Game Careers

For my work in CS, I have been told to research two potential career paths that I could go into after this course out of the list given. The two blue highlited career choices are the ones i'll be looking into:

Game Designer
Technical Artist
Artist
3D Modeller
2D Texture Artist
Concept Artist
Level Editor
GUI Designer
Assistant Producer
Game Tester

Of course, the information here will be bullet pointed for expanding upon in my essay at a later date

Game Designer

Other than having to convince others to work on their game, Game Designers have to work on

 - Rules of the game they're creating
 - setting of the game
 - the story and the characters in the game
 - weapons and means of transport, if any
 - different ways others could play the game

Game Designers have to make sure that the rest of the team is on target and understands everything, whether it's training game testers to play the game it's idealed to play or checking that the team is working as accurately to the original version as possible.

Depending on skill and experience, a Game Designer could earn between £19,000 and £55,000 each year, work approximately 35 hours a week (more when the deadline dawns) and are often at a desk or in meetings. 

Working with IT and enjoying playing video games are the people who are more favoured for the role of Game Designers. Other requirements include:

 - being creative, imaginative and original
 - able to work with numerous software packages
 - having basic drawing skills aswell as 3D designing skills
 - being able to adapt to change quickly (like a chameleon)
 - working just as well on their own as with a group

and more.

When it comes to training, most GDs learn on the job and must keep up to date on software and the market information to find out what the public like.

There is normally no promotional path when it comes to being a Game Designer, but overtime (and with experience) junior designers can then become Designer and even Lead Designer. Independent and overseas work is also more likely the more experienced they are.



Information from http://creativepool.co.uk/articles/jobdescriptions/games-designer-job-description


Concept Artist

Concept artists produce Concept Art for the game (right there in the name, really). Normally, this sets a certain style for the game, especially with Characters and Enviroments. Concept Artists also work traditionally for the most part, only touching up their drawings in programmes such as Photoshop nearer to the end.

An average salary for a Concept Artist would be around $42,000 (about £26,000) per year.

Skills required 


 - Illustration skill of a high level
 - Communication skills of a very effective level
 - the ability to visualise 3-Dimensional space aswell as perspective
 - an interest in film, design and architecture
 - a good skill of interpreting other people's ideas
 - adapt to change on request!
 - work effectively as a team


After having a talk from workers at Crytek, Concept Art in a game was the more favoured stage of developing a game, mainly because it got some of your own ideas into production (giving a stronger sense of 'you' in the game).

Becoming a CA isn't a fixed route - there's no career route to becoming one.


Information from http://www.skillset.org/film/jobs/productiondesign/article_4680_1.asp