Game development is a wonderfully creative field, driven by compelling narratives and powerful visions that developers and designers bring to life. This creative expression forms the basis of today’s most impactful games, which promise immersive experiences and captivating stories. However, without technical solutions, players cannot experience the true depth of emotion that top games promise.
Success in game development is not possible without a distinct blend of technical and creative skills. Both can be obtained while pursuing an online game development degree.
Interested in leveraging your artistic ideas while still delving into the technical side of game development? In this guide, we will take a deeper dive into the creative elements of game development while also touching on the many ways in which technical expertise fuels development. We will also explore the value of a game development or a game design degree for blending artistry and technical skills.
The Role of Creativity in Game Development
Every game first begins its life as an idea. No matter how big or small initial concepts may seem, it’s up to game designers and their teams to bring them to life, drawing on a distinct blend of creativity and technical expertise. In an industry rife with colorful characters, unforgettable locations, and time-tested gameplay loops, creativity has never been more important, especially when striving for public notoriety.
While some games focus on core mechanics that aim to hook players immediately, others depend on unique methods of telling a story in hopes of getting gamers invested in the characters and settings on display. Design in games means working closely with programmers and many other professionals. The goal? To combine varied elements into a cohesive package that players won’t want to abandon.
The Role of a Game Designer
The game designer plays a fundamental role in game development, but the positions of game designer and game developer are far from identical. Game designers play a central role in guiding the creative visions and narratives, which can be conveyed via storyboards, flowcharts, and level layouts. They may also drive the overarching rules or mechanics.
Game developers help fulfill designers’ vision by writing code and implementing mechanics. Their goal is to keep games running smoothly so that players can actually appreciate the visual and narrative elements crafted by designers.
Storytelling in Game Development
Interactive games allow storytellers to promote player-driven narratives. Players feel in control, even when designers are actually pulling the strings. With this freedom comes a unique set of challenges. The game design must use characters, environments, and core gameplay mechanics to tell memorable stories. Game designers must weave this complex web of elements as they strike the perfect balance between gameplay and narrative.
The Importance of Narrative
Some games keep players hooked with simple gameplay loops, which focus on getting from point A to point B. However, other players are most drawn to stories, and they will not be satisfied without fully developed narratives. These critical elements create powerful connections between players and their games:
- Player Engagement: Every game should feel exciting not only at the outset, but also, several hours into the experience. Plot twists, enticing mysteries, or even new locations can keep players invested and give them a reason to continue.
- Emotional Connection: Story characters or events should register with players. Otherwise, they won’t care enough to strive to reach the game’s end. The earlier an emotional connection is formed, the better. If established quickly and decisively enough, this powerful foundation could keep players invested through the remainder of the story.
- World-Building: Many strategies promise to create a vibrant and immersive gaming world that feels exciting to navigate. Essentials include in-game cutscenes and unforgettable set pieces. Also important is the opportunity to explore freely while stumbling upon memorable surprises.
- Differentiation: Given the sheer scope of the gaming industry, it may seem all but impossible to create truly original games. Every experience will reflect existing narratives or gameplay elements from other titles to some extent. That said, this should not prevent new games from standing out. There are plenty of ways to provide unique ideas or new twists on old themes and settings. A well-defined narrative vision, fleshed out with strong characters and world-building, will go a long way toward grabbing players’ attention.
- Replay Value: Just as film enthusiasts enjoy returning to their favorite movies or TV fans watch the same episodes continually, gamers often enjoy replaying their favorite titles. Some are more fun to repeat than others. Memorable options include hidden mementos and New Game Plus modes in which the player starts over again with bonus abilities and items. Equipped with these opportunities, replay experiences can keep games in the zeitgeist.
Character and Visual Development
The expression “You never get a second chance to make a first impression” rings true when discussing games’ visual aesthetics. In fact, many consumers base their gaming decisions on first impressions of what they see.
Therein lies the importance of cohesive visual design, in which the characters look at home in their game world. This will go a long way toward grabbing and keeping players’ attention, especially when so many visually appealing games are available. Critical components include:
Character Design
Game worlds are populated by all sorts of characters, from heroes with snappy catchphrases to NPC’s who only exist to tell the player where to go next. Great characters can do a lot of heavy lifting in games, with some being the sole reason certain players would try a title in the first place. A lot goes into crafting these memorable characters, who need to look, speak, and act in a way that’s consistent with the rest of the game world.
Visual Aesthetics
The right aesthetics can create a mood or tone that players find appealing, and that further elevates emotional elements otherwise created through gaming narratives. For example, some games feel downright gritty, while others offer whimsical appeal. These aesthetics should align with the narrative and with the characters or setting. As such, art styles, lighting, and color schemes must be selected strategically.
Animation and Motion Capture
Players will not remain immersed in games unless their characters move in a smooth and realistic manner. Animators use both creative and technical skills to make gameplay feel seamless while bringing characters to life. Meanwhile, motion capture technology brings the movements of real people into the game environment.
Integrating Art and Technology
Games are limited by numerous technical barriers and software limitations. For instance, console games may have less processing power and therefore may not allow for as wide a range of colors as their PC counterparts. Artists must keep these and other concerns in mind when creating their assets. While it would be great to work without borders, some limitations can actually spark creative problem-solving and lead to fascinating new ideas.
Collaboration in Game Development
A great game can quickly turn into a forgettable experience if any one aspect of the design is lacking. The entire design team must act as a cohesive unit, with members communicating with each other to bring out the best in everyone. Cross-disciplinary teams draw on diverse skill sets to bring many perspectives to the table, but strong coordination will ensure that numerous elements work together seamlessly.
Prototyping and Iteration
Before games make their way to end users, they must navigate several prototypes and design iterations. These ensure that the core gameplay mechanics are working properly, and that the structure remains consistent with the designer’s intentions. Games can undergo radical changes from one prototype phase to the next, as designers may scrap certain features or overhaul mechanics that simply don’t work.
Innovative Technologies in Game Development
Game designers leverage cutting-edge development innovations to keep their titles from feeling dated. This doesn’t mean designers need to feel beholden to the hottest trends, but rather, they should be prepared to use emerging technologies as needed to enhance core ideas or concepts.
Creative Career Opportunities in Game Development
Game development and design are diverse fields that provide a wealth of meaningful career opportunities. There are many pathways worth exploring, and often, these go beyond general practices such as game development or design to include niche pursuits. Specialized training may be required, but these options should be within reach upon earning a game design and development degree:
Game Designer
Almost every aspect of a video game is influenced by the game designer, who develops the core design, gameplay mechanics, and structural flow. Designers work closely with artists, programmers, and other professionals to bring their creative visions to life.
Level Designer
Game worlds come in all shapes and sizes, from huge open spaces to intricately designed levels linear in nature. Ideally, various levels will take full advantage of gameplay features and systems to create unforgettable moments.
Level designers determine how the player interacts with the gaming world and what obstacles they face along the way. From sand to snow or even lava, level designers are always looking to present players with new environments or challenges.
Technical Artist
For every jaw-dropping open-world vista or incredible character animation, there’s an extraordinary amount of technical wizardry behind the scenes. Technical artists use the tools at their disposal to get the most out of various platforms. Working with shaders, rendering pipelines, and other development software, technical artists contribute greatly to the look of each game.
Gameplay Programmer
Gameplay programmers develop the core systems that allow players to run, shoot, drive, or otherwise interact with the gaming environment. These programmers work closely with lead designers to ensure that the core gameplay mechanics are enjoyable. This is crucial, as players will be performing basic functions thousands of times throughout the course of the gaming experience.
AI Programmer
Artificial intelligence powers all characters not directly controlled by players. These AI routines determine how minor characters behave and which decisions they make. AI programmers, in turn, are tasked with creating essential routines. These programmers use a variety of tools, and even AI itself, to craft intricate and detailed routines, which power the many characters and scenarios that players will face.
Sound Designer
Far more goes into gaming sound design than background music and sound effects. Modern games use sound in many unique ways, and it’s up to the sound designer to enhance gameplay through the power of audio. Not only is the sound designer responsible for helping create the mood of the game with powerful scores, but they must also create sound cues and effects that are memorable without becoming grating over time.
Narrative Designer
Video games are unique in that they offer many methods for conveying plot or character. From traditional cutscenes and dialogue boxes to environmental storytelling, there are no shortage of ways for the narrative designer to craft fascinating stories.
UX/UI Designer
Without strategic contributions from user experience (UX) and user interface (UI), players would be forced to blindly poke their way through their favorite games. UX and UI designers make games easier and more enjoyable to navigate, including menus, game modes, and other important elements.
Systems Designer
Systems designers decide how players level up, get stronger, or face increasingly difficult challenges. They create the rules of the game, aiming to keep players from feeling under or overpowered along the way.
Tools Programmer
Everyone involved in the game design process relies on a set of software tools to help them get their job done. It’s up to the tools programmer to design, maintain, and support these tools so that every member of the design team can work efficiently.
VR/AR Developer
Virtual reality and augmented reality are increasingly popular mechanisms in modern gameplay. These make already enjoyable games feel even more immersive, introducing players to new worlds that feel amazingly realistic. This niche is expected to fuel considerable industry growth in the near future, so this is a great time to explore VR and AR opportunities.
Baker’s Educational Pathway for Aspiring Game Designers
Embrace your unique gaming vision with Baker College’s Bachelor of Science in Game Software Development. While our program is primarily development-focused, we offer many opportunities to channel your creativity as you develop technical skills such as programming and algorithm analysis. Reach out to learn more about this exciting program and how it could align with your goals in the gaming industry.