What are the most important steps to take when transitioning into game design?

Learning the basics, provides a foundation for creative and technical aspects of the field. Understanding game mechanics, design principles, and industry-standard tools also equips you for the expectations of the role. For instance, familiarizing oneself with game engines like Unity or Unreal Engine, and mastering fundamental design concepts such as player experience and level design, lays the groundwork for success. Learning the basics not only boosts confidence but also equips individuals with the essential skills needed to navigate the complexities of the game design industry.

First you need to play video games and lots of them. Cover every genre but play critically. Try to understand what the key entertainment value each game provides. It could be it's narrative, the non-stop action or the riddles or something else. It could be a combination of factors or it could be innovative mechanics. Find the games you gravitate towards, and research that genre. This should be a fun process! Then try to break down each of the games you like, to see what it emphasizes. You can do this while learning about game design. In fact, this process will provide loads of examples to better understand what you learn.

To be fair, no time spent reading the basics will be better than implementing games. It is easier to start with analogue and physical games, as the entry technical skill required is lower than if you want to work on a digital game. My suggestion is to start with some sort of a board game: Play and read about board games. Get to know their rules and some winning strategies. Plan your spin on it or your own board game using the knowledge you've got so far. Prototype it with pen, paper, and a few dice or cards. As you progress through these prototypes, you should read books and watch online material on game design to connect your experience with the theory. This is more likely to teach you what makes a game rather than early programming.

Apprendre les bases de la conception de jeux vidéo est primordial. Il vous faut jouer à tout type de jeux (FPS, RPG, ...), jouer en essayent de le comprendre, d'analyser les différentes mécaniques, se poser des questions (Pourquoi les développeurs ont con?u cette énigme de cette fa?on ? Qu'est-ce qui rend le jeu amusant ?). Il existe de nos jours différentes plateformes pour se former sur la conception de jeux. Vous pouvez également regarder les conférences des développeurs de jeux, qui vous partagent comment ils ont développé le jeu et/ou certaines fonctionnalités. Créer vos jeux et partagé les vous permet d'acquérir les bases techniques du langage et des outils.

Play a lot of games. see a lot of youtube videos analyzing gameplay. watch a lot of game design talks from conferences. That's a start.

With a plethora of platforms, languages, hardware and software, it can be easy to be overwhelmed when approaching new tech stacks. It involves selecting a game engine, design software, and programming languages that align with your project goals. For instance, opting for Unity for its user-friendly interface or Unreal Engine for high-end graphics can impact the development process. A well-informed tool selection enhances efficiency, collaboration, and the overall quality of the game, setting a solid foundation for success. In many cases AAA already have these tools implemented, but it is a huge asset to sit down and get experience in these tools beforehand.

As per my previous point, if you want to learn game design, starting with pen and paper rather than technical tools is better. Choosing a game engine, for example, is highly dependent on your programming skills and overall technical and mathematical skills. Even if you choose a low or no-programming engine, such as Twine or RPG Maker, you still need some level of programming logic (branches & loops, e.g.) to achieve more complex types of gameplay you are familiar with in other games. It is easier to start with a more straightforward tool you feel comfortable with and move on to more complex tools, as your skills and wishes are not possible in the tool you are currently using. Besides, most of the knowledge between engines is transferable.

Know your programming language and choose the tool you feel better using. Unity is a great game engine for everyone, but you should find what engine is best for you

Stop, breathe, and pick ONE tool. Learn how to use that tool well. You don't need to learn every tool, technique or design principle. Design and create games while having fun. As you go through the process you will gain experience and start developing your personal style. Once you find that the tool you know limits your creativity, use another, that provides more of the features you need. Don't rush the process, rather enjoy the journey!

Pour créer ses propres jeux, il est important de commencer petit à petit, surtout pour les débutants. Vous pouvez commencer par des prototypes de gameplay ou reproduire certaines fonctionnalités de gameplay de jeu existant. Participer à des game jam seul ou en groupe vous permet dans un temps limité d’apprendre rapidement, cela vous permet également de partager votre concept a d’autre personne afin de s’améliorer et d’approfondir son regard critique.

The more you create, the easier it becomes. Once you have a handle on your process and tools, start challenging yourself. Push your boundaries in all aspects, not just in the development. Push further with stories, mechanics and intricate riddles.

Preach! Make your games. Per my previous points, work on your projects from day one. Start with paper prototypes and learn how to playtest. Playtest often. Focus on small projects you can get done in a game jam time. Participate in game jams! The experience you get from making games, regardless of their sizes, will quickly get you into a more comfortable decision on which projects to pursue and which technologies/knowledge you lack. Moreover, consider, at some point, solo developing small games: it will give you a broader oversight of the skills required and a good knowledge of the entire game development pipeline. It does not matter if you copy other games while doing so; the learning you get from solo dev is priceless.

Building a good portfolio in game design is crucial as it serves as a tangible showcase of your skills, creativity, and ability to bring ideas to life. It provides potential employers or collaborators with concrete evidence of your experience and talent, making you stand out in a competitive industry. A well-crafted portfolio demonstrates your understanding of game design principles, showcasing projects that highlight your problem-solving abilities and passion for the craft. Ultimately, it serves as a powerful tool to land opportunities and establish credibility in the game design field.

One way to practice game design and show off your work are game jams that you can attend. There are plenty on Itch.io almost every week and those games later appear in your profile there

If you have been following my previous advice, you will soon have a frequent influx of games to display on your portfolio. Here are a few comments on what I think is good to consider in this step: - Show your games, even the weaker ones, until you have others to replace them. - Sell the weak ones: improve any aspect of them in your portfolio, such as highlighting technical challenges or innovation. - Collaborate with good artists to improve your games' visuals. If you cannot make it pretty yourself, find someone to help you make it, and you both win. - Document the processes: show how these games came to be, such as early prototypes and sketches, to show your creative process. - Do your best and believe in yourself.

Find a mentor definitely! Everyone needs a guide through any journey. You can only go so far by yourself, so join clubs, game jams, and get involved with the community. Even if you live somewhere where there is no community nearby, find a community online!

There are plenty of ways to network. Real conferences, local and international. Discord servers. Local meetups. Comment on linkedIn and Twitter(X). It's really important to know others in the industry.

Joining game jams has been one of my preferred ways of broadening my network with other game designers. You can play their games and engage in an easier, focused conversation that needs no ice-breaking. Moreover, consider your network from two perspectives: friends and work colleagues. Some of your networks will be your friends to talk to, get feedback from, and get to know more people. Others will be the ones you actively want to work with, be it in their companies or projects (such as game jams). This distinction is mainly to prevent the stress you might have on trying to make your friends your work colleagues - it does not always work for many reasons, and that is fine. Friends are forever. Work colleagues last for the development time.

Being a games designer is like being a musician. You don't need a contract or permission from anyone. If you want to be a games designer, design games. Do it in your own time if no-one is paying you to do it. If you tell me that creating games is your passion but you haven't done it yet, then I won't believe you and your interview is over. Make games. Any kind of games - card games, board games, CYOA visual novels, pixel-art adventure games, puzzle games. Whatever you have the chops to make with the resources available to you.

Always keep playing games! We enter the game design profession because we want to provide entertainment to others, but also because we find it fun to create games! So do that which is fun for you, but always keep in mind that the ultimate judge of our games is the player, not us! Seek feedback for everything you design, and listen with an open mind. It will only make you a better designer!

For me once more it's graphics and game play, You have your Ideal now its time to desing the game. You need to get all your ducks in row Now it's time to document how your going to do things and do them in that order, Right now I have stopped on the game I am working, I'm trying to decide on when to implement big graphics, and the kinda attacks that will keep the users begging for more This is a type of architecture, That allows me a creative spirit, while keeping it within the limits of the code C++ or c#. Yes your game must be in the realistic limits of your code.

If you have previous design experience such as product or UX design, you'd be surprised how much of those skills can be transferred over to game design. It is user-centric, but you'll be approaching it at a deeper level. Wireframes, sketches, and prototypes are amongst the skillset of a game designer, but you still have to be comfortable with game engines as most of the prototypes will be done there.

Having a strong vision. If you flip flop and don’t believe in your concept you can’t expect anyone else to. I had people tell me over and over my idea wouldn’t work and neither would my budget. They were wrong ??