What does a game designer do?

I'm super into gaming and might want to turn my passion into a career. What does a game designer actually do, and what skills should I focus on developing while I'm still in high school?

A game designer plays a crucial role in the creation of a videogame, overseeing and making decisions about the concept, mechanics, rules, storyline, characters, and visual aesthetics. Often, they start with a game concept – what is the idea or story, what is the player's objective, how will the world of the game function? From there, they'll lay out these details in a game design document (GDD). They're responsible for keeping the development team on track and ensuring that different components of the game–such as art, programming, and sound–all work together cohesively.

Naturally, there are different types of game designers. Some may focus more on the narrative, creating compelling characters and unfolding stories. Others might specialize in mechanism design, focusing on player's interfaces and interactions. As a game designer, you could work on any genre of game: mobile, console, PC, or even board games!

To prepare for a career in game design while still in high school, there are several skills you can start working on.

1. Problem-solving skills: Game design is all about creating satisfying challenges, so a knack for problem-solving helps.

2. Communication: Whether it’s writing a GDD, conveying ideas to artwork and coding team members, or writing dialogue for characters, clear communication is vital.

3. Math and Computer Science: A base understanding can help particularly for the more technical aspects of game design.

4. Storytelling and Art: If you lean towards the creative side of game design, hone your narrative crafting ability. Being able to draft and sketch your own characters, settings, or visual designs can also be invaluable.

5. Critical Analysis: Playing games, dissecting the work of others and understanding why a game is fun (or not) makes a big difference.

There are extracurriculars that could help you sharpen these skills like math clubs and programming clubs for the technical aspects, art-related pursuits, or even writing for the school paper. And, of course, designing simple games of your own can be a valuable learning experience, if you're up for the challenge! There are several free tools online, like Twine for text-based games or Unity for more complex projects. Good luck exploring your budding passion for game design!