Comment The "game designer" is largely a myth (Score 4) 272
This is a Frequently Asked Question for people in the game industry, and the standard response is usually along the lines of there is no such thing as a game designer, at least, not in the sense that you mean.
Other's here have talked about the reality of the "game designer" position in the industry, so I'll take a different tack: What is it that you want to do?
If you want to program your own AAA games, you're going to need to be in a position where a publisher or studio trusts your track record enough to finance a multi-million production with you at the helm. The key word here is track record, and in an industry where most games fail to break even, you'll exceptional ability and luck to get there. But I don't think you really want to get there - you'll discover that you spend all your time "managing" the project, and barely any time actually creating anything yourself. You also need your "vision" to be flexible - meaning the final result might not be what you had intended. Indeed, chances are your vision needs to seriously bend accommodate others, eg your dream project might be a first-person shooter, the studio says "our position in the market demands a 3rd person Tombraider clone - do it like that" and from day one your baby is not what you wanted it to be. When you're working with other people's money, you generally have to work in their interests.
Another option is the go-it-alone garage route. These days it is next to impossible to compete with the AAA titles on a garage budget, but there is still the occasional exception to the rule. I would advise against this route however, unless you have a solid concept that is so far outside the box that it's revolutionary, and some means to support yourself during its production. Even then, I would advise extreme caution - as I said, most games make a loss. That means that even if you've spent two years of your life living on 2-minute noodles and burning the wrappers for warmth, sacrificed your free time, time with family and friends, career opportunities, etc., in all likelyhood it will not make you money. But it could be used as lever into the industry. I would advise a less harrowing lever however :-)
Of course, you don't have to compete with the AAA titles - there is a substantial market for simpler, cheaper games. Go to the local store, find the cheap games (not old discounted AAA titles), look at who publishes them, and check out their website. Many are always on the lookout for new games. Some people who have taken this route can make a decent living, some can't. Either way, having a published game to your name is a HUGE asset should you want to get a job with a studio.
As many have advised, the closest real-world position to being the imaginary game designer, is amateur game modding - you have the creative control. I would suggest, however, that you try to think a variant on this approach. For example, Valve have just released the beginning of new technology to greatly increase the spectator-participation potential for gaming tournaments. If you had come up with that concept and mod, eg something that makes new things possible, you'll go places FAST :)
Working on the AAA titles in the industry, there is no escaping that you will be part of a close-knit team. You can be a creative contributor as well as code-monkey, but there is no one person whose Word Is As Law. And if there is, chances are the work environment will not be healthy :)
Other's here have talked about the reality of the "game designer" position in the industry, so I'll take a different tack: What is it that you want to do?
If you want to program your own AAA games, you're going to need to be in a position where a publisher or studio trusts your track record enough to finance a multi-million production with you at the helm. The key word here is track record, and in an industry where most games fail to break even, you'll exceptional ability and luck to get there. But I don't think you really want to get there - you'll discover that you spend all your time "managing" the project, and barely any time actually creating anything yourself. You also need your "vision" to be flexible - meaning the final result might not be what you had intended. Indeed, chances are your vision needs to seriously bend accommodate others, eg your dream project might be a first-person shooter, the studio says "our position in the market demands a 3rd person Tombraider clone - do it like that" and from day one your baby is not what you wanted it to be. When you're working with other people's money, you generally have to work in their interests.
Another option is the go-it-alone garage route. These days it is next to impossible to compete with the AAA titles on a garage budget, but there is still the occasional exception to the rule. I would advise against this route however, unless you have a solid concept that is so far outside the box that it's revolutionary, and some means to support yourself during its production. Even then, I would advise extreme caution - as I said, most games make a loss. That means that even if you've spent two years of your life living on 2-minute noodles and burning the wrappers for warmth, sacrificed your free time, time with family and friends, career opportunities, etc., in all likelyhood it will not make you money. But it could be used as lever into the industry. I would advise a less harrowing lever however
Of course, you don't have to compete with the AAA titles - there is a substantial market for simpler, cheaper games. Go to the local store, find the cheap games (not old discounted AAA titles), look at who publishes them, and check out their website. Many are always on the lookout for new games. Some people who have taken this route can make a decent living, some can't. Either way, having a published game to your name is a HUGE asset should you want to get a job with a studio.
As many have advised, the closest real-world position to being the imaginary game designer, is amateur game modding - you have the creative control. I would suggest, however, that you try to think a variant on this approach. For example, Valve have just released the beginning of new technology to greatly increase the spectator-participation potential for gaming tournaments. If you had come up with that concept and mod, eg something that makes new things possible, you'll go places FAST
Working on the AAA titles in the industry, there is no escaping that you will be part of a close-knit team. You can be a creative contributor as well as code-monkey, but there is no one person whose Word Is As Law. And if there is, chances are the work environment will not be healthy
