Do you want to make games and make it a career? Such a goal is becoming more and more common among both men and women who have an interest in games. But “making games” is obviously not easy, and most often, it is not a task for one person. Behind large productions, there are entire staffs of creators specializing in very specific tasks. It is worth knowing what place to find for yourself in the so-called “game dev.”
This guide will shed some light about how to start a game design career.
What kind of games to create?
The range of games that a designer can start with is big. From spin games like 9 Pots of Gold to slots games. Not to forget the first shouter type. If you are indeed interested in create a spin game, you may check 9 Pots of Gold at Lottoland. It will give an idea about what to expect when creating this kind of games.
Nonetheless, our advice is to get a game development program (whether a Unity engine or a Visual Novel one), run a tutorial, and just create your first game. We believe that you need to start with making simple games.
Once you can create that first simple game, further development is only a matter of time. So, observe how the best designer work, watch their workshop, go to conferences and workshops, and read professional literature. In addition, you can watch a lot of widely available video materials.
As you gain more knowledge, you will know more about the kind of games you want to create.
When to start learning?
It’s a truism, but it’s never too early or too late to learn. But if we are serious about creating games, it’s nice to start creating as early as possible, so that we can get over our first failures because there will be plenty of them along the road. But you can also start playing games much later when we are already professionally active and set. It is important not to throw yourself into deep water before you get to know the pros and cons of this industry. Making games is not a job for everyone.
There are different ways to enter the industry. In fact, there is no single recipe for game development education. You can get into the industry after both the Academy of Fine Arts and the programming school. Or being a brilliant autodidact (there are quite a few such cases). This industry is very open to various skills, although, of course, it is best to start programming after courses or schools dealing with this subject.
How much money will I need to start creating games?
When talking about a budget start learning the game dev skills, it would cost quite a lot to get into an elite school or university. However, as we said before, many people start learning from the net.
On the other hand, a budget for creating a game depends on how many people will be working on it. Hiring other individuals to work with you with cost you a hefty sum. Nonetheless, there are ways to collect funds in order to create a game, like what the creators of this board game did when they gathered 4,105,486.80 $ through Kickstarter.
Studying or working right away?
I can imagine the typical dilemma of a person who wants to enter the gaming industry. Example scenario: I know the basics of making games, and I know my specialization. What to do next? Start learning more about game Dev from professionals or go straight to business? Or maybe work on games and train myself?
A graphic designer doesn’t have to know the game dev inside out; he has to draw well. The animator is supposed to know how to create animations. The programmer will get to know the Unity or Unreal engines at work. Designers are people who learn about film studies, psychology, and sociology, but they can also be philologists – it’s important that they have open minds.
There is no one way to game dev, but it is worth increasing your chances by following courses or exploring the subject (horror stories, for example, if you want to create horror games).
