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Digital Game Design

We have all played and enjoyed games, but how do people actually design them? How do you describe a game? What are the basic elements? How do designers create an experience for the player? What about prototyping and iterating? A programme in Digital Game Design answers all of these questions and more.

Game design is the art of applying design and aesthetics to create a game for entertainment or for educational, exercise, or experimental purposes. Game design creates goals, rules and challenges to define a casino game, role-playing game, sport, war game or simulation that produces desirable interactions among its participants and, possibly, spectators. It is a trending career in today’s modern world and has excellent scope for growth in the coming years.



 

Digital Game Design at a Glance


Digital Game Design has evolved in a tremendous manner in the past few decades :

  • The rise of open-world game design : Yes, there were open-world games before 2004, but the era of Grand Theft Auto IV and V, Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, Saint’s Row, and Witcher has seen the whole philosophy of level design evolve from highly prescriptive linear experiences to the provision of playful experimental spaces.
  • The rise of the social experience : With broadband internet, we also got the irresistible growth of online multiplayer gaming overtaking both the sofa-based experience of traditional two-player console games and the local area network complexity of early 1990s PC titles.
  • The growing influence of games on wider culture : It used to be that games existed in a cultural ghetto kept away from other art forms, cropping up only when some crazed Hollywood executive felt that they could make some quick money from a movie tie-in.
    Now there are video games in the Victoria and Albert Museum. There are immersive theatre companies and art collectives name-checking games as their inspiration, there are television shows and movies drawing heavily from the aesthetics and structure of games.

Designers perform the following tasks on a regular basis :

  • Design, develop and deliver systems and high quality code using programming languages
  • Perform code reviews to ensure code quality
  • Quality test coding in a systematic and thorough way to find problems or bugs and record precisely where the problem was discovered
  • Debug programs and solve complex technical problems that occur within the game's production
  • Work closely with designers, artists and other staff involved in the design process in order to create a quality product to schedule
  • Develop designs or initial concept designs for games including game play
  • Generate game scripts and storyboards
  • Create the visual aspects of the game at the concept stage
  • Use 2D or 3D modelling and animation software, such as Maya, at the production stage
  • Produce the audio features of the game, such as character voices, music and sound effects

The following Skills and Aptitudes are required to be successful in this field :

  • Technical ability, in particular familiarisation with a range of programming languages and/or software packages
  • Team working skills to liaise with other developers and other teams involved in making a game
  • A creative and innovative approach to solving complex technical problems
  • Flexibility to meet deadlines and client requirements
  • Attention to detail and good communication skills
  • A forward-thinking approach to work and willingness to keep learning and developing your skills
  • Enthusiasm for and knowledge of the gaming industry
  • Reasonable fluency in a range of 2D and 3D graphics and animation packages, such as 3D Studio Max, NUKE or Maya


About Digital Game Design Schools


Sr No. College/Institute Location Courses
1. NID Ahmedabad M.Des in Digital Game Design
2. Ecole Intuit Lab Mumbai Paris Aix-en-provence
  • UG programme in Game art & design
  • PG Diploma in Game art

3. ICAT Design and Media College Chennai B.Sc. in Game Art and Design
4. Asian Institute of Design Bangalore Professional Diploma in Game Art
5. ICAT Design and Media College Hyderabad Post Graduate Diploma in Games Development
6. Creative Mentors Animation and Gaming College Hyderabad B.Tech. in Game Development and Computer Science
7. Seamedu School of Pro-Expressionism Bangalore, Pune BCA in Game and Mobile Software Development


About the Work Industry/Job Market


Graduates can work in the following Industries :

  • Educational institutions
  • Broadcasters
  • DVD and CD-ROM authoring companies
  • Information providers such as local and national government
  • Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
  • Marketing and advertising agencies
  • Mobile phone companies
  • Design companies

Following recent trends were observed in the realm of Digital Gaming :

  • Augmented Reality : Despite the steep drop-off, Pokemon Go showed us how complete strangers, even those not into Pokemon or gaming, could come together over an augmented reality game. It wasn’t uncommon at its height to see packs of teens roaming the streets, populating a Pokestop, and dropping lure modules like it was nobody’s business. Games like Pokemon Go have just put a start to the AR facilitated gaming era.
  • Virtual Reality : Taking it a step further, we move from augmented reality to virtual reality. Last year saw virtual reality return with a vengeance with Oculus Rift, Steam, etc. The use of VR is expected to rise over the years.
  • Inclusivity : Video games are a great way to reach audiences of all kinds, especially young people. Featuring diversity and inclusivity in games exposes kids (and everyone) to the beauty of being different. Diversity will become more prevalent in video games as sectors of all entertainment industries crawl towards equality.
  • Mobile Gaming : Nintendo is entering the mobile gaming market. We are soon going to see the other big gaming legends bringing their products to the handhelds as the demand moves from desktops to mobiles & tabs and later to smart watches.

Fresher can expect to earn anything between Rs.5-6.5 lakh p.a.
Experienced professionals can earn in the range of Rs. 8-10 lakh p.a


Following are the best Companies / Studios in India for this Discipline :

  • 2Pi Interactive
  • 99Games
  • Creatiosoft Solutions Pvt Ltd
  • Electronic Arts Games
  • Game Show Network (BitRhymes)
  • Griptonite Games India Pvt Ltd.
  • GSN Games
  • The Walt Disney Company (India)
  • Apar Games
  • CreatioSoft
  • Dhruva Interactive
  • DigiKhel
  • Dumadu Games
  • GamersFirst

Links to Follow :