Video Game Designer

Design core features of video games. Specify innovative game and role-play mechanics, story lines, and character biographies. Create and maintain design documentation. Guide and collaborate with production staff to produce games as designed.

On the job, you would:

Balance and adjust gameplay experiences to ensure the critical and commercial success of the product.
Devise missions, challenges, or puzzles to be encountered in game play.
Create core game features, including storylines, role-play mechanics, and character biographies for a new video game or game franchise.

Personality

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Characteristics of this Career
		88%	Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
		86%	Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
		85%	Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
		84%	Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
		83%	Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
		83%	Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
		81%	Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
		79%	Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
		79%	Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
		77%	Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
		61%	Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
		60%	Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
		56%	Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
		54%	Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
		51%	Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Strengths
		83%	Artistic - Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.
		61%	Enterprising - Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Values of the Work Environment
		83%	Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
		83%	Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
		70%	Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
		56%	Recognition - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.

Aptitude

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Abilities \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		78%	Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
		75%	Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
		75%	Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
		75%	Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
		72%	Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
		72%	Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
		72%	Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
		69%	Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
		69%	Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
		69%	Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
		69%	Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
		60%	Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
		56%	Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
		56%	Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
		53%	Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Skills \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		57%	Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
		55%	Programming - Writing computer programs for various purposes.
		55%	Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
		55%	Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
		55%	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
		55%	Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
		55%	Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
		52%	Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
		52%	Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
		52%	Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
		52%	Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Job Details

Responsibilities

Analyze market or customer related data.

Communicate project information to others.

Update knowledge about emerging industry or technology trends.

Develop testing routines or procedures.

Communicate project information to others.

Design video game features or details.

Supervise information technology personnel.

Collaborate with others to determine design specifications or details.

Communicate project information to others.

Prepare graphics or other visual representations of information.

Communicate project information to others.

Prepare graphics or other visual representations of information.

Test software performance.

Collaborate with others to determine design specifications or details.

Design video game features or details.

Document design or development procedures.

Design video game features or details.

Prepare graphics or other visual representations of information.

Manage information technology projects or system activities.

Manage documentation to ensure organization or accuracy.

Collaborate with others to determine design specifications or details.

Test software performance.

Collaborate with others to determine design specifications or details.

Document design or development procedures.

Design video game features or details.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent
		100%	Electronic Mail - How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
		96%	Spend Time Sitting - How much does this job require sitting?
		94%	Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
		94%	Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
		93%	Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
		84%	Level of Competition - To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
		76%	Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
		76%	Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
		76%	Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
		76%	Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions - How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
		74%	Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
		71%	Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
		71%	Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls - How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
		63%	Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
		60%	Importance of Repeating Same Tasks - How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job?
		57%	Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
		54%	Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
		54%	Responsibility for Outcomes and Results - How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
		53%	Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
		100%	Duration of Typical Work Week - Number of hours typically worked in one week.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Tasks & Values
		98%	Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
		96%	Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
		93%	Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
		83%	Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
		76%	Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
		74%	Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
		70%	Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
		69%	Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
		68%	Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
		66%	Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
		65%	Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
		65%	Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
		65%	Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
		59%	Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
		58%	Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
		57%	Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
		54%	Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
		53%	Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

What do video game designers do?

Design core features of video games. Specify innovative game and role-play mechanics, storylines, and character biographies.

Create and maintain design documentation. Guide and collaborate with production staff to produce games as designed.

Balance and adjust gameplay experiences to ensure the critical and commercial success of the product.
Devise missions, challenges, or puzzles to be encountered in gameplay.
Create core game features, including storylines, role-play mechanics, and character biographies for a new video game or game franchise.

Getting Started

Education:

55%

Bachelor's Degree

15%

High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

How to Become One

As the video game industry grows, more universities are creating curricula to support careers in video game design. These courses are usually offered within the computer science or media departments. Video game designers typically have a bachelor's degree in game design, computer engineering, or computer science which takes four to five years to complete. Courses in a game design degree program may include project management, integrated video design and technology, game prototyping and level design.

Education:

While the education requirements for a game designer may vary slightly by positions and specific job duties, such as the requirements for a game artist versus the requirements for a game writer, in general, most multimedia artists and animators need at least a bachelor's degree. Associate's degree programs in game design are available, but bachelor's degree programs in the field of game design are even more common.

These bachelor degree programs are usually offered as Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS) degrees and some may be available in online formats. Common coursework for these degree programs include hands-on workshops and courses in topics like:

2D and 3D design
Game prototype
Character design
Game publishing
Scripting

It is also important for multimedia artists and animators to continue honing their skills through practice, self-study, and/or additional coursework to learn new techniques and/or technologies in the field. After working for a few years and demonstrating good teamwork and time management skills, some of these professionals may move into supervisory positions.

Check out one of the best video game design schools: Full Sail University

Video Game Designer

What they do:

On the job, you would:

Personality

Characteristics of this Career

Strengths

Values of the Work Environment

Aptitude

Abilities | Cognitive, Physical, Personality

Skills | Cognitive, Physical, Personality

Job Details

Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent

Tasks & Values

What do video game designers do?

Getting Started

How to Become One