Page 8 - Jobs If You Like Video Games

that it engages players, immerses them in its world, and makes
them want to keep playing.
A game designer leads the team of professionals who spe-
cialize in different aspects of the game creation process. This in-
cludes other designers, artists, animators, audio engineers, pro-

grammers, and quality assurance testers. Designers troubleshoot
problems and use feedback and input from team members to
make sure the game works as users expect it to. They commu-
nicate with team members to keep up with how the project is
progressing and to make sure things are working as they should.
Budgets and deadlines are also a game designer’s responsi-
bility. The game designer makes sure a game is ready to preview
at a gaming conference or for release to customers on time. Ul-
timately, a game needs to make a profit to be successful, and its
designer is also tasked with making sure the cost of developing
the game stays within the budgeted amount. The designer may
meet with company executives to talk about finances and ex-
plain how the amount being spent on the project compares to
the amount budgeted for it. If a company decides to reduce the
amount of money spent on producing a game, it’s the game de-
signer’s job to figure out where to make cuts and how to get the
game finished for less money.

A Typical Workday
Video game designers tackle a wide range of tasks during the
workday. They oversee the production process, making sure the
artwork has the right look, that coding is moving along, and that
the game’s features are working properly. A game designer has to
be ready to contribute wherever needed. A designer may create
a new feature for a game or find a better way to test software. On
smaller teams, designers may need to take on more roles, from
programming to testing, while making sure everything stays orga-
nized. A designer also needs to be ready to handle unexpected
problems. Budgets may be cut, software problems may arise, or

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