developer, also often referred to as game programmer, is more specialized on the technical aspects and limitations of the project.

The reason why both areas are often hard to separate, is because the borders aren’t easy to define as one might think. Both sides need to have technical and artistic skills as well as knowledge about the technical limitations, budget and other general conditions. Game Designers and developers have to work closely together to ensure a flawless and high quality product. They are iterating and polishing the game together throughout the production so it’s just natural that it’s hard to draw a distinct line between them.

Game Design Document (GDD)

To be able to properly plan your game, you need a Game Design Document for your team. This document acts as a blueprint for the project and evolves over time while you’re iterating your prototypes. It also serves as a perfect overview if you want to pitch your game to someone.

In this document, you should write down your visions & ideas while also trying to answer all questions that might come up in the future like:

• Are the graphics going to be in 3D or 2D?
• What kind of genre is it going to be?
• What is the story like if it even has one?
• How can the player win or lose the game?
• What kind of setting does it play in?
• …

A Game Design Document isn’t set in stone. It changes and evolves over the course of the projects while you discover new aspects of your game. You shouldn’t be afraid to deviate from your initial plan or design. Sometimes things sound good in theory but won’t work out in practice or maybe you’ll find certain parts even better than the original idea. No matter what’s the case, don’t forget to document every single change you’ll make in the GDD. This helps to keep people on the same page while also keeping track of what is going on in your production.

Different aspects of Game Design

Now that we know the basics, we can take a deeper look into the things that are involved in game design and are an essential part of the development process like:

• Brainstorming & implementing ideas
• Basic script & story writing
• Rough planning of aesthetics & setting
• Designing levels, puzzles & challenges
• Planning interfaces & audio
• Developing gameplay & mechanics
• Testing & iterating their game
• …

Game Design is always present through the whole process of video game creation. No matter if it’s a rough block out on pen & paper or complex refinements during the final stages of development, it never stops. Most studios even continue polishing their game after they have already released it to the public.

Game Design as a Carrier

Nowadays there are endless possibilities to get a job in the game industry. Being a Game Designer is just one of them. To become a professional you need to have both technical and artistic skills and of course a general interest in games plays an important role in it. Depending on the studio you’re working at you’ll be diving into all kinds of different parts of video game development from coming up with a simple idea to testing the game in its final stages.

You’d be working closely with both artists and programmers to properly communicate your visions and ideas while also overseeing the development of your game to ensure a high quality product at the end of the day. It isn’t mandatory to have a degree in Game Design but it can help you to network with people and enhance your skills along the way.

If you want to know more about how to become a Game Designer, click here:

What is a Game Designer? – Twin Fox Studio