Tag Archives: Design
Breaking Into The Video Game Design Field
Breaking Into The Video Game Design Field
If you’re a dedicated gamer, you’ve probably said more than once, “I should go into video game design, I could make stuff even cooler than this!” In fact, there is currently a great demand for individuals in the video game industry, but not everyone who loves to play games can successfully design them. There is a big gap between knowing what makes a great game and being able to actually design a game that fits those criteria.
The current demand for video game design experts is why more colleges than ever are offering courses in computer game design and computer animation studies under various titles. The best courses offer a degree that thoroughly covers everything from the basics of computer animation to game script development.
Education Plus Personality Equals Success in Video Game Design
Today’s game design companies are looking for a combination of talents and knowledge that can only come from experience and education with a good dash of the right kind of personality as well. Some people are avid gamers but simply don’t have the dedication and attention to detail that is necessary to become a designer, while others have the creative personality, attention to detail and striking concepts but have never bothered to get the educational background required to hit the ground running. There are several things that are key to success in video game design, including:
A background in computer animation and game design
This is where a solid college education comes in. Because the industry is constantly changing, you need a degree from an accredited university that keeps up with changes in the industry and has experienced professionals teaching the courses. You need to understand and be able to execute the steps of animation and design from the inside out to be successful.
Discipline and attention to detail
There is so much more to video game design than just having a great concept. You need to be able to develop detailed, precise flow charts for different levels and possible outcomes and be able to precisely structure the theme and mission of a game concept. Continuity, clean execution and flawless design are all the result of discipline and attention to detail.
Understanding of character and story development
In other words, you can’t just be all action oriented. A good college course will have courses that help you develop story structure and individualize characters so that they aren’t simply “cardboard stereotypes.” The uniqueness of each character and story can make or break a video game design, so be sure you’ve learned these skills.
Script writing
You can design the action, but you must also tell the story. If you are going to get a degree that relates to video game design and/or computer animation (both excellent choices), check out the curriculum to be sure you will learn script writing. Additionally, it may be a good idea to take a course or two in creative writing to further hone your skills. It also helps if you’re an avid reader who enjoys fantasy and adventure.
If you have the personal characteristics you can attend a good college that teaches you the right skills. Look for one that offers a good range of animation and gaming courses and includes the development of a complete portfolio. The portfolio is an indication that you will leave being able to complete a gaming project and that you will have a concrete example of your work for prospective employers to review. From there, your career in video game design will take flight.
How to Design a Game System: Making RPG Players More Involved in the Game
How to Design a Game System: Making RPG Players More Involved in the Game
When you play in the arcade or in your own gaming console or even in your home PC, you look for a game that feels and looks realistic. Lots of people prefer to play these kinds of games because it makes them feel as part of the game.
People would even try anything to make the game look more real. They even set up their home entertainment system to their game console or their home PC to really get the feel that they are actually in the game and not just playing it. They hook up their wide screen TV to their PC and sometimes they even hook up their surround sound system to make it more realistic.
Game system design technologies have vastly improved these past few years. Today, with the latest 3D and sound technology being integrated in the game, you will really feel as though you are actually the character that you are playing. Games today, particularly RPG games, are now integrated with realistic features. You can hear ambient sounds, different languages, and you can even choose to set it up in a realistic way, such as blood and gore options and surround sound options. Computers today and gaming consoles are also equipped with the latest technology in graphics and sound.
In order to create a game system that people will surely buy, you need to know what people are looking for in a game. One of the most popular game genres available in the market today is called RPG or Role Playing Games. These games let you choose a character or have a character that you can control. Some RPG games are first person shooter and some are on third person shooter games. A first person shooter lets you view the game as if you are the character themselves and in third person shooter, you will also control the character but you will see its whole body.
Today, there are a lot of Role Playing Games available in the market and are still competing to make their game the best in the industry. The next thing you have to consider is the setting of the Role Playing Game. For example, you have to think of a location and time. You have to consider that some people like futuristic games and some people like historical game settings, such as a Role Playing Game in the settings of World War II or Desert Storm.
Knowing how to design a game system will require you to have advanced knowledge 3D graphics technology. You want to make your character and the game environment as real as possible and basic knowledge simply doesn’t cut it. In order for you to have this knowledge, you can consider attending 3D software and graphics courses. In these schools, you will learn how to create 3D characters and 3D environment and how to manipulate them.
If you already have this kind of skills and knowledge, the next thing you need are equipments to design your characters and environments. It is recommended that you should have a PC equipped with the latest processor technology, the highest possible RAM, DVD Writer and also the latest graphics card.
You also need a 3D software program. This is where you will design each of your characters and add different details to make your characters look very real.
There are also different 3D equipments that you need to have in order for you to successfully design a game system.
Whatever Role Playing Game is on your mind, you have to consider that people look for realism. Try playing different Role Playing Games available in the market and try to get an idea on how you can create a successful game that will surely sell.
Always remember that designing a game system can take lots of time. You have to consider putting in a lot of hours designing the game. You also have to know who you will be designing your game system for. If you are designing it for kids, then you don’t want to put in a lot of violence and gore in the game, you want to make it friendly for kids where everyone can enjoy.
A game system design is not a simple task to do. You have to expect to fail for the first few tries. If you encounter errors, go back to your programming and fix the bugs. In time, you will see that you will be able to perfect the game design.
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Animation And Game Design Going To The Movies
Animation And Game Design Going To The Movies
Animation and game design have, for the most part, fallen into two categories in the past. You either worked on animation for children’s movies or you focused on animation for video games. Today, however, many young animators are realizing that their opportunities are becoming much more diverse as the movie graphic novel and video gaming industries have begun to overlap.
Merging of Media
Today more and more video games are becoming movies. Successes in the last decade include Doom, Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat and Tomb Raider. All of these movies were based on popular video games that had been created by animation and gaming professionals. The movie directors discovered that, in order to maintain the look and feel of the games, they had to get to know these games inside and out. They often called on game design experts as consultants to help them achieve this. There are few people as loyal as gaming enthusiasts, so capturing the proper look and feel was essential to the success of these films.
Graphic novels, a writing genre known for its highly graphic illustrative style, have also spawned movies recently. The two most notable are Sin City and 300, both based on violent, action-packed graphic novels. In both instances, the movies were directed with actors but relied heavily on computer graphics, computer design and, in some instances, animation, to enhance particular scenes and enrich the details. The success of these two movies in turn created video games based on the movies (which were based on graphic novels)…are you seeing the pattern now? Anyone with animation and game design credentials these days can go into a wide range of fields, not just game design. When the genres overlap, so do job opportunities.
Where the Talent Lies – Animation and Game Design
Hollywood is also producing more animated movies that ever before for family consumption. Cars, A Bug’s Life, Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Happy Feet, and the list goes on. Disney Studios continue to produce the traditional “princess” movies, but a dozen other studios also produce quality animation.
While a generation ago animation was done using thousands of artist’s sketches put together to create action, today’s animated movies are created with computer animation, and individuals with Animation and Game Design degrees are hot properties. Studios know that those with game design experience have an understanding of the complexities of movement, from the way the wind ruffles your hair to how someone lands when they fall, that no one else can match. Gamers are tough customers. They expect realism and accuracy and they get it. This has translated into increasing attention to detail in animated films. The more sophisticated the audience becomes, the more these industries have to work at giving the public what it wants.
The Future of Animation and Game Design
With the growing overlap of so many genres of entertainment, graphic novels, movies and video games, it is obvious that the need for professionals with both animation and game design skills will only increase. Whether you want to work in Silicon Valley or Hollywood, a degree in some kind of animation and game design area will get your foot in the door.
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Start A Career In Video Game Design
Start A Career In Video Game Design
If you are thinking of what to do for a career and you have an interest in animation, then you should consider video game design. This is an industry that is booming at an incredible rate and shows no signs of slowing down. In the past twenty years, there have been incredible advances in the video game design industry and you could be a part of it.
In only a few decades, there have been barriers broken that could never have been dreamed of in the past. Video games are so realistic now that you feel as though you are actually in the game. You can play a racing game and feel as though you are in the Indy 500 or play a war game and get a good glimpse into what World War Two was really like. The possibilities are endless but people are needed to come up with these ideas and innovations.
There are a few things that are needed in order to have a successful career in video game design. First of all, you need to have an interest in video games. You will be able to use all of the knowledge you have gained from years of gaming to your advantage. It is quite difficult to find a video game that is one hundred percent original. Most games borrow tricks and tips from other games and incorporate them into their own.
Therefore, if you have an extensive knowledge of video games, you will be able to use these tricks in your favor. Another important factor is an interest in computers, specifically animation. Video games are all produced on computers, so you will need to have a firm understanding of programming and animation. So if you have an interest in video games and a basic knowledge of animation, then you are set to begin the path of becoming a video game designer.
The next step would be to capitalize on your pre-existent skills. This can be accomplished by enrolling in a course that deals with video game design. These courses will be able to take the skills that you currently have and turn them into talents. Talents that prospective employers will be pleased to see.
You will be able to learn about every aspect of video game design. This includes all of the animation, development and concept of video games. You will not only be given the skills to create a video game but also how to plan it out and make it interesting to the gamer. Since this market is so gigantic, you need to have a good idea if you want your game to sell. With a course in video game design, you will have the ability to create a game that will fly off the shelves.
A lot of people think that making a video game is strictly done on computers. However, this is only part true. A large portion of the development of the game is done in the mind. You need to have the ability to visualize the finished product in your head before even beginning to program it. These types of courses will be able to train your mind to work ahead of your body to achieve the best results.
Another advantage of video game design is that it is a market that is guaranteed to stay strong. People of all ages are interested in video games today and the numbers continue to grow. So if you have an interest in video games and some computer knowledge, take the steps towards making video game design your rewarding career.
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Explore Your Creativity With A Degree In Video Game Design
Explore Your Creativity With A Degree In Video Game Design
Video games have exploded in popularity, thanks to our high paced and pressurized world crunching down on individuals. People need a break from reality and video games provide that venue of escapism, and businesses have definitely gotten the message loud and clear. Developing new games is a fierce industry and companies need people who can always bring on better games that stimulate all the senses at once. But how can you get into this rising segment and turn your interests in computers into something that’s a lucrative, fun career full of opportunity?
A degree in video game design is the training you need to break into a market where you can create fantastical worlds or develop settings that are so realistic, you can almost touch them. Individuals are demanding more and more from software companies, and only the top quality games will succeed in today’s competitive world. Investing your talents in a solid education that will give you the skills and know how to create high tech video games is a wise choice. The job opportunities will never peter out or become saturated, thanks to new technology that’s always being put into the market, and you can get into the gaming craze by getting the best training possible to send you into an amazing career.
You’ll have the chance to use your own imagination to create great characters that become popular household names. Remember Mario and Luigi? Well, those two characters were created by people with video game design skills and they earned their makers millions of dollars. What about Yoshi? The little dinosaur is another character created by someone with video game design skills that has made someone rich and famous. Why can’t that person who develops the next popular, fun character be you? Online gaming is another venue that has become a multi-million dollar industry and all you have to do is look up World of Warcraft to see how many people are hooked on video games, making the market a rich one for job opportunities.
So what’s involved in video game design? Educational facilities will provide you with artistic training to help you create visual images that snag people’s interest and keep them gaming, as well as the know how to apply that to animation and 3D modelling. Story development is a must, and you’ll be able to think up new ways of challenging people with tricks and traps or enemies to battle to become heroes and earn glorious rewards and treasures. Not only that, those who offer degrees in video game design will help you to put together a profile that will make you an attractive asset to software companies looking for talented 3D artists and gaming developers.
One thing is for sure: Without a degree in video game design, the competition to break into the industry is so stiff that you’ll never be able to get ahead. Great ideas and a creative imagination isn’t all it takes to open fantastic opportunities and set you into an amazing career. Top quality skills and training that keep you on top of the game and get you that perfect job are the only way to go about finding your place in the lucrative industry of video games. You’ll learn the practical side of design and animation to be able to develop games that bring in sales for businesses and earn the skills you need to be head hunted by companies. More than that, obtaining your degree in video game design won’t just be an important investment and career choice, it’ll also be a blast of fun as you expand your horizons and creativity, learning to think outside the box and come up with new, exciting worlds and characters.
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