Video Game Designers
Design core features of video games. Specify innovative game and role-play mechanics, story lines, and character biographies. Create and maintain design documentation. Guide and collaborate with production staff to produce games as designed.
Technology Tools
Key Tasks
- Balance and adjust gameplay experiences to ensure the critical and commercial success of the product.
- Devise missions, challenges, or puzzles to be encountered in game play.
- Create core game features, including storylines, role-play mechanics, and character biographies for a new video game or game franchise.
- Conduct regular design reviews throughout the game development process.
- Solicit, obtain, and integrate feedback from design and technical staff into original game design.
- Develop and maintain design level documentation, including mechanics, guidelines, and mission outlines.
- Document all aspects of formal game design, using mock-up screenshots, sample menu layouts, gameplay flowcharts, and other graphical devices.
- Create and manage documentation, production schedules, prototyping goals, and communication plans in collaboration with production staff.
- Provide feedback to designers and other colleagues regarding game design features.
- Provide feedback to production staff regarding technical game qualities or adherence to original design.
- Create gameplay prototypes for presentation to creative and technical staff and management.
- Guide design discussions between development teams.
- Present new game design concepts to management and technical colleagues, including artists, animators, and programmers.
- Oversee gameplay testing to ensure intended gaming experience and game adherence to original vision.
- Prepare two-dimensional concept layouts or three-dimensional mock-ups.
- Keep abreast of game design technology and techniques, industry trends, or audience interests, reactions, and needs by reviewing current literature, talking with colleagues, participating in educational programs, attending meetings or workshops, or partici
- Review or evaluate competitive products, film, music, television, and other art forms to generate new game design ideas.
- Write or supervise the writing of game text and dialogue.
- Consult with multiple stakeholders to define requirements and implement online features.
- Collaborate with artists to achieve appropriate visual style.
- Determine supplementary virtual features, such as currency, item catalog, menu design, and audio direction.
- Prepare and revise initial game sketches using two- and three-dimensional graphical design software.
- Create gameplay test plans for internal and external test groups.
- Provide test specifications to quality assurance staff.
Skills
Knowledge
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Abilities
Work Activities
Work Context
Duration of Typical Work Week
Number of hours typically worked in one week.
100%
How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?
100%
Spend Time Sitting
How much does this job require sitting?
96%
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?
94%
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?
94%
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?
93%
Level of Competition
To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
84%
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
76%
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?
76%
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
76%
Time Pressure
How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
76%
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
74%
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities
How important is it to coordinate or lead others (not as a supervisor or team leader) in accomplishing work activities in this job?
71%
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
71%
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
63%
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
How important are continuous, repetitive, physical activities (like key entry) or mental activities (like checking entries in a ledger) to performing this job?
60%
Telephone Conversations
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
58%
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
54%
Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers
How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
54%
Frequency of Decision Making
How often is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
53%
Physical Proximity
To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks physically close to other people?
49%
Conflict Situations
How frequently are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
45%
Public Speaking
How frequently does your job require public speaking (one speaker with an audience)?
34%
Written Letters and Memos
How frequently does your job require written letters and memos?
30%
Consequence of Error
How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not easily correctable?
28%
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?
28%
Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
How important is it to deal with external customers (as in retail sales) or the public in general (as in police work) in this job?
26%
Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People
How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
26%
Degree of Automation
How automated is the job?
20%
Spend Time Standing
How much does this job require standing?
13%
Work Schedules
How regular are the work schedules for this job?
13%
Health and Safety of Other Workers
How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
11%
Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions
How often does this job require working in extremely bright or inadequate lighting conditions?
8%
Spend Time Walking or Running
How much does this job require walking or running?
5%
In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment
How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or operate enclosed equipment (like a car)?
4%
Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
4%
Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions
How often does this job require working in cramped work spaces that requires getting into awkward positions?
3%
Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working in an environment that is not environmentally controlled (like a warehouse without air conditioning)?
3%
Outdoors, Under Cover
How often does this job require working outdoors, under cover (like in an open shed)?
3%
Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.)
3%
Dealing with Violent or Physically Aggressive People
How frequently does this job require the worker to deal with physical aggression of violent individuals?
1%
Exposed to High Places
How often does this job require exposure to high places?
1%
In an Open Vehicle or Operating Equipment
How often does this job require working in an open vehicle or operating equipment (like a tractor)?
1%
Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling
How much does this job require kneeling, crouching, stooping or crawling?
1%
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?
1%
Exposed to Contaminants
How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
0%
Exposed to Disease or Infections
How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?
0%
Exposed to Hazardous Conditions
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous conditions?
0%
Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?
0%
Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings
How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings?
0%
Exposed to Radiation
How often does this job require exposure to radiation?
0%
Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures?
0%
Exposed to Whole Body Vibration
How often does this job require exposure to whole body vibration (like operating a jackhammer or earth moving equipment)?
0%
Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body
How much does this job require bending or twisting your body?
0%
Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles
How much does this job require climbing ladders, scaffolds, poles, etc.?
0%
Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance
How much does this job require keeping or regaining your balance?
0%
Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection
How often does this job require wearing specialized protective or safety equipment such as breathing apparatus, safety harness, full protection suits, or radiation protection?
0%
Education
Bachelor's degree
High school diploma or equivalent
Less than high school diploma
Interests
Artistic
Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts,
Investigative
Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the f
Enterprising
Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertis
Conventional
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or hum
Realistic
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, t
Social
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
Work Styles
Work Values
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