Why The Science of Game Design Matters
Why The Science of Game Design Matters
Why The Science of Game Design Matters
By Josh Bycer
June 9, 2021
Summary
Game Design vs. Game Development Yet another popular argument when it comes to game dev discussions is who is a part of a game's development - is it everyone on the team, just the leads, just the designer, etc.
There's going to be several shots fired at the industry in this post and here's the first one: game design is not the same as game development; it doesn't matter if you coded the entire game from scratch on your own custom engine, that alone does not make you a game designer.
You need to be actively coming up with the core gameplay loop, thinking about progression and mechanics/systems, creating the UI/UX, and building content that makes use of all that, those are the elements of game design and the role of a game designer.
I have said this countless times, I've reached a point where I can spot within minutes whether or not a game has a chance at succeeding, and part of that is being able to tell if the developer understands game design.
Just because someone plays a ton of videogames, goes to school to get a degree in game development, or even works at a game studio does not automatically mean that they understand the philosophy and fundamentals of game design.
The Fundamentals of Game Design It's time for shot #2 - whether developers want to admit it or not, there are standards of game design.
Trying to design a game without understanding game design isn't putting the cart before the horse, it's standing there with groceries and wondering what can help move all this stuff.
Reference
Bycer, J. (2021, June 9). Why the science of game design matters. Game Developer. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/disciplines/why-the-science-of-game-design-matters.