Challenges Facing Game Designers

Summary

In this video, Tim, a game designer, shares insights into the complexities of game design, contrasting it with common misconceptions. He emphasizes that while many believe having ideas makes them a designer, real design involves detailed specifications, teamwork, and problem-solving. Tim humorously discusses the challenges posed by 'seagull designers' who offer superficial input, then outlines the iterative process of design involving programmers, artists, and QA teams. He also highlights some of the strange ideas he's encountered, such as permanent character death in MMOs, while stressing the ultimate goal of creating fun and engaging experiences for players.

Takeaways

• 💡 Being a game designer involves much more than just coming up with ideas; it requires a detailed and structured process.
• 🚫 Many people, including team members and outsiders, often believe they are game designers simply because they have ideas.
• 📑 A proper design specification is crucial for any feature, detailing how it interacts with other elements and its implementation in the game.
• 🔄 The design process is highly collaborative, involving programmers, artists, and other team members who contribute to the final product.
• 🤯 Seagull designers, who provide superficial ideas and leave, are a common frustration for dedicated designers.
• ⚙️ The iterative process between designers, programmers, and QA teams is essential to ensure the feature is fully implemented and functional.
• 🏆 Determining who deserves credit for a feature can be complicated due to the many contributors involved in its development.
• 🤔 Designers face challenges from impractical ideas like permanent death in MMOs or removing encumbrance, which need careful evaluation and rejection if unfeasible.
• 🎯 A designer’s ultimate goal is to entertain players and create fun experiences, not simply to kill or challenge them excessively.
• 🙅‍♂️ Game designers often face a unique challenge where others underestimate their work and believe they could easily do the designer's job.

Q & A

What is one of the biggest frustrations game designers face according to the speaker?

One of the biggest frustrations is that everyone on the team, or even outside the team, often thinks they are a game designer just because they have an idea. However, having an idea is only a small part of the design process, which requires much more effort and detail.

What does the speaker mean by the term 'seagull designers'?

'Seagull designers' are people who come in with ideas, 'poop' them on the desk, and then leave without contributing to the full process of developing and implementing the idea. They often take credit for a small part of the design without understanding the detailed work involved.

What is the difference between having an idea and writing a design specification?

Having an idea is just the starting point, while writing a design specification involves detailing how the idea will work in the game, its goals, interactions with other features, and the implementation process. It requires careful planning and clear documentation.

What role do programmers and artists play in the design process, as described by the speaker?

Programmers take the design specification and implement it, often discovering challenges that require adjustments. Artists provide the necessary visual elements, such as user interfaces, animations, or item designs, needed to complete the feature.

What happens when a feature goes to QA (Quality Assurance)?

QA tests the feature thoroughly to find any bugs or problems. If issues are found, the feature goes back to the designers and programmers for fixes. Sometimes the problem is with the design itself, leading to more iteration.

Why is it challenging to determine who gets credit for a completed game feature?

Determining credit is challenging because many people contribute to a feature's development, including the original idea person, the designer who wrote the specification, the programmers, artists, and QA testers. Each plays a crucial role in bringing the feature to life.

What is the issue with adding 'permanent death' to an MMO, according to the speaker?

The speaker argues that permanent death is problematic in an MMO because players can die due to factors outside their control, such as mistakes made by other players in their party. This creates frustration and makes the game less enjoyable.

What was the speaker's response to the idea of removing encumbrance from a game?

The speaker raised concerns that removing encumbrance, which limits how much a player can carry, would lead to inventory management problems. Without limits, players could accumulate too many items, making inventory harder to manage.

Why did the speaker disagree with the idea of giving all ranged weapons infinite ammo?

The speaker argued that giving all ranged weapons infinite ammo would remove the balancing advantage of melee weapons, which never run out of ammo. Infinite ammo changes the balance of the game and removes a key tactical consideration.

How does the speaker define their goal as a game designer?

The speaker's goal as a game designer is to entertain the player and make the game fun. While they acknowledge that balance is important, they prioritize fun over strict balance, allowing players to enjoy powerful builds or unique advantages.