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Date: 04/26/2025

Video Game Designers

Design core features of video games. Specify innovative game and role-play mechanics, story lines, and character biographies. Create and maintain design documentation. Guide and collaborate with production staff to produce games as designed.

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    Work Activities

    Work Activities

    • Write or supervise the writing of game text and dialogue.
    • Review or evaluate competitive products, film, music, television, and other art forms to generate new game design ideas.
    • Create core game features, including storylines, role-play mechanics, and character biographies for a new video game or game franchise.
    • Solicit, obtain, and integrate feedback from design and technical staff into original game design.
    • Present new game design concepts to management and technical colleagues, including artists, animators, and programmers.
    • Develop and maintain design level documentation, including mechanics, guidelines, and mission outlines.
    • Prepare two-dimensional concept layouts or three-dimensional mock-ups.
    • Create gameplay test plans for internal and external test groups.
    • Provide feedback to designers and other colleagues regarding game design features.
    • Collaborate with artists to achieve appropriate visual style.
    • Conduct regular design reviews throughout the game development process.
    • Create and manage documentation, production schedules, prototyping goals, and communication plans in collaboration with production staff.
    • Guide design discussions between development teams.
    • Keep abreast of game design technology and techniques, industry trends, or audience interests, reactions, and needs by reviewing current literature, talking with colleagues, participating in educational programs, attending meetings or workshops, or participating in professional organizations or conferences.
    • Write or supervise the writing of game text and dialogue.
    • Provide test specifications to quality assurance staff.
    • Balance and adjust gameplay experiences to ensure the critical and commercial success of the product.
    • Determine supplementary virtual features, such as currency, item catalog, menu design, and audio direction.
    • Develop and maintain design level documentation, including mechanics, guidelines, and mission outlines.
    • Prepare and revise initial game sketches using two- and three-dimensional graphical design software.
    • Provide feedback to production staff regarding technical game qualities or adherence to original design.
    • Consult with multiple stakeholders to define requirements and implement online features.
    • Document all aspects of formal game design, using mock-up screenshots, sample menu layouts, gameplay flowcharts, and other graphical devices.
    • Create and manage documentation, production schedules, prototyping goals, and communication plans in collaboration with production staff.
    • Create gameplay prototypes for presentation to creative and technical staff and management.
    • Oversee gameplay testing to ensure intended gaming experience and game adherence to original vision.
    • Devise missions, challenges, or puzzles to be encountered in game play.

    Skills

    • Management of Financial Resources

      Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.

    • Critical Thinking

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

    • Repairing

      Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.

    • Judgment and Decision Making

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.

    • Operations Monitoring

      Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.

    • Installation

      Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.

    • Negotiation

      Bringing people together to solve differences.

    • Time Management

      Managing your time and the time of other people.

    • Active Learning

      Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

    • Quality Control Analysis

      Testing how well a product or service works.

    • Service Orientation

      Looking for ways to help people.

    • Equipment Maintenance

      Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.

    • Writing

      Writing things for co-workers or customers.

    • Social Perceptiveness

      Understanding people's reactions.

    • Speaking

      Talking to others.

    • Mathematics

      Using math to solve problems.

    • Systems Analysis

      Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.

    • Learning Strategies

      Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.

    • Management of Material Resources

      Managing equipment and materials.

    • Coordination

      Changing what is done based on other people's actions.

    • Operation and Control

      Using equipment or systems.

    • Instructing

      Teaching people how to do something.

    • Systems Evaluation

      Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

    • Technology Design

      Making equipment and technology useful for customers.

    • Complex Problem Solving

      Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

    • Equipment Selection

      Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.

    • Programming

      Writing computer programs.

    • Persuasion

      Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.

    • Active Listening

      Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

    • Monitoring

      Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

    • Management of Personnel Resources

      Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

    • Science

      Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.

    • Operations Analysis

      Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.

    • Troubleshooting

      Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.

    • Reading Comprehension

      Reading work-related information.

    WorkKeys®

    Applied Math
    N/A
    Workplace Documents
    N/A
    Graphic Literacy
    N/A

    Abilities

    • Dynamic Strength

      Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

    • Spatial Orientation

      Knowing where things are around you.

    • Oral Expression

      Communicating by speaking.

    • Gross Body Coordination

      Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.

    • Information Ordering

      Ordering or arranging things.

    • Fluency of Ideas

      Coming up with lots of ideas.

    • Rate Control

      Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

    • Night Vision

      Seeing at night or under low light.

    • Number Facility

      Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

    • Hearing Sensitivity

      Telling the difference between sounds.

    • Mathematical Reasoning

      Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.

    • Selective Attention

      Paying attention to something without being distracted.

    • Glare Sensitivity

      Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.

    • Sound Localization

      Noticing the direction that a sound came from.

    • Visual Color Discrimination

      Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.

    • Static Strength

      Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.

    • Auditory Attention

      Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.

    • Speed of Closure

      Quickly knowing what you are looking at.

    • Written Comprehension

      Reading and understanding what is written.

    • Speech Recognition

      Recognizing spoken words.

    • Time Sharing

      Doing two or more things at the same time.

    • Extent Flexibility

      Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Written Expression

      Communicating by writing.

    • Originality

      Creating new and original ideas.

    • Reaction Time

      Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.

    • Peripheral Vision

      Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

    • Manual Dexterity

      Holding or moving items with your hands.

    • Category Flexibility

      Grouping things in different ways.

    • Dynamic Flexibility

      Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Oral Comprehension

      Listening and understanding what people say.

    • Speed of Limb Movement

      Quickly moving your arms and legs.

    • Control Precision

      Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

    • Depth Perception

      Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.

    • Deductive Reasoning

      Using rules to solve problems.

    • Multilimb Coordination

      Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.

    • Finger Dexterity

      Putting together small parts with your fingers.

    • Near Vision

      Seeing details up close.

    • Wrist-Finger Speed

      Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.

    • Speech Clarity

      Speaking clearly.

    • Explosive Strength

      Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.

    • Inductive Reasoning

      Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.

    • Far Vision

      Seeing details that are far away.

    • Gross Body Equilibrium

      Keeping your balance or staying upright.

    • Problem Sensitivity

      Noticing when problems happen.

    • Response Orientation

      Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.

    • Trunk Strength

      Using your lower back and stomach.

    • Memorization

      Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.

    • Flexibility of Closure

      Seeing hidden patterns.

    • Stamina

      Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.

    • Perceptual Speed

      Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

    • Arm-Hand Steadiness

      Keeping your arm or hand steady.

    • Visualization

      Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

    Knowledge

    • Administrative

      Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

    • History and Archeology

      Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

    • Law and Government

      Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

    • Economics and Accounting

      Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

    • Philosophy and Theology

      Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.

    • Mathematics

      Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

    • Production and Processing

      Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

    • Mechanical

      Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

    • Personnel and Human Resources

      Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

    • Administration and Management

      Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

    • Medicine and Dentistry

      Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

    • Sociology and Anthropology

      Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.

    • Foreign Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

    • Fine Arts

      Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

    • Biology

      Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

    • Food Production

      Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

    • Public Safety and Security

      Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

    • English Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

    • Building and Construction

      Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

    • Chemistry

      Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

    • Computers and Electronics

      Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

    • Engineering and Technology

      Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

    • Physics

      Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

    • Sales and Marketing

      Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

    • Design

      Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

    • Transportation

      Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

    • Geography

      Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

    • Psychology

      Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

    • Communications and Media

      Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

    • Customer and Personal Service

      Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

    • Therapy and Counseling

      Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

    • Telecommunications

      Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

    • Education and Training

      Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

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    Pay

    • Ohio Annual Salary 80100/yr
    • Typical Salary
    • Ohio Hourly Wage 38.51/hr
    • Typical Hourly Wage

    Ohio Employment Trends

    • Currently Employed 138,800
    • Yearly Projected Openings 9900

    Typical Education

    Personality

    Artistic: People interested in this work like activities that include creating, designing, and making your own rules.They do well at jobs that need:
    • Adaptability/Flexibility
    • Cooperation
    • Attention to Detail
    • Initiative
    • Achievement/Effort
    • Persistence

    Tools

    • Audioconferencing systems
    • Desktop computers
    • Fixed computer gaming console
    • Mobile phones
    • Notebook computers
    • Personal computers
    • Scanners
    • Tablet computers

    Technology

    • Analytical or scientific software
    • Configuration management software
    • Data base management system software
    • Data base user interface and query software
    • Development environment software
    • Device drivers or system software
    • Electronic mail software
    • Enterprise application integration software
    • Graphical user interface development software
    • Graphics or photo imaging software
    • Metadata management software
    • Object or component oriented development software
    • Office suite software
    • Operating system software
    • Presentation software
    • Process mapping and design software
    • Project management software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Video creation and editing software
    • Web platform development software
    • Word processing software

    Tags

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