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Wanna-be Designer

ok, I've been itching in the brain over my idea of a game that I'd love to make,  what kind of stuff should I study up on?

is there a specific programming language or is it a matter of what resources ya have?

Comments

  • LonehearthLonehearth Member UncommonPosts: 66

    Not to ruin your dreams or anything but, there are some few things when it comes to being really succsesful in game design/development.

     

    Many of the succsesful ones started early, with programming in general and it takes TIME to get the neccesary knowledge and experience. I see you are already 28 years old and if you do not have any previous experience with any programming it might be really hard for you to start now.

     

    Making complex games most often require teams with each member having expertise in their own field (There are some exceptions, like minecraft for example)

     

    Many game designers/AD's started low and worked their way up.

     

    If you really want to pursue the creation of your idea, i suggest googling up some basic information on the topic.

  • theinvadertheinvader Member UncommonPosts: 240

    Always read the small print.

  • ScrimMalteseScrimMaltese Member Posts: 469

    Originally posted by theinvader

    So You Want to be a Game Designer

    The one in my sig is better. :)

  • psyclumpsyclum Member Posts: 792

    Originally posted by Foxkoun

    ok, I've been itching in the brain over my idea of a game that I'd love to make,  what kind of stuff should I study up on?

    is there a specific programming language or is it a matter of what resources ya have?

    you should study up on marketing and finance.  investers/venture capital is how games are made...

  • MumboJumboMumboJumbo Member UncommonPosts: 3,219

    Kinda depends on your final goal and what skills/interests you have and if the risk-reward analysis is in your favor?

    It's definitely possible to work on your idea on the side and maintain your real/usual profession. Sounds like you need to get up to speed on programming and that would be the first step on what that takes and if you take to it? Also the final goal should be understood: Ie investment of your time and money to profit and success of the end-product: This would require learning more about the games industry for eg MMOs are massive beasts and you'd have to be a regular games developer before taking on such a huge project I'd point blank recommend.

    The other option for an indie-dev either browser games (flash for eg) or app games (iOS or Android and more) would be good timing if you are entering the games industry as these are possible for hobby-style devs. Otherwise following the industry's regular career path into game dev needs to be considered before realizing a full game and that's a lot of investment for a starter career salary in a few years time <.<

    Even snake that old game on the mobile is a beast of programming, remember! So try to programme some small games and take it from there - that feedback will be invaluable I'd suggest?

    Recommended languages for starters: Java, Python. For serious devs already into programming: C++ and so on... though I prefer the aforementioned.

    Currently learning to make an app game myself which is rewarding just learning let alone making milyens

    1. Google some places to get more info and discuss where to begin eg http://www.gamedev.net/

    gluck.

  • anemoanemo Member RarePosts: 1,903

    If you don't know where to start and be productive.  You're obviously not ready to start at all.

    Back to the batters plate and don't strike out.

    Practice doesn't make perfect, practice makes permanent.

    "At one point technology meant making tech that could get to the moon, now it means making tech that could get you a taxi."

  • FoxkounFoxkoun Member Posts: 96

    it's an interest, I'll probably be leaving it on the shelf to pursue when I have the time and money.. Seriously though, what's wrong with pursuing something out of interest?

    Minecraft has a $ tag, stranded doesn't, so not every game is born as a product for gain.

    And to those who dismiss the intention as "your idea sucks", bite me.

  • ScrimMalteseScrimMaltese Member Posts: 469

    Originally posted by Foxkoun

    And to those who dismiss the intention as "your idea sucks", bite me.

    You should read the article instead of just the title. It's a very good article that goes into pretty nice detail.

    If you want to be a game designer for a small indy game with a couple people working on it, that's feasible. However, if you want to work for an already established company as a game designer, you'd probably have better chances of hitting the lotto.

    Personally, being a Game Designer is my dream too (go figure right? just like everyone else in the US under 40), so I worked hard and am finishing up a degree in Computer Science. Now, I'm not going to persue the dream directly, but try to persue it indirectly. If it so happens that I can get a spot as a Game Designer at some point in my life, then that's just awesome. But, to persue the dream as my goal and get a worthless degree in "Game Design" from some worthless for-profit college, is just rediculous. 

    However, I love that video above linked by theinvader. The whole time it really felt like they were describing me, which gives me alot more hope than I've ever  had before. I've always known I don't play games like most gamers, but I never realized I did it from that perspective. I don't play games to play games, I play game to analyze their mechanics and when I learn pretty much everything there is to learn about the game, I get bored and move on to something else. I really don't care about beating the game or getting to end game sometimes. It's just something I've always done. Ofc, you add into the pot that I'm a 27yr old OIF Vet and Comp Sci senior who's been to 45 states in the US, 4 countries (and plan on going to lots more), and used to want to be an artist when I grew up (until I realized there is no money in it), I'm a history & science buff, I'm fascinated by other cultures, and I can pull a fully playable PnP type game out of my ass in just a couple hours.... yeah... I wasn't kidding about feeling like it was describing me. lol

    Now ofc realistically, I'm probably never going to achieve that goal at a large company, just like you or all the other 100million wanna be game designers in the civilized world. But hey, there is nothing wrong with anyone (you, or me, or Bob over there) trying to persue dreams, so long that you don't screw up your life in the process. Personally, I am shooting for a goal that is near my ultimate goal and hopefully I can achieve it by proximity. And if I can't, then I'll still doing something I love to do. 

  • XsnakeyXsnakey Member Posts: 30

    a lot to learn and yeah experience is important.

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