Computer Games Designer

Also known as:

Designer, Computer Games
Games Designer, Computers

Introduction

Computer games designers devise ideas for computer games and help determine how they look and play. They begin with an outline of the game and use a variety of tools to produce a final script for the game.

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Work Activities

Computer games are a familiar part of life in modern Britain. Computer games designers are the people who think up the games and help determine how they look and play.

Games are developed for a number of different platforms (types of computer), particularly PCs and consoles. Games are also played online, on mobile phones and through TV.

Computer games designers devise the ideas for these games. Inspiration may come from a book, film or short story, or entirely from the designer's own imagination.

Computer games designers usually begin with an outline setting out the story of the game in linear form. Computer games are interactive - the player's actions affect the way the story unfolds. Designers develop the story into a complex script showing the options a player might take and the consequences, possibly leading to different conclusions.

To do this, designers use tools such as flowcharts, storyboards and index cards. Many of these tools are available as computer programs. Eventually, perhaps working with others, they produce a final script for the entire game.

Along with the art director, computer games designers decide on the overall look of a game. They may produce sketches and storyboards, and design the interface, which is what a player sees while playing the game. The interface is very important, because it determines how it feels to play the game and the kind of choices that a player can make.

Games designers also use 'level editors' which provide a user-friendly interface between old-fashioned coding and a standard graphic design program. Level editors are used to build up a game's 2D or 3D world. They are often sold packaged with the game, so that players can design their own levels for games. Doing this can be a good way for would-be designers to improve their skills and build up a portfolio of work.

Computer games designers work in a close team, led by a project manager, and including graphic artists, writers, musicians and programmers. Many team members have a range of skills, so there are writer-designers, artist-programmers and designer-producers. Different designers have different strengths, some more interested in writing, others in the more visual aspects of the work.

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Personal Qualities and Skills

As a computer games designer, you will need good IT skills and a strong interest in (and enthusiasm for) computer games.

You should have a strong visual imagination, and be able to work with complex, multi-stranded scripts and programs. You need a logical, methodical approach. You should also be patient and painstaking, as developing a new game is a long, demanding process.

You need good communication skills to present your ideas to other people. You have to be a good team worker.

Artistic/design skills are essential, and for some types of computer game, scriptwriting skills are important. Some programming knowledge/ability is desirable, but you do not necessarily have to be an expert computer programmer.

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Pay and Opportunities

The pay rates given below are approximate.

Computer games designers earn in the range of £21,500 - £27,000 a year, rising to £33,500 - £43,000. Higher earners can make around £52,000 a year.

Salaries may include performance-related pay, profit sharing or company bonuses.

Games designers usually work a basic 37-hour week, Monday to Friday. However, late finishes and weekend work may be required, especially to meet deadlines. Self-employed designers may work longer and more irregular hours.

The UK has a small but thriving computer games industry, and skilled personnel are much in demand. There are also good opportunities to work in France, the USA and Japan, where many computer games companies are based.

A few years ago the computer games industry expanded rapidly, with Scotland well to the fore in research and development. Now the industry has stabilised into a multi-national business with no real geographical centre.

Employers range from large firms involved in creating, publishing and marketing new games to smaller software publishing houses that specialise in particular types of games.

Vacancies are published in the national press, in specialist magazines such as 'Edge' and on the Internet.

Some designers are employed on a short-term or fixed-term contract basis.

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Adult Opportunities

It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

If you don't have the qualifications needed to enter your chosen degree, HNC or HND course, a college or university Access course, eg, Access to IT/Computing, could be the way in. These courses are designed for people who have not followed the usual routes into higher education. No formal qualifications are usually needed, but you should check this with individual colleges.

• 7% of people in occupations such as computer games design are self-employed.
• 3% work part-time.
• 21% have flexible hours.
• 4% of employees work on a temporary basis.

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New Developments

This occupation may involve homeworking.  Find out more about Working from home.