Game Design - What is a game?

Game design and characteristics of a game designer

Game design today is one of the main directions in the field of design along with graphic, architectural and industrial. The game designer does not have to be a good programmer, 3D Modeler, visual designer or project Manager, but, nevertheless, the skills in each of these areas is required for this kind of activity, because: “…the design of games requires the same competence in technical and artistic terms, as in the skill of writing.”

The specifics of the design of computer games are similar to directing feature films. Designer games can work separately or enter the creative group. During the design of the game, he controls all the events of the game, its artistic and technical elements. The role of design for computer games is so great that it can be compared as well to the role of problem definition in object-oriented programming. The game design is, in fact, is the process of designing rules of a computer game and its content, including the development of environment action.

The design process is formed in several directions. The leading direction is to design a game, design its content and drafting regulations on the preparation stage. Another direction is the design of the gameplay, i.e. the action game. This is also one of the main aspects of the design of computer games. It includes the design of the environment, story and characters.

The main objective of game design is the development design document. This document in accessible language describes the rules and features of the game. Thus, before a program is written, the game designer develops a holistic vision of the game.

When designing the game the basic problems are reduced to consideration of the specificities of the basics of the game mechanics and system design. In the design process needs to be solved the task of creating games for all gaming platforms, be it a personal computer or game console. It is also necessary to control the conduct of the design process within the capabilities of agrocentric language of game development, which involves the formal system (rules, procedures, resources), dramatic systems (storyline, characters, tempo) and dynamic systems (the distinctive qualities of games in motion).