What is Game Design?

Every year we are blown away by the advancements we see in technology, especially in the gaming industry. If you have ever been amazed by the creativity behind a video game, and dreamt about one day developing your own, then a game design degree might be the answer to turning your dreams into reality. We're going to be taking a deep dive into the world of gaming and what it means to take on the world of a game designer. 

What is a Game Design Degree: 

A game design degree is a great first step for creative minds who want to enter the billion-pound industry of gaming. The degree combines technical skills and creativity that will help you create engaging and interactive gameplay experiences. You will pick up aspects of storytelling and gain knowledge on user experience, programming, and visual design all to help you bring your visions to life. 

Roles in Game Design: 

Game Designer 

At the heart of gaming, a game designer is a visionary that is responsible for conceptualising gameplay mechanics, creating levels, puzzles, and challenges, as well as producing narratives that captivate users' emotions. A game designer balances creativity with technology, ensuring that the game remains both engaging and playable. 

Level Designer 

Level designers are the architects of game environments. They carefully build the layout, obstacles, and pacing of game levels to provide a satisfying and immersive player experience. They transform ideas into realities all while making sure games are interactive.  

Gameplay Programmer 

Collaborating with designers and artists, gameplay programmers bring creative visions to life through coding. They implement mechanics, controls, and interactions, ensuring that the game responds seamlessly to player input. 

Day-to-day tasks for a Game Designer  

- Review your to-do list and prioritise tasks for the day

- Attend a team meeting to share progress on your current tasks and hear updates from other team members

- Analyse data from recent playtest sessions. Identify player behaviours, trends, and issues

- Work on refining a new gameplay mechanic or feature 

- Review and playtest a level designed by a colleague. Provide feedback on pacing, difficulty, and overall player experience

- Meet with artists, programmers, and other team members to discuss upcoming features. Share design intentions and gather insight on how different elements will come together 

- Update design documents to reflect changes made to mechanics, levels, or other game elements

- Spend time sketching out concepts for a new character, experimenting with new ideas that can be incorporated 

Remember that the specific tasks can vary based on the project's stage, the studio's workflow, and the game designer's role within the team.  

From crafting compelling narratives to coding intricate mechanics, the world of game design offers a variety of roles that all contribute to the magic of interactive entertainment.  

Study the BSc (Hons) Game Design course that the University of Bolton offers and enjoy the #UniAsItShouldBe experience. Not only are we ranked number one for Student Satisfaction, but we are also ranked number one for Teaching Quality, ensuring students receive the learning experience they deserve. 

Our game design course offers: 

- Great industry links to professional games development companies that allow us to frequently collaborate with them 

- Small class sizes make mandatory teamwork and collaboration on games projects much easier as students can build connections quickly 

- Opportunity to build your social network at events, preparing you for employment 

- Support from start to finish in developing your portfolio  

By joining Bolton University, you will be opening doors to many possibilities, learn more about our games design course by following the link here. 

If you are looking to apply to the University of Bolton, follow this page linked here to find out all the information you need to know on how to successfully be prepared. If you are unsure of what direction to head in, you will also find our quiz that helps to identify your strengths and what areas you are likely to excel in! 

For any further information, contact us at enquiries@bolton.ac.uk or give us a call at 01204 903903. #UniAsItShouldBe, where we are proud to put our students and their needs first.