Comments on: Becoming A Game Developer (Part 1) http://blog.princeporter.com/becoming-a-game-developer-part-1/ The flash games industry brought to you, by Porter. Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:06:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Servet http://blog.princeporter.com/becoming-a-game-developer-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-175 Servet Sun, 06 Sep 2009 19:01:20 +0000 http://blog.princeporter.com/?p=453#comment-175 Hey guys, I think ı know what you guys both mean. From what I've seen, Game Designers need some analytical thinking skills, and a realistic grasp on what can be done technically and what is feasible. Most designers do not possess this skill, either because lack of hands on experience or they just can't think in that manner. If working on a mechanic that'd make for a really good gameplay experience, I believe social sciences like psychology, sociology etc. are really important alongside with design skills and at least some idea of programming concepts. Overall, I agree that a game designer would benefit from "programmer's mind" along with visual design skills and experience in creative writing, psychology and sociology. There's some really good advice here by Tom Sloper: http://www.sloperama.com/advice.html Hey guys,
I think ı know what you guys both mean. From what I’ve seen, Game Designers need some analytical thinking skills, and a realistic grasp on what can be done technically and what is feasible. Most designers do not possess this skill, either because lack of hands on experience or they just can’t think in that manner.

If working on a mechanic that’d make for a really good gameplay experience, I believe social sciences like psychology, sociology etc. are really important alongside with design skills and at least some idea of programming concepts.

Overall, I agree that a game designer would benefit from “programmer’s mind” along with visual design skills and experience in creative writing, psychology and sociology.

There’s some really good advice here by Tom Sloper:
http://www.sloperama.com/advice.html

]]> By: Porter http://blog.princeporter.com/becoming-a-game-developer-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-152 Porter Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:53:13 +0000 http://blog.princeporter.com/?p=453#comment-152 I see what you're saying, I think I didn't get the message out correctly, I wrote this pretty late last night. I'm by no means saying it's the programmers job, simply trying to say that I generally find programmers have a more natural skill for it, their brains are usually more in tune to the ideas of how a game works and what makes a game fun. On that same note, an artist can have a "programmers mind" and simply not program, people aren't stone tablets with abilities written on them. The post itself was more or less a set up for another article or two I wanted to do, I just felt this intro was needed before getting into that. I'll go through and reword a bit of this later to be a bit more clear. I'll definitely talk to you soon, heading out for another horrible day of community service, although I'll be done all of it completely by Tuesday. I see what you’re saying, I think I didn’t get the message out correctly, I wrote this pretty late last night. I’m by no means saying it’s the programmers job, simply trying to say that I generally find programmers have a more natural skill for it, their brains are usually more in tune to the ideas of how a game works and what makes a game fun. On that same note, an artist can have a “programmers mind” and simply not program, people aren’t stone tablets with abilities written on them. The post itself was more or less a set up for another article or two I wanted to do, I just felt this intro was needed before getting into that. I’ll go through and reword a bit of this later to be a bit more clear. I’ll definitely talk to you soon, heading out for another horrible day of community service, although I’ll be done all of it completely by Tuesday.

]]> By: Vlad http://blog.princeporter.com/becoming-a-game-developer-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-151 Vlad Fri, 28 Aug 2009 08:53:23 +0000 http://blog.princeporter.com/?p=453#comment-151 I'm sorry but I couldn't disagree more with you regarding the game design being handled by the coder because you are putting together game design and game production. Your opinion is somewhat stereotyped, where you see design as a broad theoretical (and often hyped, almost magical) view of the game will be and the steps needed to it's implementation. Implementation is game production, and it is not related with game design. On the other hand game design has several stages, of which, the one you described is just the first one that leads to a game design primer and usually a proof-of-concept. I understand that this is the view of millions of new developers, but it's far from the truth. Game design is a multi-disciplinary discipline that is not related with production but that is practical and it is this non-theoretical part that is unknown to most. Experience tells me that artists are fantastic designers, specially in the primer stage. If they grasp math and worksheets and have the time and patience they can all the design stages. You disregard them because you are thinking production, not design. More, usually less experience coders cripple the design because they aren't able to solve some issues, where if design is not a coders task, he HAS to do it. Coders are great producers though, mostly because they have the understanding of what's needed to get it working. The whole mindset of a coder is tailored towards implementation than towards design. Damn... I sound like an old geek now... oh well, talk to you soon. I’m sorry but I couldn’t disagree more with you regarding the game design being handled by the coder because you are putting together game design and game production.

Your opinion is somewhat stereotyped, where you see design as a broad theoretical (and often hyped, almost magical) view of the game will be and the steps needed to it’s implementation. Implementation is game production, and it is not related with game design. On the other hand game design has several stages, of which, the one you described is just the first one that leads to a game design primer and usually a proof-of-concept. I understand that this is the view of millions of new developers, but it’s far from the truth. Game design is a multi-disciplinary discipline that is not related with production but that is practical and it is this non-theoretical part that is unknown to most.

Experience tells me that artists are fantastic designers, specially in the primer stage. If they grasp math and worksheets and have the time and patience they can all the design stages. You disregard them because you are thinking production, not design. More, usually less experience coders cripple the design because they aren’t able to solve some issues, where if design is not a coders task, he HAS to do it.

Coders are great producers though, mostly because they have the understanding of what’s needed to get it working. The whole mindset of a coder is tailored towards implementation than towards design.

Damn… I sound like an old geek now… oh well, talk to you soon.

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