I think the guy was just trying to show off. The reason the dark elves are blue comes from the lore. It was azura's curse on the tribunal for breaking their oath to Nerevar and using Kagrenac's tools, when Sotha Sil rejected her divinity. Which would have been a much more interesting, less egotistical answer for him to give.
even tho a education is important, the best way to start is by figuring out what kind of field you want to work with (coding, animation, grapics, music) and start doing it as a hoby, if you like working with it, it will become natural to you to fool around with after a while. and you'll learn alot by just having fun and exploring your ideas :) by the time you are able to go to the school you want to go to, you may allready have learned half of it by yourself! never doubt yourself :D
I work as a game developer. I do both programming and artwork. People think it's a glamorous job where you get paid a ton of money, but it's basically like any other job in IT, except a bit more creative and longer hours sometimes. But it's a lot of fun. It has been my dream since I was a kid to create my own games.
I started when I was 12 and now I'm 17, START. RIGHT. NOW. There's a lot of good people, lots of talented kids. I suggest knowing what to expect before you even go to college because things are going to get competitive and they'll start weeding out kids who don't know what they're doing.
I am currently going to college to be a Video game designer and graphic designer and came across this video while looking for resources for a term paper. I just wanted to say thank you for your story. It helped me out quite a bit actually.
this is really inspiring, at first I was scared of pursing video game development because I heard it was a bit difficult finding a job in that area but watching this video, I feel like I should go and follow this path because I love playing video games like everyone else out there
Most video game designers have bachelor's degrees in English, art, computer science, or related areas. In addition, many colleges offer video game specific degrees (such as ITT Tech, DeVry or The Art Institute, and many others). Good luck with your career pursuits!
+luis fuerte My dream job is to be able to just say: I want to make this game. Then do it and have others join in to do whatever they want to add then tell a publisher: I want to publish this. And seeing my past work they won't refuse.
I remember around 5 years ago when i wanted to start doing game dev i thought it is super fun. Now as a game dev, not a professional one right now but still a game dev, i realized that game dev is a huge commitment a really competitive industry and really hard work. But for people who are passionate about games it is nothing, i know it can get really hard but when u have fun at work you never have to work.
Right now I'm at the point in my life where it's like I love video games and want to design them but what if I fail or what if this isn't what I want it's so hard because the thought of failing and being a nobody with no job or money scares me and while my mom says I'm too young to worry about it I'm still looking at the fact that I'll be in college in a few more years (which goes by very fast) another thing that worries me is when I get out of college what will I do college is all fine and dandy but after college where do I go how do I officially become a game designer *sigh* man I'm just worried about a lot of stuff right now for my future
I'm 29, when I was in 5th grade [maybe 12 yo?] they brought a career counselor to school to talk to us kids and see what we wanted to be when we grew up and help us get on the path to said job. I was one of the first called on, asked what I wanted to do when I grew up, I stated proudly "I want to make video games". Him, my teacher, and the rest of the class laughed at me for a while, then the counselor asked me "What else would you rather be?" and I said it again, to which he replied "there is no future in that, what else do you want to be?" I said again, louder "I am going to make video games, fuck you!" and began to leave the classroom, then the bell rang to change rooms. I now own [started myself] my own game development company GrrMooGames. However back in those days, the game industry was in decline and there was NO help out there for 'hobbyists' or Independent developers, and if failure is such a big fear you wont try, than game dev is not for you, as part of making a game is failure after failure after failure, but it is where we fall short where we can learn and grow the most, it is the only way to make better games in the future. Good Luck, and don't worry so much about the future when you never know what could happen tomorrow, instead take action and DO something about your dreams and goals today, every small step you take counts, and every step is all just a small part of the bigger journey.
Barron Vandervoort thanks for the words of encouragement and really I hope to make it like you do and as for your story about the career counselor mines literally snickered in my face when I announced high and proud I want to be a game designer and every guy in my class were saying sexist stuff about me being a female game designer and how I probably would just end being a secretary for a real game designer and it's like every time she comes she wants to change my decision by saying stuff like you'd be a great nurse or animal doctor! or game designers really don't make that much! but anyways thank you for helping me see the light and for encouraging me Screw everyone who looked down on me I am going to be a game designer
awesome, just be you, and dont let others so easily diminish what makes you happy, because it takes effort to be happy, where as you do not have to do anything at all to feel down.
uneliasmarsu yea ha ha thanks for the advice actually sometimes when I think about game ideas (such as stories plot or even character design) I write/draw them out I have a note pad full of sketches and ideas but I always get too embarrassed to show them lol
This video inspired me. I already had a dream to design games before watching this, and now that desire has "leveled up" to a passion. Thank you for this video, and thank you Lord for letting me find it!
So, I'm a 13 year old girl, keen to become a game dev. How can I gain experience and start learning? I have a laptop although my parents don't want me downloading stuff on it since I got a virus -_- it's gone now, but they won't let me. How can I learn to code and create games??
Trizard Just go around on different websites researching how to do certain things. Start out small like building your own website or something. Just make sure you understand the basics of coding and everything before you jump right into making a game.
Trizard And Gabrel have said all you have to do :P But if I can tell you something, i'm 12 years old and I create games in the Unity engine, i code in Javascript and C#, so, i'm really young, like you of course, but this does not means that we can't make something that for the other people may seem difficult, you don't have to be a genious in maths, the things that you'll need in game programming will be just the bases of maths: Addictions, subtractions, fractions, moltiplications, stop. You have to learn the bases of the vectors, and other little things, just when you're ready to start, start small, dream big, and start making "the game of your life", and last but not least, enjoy doing it, programming can be so fun but at the same time so mindblowing, :) (oh and try to tell your parents what you want to do, and explain the things that you will make, they'll probably let you do it :) ).
Actually designing a game is more than just loving to play video games. You have to have a deep understanding of human psychology to develop engaging and fun games.You're not just designing something to work in your head or that works on a computer. You also have to design it to run on the human computer of the brain. If you want to take a course in the hopes of being a video game designer, I would recommend psychology over anything
She is so correct when she says its best to start out on paper. I have been designing for years small levels and yes I can say from personal experience drawing out a sketch on paper is a really great start.
im 15, tbh i'm more interested in computer science and software engineer and the like but this has given me a spark of dedication. I don't really care much about my classes and so i have only an 80+ average, I took the pre-requisite for AP/IB Computer Science and it's regents freshman year, so now i'm in IB CSII, but i've realized that if i really want to do this i should take better care of my normal core classes. ive still got the majority of 3 yrs to get it right so thank you.
I am 13 years old with a guru's understanding of c# and my mom tells me that im perhaps the best programmer in the neighborhood with titles under my belt such as call of duty civil war and Tiger Woods tomorrow never dies.
I currently left my old high school and joined ITT Technical Institute to learn how to program and design, my dream job is to become a game programmer, designer, or developer, I know it will be hard, but I've spent almost all my life playing games and I would love to spend the rest of it making them, their is no better job than making something you're compassionate about
im 15 and im working on getting into the industrial design field (concept art) and i will tell you it took me about 2 years to decide on the field...what you really need to do is look at the video game industry and the jobs in it and see what you are good at...if you are an artist then go into industrial design or illustration, if you are a writer then become a story scripter, if you just wanna play video games then become a tester (which is a lot harder than it looks. just watch the psn series)
Hmm. I'm not saying that the video game industry is a horrible place to work, but it's not the flower filled sunshine of fun that she seems to be addressing. I'm not saying you shouldn't go for it, but just don't hop into your office expecting an amazing work enviroment
The title game designer can cover many jobs, for instance: Programming, script writing, level designers, sound engineers. So a game designer doesn't necessarily just mean story writer but it does cover it...so if you are going into story writing you might want to make sure you're doing the right course.
Nice. I play a lot of WoW and it really inspires me to become a video game designer. For those of you who want to do level making / map designing, warcraft 3 world editor is a good start.
Im a game designer of 6+ years on AAA games, and this video should be titled "Day in the Life: Video Game Level Designer. As a "Game Designer" for 3 different AAA studios the video game designers and I were first and foremost Scripters. You'd come in sit down grab the latest build files from P4, build code and art assets, then get to work in a script editor like SlickEdit, Crimson Editor, Notepad++, or some studio-created script editor. And you start writing script code. Level Designers either build BSP maps like Hammer Editor or Unreal Editor, or work with Environment Artist to build levels based on a modular toolset with pre-built art assets that piece together to make a level. If you want to become a "Video Game Designer" please for the love of God learn to code in C++. And for college please for the love of God get a Computer Science degree from a state U and not from Full Sail.
Can this role be learned on the job? I'm a business studies graduate with no programming/coding/scripting skills but I really want to become a game designer? Can my dream become a reality or have I just waited my time spent at uni getting a business degree?
No you can learn on the job but it makes it easier if you do stuff on your free time. Learn UDK, Unity or some other engine like Source. Build maps for CSGO or for other games like Dying Light. Also every designer should know C++ or if not, Python LUA or even Java. Breaking in is tough just build a portfolio of your best work. Even if that work is one CSGO map, but make it a kick ass map. Also with Full Sail good luck paying off 50-100k in student loans with interest. You are better off going a state U or even a community college earning a degree in Computer Science which will also help give you another career option if the game industry fails for you or you just couldn't get a foot in the door. Just break in as a QA Tester. Then work your way into Design.
welcome. breaking in as QA is always the best route. and sometimes the easiest. make friends with the designers as a QA. That way they know you're interested in design and want to continue to build your career there. You can make a career out of QA but dont expect the best pay or job security. But even in design you can lose your job. and once you're in, dont stop doing things on your own free time at home. just dont go selling some iOS game or PC indie while working for a game studio; conflict of interest. But its good to keep up with latest engines and toolsets.
3:33 he wanted the Dark Elves to be blue in Morrowind ??? was he Todd Howard, Ken Rolston, Mark Nelson or Julian LeFay your professor at video game college ?!?
There are general Computer Science programs that, depending on the school, will go into game programming or place you in teams for "real life" development projects, which can be a lot of fun. There are some schools that offer focused Game Programming courses, but as always, look carefully into the school's reputation, faculty, and try to talk to the students if you can. But yeah, for a programmer, the usual route is going for a Bachelor's in Computer Science.
I'm 15 and in high school. I plan to go into video game design myself. In fact, I have already picked next hour courses in video design at my high school. I'm also thinking about colleges. Any colleges you recommend me checking out for this field.
when i sit down to make the sketches and design-documents for games i hope to make in the future, i always make sure that the gameplay, story and characters are as anti-cliche, original, weird and unusual as much as possible, before proceeding on with writing a novel-like manuscript for the game. For the games i CAN make NOW, by myself without coding, i always make sure the control-layout and design is unusual. This originality is something i have by instinct, it is not exhausting or a pain
But then again, a gamer sees all aspects inside of multiple games, giving them a better reference of what works as opposed to creating something that risks not being played. Being as original as possible, with dedication that is accentuated with creativity almost always pays off.
Is there any jobs to do with character creation/design as I really love sketching characters and then detailing the work I create and I would love to get a good quality computer and start making 3D versions of characters 😃
either game developing courses, or go into a specific field e.g. programming (computer science, programming, software engineering), artist (art courses, modelling, 3d modelling), writer (english courses and stuff)
Not necessarily. It sort of works like TV shows, where you have writers and scripters who make up the story and then designers "translate" that into the game. For example, for Black Ops 2 they had the guy responsible for Batman write the story, which the game designers will later after a long process of discussion (in which the original story often changes) make up levels, cutscenes, puzzles, etc. So designers can change the game, but the esential storyline is still written by an actual writer.
@packsfan36 The ones in the video was an in-house editor written by our programmers. There are tons of editors out there though, and many of them get released with the games. Skyrim has the Creation Set, Portal has Source, Quake has Radient, Starcraft 2 has an editor, Unreal Ed is free to download.
i absolutely love the idea of a game designer saying: "This is like this, because i wanted it to be like that." not like "we had a long discussion, and it really went back and forth for weeks, but in the end i pulled it home with some good arguments, and that's why the Dark Elves are blue."
Im doing a school project on video game designing. For it i need to do an interview. (My teachers say i can't do that subject unless i have someone to interview beforehand) Anyway, would you mind having me interview someone from where you work?
This is actually what I was planning on getting a degree when I head to college. It seems like a fun job, especially since I could blend both my love for anime and games together.
I am currently in my sophomore year of Game Design, this video was really good. Is there any way I would be able to contact Kim? I searched for her on LinkedIn but was unable to find her. Having the chance to talk to someone on the other side of my degree would be really helpful to me.
Have you decided what you wanted to specialize in yet? that always helps, Also, start looking for jobs now and get a internship. I have a degree in Game Design.
I am really stuck between writing or drawing. I am really good at both. Our school offers specializations and I'm one call away from having the design one, being in my sophomore year I am going to go after the writing one as well. I want to work for a company, not do an independent game. I would like to work on a game like Guild Wars 2. Both my writing and design is very fantasy like. :)
It is very very very very hard to find get hired at a well known game design studio (Like EA or Ubisoft) especially in writing. If you want to focus on writing start writing short stories to put in your portfolio. Thats what companies look for in writers. If you want to do drawing figure out what kind of drawing you want to do whether its level design, graphic design, animation, background design etc. If you want to talk more feel free to message me. I'm happy to spread some wisdom!
Not sure, i randomly found a senior high school program called "game design" that i will most likely attend. Not sure how much of the programming parts will be there though
Take a look at the extras on games that show how the game was made. And see all the different positions, what they typically do and work out where you want to be. I think they only pick the best so I think you have to be a really great artist or programmer. The programmer guy on GoW's, said he had to get used to the PS3 system and create his own scripts and such. They seemed really time constrained too, stressing out to get it done in time.
@saeklin 3. Again, depends on your skills and the company. My first job in the industry was at a company so small, they had everyone designing gameplay. Also decades is a bit of a "misnomer" in that most people in the industry don't have decades of experience. The average burnout is 8 years. At 5 years/5 shipped titles you are generally considered a senior designer.
It really depends, if your working for a smaller company, or at least on small projects you will have some say in the story making. You might even be assigned to be head story developer. But larger games have its own story writers.
I can't afford another school loan. I have a full time job now and I plan to try to get my hands on Hammer editor because I like fps games. I have 3DS Max and Photoshop 6 which was a doozy to pay off my credit card. Home ed will be my make or bust. Relocation is a no go.
may also consider playing around with unity with c# or javascript. lots of good script references and tutorials out there, and pretty easy to whip together a prototype
Let me be straightforward with you. To become one, you must create. Start designing things now, start programming. It will pay off when you reach college and you already know how to program and design.
Yeah, ideas sound very good on your head, but when you get into the actual design of the game you find out there are many holes and things that need balancing to create the intended experience.
Great Work! I am also a level designer and I am thinking eventually I will find a job :D At the second I am only 14 though but I will try to get the best grades I can :D Also I can program but I am an average at Javascript and know a bit about c++ and c# But this realy inspired me to continue =D Thanks for sharing!
I have a question though, did Kim have any special drawing skills before integrating the Guildhall design program? Because I'm really thinking of going next year for the same program but I'm not a special artsy guy.
+jordanjumpman27 It depends if you like programming or just want to build assets like artwork or 3D modelling.Once you know what you enjoy then just start looking at University courses that offer what you're looking for.
You're just like me! I want to make stories and characters and art and want to be super successful! I'm already practicing and I managed to get on the phone to a recruitment manager for a big company, who gave me lots of details. I can't wait! I'm super excited to start learning more, and I'm 14 next month :P
-decide early what you want to do. -no carreer path is easy, need to spend tons and tons of time studying and enjoy doing so. constant working will make you dull, remember to take break and have fun! good luck.
I have a interest in fine art but want to be more specialized to help me get a job. I've always enjoyed video games and have a curiosity in how they are made so if I wanted to be an artist for a game should I also take courses in video game design along with visual arts?
Try checking out Extra Credits on Penny-Arcade's website. They get into some of the nitty gritty details, and the main writer for them is a free lance game designer, professor for Digipen, and runs a consulting company for game studios, and other affiliated groups.
How long does it takes to make a completely video game? I learned by myself with C, C++, Python, and now I learned a little bit of Unreal Engine 4 to make games..... but it take like forever to get to the "video game" level =(
That probably still holds true for simpler games, or older style ones where it's more of a computerized puzzle or timing challenge. If you can pick it up for five minutes, you'll have a good feel for the game. Whereas the newer full immersion games, five minutes doesn't even let you setup a character. There's a lot more aspects that need to fit together that can't be smoothed out on paper and calculators alone. i.e. A doorway that looks awesome but isn't easily passable.
Learning coding language C, then C++, it seems to go far nowadays, I'm going to be taking a course in University next year and they've said they're teaching C++. I'm in the same boat as you as I'm also trying to become a games developer :')
@MarckMabimods I know several people who worked on Skyrim too. The great thing about the game industry is that it is super small. So chances are, you are going to run into and talk to people who worked on games you geek out over.
I'm just moved to a new school and I am taking information technology and they just finished teaching game design and we're starting another topic, I'm interested in game design are there any apps or anything I can do in my free time to learn
Start small, like making games with Game Maker. Then make stuff with mapping engines or what you branch you want to do. (I'm studying to become a World/Level Designer)
I have to admit, i'm fairly the same. However a good place to start is either learn a coding language or do what i'm going to try do and get a job as a game tester. Maybe one day i'll work my way from there higher and higher ... who knows? You should check out game tester (It sounds and looks horrifically boring to some, but those who really have an interest should overcome boredom). Hope I helped.
I thought of getting into game designing, but it's hard right now because of supporting myself with rent and car payments. Plus of all, it takes to long to graduate from Associate, Bachleor, Master Degrees. I heard they got a online certificate like program at Academy Art Institute. The thing is, will it get me in the doors? Send some info please?
No! Essentially you can from courses or institute because they give you contacts. A Degree will not determine you to get a job, I have met people and they got a job through self teaching and Hard work which leads to passion. The first thing you need to figure out is, what job to get into designing games. Do you want to be a 3D Artist, A concept Artist or a programmer or Generalist(A person who does a mix of jobs). You first need to know what to study in, before you go to tertiary education or self taught. At the end of the day you have to do the work yourself to get in the industry. I studied 3D Animation but my interest is more concept designs. Hope it helps.
Try Full Sail University they will get you loans, or grants for college and work with you! You can do it online or go to Florida. I am a student there and its the best college i been too! I am in it for Computer Animation 3-D Bachelors Degree. Also they will help you find were you want to work after you get done, and teach you tricks to get to talk to the people of the Media world. diigo.com/01u4d0
When i was 15 I always wanted to be a video game designer. But since i failed in math.I can't be 1 anymore. I am 23 working as waiter for a minimum wage
The truth that lies behind every of those videos, is that it's extremly hard to get into it if you are starting. It's fun when you think about it, but when you enter in that world and see the vast amount of work, will make you cry like never before.
Not usually, computer science mostly is concerned with IT stuff and especially programming. But if you want to get into animation and game design it's not a bad class to take, considering things like programming play heavily into the field.
@saeklin All of this is spot on for the most part. 1. I have worked on 4 games, and I only really liked one of them. Only that one was a game I would have played. 2. It depends on the company. At a now closed studio we had a 3 month deathmarch (7 day work weeks, 12 hours a day, for 3 months.) However at my current job, we haven't crunched a single day, despite having shipped a game during that time. It's all about the producers.
I so badly want to work in the video games industry, but I'm terrified. There are so many things you can be but so many levels and courses you have to take to become them. I have no idea where to start and I'm only 14!
I do like video games, and I think I would want to be a designer, but I don't know what games I would strive to make. I like sandbox games, but I would also like to make games that have a storyline and/or a purpose. Sims and Minecraft are great examples of games where you strive to get the best stuff and it never ends, but I am also fascinated with games that reach the player at an emotional level. Portal 2 for example is long, requires thought process, and keeps the gamer engaged because you feel like you are Chell the whole time (First person). I just have one question... Do I have to be an amazing artist to be a game designer? I am not the best at drawing, but am fascinated about creating games.
No you do not have to be amazing artist to be a game designer. But you need to make finished games either alone or in a team to actually be a game designer. Grab Unity or GameMaker and make a simple finished game. And keep on making them. And for the love of god, start with something basic, like pong.
***** First of all sorry for not answering for tooooo long . So, about the Game Maker. I personally use Unity so I'm not familiar with the nuts and bolts of Game Maker. But I do know that a lot of high-profile indie games have been created with it (most notably Hotline Miami, Spelunky and Super Crate Box). As far as I know, Spelunky even has procedurally created levels and it is GOOOD. (here's a list of stuff made with GM www.yoyogames.com/showcase?page=1 ) So, it's obvoiusly not a "primitive toy for kids". But of course it has limitations. IIt has support of 3d but it is known not to be good. It is also said te be not good for bigger games. Which is a good thing - I know noone who would finish a big game as a first project =) Regardless of what your goals are and what are your "competences" I suggest examining different software. Not cheking out Unity is a crime. Unreal engine is also free for non commercial use and is A LOT OF FUN to play with and especially to design levels (and it has a visual scripting which is really cool for us, non-coders). CryEngine is also available for free (to check out, you still need to pay royalties) and is also really cool to play with. Personally, I'm curious to take a look at Unigene. Hope it was not completely useless =) Cheers!
***** you don't have to be a programmer to develop games with Game Maker but there are limits to what you can do with Game Maker so if you reach the professional level you have to move to another game engine such as Unity and UDK and at that point you have to use programming somehow or just work with other programmers ..... wish you all the best.
if you want to make games then the only thing standing in your way is yourself for the basics grab a copy of game maker with its logic nodes controlling everything quite simply...then if you feel more comfortable with games then perhaps grab unity and make something more advanced (or if you're feeling adventurous then feel free to jump straight into unity and see what you can do). But overall just make stuff, and make stuff you like and enjoy making
But in a big team I guess it is possible to do only programming. But first of all to work efficiently at either job you have to gain practice and then will able to decide which task suits you best. Nobody can answer that question for you. Personally I think drawing something that is almost better than reality is just as cool as calculating ways for enemys to reach the hero or composing music that actually can make you cry (if it is sad music).
i am at still at school, in about 1 and a half year i will have finished school, and i am planning to become a game programmer. i wanted to ask, if a game programmer also has to design levels and think about concepts whether the game is fair and fun, or is his task really "only" programming, so dealing with the maths, logics, physics ?
"Do you know why the dark elves are blue?
Because I wanted them to be blue."
Best. Quote. Evar!
TAA TAA TAAAAAA TAA TAA TAAAAAAAAAA taa taa taaa tatatataa taa taa
I think the guy was just trying to show off. The reason the dark elves are blue comes from the lore. It was azura's curse on the tribunal for breaking their oath to Nerevar and using Kagrenac's tools, when Sotha Sil rejected her divinity. Which would have been a much more interesting, less egotistical answer for him to give.
"Hey you know why the dark elves to be blue? Because I wanted them to be blue." What a badass way of introducing yourself.
even tho a education is important, the best way to start is by figuring out what kind of field you want to work with (coding, animation, grapics, music) and start doing it as a hoby, if you like working with it, it will become natural to you to fool around with after a while. and you'll learn alot by just having fun and exploring your ideas :) by the time you are able to go to the school you want to go to, you may allready have learned half of it by yourself! never doubt yourself :D
Well... she seems happy.
I once had a job with a boss who played WoW with me. He was a total nerd into comics, games, movies, it was awesome. That was the best job I ever had.
passion, always a great & attractive thing to see in a person
I work as a game developer. I do both programming and artwork. People think it's a glamorous job where you get paid a ton of money, but it's basically like any other job in IT, except a bit more creative and longer hours sometimes. But it's a lot of fun. It has been my dream since I was a kid to create my own games.
I love her enthusiasm. Totally makes the movie!
Lol who doesnt want to become a game designer/developer after watching this vid.
+Furious Emerald me
i hope u will find something u like more then this then :)!
Thanks 😀. I actually already found what I like. I'm doing computer science double major with math. I really like math!
awsome :D!
i love mathematics & computer science
+Ariel Bereslavsky We've got you covered, why not become a game programmer :p
I started when I was 12 and now I'm 17, START. RIGHT. NOW.
There's a lot of good people, lots of talented kids. I suggest knowing what to expect before you even go to college because things are going to get competitive and they'll start weeding out kids who don't know what they're doing.
"Do you know why the dark elves are blue?"
"Uh, no."
"Because I wanted them to be blue."
*Sound of my jaw hitting the desk
I am currently going to college to be a Video game designer and graphic designer and came across this video while looking for resources for a term paper. I just wanted to say thank you for your story. It helped me out quite a bit actually.
this is really inspiring, at first I was scared of pursing video game development because I heard it was a bit difficult finding a job in that area but watching this video, I feel like I should go and follow this path because I love playing video games like everyone else out there
Most video game designers have bachelor's degrees in English, art, computer science, or related areas. In addition, many colleges offer video game specific degrees (such as ITT Tech, DeVry or The Art Institute, and many others). Good luck with your career pursuits!
My Dream Job Right Here
luis fuerte Thanks for adding to the discussion here. Why would this be your dream job? Are you working toward it now or have plans for the future?
+ConnectEd I'd love to become in a game developer... I'm studying software engineering for my bachelor degree...
+luis fuerte
My dream job is to be able to just say: I want to make this game. Then do it and have others join in to do whatever they want to add then tell a publisher: I want to publish this. And seeing my past work they won't refuse.
That's so inspiring.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I remember around 5 years ago when i wanted to start doing game dev i thought it is super fun. Now as a game dev, not a professional one right now but still a game dev, i realized that game dev is a huge commitment a really competitive industry and really hard work. But for people who are passionate about games it is nothing, i know it can get really hard but when u have fun at work you never have to work.
Right now I'm at the point in my life where it's like I love video games and want to design them but what if I fail or what if this isn't what I want it's so hard because the thought of failing and being a nobody with no job or money scares me and while my mom says I'm too young to worry about it I'm still looking at the fact that I'll be in college in a few more years (which goes by very fast) another thing that worries me is when I get out of college what will I do college is all fine and dandy but after college where do I go how do I officially become a game designer *sigh* man I'm just worried about a lot of stuff right now for my future
I'm 29, when I was in 5th grade [maybe 12 yo?] they brought a career counselor to school to talk to us kids and see what we wanted to be when we grew up and help us get on the path to said job. I was one of the first called on, asked what I wanted to do when I grew up, I stated proudly "I want to make video games". Him, my teacher, and the rest of the class laughed at me for a while, then the counselor asked me "What else would you rather be?" and I said it again, to which he replied "there is no future in that, what else do you want to be?" I said again, louder "I am going to make video games, fuck you!" and began to leave the classroom, then the bell rang to change rooms.
I now own [started myself] my own game development company GrrMooGames.
However back in those days, the game industry was in decline and there was NO help out there for 'hobbyists' or Independent developers, and if failure is such a big fear you wont try, than game dev is not for you, as part of making a game is failure after failure after failure, but it is where we fall short where we can learn and grow the most, it is the only way to make better games in the future. Good Luck, and don't worry so much about the future when you never know what could happen tomorrow, instead take action and DO something about your dreams and goals today, every small step you take counts, and every step is all just a small part of the bigger journey.
Barron Vandervoort thanks for the words of encouragement and really I hope to make it like you do and as for your story about the career counselor mines literally snickered in my face when I announced high and proud I want to be a game designer and every guy in my class were saying sexist stuff about me being a female game designer and how I probably would just end being a secretary for a real game designer and it's like every time she comes she wants to change my decision by saying stuff like you'd be a great nurse or animal doctor! or game designers really don't make that much! but anyways thank you for helping me see the light and for encouraging me Screw everyone who looked down on me I am going to be a game designer
awesome, just be you, and dont let others so easily diminish what makes you happy, because it takes effort to be happy, where as you do not have to do anything at all to feel down.
ideas come and go unless you write them down, always write them down! (even if they are silly ones)
uneliasmarsu yea ha ha thanks for the advice actually sometimes when I think about game ideas (such as stories plot or even character design) I write/draw them out I have a note pad full of sketches and ideas but I always get too embarrassed to show them lol
This video inspired me. I already had a dream to design games before watching this, and now that desire has "leveled up" to a passion. Thank you for this video, and thank you Lord for letting me find it!
So, I'm a 13 year old girl, keen to become a game dev. How can I gain experience and start learning? I have a laptop although my parents don't want me downloading stuff on it since I got a virus -_- it's gone now, but they won't let me. How can I learn to code and create games??
Trizard Try Khan Academy, you don't have to download anything there.
Trizard Just go around on different websites researching how to do certain things. Start out small like building your own website or something. Just make sure you understand the basics of coding and everything before you jump right into making a game.
Trizard And Gabrel have said all you have to do :P But if I can tell you something, i'm 12 years old and I create games in the Unity engine, i code in Javascript and C#, so, i'm really young, like you of course, but this does not means that we can't make something that for the other people may seem difficult, you don't have to be a genious in maths, the things that you'll need in game programming will be just the bases of maths: Addictions, subtractions, fractions, moltiplications, stop. You have to learn the bases of the vectors, and other little things, just when you're ready to start, start small, dream big, and start making "the game of your life", and last but not least, enjoy doing it, programming can be so fun but at the same time so mindblowing, :) (oh and try to tell your parents what you want to do, and explain the things that you will make, they'll probably let you do it :) ).
You still understand what she's trying to get across so why does it matter?
For a start, go to scratch.MIT.edu its a really easy game making program :P I use it.
Ahh, Morrowind... Brings back memories.
Yeah! I used to play it on the orignial xbox. Good times.
Kim should know she is my inspiration, Thank You! I didn't know where to start until I found this video.
Actually designing a game is more than just loving to play video games. You have to have a deep understanding of human psychology to develop engaging and fun games.You're not just designing something to work in your head or that works on a computer. You also have to design it to run on the human computer of the brain. If you want to take a course in the hopes of being a video game designer, I would recommend psychology over anything
+leftyfourguns No. If you want to learn about psychology? Than read books. Why would you waste money?
+leftyfourguns where did u get this idea from
She is so correct when she says its best to start out on paper. I have been designing for years small levels and yes I can say from personal experience drawing out a sketch on paper is a really great start.
im 15, tbh i'm more interested in computer science and software engineer and the like but this has given me a spark of dedication. I don't really care much about my classes and so i have only an 80+ average, I took the pre-requisite for AP/IB Computer Science and it's regents freshman year, so now i'm in IB CSII, but i've realized that if i really want to do this i should take better care of my normal core classes. ive still got the majority of 3 yrs to get it right so thank you.
I am 13 years old with a guru's understanding of c# and my mom tells me that im perhaps the best programmer in the neighborhood with titles under my belt such as call of duty civil war and Tiger Woods tomorrow never dies.
I currently left my old high school and joined ITT Technical Institute to learn how to program and design, my dream job is to become a game programmer, designer, or developer, I know it will be hard, but I've spent almost all my life playing games and I would love to spend the rest of it making them, their is no better job than making something you're compassionate about
im 15 and im working on getting into the industrial design field (concept art) and i will tell you it took me about 2 years to decide on the field...what you really need to do is look at the video game industry and the jobs in it and see what you are good at...if you are an artist then go into industrial design or illustration, if you are a writer then become a story scripter, if you just wanna play video games then become a tester (which is a lot harder than it looks. just watch the psn series)
Hmm. I'm not saying that the video game industry is a horrible place to work, but it's not the flower filled sunshine of fun that she seems to be addressing. I'm not saying you shouldn't go for it, but just don't hop into your office expecting an amazing work enviroment
Dont expect to hop in either. I'm going on my 3rd month after college and still no game design job.
***** im a designer not a programmer. I can make all the assets but when it comes to Actionscript or C++ im SOL
The title game designer can cover many jobs, for instance: Programming, script writing, level designers, sound engineers. So a game designer doesn't necessarily just mean story writer but it does cover it...so if you are going into story writing you might want to make sure you're doing the right course.
this video helps. I'm doing a end of six weeks project and the career i chose is video game designer.
Nice. I play a lot of WoW and it really inspires me to become a video game designer. For those of you who want to do level making / map designing, warcraft 3 world editor is a good start.
i want to make a game like sims... but with a bit more violent and gore
I would play that.
Im a game designer of 6+ years on AAA games, and this video should be titled "Day in the Life: Video Game Level Designer. As a "Game Designer" for 3 different AAA studios the video game designers and I were first and foremost Scripters. You'd come in sit down grab the latest build files from P4, build code and art assets, then get to work in a script editor like SlickEdit, Crimson Editor, Notepad++, or some studio-created script editor. And you start writing script code. Level Designers either build BSP maps like Hammer Editor or Unreal Editor, or work with Environment Artist to build levels based on a modular toolset with pre-built art assets that piece together to make a level. If you want to become a "Video Game Designer" please for the love of God learn to code in C++. And for college please for the love of God get a Computer Science degree from a state U and not from Full Sail.
Can this role be learned on the job? I'm a business studies graduate with no programming/coding/scripting skills but I really want to become a game designer? Can my dream become a reality or have I just waited my time spent at uni getting a business degree?
Huh?
No you can learn on the job but it makes it easier if you do stuff on your free time. Learn UDK, Unity or some other engine like Source. Build maps for CSGO or for other games like Dying Light. Also every designer should know C++ or if not, Python LUA or even Java. Breaking in is tough just build a portfolio of your best work. Even if that work is one CSGO map, but make it a kick ass map. Also with Full Sail good luck paying off 50-100k in student loans with interest. You are better off going a state U or even a community college earning a degree in Computer Science which will also help give you another career option if the game industry fails for you or you just couldn't get a foot in the door. Just break in as a QA Tester. Then work your way into Design.
Alu Card thank you so much for the advice, it's greatly appreciated! :)
welcome. breaking in as QA is always the best route. and sometimes the easiest. make friends with the designers as a QA. That way they know you're interested in design and want to continue to build your career there. You can make a career out of QA but dont expect the best pay or job security. But even in design you can lose your job. and once you're in, dont stop doing things on your own free time at home. just dont go selling some iOS game or PC indie while working for a game studio; conflict of interest. But its good to keep up with latest engines and toolsets.
*turns to boss in-game*
"Hey boss, do you mind if I'm late to work tomorrow?"
"Nah, it's alright :D"
This is my future job....seriously....
So cool. I really love her enthusiasm!
3:33 he wanted the Dark Elves to be blue in Morrowind ??? was he Todd Howard, Ken Rolston, Mark Nelson or Julian LeFay your professor at video game college ?!?
There are general Computer Science programs that, depending on the school, will go into game programming or place you in teams for "real life" development projects, which can be a lot of fun. There are some schools that offer focused Game Programming courses, but as always, look carefully into the school's reputation, faculty, and try to talk to the students if you can.
But yeah, for a programmer, the usual route is going for a Bachelor's in Computer Science.
I'm 15 and in high school. I plan to go into video game design myself. In fact, I have already picked next hour courses in video design at my high school. I'm also thinking about colleges. Any colleges you recommend me checking out for this field.
Awesome, good luck to you
I have heard University of Southern California is really good.
Thanks for this. Really helpful to our online foundation diploma students:)
Online College of Art and Design We are so glad that you are using this as a resource!
when i sit down to make the sketches and design-documents for games i hope to make in the future, i always make sure that the gameplay, story and characters are as anti-cliche, original, weird and unusual as much as possible, before proceeding on with writing a novel-like manuscript for the game.
For the games i CAN make NOW, by myself without coding, i always make sure the control-layout and design is unusual.
This originality is something i have by instinct, it is not exhausting or a pain
But then again, a gamer sees all aspects inside of multiple games, giving them a better reference of what works as opposed to creating something that risks not being played. Being as original as possible, with dedication that is accentuated with creativity almost always pays off.
Is there any jobs to do with character creation/design as I really love sketching characters and then detailing the work I create and I would love to get a good quality computer and start making 3D versions of characters 😃
either game developing courses, or go into a specific field e.g. programming (computer science, programming, software engineering), artist (art courses, modelling, 3d modelling), writer (english courses and stuff)
Not necessarily. It sort of works like TV shows, where you have writers and scripters who make up the story and then designers "translate" that into the game. For example, for Black Ops 2 they had the guy responsible for Batman write the story, which the game designers will later after a long process of discussion (in which the original story often changes) make up levels, cutscenes, puzzles, etc. So designers can change the game, but the esential storyline is still written by an actual writer.
@packsfan36 The ones in the video was an in-house editor written by our programmers. There are tons of editors out there though, and many of them get released with the games. Skyrim has the Creation Set, Portal has Source, Quake has Radient, Starcraft 2 has an editor, Unreal Ed is free to download.
What education exactly do you need to have this job? Please help, I'm so lost. :/
i absolutely love the idea of a game designer saying: "This is like this, because i wanted it to be like that." not like "we had a long discussion, and it really went back and forth for weeks, but in the end i pulled it home with some good arguments, and that's why the Dark Elves are blue."
Im doing a school project on video game designing. For it i need to do an interview. (My teachers say i can't do that subject unless i have someone to interview beforehand) Anyway, would you mind having me interview someone from where you work?
wonderful video!! make me wanna get into the industry so much more.....but slowly im learnin the difficulties of getting into the industry!!
Does anyone know what program she uses to make the little car game that showed in the video?
This is actually what I was planning on getting a degree when I head to college. It seems like a fun job, especially since I could blend both my love for anime and games together.
I am currently in my sophomore year of Game Design, this video was really good. Is there any way I would be able to contact Kim? I searched for her on LinkedIn but was unable to find her. Having the chance to talk to someone on the other side of my degree would be really helpful to me.
Have you decided what you wanted to specialize in yet? that always helps, Also, start looking for jobs now and get a internship. I have a degree in Game Design.
I am really stuck between writing or drawing. I am really good at both. Our school offers specializations and I'm one call away from having the design one, being in my sophomore year I am going to go after the writing one as well. I want to work for a company, not do an independent game. I would like to work on a game like Guild Wars 2. Both my writing and design is very fantasy like. :)
It is very very very very hard to find get hired at a well known game design studio (Like EA or Ubisoft) especially in writing. If you want to focus on writing start writing short stories to put in your portfolio. Thats what companies look for in writers. If you want to do drawing figure out what kind of drawing you want to do whether its level design, graphic design, animation, background design etc. If you want to talk more feel free to message me. I'm happy to spread some wisdom!
Good luck.
Thank you, it actually is going quite well. :)
Not sure, i randomly found a senior high school program called "game design" that i will most likely attend. Not sure how much of the programming parts will be there though
Take a look at the extras on games that show how the game was made. And see all the different positions, what they typically do and work out where you want to be.
I think they only pick the best so I think you have to be a really great artist or programmer. The programmer guy on GoW's, said he had to get used to the PS3 system and create his own scripts and such. They seemed really time constrained too, stressing out to get it done in time.
@saeklin
3. Again, depends on your skills and the company. My first job in the industry was at a company so small, they had everyone designing gameplay. Also decades is a bit of a "misnomer" in that most people in the industry don't have decades of experience. The average burnout is 8 years. At 5 years/5 shipped titles you are generally considered a senior designer.
This video inspires me even more now to be a game designer. because I love playing video games
It really depends, if your working for a smaller company, or at least on small projects you will have some say in the story making. You might even be assigned to be head story developer. But larger games have its own story writers.
I can't afford another school loan. I have a full time job now and I plan to try to get my hands on Hammer editor because I like fps games. I have 3DS Max and Photoshop 6 which was a doozy to pay off my credit card. Home ed will be my make or bust.
Relocation is a no go.
may also consider playing around with unity with c# or javascript. lots of good script references and tutorials out there, and pretty easy to whip together a prototype
I want to be a video game designer. I already have tons of ideas for games.
It's not just about having ideas, you must be able to make those ideas a reality.
Whatever good luck to you.
Let me be straightforward with you. To become one, you must create. Start designing things now, start programming. It will pay off when you reach college and you already know how to program and design.
I am confused as to what you are trying to say.
Yeah, ideas sound very good on your head, but when you get into the actual design of the game you find out there are many holes and things that need balancing to create the intended experience.
"My mom was so sad!" Big Laugh!!!
Great Work!
I am also a level designer and I am thinking eventually I will find a job :D
At the second I am only 14 though but I will try to get the best grades I can :D
Also I can program but I am an average at Javascript and know a bit about c++ and c#
But this realy inspired me to continue =D
Thanks for sharing!
I have a question though, did Kim have any special drawing skills before integrating the Guildhall design program? Because I'm really thinking of going next year for the same program but I'm not a special artsy guy.
I mean it helps to have something to go off of.
When going to college would you take a "game designer" course or would it be programming or what?
+jordanjumpman27 It depends if you like programming or just want to build assets like artwork or 3D modelling.Once you know what you enjoy then just start looking at University courses that offer what you're looking for.
just started a video game course this gives me hope :p
You're just like me! I want to make stories and characters and art and want to be super successful! I'm already practicing and I managed to get on the phone to a recruitment manager for a big company, who gave me lots of details. I can't wait! I'm super excited to start learning more, and I'm 14 next month :P
-decide early what you want to do.
-no carreer path is easy, need to spend tons and tons of time studying and enjoy doing so. constant working will make you dull, remember to take break and have fun! good luck.
I have a interest in fine art but want to be more specialized to help me get a job. I've always enjoyed video games and have a curiosity in how they are made so if I wanted to be an artist for a game should I also take courses in video game design along with visual arts?
Great video! What a joy to watch.
Try checking out Extra Credits on Penny-Arcade's website. They get into some of the nitty gritty details, and the main writer for them is a free lance game designer, professor for Digipen, and runs a consulting company for game studios, and other affiliated groups.
also what i was getting at is do research, talk to people in the industry, etc
How long does it takes to make a completely video game?
I learned by myself with C, C++, Python, and now I learned a little bit of Unreal Engine 4 to make games..... but it take like forever to get to the "video game" level =(
That probably still holds true for simpler games, or older style ones where it's more of a computerized puzzle or timing challenge. If you can pick it up for five minutes, you'll have a good feel for the game. Whereas the newer full immersion games, five minutes doesn't even let you setup a character. There's a lot more aspects that need to fit together that can't be smoothed out on paper and calculators alone. i.e. A doorway that looks awesome but isn't easily passable.
Learning coding language C, then C++, it seems to go far nowadays, I'm going to be taking a course in University next year and they've said they're teaching C++. I'm in the same boat as you as I'm also trying to become a games developer :')
im currently in a university studying computer sciences aspiring to be a programmer. i really think designing video games is a very cool profession
@miyor123 what do you do for a living? If you're still in college, what do you plan to do?
@MarckMabimods I know several people who worked on Skyrim too. The great thing about the game industry is that it is super small. So chances are, you are going to run into and talk to people who worked on games you geek out over.
I love her personality!
Im in a similar position to yet I am 15, really want to learn some programming language and I am trying to learn C++ Good luck to you buddy!
I'm just moved to a new school and I am taking information technology and they just finished teaching game design and we're starting another topic, I'm interested in game design are there any apps or anything I can do in my free time to learn
Hi, I need a quick help in (game design)? If you can please send me , Thanks
i want to be a level designer so bad :)
So do it! There are countless level design tools out there.
Start small, like making games with Game Maker. Then make stuff with mapping engines or what you branch you want to do. (I'm studying to become a World/Level Designer)
I have to admit, i'm fairly the same. However a good place to start is either learn a coding language or do what i'm going to try do and get a job as a game tester. Maybe one day i'll work my way from there higher and higher ... who knows? You should check out game tester (It sounds and looks horrifically boring to some, but those who really have an interest should overcome boredom). Hope I helped.
I thought of getting into game designing, but it's hard right now because of supporting myself with rent and car payments. Plus of all, it takes to long to graduate from Associate, Bachleor, Master Degrees. I heard they got a online certificate like program at Academy Art Institute. The thing is, will it get me in the doors? Send some info please?
No! Essentially you can from courses or institute because they give you contacts. A Degree will not determine you to get a job, I have met people and they got a job through self teaching and Hard work which leads to passion. The first thing you need to figure out is, what job to get into designing games. Do you want to be a 3D Artist, A concept Artist or a programmer or Generalist(A person who does a mix of jobs). You first need to know what to study in, before you go to tertiary education or self taught. At the end of the day you have to do the work yourself to get in the industry. I studied 3D Animation but my interest is more concept designs. Hope it helps.
I love you Spider Man
Thanks. First I need to save the money for my stuff.
xXxM0nteNegr0xXx lol thanks man you too
Try Full Sail University they will get you loans, or grants for college and work with you! You can do it online or go to Florida. I am a student there and its the best college i been too! I am in it for Computer Animation 3-D Bachelors Degree. Also they will help you find were you want to work after you get done, and teach you tricks to get to talk to the people of the Media world. diigo.com/01u4d0
Is it common that some people wanting to enter Game Design thought about being a teacher before in their lives?
@TheNetau It depends on the company. Even there, while I do mostly level design, a good half of my job on the project was game design.
I wanna be a video game programmer, what courses do i need to take?.
Please reply..(I wanna be a video game programmer so bad)...
I need to make one of these but for a indie developer.
***** whit
When i was 15 I always wanted to be a video game designer. But since i failed in math.I can't be 1 anymore. I am 23 working as waiter for a minimum wage
What designing program do you use and what languge does it require?
The truth that lies behind every of those videos, is that it's extremly hard to get into it if you are starting. It's fun when you think about it, but when you enter in that world and see the vast amount of work, will make you cry like never before.
Not usually, computer science mostly is concerned with IT stuff and especially programming. But if you want to get into animation and game design it's not a bad class to take, considering things like programming play heavily into the field.
@saeklin All of this is spot on for the most part.
1. I have worked on 4 games, and I only really liked one of them. Only that one was a game I would have played.
2. It depends on the company. At a now closed studio we had a 3 month deathmarch (7 day work weeks, 12 hours a day, for 3 months.) However at my current job, we haven't crunched a single day, despite having shipped a game during that time. It's all about the producers.
so what after she'd been to University she went and did her masters at some place, correct? because what I saw on the site was a masters course
I so badly want to work in the video games industry, but I'm terrified. There are so many things you can be but so many levels and courses you have to take to become them. I have no idea where to start and I'm only 14!
I do like video games, and I think I would want to be a designer, but I don't know what games I would strive to make. I like sandbox games, but I would also like to make games that have a storyline and/or a purpose. Sims and Minecraft are great examples of games where you strive to get the best stuff and it never ends, but I am also fascinated with games that reach the player at an emotional level. Portal 2 for example is long, requires thought process, and keeps the gamer engaged because you feel like you are Chell the whole time (First person). I just have one question... Do I have to be an amazing artist to be a game designer? I am not the best at drawing, but am fascinated about creating games.
No you do not have to be amazing artist to be a game designer. But you need to make finished games either alone or in a team to actually be a game designer. Grab Unity or GameMaker and make a simple finished game. And keep on making them. And for the love of god, start with something basic, like pong.
***** First of all sorry for not answering for tooooo long .
So, about the Game Maker. I personally use Unity so I'm not familiar with the nuts and bolts of Game Maker. But I do know that a lot of high-profile indie games have been created with it (most notably Hotline Miami, Spelunky and Super Crate Box). As far as I know, Spelunky even has procedurally created levels and it is GOOOD.
(here's a list of stuff made with GM www.yoyogames.com/showcase?page=1 )
So, it's obvoiusly not a "primitive toy for kids".
But of course it has limitations. IIt has support of 3d but it is known not to be good. It is also said te be not good for bigger games. Which is a good thing - I know noone who would finish a big game as a first project =)
Regardless of what your goals are and what are your "competences" I suggest examining different software. Not cheking out Unity is a crime. Unreal engine is also free for non commercial use and is A LOT OF FUN to play with and especially to design levels (and it has a visual scripting which is really cool for us, non-coders). CryEngine is also available for free (to check out, you still need to pay royalties) and is also really cool to play with.
Personally, I'm curious to take a look at Unigene.
Hope it was not completely useless =)
Cheers!
Arseniy Shved Agreed. Game Maker and Unity are the best starting points IMO.
***** you don't have to be a programmer to develop games with Game Maker but there are limits to what you can do with Game Maker so if you reach the professional level you have to move to another game engine such as Unity and UDK and at that point you have to use programming somehow or just work with other programmers ..... wish you all the best.
if you want to make games then the only thing standing in your way is yourself for the basics grab a copy of game maker with its logic nodes controlling everything quite simply...then if you feel more comfortable with games then perhaps grab unity and make something more advanced (or if you're feeling adventurous then feel free to jump straight into unity and see what you can do). But overall just make stuff, and make stuff you like and enjoy making
But in a big team I guess it is possible to do only programming. But first of all to work efficiently at either job you have to gain practice and then will able to decide which task suits you best. Nobody can answer that question for you. Personally I think drawing something that is almost better than reality is just as cool as calculating ways for enemys to reach the hero or composing music that actually can make you cry (if it is sad music).
i am at still at school, in about 1 and a half year i will have finished school, and i am planning to become a game programmer. i wanted to ask, if a game programmer also has to design levels and think about concepts whether the game is fair and fun, or is his task really "only" programming, so dealing with the maths, logics, physics ?