Qualities and Skillsets to Look for in an Game Designer

Hello,

What are some qualities and skill sets that a developer should look for in a game designer or game design consultant? Additionally, what are some qualities and skill sets that a developer should ideally have in order to facilitate better mutual understanding and positive workflow with a designer?

Thanks!

 

Might be best to ask them what their favorite games are and then have them explain to you what makes the games so fun. Then ask them how they would improve each game. That should tell you if they really understand it or not.

 

Communication? I've read that communication is the #1 skill a game designer needs. And, since communication is nebulous, here's a few specific behaviors that make for better communication:

• YES ... AND - BUT cancels everything before it, so avoid it! During review/feedback sessions, offer a few YES things that you like and then, instead of saying, "But I didn't like ...", consider transitioning with an "AND it could be even stronger if we ..."
• Team Oriented Speech - Use words like, 'We're a team', 'We', and 'Together...'
• Behavior Focused - Avoid judgemental phrases like "You did a bad job", and instead, focuses on behaviors, "This bit of the interface may confuse the user." For game reviews, this applies to specifics of the game, rather than the how/why of the person creating the product.
• Assertive, NOT aggressive - Assertive includes things like upright posture (as opposed to leaning back, which is aggressive, or leaning forward, which is passive), and expressing thoughts without diminishing others.
• Respectful - 'nuff said.
• Ends on Down Note - Sentences that end on UP note offer a question, are overly passive, and create tension between people. Try ending most sentences on a down-note - imagine a judge saying, 'The Case is closed.'
• Communicates with Stories - Stories & Emotion are powerful motivators. One simple recipe for a story is: 1) Question or challenge; 2) Emotional journey/struggle; and 3) galvanizing conclusion (preferably with a twist).

At first, it seems a bit removed from game design, and yet, the science is clear. I've led developers, artists, and designers for years, and of all the skills I've had to learn, these were the MOST valuable at building a kick-ass team!

Gigi

 

Communication is key but not just in terms of speaking to people in a specific manner but in a way that can explain to all members of a team in thier own terms your vision. Programmers need to be explained things much different than artist.

Also a good designer needs to at least know the basics of all areas of game making. They may not have great artistic talent but they do need to get familiar with the tools and process.

Being able to delegate instead of micro-manage I think is also a huge asset to any designer. Trust your decision in choosing an expert and let them do thier job without you looking over thier shoulder every second.

This question can go on for ever when it comes to picking a good designer. The number one thing you should look for is can he explain his design to anyone and they will understand it. And also how much passion does he have for that design.

 

There's one more extremely important aspect when it comes to game designers. "The perfect game-designer" would be a person who has all the qualities that @Gigiwoo mentioned, while being a computer scientist. Since we don't live in a perfect world, you cannot expect this to be the case, so you need to make sure that there's someone who fills that gap. A person that has a say in game-development and that collaborates with the game-designer in your team.

Otherwise you'll run into the Peter Molyneux problem, where the game-designer designs the best game ever and the final product gets crippled by over-ambition and unrealistic expectations.

The game-desinger needs to have a deep understanding of the limitations - both, financial and technical.

 

I get what your saying and do not get me wrong, I have a computer science degree myself but "The game-desinger needs to have a deep understanding of the limitations" does not have to mean the designer has to have a computer science background. This is what I was saying about knowing the art tools/limitations. Before you start your design you need to have a deep understanding of all aspects of game making from art to programming even to the marketing side.

Peter Molyneux's problem was because he did not have a full understanding of the capabilities/limitations of his engine not because he was not a full programmer or artist even.

 

That's why I said "the perfect game-desinger". But - again - we don't live in a perfect world.
Let me quote one of my professors:
"Good luck with explaining your chef that something 'doesn't work', if he has no computer-science background. Those people tend not to understand the concept of problems, that cannot be solved by throwing more manpower/money at it."

Basically what I was trying to say was this:
If your game-designer could theoretically do the job of your programmers, it's unlikely he'll ever demand something unrealistic.

 

Very true. I also included all my department heads/experts in the game development/planning stage. I was taught if you micro manage and not take the advice and trust your staff you might as well throw away your money.

The big thing is there are so many who would like to become a game designer because they would like to make the game they always wanted to play. But until you learn all the things needed for game design you can start making a game but not really be a game designer.

Knowing about things like feature creep and your limitations are what can make or break a game.

I think a good designer never stops learning and takes the time before even starting to think about features to ask those who know more than him. And yes there are always be someone who knows more than you.

 

I would look for a designer who value the work of artists and programmers.

A good test in my opinion would be: select a game similar to what you're trying to build, then ask your would be game designer how the game can be simplified in order to make it better.

 

Numerous completed and released projects.

It's all well and good to have pieces of a game to your name, but there's much experience you can't get without having been through the whole project lifecycle.

 

"It's all well and good to have pieces of a game to your name, but there's much experience you can't get without having been through the whole project lifecycle."

 

I agree!

I am not a computer scientist, but I learn everything I can. Over the years, I talked to designers and programmers and artists and my views on games changed drastically. I learned that feature creep is very bad and that one must always look at the limitations of any ideas. I became the one, although I was the Lead Writer, not a designer, who was reigning in the wanna-be-designers on our team, asking them to be realistic in their expectations. I didn't start that way, but over years of observation and discussions with others, I learned. My days of arguing with the poor designer that "we really need this for the lore!" are long over.

So now, when I get this wild idea, I go directly to programmers. I get their input and I respect it. I gently deal with the fans and creative team members who have those same idealistic views I had once upon a time, reminding them that we have limitations. If a designer cannot do this, then they shouldn't be designing a game with a team. This is so vitally important that I believe a game will never even make it through development without such guidance. Unfortunately, I have seen failed games and the heartbreak that can bring, especially after years of development.

I do believe that the best designers are ones that have a little knowledge in everything. Even I watched scripting videos for hours after first coming to Unity. I cannot code, but I can look at it and understand it a little bit. I can do a little art, and I am not bad at it but it is still something I am working on. I like it though and can see myself improving.

On the other hand, I think creativity is the most important aspect. I see games designed entirely by programmers and some of them are flat, no innovation, nothing that sets their games apart. Then I see games designed by creative people, maybe a programmer, maybe an artist, maybe a writer, but these are people who have the ability to see outside the box. They can look at the entire picture and work it down to the tiny details in a way that flows and works together...and is fun and exciting. I have a rare individual that is a gifted programmer and a creative person on our current team and his advice to me is invaluable. He is young and I think will go far in the gaming industry if he chooses to do so.

So the perfect designer? Some one who is creative, has vision, is pragmatic, realistic and isn't afraid to take advice. He/she needs to be humble enough to know that others might know more than he/she does. He/She must be able to admit to mistakes, take responsibility, and make changes that might not be popular. If they work with a team, they must have the ability to deal with people of different temperaments, logical programmers and creative artists...or maybe creative programmers and logical artists. They should be organized or willing to use tools to help them be organized. And overall, they must always be willing to learn, even if programming seems daunting or art seems overwhelming.

 

This is very "me" focused thinking. Does not play well wth others. Gigi nailed it, I think. It's a "we" effort, so the best designer is the guy or gal who makes it seem like everybody is getting their way... at least, that's what I'm picking up on.

"I want this" ... "sure, great idea, we'll take a look at adding that" ...

Basically, a positive person. People skills.

 

Not sure what you are trying to say here...

 

Misterelmo,

Unfortunately, there are others who read the forums and feel the need to inform me. Guess they thwarted my plan.

I am not sure I entirely understand your post. It can be read in several ways so let me know if I have it wrong.

I absolutely agree with you that people skills are crucial, probably the most important aspect of managing anything, and in some ways design is managing, although it is managing the broad content of the game. While a designer doesn't make final decisions about everything, they do have a lot of input how things work together and therefore, the features that are part of the game, at least in small teams.

Oh, I did argue with the poor designer back 15 years ago when I started (ironically, he was let go for poor people skills, ). Remember, I was not a designer at the time but a lowly writer. The lore was my passion and I wanted a game to support my passion. Yeah, very "me" focused thinking, the bane of the young and foolish. I am much older and wiser now.

Humility is a great skill to have when dealing with people. It allows you to listen and learn from others without allowing ego to get in the way. It allows you to admit making mistakes. It is not "me" focused at all but very "team focused.

Quoting myself here, but:
"If they work with a team, they must have the ability to deal with people...."

I felt the need to repeat that. A designer is only a member of the team, well in most cases. Although many designers here who ARE the team. I would be surprised if a designer could last on a team if they didn't have decent people skills, honestly, especially a small team.

And yeah, part of working with a team is the whole, "never say no, always say maybe" thing. I say that constantly to my team members, and my programmers say it back to me. I even say it to the fans, because their input can be invaluable and coming from the outside, they can see things I can't. I wish I could give them everything they want, but we all know that is not possible. It is kinda like raising kids! Candy is great but too much of it isn't healthy.

So many of us here hold several hats and in many cases, it is the designer who is the visionary for the game, but not always. Sometimes the designer is hired by others to make documetns/flow charts for their game. In those cases, the designer's job is to make their vision come true, but I still argue that the designer must also keep the pan to the fire, make sure the game doesn't creep so far out of proportion that it fails. The designer needs to see the broader picture and let others know. Doesn't mean they get to make all the decisions based on some idea of a game they want, but they do need to be realistic about what will or not work with regards to the skills of the team, the size of the team, and the time and budget restraints. They need to be honest and it goes without saying that they need to be able to do this in a way that benefits the team.

I don't see this as "me" focused, honestly. If the game goes down, the entire team goes down, and that hurts. It hurts to see the people you work with feel like they wasted years of their life on a project that failed. It hurts to disappoint thousands of fans waiting in the wings. It hurts the members of the team.

We may differ on that end, you seeing pragmatism as being a negative person. I do have a nickname on a forum as the Pragmatic Prattler. Pragmatism is not a synonym for negative though although it does sometimes mean telling people things they don't want to hear. I do understand though..it is common mistake to make.

 

I don't know entirely why I got that impression, but I will say that the vibe I was getting from this thread was that a designer job is not so much to enforce his or her own vision. So, telling somebody flat out no... Like I said I don't really know, but it seems like the designer should really be a servant to all. A diplomat and coordinator. Someone who facilitates creativity and expression. I think I read somewhere one time that a leader is somebody who gets people to do things because they want to do them. I've observed this with very skilled manager is in my life, and it really is a very rare skill indeed.

 

Oh and welcome back.

 

Not sure the designer is always the leader of the project. They are the one who puts everything together and organizes the all the ideas into a game document. The diplomat and coordinator should be the project lead, but of course here, many of us are both.

"Saying no flat out" is a rather specific way of rejecting an idea. I doubt any professional person would do that. I might have missed it, but did someone above suggest they did? Most of the time the no is more like "Well, that is a very cool idea and it would be great if we could do it. Let's look at the budget and the time constraints and see if there is someone skilled enough to work that out". Or the one I hear a lot, "Neat idea but let's get done what we have in our timetable and then see if we can make it work." Of course, that means it gets added to a list of "possibles" and may or may not see the light of day. That list can get mighty long! Not everything can be done.

Facilitating creativity is probably more the job of the Art Director, but then again, who is the art director on a small team? The designer job is to make sure the art and the lore and the setting and all that jazz works together but not really his job to inspire the artists. In a large studio, he probably wouldn't even be the one to set the style. He also doesn't write the lore or the story for the game or choose the music. A large team would have people for that.

I wish I had people for that! lol Although I have discovered the ability to make my 2d artists want to finish the concept art! Ha! Of course, I have some leverage over them....they are my daughters.

 

Now I know what's missing from our team.

 

Yes, I am very lucky! They are very talented artists. I will have to find a way to share some of their art on the Unity forums some time. I like to show them off.

 

Proper game designer should have experience in most areas of game development and production. Understanding process of creating visual assets and coding. Because game designer must understand how things are made so he can design features and mechanics for production. Aside that, game designer should understand some other concepts that are hard for me to say in few words. But what I mean are things realted to: what makes games fun, a good game, marketing, budget and time ratio...

But in short, for indie, a person who understands how to design appealing things for a video game, and person who understands how those things are made.

So, this is not same as just getting ideas. Designing a game is nothing like writing list of ideas. That's brainstorming.

 

Not sure if anyone has mentioned it yet (probably have) but just in case...
Experience playing Games. Not making video games. Playing games. Lots of games.

If someone says "I only play FPS games." then they should be immediately fired on the spot. No lie. I question the competence of anyone who has limited gaming experience or exists in only a single genre.
The more genres, the better. The more they love games, the better. Ask them to list their game library- or every game they've ever purchased that is worth mentioning.

If they haven't played - or at least researched/watched - some of the masterpieces we all know and love, at least in relation to your targeted system (ex. PC gaming, Console gaming, Card games, etc.) then I question their design skills.
Since I deal exclusively in PC gaming, I'd have to ask if they've played games similar to my current project, as well as classics like Fallout or new games like Skyrim. Obviously you don't have to play any of them to be good, it certainly is nice for them to have experience with both old school classics and new (good) games.

I mention this, because playing games, and lots of them, across every possible genre, from casual to hardcore- means more experience to pull from. More ideas to glean. More knowledge about gaming period.
Most importantly, any game designer worth his salt doesn't just know video game design. They know PnP RPG game design. Board game design. Card game design. If it's a game, they should be able to design it.

Anyone who says "Ultima Online was great exclusively because of FFA Full Loot PvP" would immediately get fired from my team. Although I agree that was an interesting/fun design, they are morons at game design. Way too narrow minded. There are many, many reasons UO was great back in its day. You're allowed to believe that was, in your own opinion, what made it great. Np, I might agree in part. But if you're unable to tell me the flaws or all the other reasons people liked it, then I'd facepalm. There is a lot to the design and success- and what people actually loved. (ex. The addition of Trammel was actually very well received, DOUBLING SUBSCRIBERS. A niche number of players disliked it.)

For my particular game, I'd be interested if they've ever played any SIM games, God-games, Point & Click Adventure games, retro RPG's, or Space Exploration games.
My #1 question, if I could only have only one, (besides being a waste of a question) would be Have you ever designed a card game, board game, or PnP RPG? I think this tells a lot about someone's passion and ability for game design. It also helps to bring in out-of-the-box innovation. Avoid the people trapped in a bubble as to what a video game should be.

Game Design transcends video games and blends into all games. That is what I'd look for, because that is where you can get an increased chance of innovation. Hell, for a video game, I'd even hire a non-gamer who is great at designing PnP, Board, or Card games. There's some out-of-the-box thinking for ya.

One of my favorite new games this year, Dead State, is strikingly similar to one of my favorite board games of all time: Dead of Winter. Both have very similar concepts, and both are a blast for me. Although very different, they are strikingly similar in giving you that stronghold-scavenge zombies-are-not-a-big-threat-unless-you-ignore-them-for-an-extended-period-of-time feel. Realism, in a tangible game design. I can see myself equally loving a Dead of Winter style video game.

Other things I'd ask in an interview: Take what makes HeroClix so great, fun, and popular: and use that same principle in a video game. A good game designer could identify why people like HeroClix, what is great about it, and how that could be implemented into a video game's design.

For personal preference: I'd also ask them if they think Dungeons & Dragons is good game design. If they say yes, I might punch them in the face before asking them what other PnP games have interesting design components.

 

I don't really understand all the discussion on "They need to be able to communicate with the team." and "They should know about everything to work better with the team."
This applies to literally every position in the universe.
I'm much more interested in everyone's opinions about what qualities/skills to look for in a game designer, not a generic employee.

I realize that many people think a game designer somehow has to be the team lead or communicate with everyone, understand limitations, or whatever- but that isn't the game designer's job. That is the job of a team member. Any and all team members.

Technical limitations related to game design would be the job of the programmer, when communicating with the designer. Art limitations would be the job of the artist/programmer, etc.
The entire point of a team is to...be a team. A game designer's job is to design the gameplay, keep the game cohesive to a certain feel or perspective, make it fun. He doesn't need to know any technical limitations at all, as the team can work together to figure out the design with the designer as the lead...in design.

(Sorry, I'm having a hard time explaining this, and can't help but feel I am saying it wrong by saying "It is the job of the team to work as a team, and it is the job of the designer to design.)

Game Design is a skill all to itself. One does not have to be a game programmer or even understand the technical limitations of video games, to design - or work with a team (who do understand these things) to design. Yes, it helps to know the limitations. Yes, you will be hurt if your team neglected to communicate about the design and tech limits. Yes, the designer must know a little about everything to be "perfect". However, it's not as important as knowing good design principles. If the designer does not know the limitations of your project/team, the rest of the team (who do know these things) can supplement his weakness with their strengths.

What matters, is what you get when you combine the group's talents. Not that a single person is knowledgeable about every area of game dev.

For example, it is the game designer's job to lead a team discussion about the game's design. Alternatively they could work solo and then submit a design, hear from the team / ask questions, then adjust the design (while retaining the meat of the design) to the technical or physical limitations. Whatever.

ex.
Designer: So what do you guys want for the game? Any good ideas?
Programmer: "I want our MTG video game to have 10 unique pieces of art for each card. I hate when it's always the same."
Lead: "We don't have enough time or money to produce that much unique art. The art budget is about half that size."
Designer: "He's right that this is a weakness in other games. Ah, hmm... maybe if I alter this ... no we have to keep that. Then I can change this and adjust that...what about this then?"
Lead: "Oh wow, that is an even better idea than before, AND it fits our budget!"
Programmer: "I appreciate you listening to my desire for the game, but I don't know if I can do that."
Designer: "Oh, then should we get rid of feature Z too?"
Programmer: "Nah, I can handle that one I think. The bits and bytes fit in with the integers and my algorithm can easily particulate the binary to metaphorsate the arrays."
Designer: "O..k.... I just need to know if feature Z is worth the time to implement. It's about this [ ] important."
Programmer: "I can do it in a few days np."
Lead: Definitely worth keeping in. But we could cut Feature Y.
Designer: No, feature Y relies on Feature Z too much. They compliment one another to give the player that feel. It's really important we keep both of those, along with this type of aesthetic.
Programmer: Oh btw I was thinking of having this type of interface.
Designer: Oh dear god no... just no. Back to the cage, code monkey!

 

Have you ever worked with a designer who did not have the ability to communicate with others well? I did and it was not pleasant. It almost tore the team apart and only his departure held us together. Yeah, it is important for many positions, including game designer. This is especially true of a small team, which is what most of us are here.

 

This could apply to anyone and everyone, in the same way though:

Have you ever worked with a team lead who did not have the ability to communicate with others well? I did, and everyone hated their jobs. It almost tore the team apart.

Have you ever worked with a programmer who did not have the ability to communicate with others well? I did, and he never told anyone he didn't know how to implement many of the features until 6 months in. It almost tore the team apart.

My point is that communication is important for anyone and everyone working as a team. Sure, some will require more communication skills than others (ex. Team Lead being the most important in communicating) but it's not really a particular skill relating to game design as much as a generic skill which applies to being part of a team.

You can have a skill in game design when working lone wolf, where communication is non-existent. I'm just more interested in game designer discussion, than team member discussion. It's less interesting to discuss the obvious. "They shouldn't be brain damaged. They shouldn't be racist against the programmer. They should be good at communicating. They shouldn't be an axe wielding neo-nazi who has it out for the Lead Dev."

 

Of course, in a perfect world everyone would have the ability to communicate. However, if the designer and lead can communicate with the anti-social programmer or the temperamental artist, then at least you have people who can hold the team together. The designer has to work with everyone on the team. The programmer and artists have more specialized work.

Our discussion is about good qualities for a game designer and working with others is very important. I think everyone but you agrees with that. No one, not one person here, has said that it is okay for the team lead or other members to be anti-social or bad communicators. lol

But as you said, we are talking about game designers, and in my opinion, because they have to communicate during a project with every other member of the team in order to make sure the design is properly implemented, communication is a key.

We will have to agree to disagree unfortunately. I think you are narrowing this topic too far down while the rest of us are broad. That in itself is a communication problem. It is okay if we don't all agree....again, shows good communication.

 

I don't really understand why the Lead Developer can communicate with everyone and lead, but he can't do the same to link the designer with the rest of the team (like he can with the programmer/artist) .

If the lead developer can bridge the social gap between two team members, I don't see a reason why he can't do it with the third.

I agree they need a bit more communication ability than the programmer, but I'd argue that the artist needs to be as good a communicator as the designer. No wait, I'll now argue that the programmer needs to be as good a communicator as the designer too.

Game Design & Team Lead are very often combined. I think this is where the disconnect between us comes. This is not required though.

Game Design is a skill in itself, and I'll concede that it requires some basic knowledge of practical limitations. (ex. It is a Game Design skill to know you can't expect the artist to create 100 fully animated 3D characters in a single day.)

I will also concede that for every 1 XP in "Communication" the Designer lacks, he needs 1 XP in "Understanding Tech".
Obviously, the designer needs to either know what he is doing (technical limitations) or have the ability to communicate (to find out technical limitations) but only one would be required even if both are preferred (with communication being more preferred).

In the end, the designer could communicate to the Team Lead, who then relays the design to the Programmer/Artist, who then relay back. With the Team Lead having the communication skills, able to link the team together (which is sort of the entire point of his job).

The Team Lead's job thus making the designer's communication skills...not a requirement?

 

You are over thinking this. Again, it is not an either or. Good tech skills or at least having enough understanding to know that he is not being bamboozled by the programmer he hired is as important. No one said otherwise.

Learning when to pick your battles is another sign of a good communicator. No one is arguing with you.

Have a good day, Carter!

 

No one is arguing with you either. I just keep talking because you keep talking.

I guess we're agreeing then. Yea. So there! Now I forgot how to shut up.

 

Cool! Now, I need to finish my coffee!

 

Is coffee the skill of a good designer?

 

Definitely!

 

Now we're gonna have to disagree. Everyone and their article-browsing mom KNOWS that coffee is bad for you, and having a healthy body is key to [insert something about brain health] and [insert something about how physical health helps people game dev somehow].

Source: [link to some article on yahoo/google/msnbc/fox news]

 

Coffee is actually good for you. High in antioxidants and it makes you more alert. Testing shows you are smarter if you drink coffee.

Essential for a good game designer!

 

Explains why I'm so durmb.

 

I am going to use that in my circles from now on. Thank you.