Practical Game Design

A modern and comprehensive guide to video game design

Adam Kramarzewski
Ennio De Nucci

BIRMINGHAM—MUMBAI


Practical Game Design
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Packt Publishing has endeavored to provide trademark information about all of the companies and
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guarantee the accuracy of this information.
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First published: April 2018
Second edition: August 2023
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ISBN 978-1-80324-515-7
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I’d like to extend my gratitude to my loving wife, Shan, for putting up with me throughout this project,
and to my brother Chris, my parents, our reviewers, and everyone at Space Ape Games and beyond
who helped me out with feedback, fresh ideas, and words of encouragement.
– Adam Kramarzewski

My first thanks to Barbara, who supported me in the long hours of writing and studying for this book.
Thanks to my parents for all the lessons, my friends for all the adventures, and all my colleagues
throughout my career, especially those at Another Place Productions and Simon M. You have been
an endless source of teachings and inspiration. Finally, my gratitude to Fabio Belsanti and Fabio
Abbattista, who believed in me and sparked my passion for game design.
– Ennio De Nucci


Contributors
About the authors
Adam Kramarzewski is a game designer who, at the age of 19, dived straight into the pre-smartphone

mobile games industry of 2007. He has gathered over 16 years of experience with the likes of Gameloft,
Square Enix, Space Ape Games, and Madbox, and has worked on over 30 game projects and many
world-class IPs, including Lara Croft, Deus Ex, Boom Beach, and Transformers. Adam is an avid
gamer and a fan of cinematography, psychology, and all things science. He has also sat on the jury for
game design at the 2017 and 2022 BAFTA Video Game Awards.

Ennio De Nucci is a game designer and developer. His passion for role-playing games and miniature
war games brought him into the game industry, where he has worked as a game designer since 2011
and designed both digital video games and physical board games. He worked for a variety of video
game developers, such as PM Studios Srl, IGT, Supermassive Games, and Another Place Productions.
At the time of this book’s release, he works as a Lead Game Designer for one of the most renowned
strategy game developers.


About the reviewers
Suvrangshu Barua is a game developer with 3.5 years of professional experience in game development
and is currently working at Kolpoverse Studio, where he utilizes his passion for gaming and his
programming expertise to create engaging and enjoyable gaming experiences for players.
Suvrangshu has also worked as a game programmer at Alpha Potato LLC, a renowned game development
company. As he progresses in his career, he aspires to be recognized as a game developer who not only
creates exceptional games but also provides players with unforgettable experiences.
With his passion, technical expertise, and creative mindset, he aims to contribute to the evolution of
the gaming industry and inspire fellow developers to push their boundaries.

Jaydev Dhakan remains grounded and continually seeks new opportunities for growth. He embraces
the ever-changing landscape of the gaming industry, staying up to date with emerging trends and
technologies. By actively engaging with the gaming community and collaborating with other passionate
professionals, he continuously pushes his boundaries and expands his creative horizons.

Zoë O'Shea is a PhD candidate studying at Goldsmiths University, London, and is part of the Intelligent

Games/Games Intelligence Center for Doctoral Training (IGGI). Originally from Dublin, Ireland,
Zoë has previously studied 3D modeling, game design, and games theory. Her current research is
centered around player psychology and behavior. When not working on her thesis, Zoë undertakes
a wide selection of freelance work and enjoys playing Final Fantasy XIV Online.

Bill Robinson has been developing games for almost 30 years, and has been doing so professionally
for over 10 years. He currently works at Space Ape Games in London and worked for Jagex in
Cambridge earlier.



Table of Contents
Prefacexiii

1
Introducing the Game Production Process

1

Game design roles

2

Agile7

Specialization and T-shaping

3

Production schedule and milestones


Development teams

4

Responsibilities of a game designer

6

Software development models

7

Greenlight gates and vertical slice
A traditional milestone structure
Validation funnel in-game development

Waterfall7

9
10
10
11

The role of a games publisher
14
Summary15

2
Preparing a Game Concept

What is a game concept?
Structure of a game
concept document

17
17
19

The hook or elevator pitch
20
Description21
Key feature set
21
Platform23
Audience24
Genre26
Business model
26

Knowing your competition
Understanding the ideation process

28
29

Coming up with ideas
Twisting familiar mechanics
Creativity through constraints
Finding the fun
Defining fantasy

The mood, or how the game looks and feels

30
31
31
32
33
34

Summary35


viii

Table of Contents

3
Scoping a Game Project
The evolution of game structure
Common game structures

37
39
40

Linear40
Structured nonlinear
41
Open nonlinear
42

Endless and sandbox
43
Notes on structure
44

Game content

44

Content burn

46

Scoping practices

53

Content lifespan
Game flow

53
58

Planning design work

61

Estimation techniques
Priorities and dependencies


62
64

Summary65

4
Creating Design Documentation
The purpose of a GDD
Characteristics of a good GDD

68
69

It is modular
It starts with goals and requirements
It is the result of a discussion
It is clear, brief, and concise
It is multimedia
It leaves space for creativity and debate
It comes in different formats and sizes
It is online, shareable, and accessible

69
71
72
73
74
75
76
76


Tools for writing a GDD

77

Word processors
77
Wikis78
Presentations80
Note organizers
81
Digital whiteboards
81
Mind maps
81
Spreadsheets83
Illustration tools
84
Generative AI tools
86

67
Writing techniques

87

Use of style
87
Layering details
87

Start with a high-level design
88
Motion versus action
88
Write incrementally by drafting
88
Prioritize89
Use of keywords
89
Table of contents
89
Bullet points
89
Images with captions
89
Diagrams90
Variables90
Redundancy90
Hyperlinks90

Elegance in game design

90

Keep it short and simple (KISS)
The less-is-more principle

91
92


Summary93


Table of Contents

5
Understanding Game Mechanics
What is a game mechanic?

96

Examples of game mechanics
97
Game mechanics interact with each other to
develop dynamics
101
Mechanics and dynamics are part of a feature 101

Approaching mechanic design
Rules and game mechanics

102
104

95
Mechanics and dynamics produce feedback

105

Finding the right reference


107

Deconstructing your references

109

Additive and subtractive design
110
Putting it all back together
112
Summary112

6
Designing Systems and Features
Developing an idea into
an experience

114

113
Games as systems of conflict

127

Innovating with design
117
Solving gameplay problems with design
117
Building a game feature starting from the

players118

Opponents127
Obstacles128
Dilemmas128
Quality over quantity
129
More choices, not best choices
129

Game loops

Combat systems

Game’s model and player’s mental loops
Interactive loops
Designer’s loops

Progression systems
Progression systems provide
pace to the game
Progression systems provide variety

123
123
123
126

126
126

127

How to design a combat system
Combat depth

Teaching game features
How to design a tutorial
Tutorials in free-to-play games

129
130
132

135
135
136

Summary137

7
Making Prototypes
What is a prototype?
Why a prototype?

139
139
140

Prototyping techniques
Paper prototyping


141
141

ix


x

Table of Contents
Digital prototyping

144

A step-by-step guide to prototyping 146
Step 1 – ask the right questions
Step 2 – select the framework and tools
Step 3 – create the rules
Step 4 – implement and create the prototype
Step 5 – the first playtest
Step 6 – iterate
Step 7 – move on
Prototyping exercise

146
147
147
147
147
147

148
148

The hands-on game designer
A paper prototype case study
Questioning a combat system
Addressing the problem

148
149
149
151

From paper to digital

155

Abstraction versus reality
Moving on

155
156

Summary158

8
Designing Compelling Stories for Games

159


Narrative160

Designing narratives for video games 166

Do all games have a narrative?
Why are stories good for games?

Linear narrative
Modular narrative
Environmental storytelling

Traditional narrative models

160
161

162

The three-act story
162
Monomyth163

166
167
170

Summary173

9
The Fundamentals of Level Design

What is level design?
The level-design process

175
176

The premise
176
The sketch
177
Grayboxing182
Art implementation
184
Final polish
185

Level design and storytelling
Level-design practices

185
187

175
Functional level design and realism
Evolving game features
Pacing from day one
Lock and key
Geometry and gameplay
Effects of lighting
Vision as a mechanic

Level design in multiplayer action games

187
188
191
192
193
198
200
202

Summary203


Table of Contents

10
Creating Characters

205

Do all games need characters?
206
The birth of a video game character 206
Playable characters, NPCs, and
enemies209
The function of characters

209


Character statistics, attributes, and
abilities213
A step-by-step character design
216
Acquire deep knowledge of the game
Write down the design pillars

217
217

Write a high concept
Define and balance the stats
Prototype and iterate
Final implementation

218
218
224
224

Enemies224
Types of villains
Types of enemies
Enemy behaviors and stats
Enemies exist to entertain a player

225
225
228
228


Diversity228
Summary231

11
Balancing Your Content and Systems
Gameplay balancing
Gameplay balancing methods and tips
MBT balancing
Layered Modifiers

Game difficulty
Static difficulty settings

233
235
239
240

244
245

Automatic difficulty adjustment

233
248

Pacing252
Mental and sensory stimulation
How to approach pacing


253
255

Summary262

12
Building a Great User Interface and User Experience
Understanding UX

263

Player input
264
Camera systems
267
Feedback278

Designing UIs

280

Listing and prioritizing information
UI mockups
UI tips and tricks

263
280
282
286


Summary292

xi


xii

Table of Contents

13
Making Your Games Accessible
Increasing accessibility
Reducing cognitive load
Limiting the complexity of interaction
Maintaining visual clarity
Making audio optional
Restricting negative consequences
Building on common knowledge

293

293
294
295
296
296
297
297


Teaching game systems

298

In-game teaching techniques

298

Teaching outside gameplay
Best practices

300
301

Localization304
Playtesting305
What to playtest?
Playtesting formats
Sourcing candidates
Running playtesting sessions

306
307
310
314

Summary321

14
Mastering Games as a Service

Terms of engagement
Basic stats
Marketing and analytics
Economy and balancing

Live operations

323
323
324
326
327

331

Staffing332
Efficient live ops
333
Managing the content treadmill
334
Live-game balancing
334

Tools and setup

338

Content management system (CMS)
339
Customer relationship management (CRM) 339

Dashboards339
Test environments
340
Live ops tools
340
Asset streaming
340

Events341
Event classification

341

Event components
Event rewards

Community and customer support

342
346

349

Supporting players
350
Official Discord servers, Reddit communities,
and social media accounts
350
Gathering feedback
350

Newsletters351
Localized customer support
351
Live streaming
351

Introduction to season passes
Designing a season pass
Progression mechanics
Accessing previous passes
Premium rewards and perks
Season pass tips

351
353
354
357
358
359

Summary360


Table of Contents

15
Understanding Monetization Techniques
Basics of F2P monetization
Vectors of monetization


362
362

Why do some games
fail to monetize?

Time363
Difficulty363
Playable content
364
Non-playable content
365
In-game advertisements
365

Poor goal setting
Content is not desirable
Poor balancing (too easy or too hard)
Monetization works but is inherently
low performing

Establishing a game economy

Monetization tips and tricks

365

Adjusting the monetization strategy
366
Balancing player progression

367
Gacha370
Weight-based loot tables
374
Packaging and opening
375
Maintaining consistency
375
Kompu gacha
376
Box gacha
376
Bundles and targeting
377
Adjusting your offering based on individual
player spending
379
Purchase rationalization
379
Evaluate your audience!
380
Players have limited budgets
380

Using season passes
for monetization
Tips for creating a high-performing
season pass

381


Earn an opportunity to spend
Player spending should build up your
community, not divide it
Disappointments and regrets cost dearly!
Think of technical performance holistically
Scarcity influences value
Focus on daily retention
Optimize your newsletters and notifications
The network effect can make and break
your game
Put yourself in the consumer’s shoes
Maintain tight control over your rewards
Beware of stockpiling resources
Start strong and hook players onto the
long-term premise
Preview content to spark a desire

361
385
385
385
386
386

386
386
387
388
388

389
389
389
389
390
390
390
390
391

Summary391

383

16
The Final 10%
Putting the pieces together
Feature creep

393
395
395

User experience improvement
396
Polishing397

xiii



xiv

Table of Contents
How to polish

Quality assurance
Game designers and QA

398

403

Tips for closing a game project
404
Summary405

403

Index407
Other Books You May Enjoy

420


Preface
If you are seeking an up-to-date and actionable guide to game design, then you have come to the right
place! Immerse yourself in the fundamentals of game design with this book, written by two industry
veterans with decades of game design experience across a variety of genres and platforms.
This second edition retains the original goal of teaching the basics of game design in a practical
manner, but it also adds coverage of some of the most recent trends in game design and a whole lot

of new practical examples from games of the current generation. A new chapter on games as a service
will explain how the role of the game designer is evolving and will go deeper into the design of games
that are meant to be played forever.
Starting with learning how to conceptualize a game idea, you will gradually move on to devising a
design plan and adapting solutions from existing games. You will discover how to produce original
game mechanics and test and eliminate anticipated design risks. You will then learn the basics of level
design, interactive storytelling, user experience, and accessibility.
Toward the end of this book, you will learn how to wrap up a game ahead of its release date, work
through the challenges of designing games as a service and free-to-play games, and understand how
to significantly improve game quality through iteration, playtesting, and polishing.

Who this book is for
Whether you are a student eager to design your very first game, or a game designer looking to expand
your skill set, this book will help you master the fundamentals of game design across all stages of
game development.
By focusing on best practices and taking a pragmatic approach, this book provides insights into the
art and craft of game design from two senior game designers, with insider knowledge that even the
most seasoned industry veterans can appreciate.
Prior experience in game development is not absolutely necessary. However, a basic knowledge of
some popular video games would be helpful.

What this book covers
Chapter 1, Introducing the Game Production Process, explores the basic machinations of the games
industry, teaching you about various game design roles, the responsibilities of designers, production
methods, and development milestones.


xvi

Preface


Chapter 2, Preparing a Game Concept, teaches you about how to write a game concept and your
responsibilities as a game designer. Practical tips and real-life examples will help you create your very
own game concept based on an original idea or an existing game.
Chapter 3, Scoping a Game Project, covers the concepts and relationships between a game’s overall scope,
its structure, and its content. We’ll explore real-world examples and help you build an understanding
of how to better document the size, complexity, and dependencies of your game, as well as help you
estimate your tasks.
Chapter 4, Creating Design Documentation, explains everything you need to know about writing
game design documentation, from the tools and techniques to numerous pieces of practical advice.
Chapter 5, Understanding Game Mechanics, approaches the definition of game mechanics and will
give you an idea of how to create your own game using pieces from existing games. This chapter also
introduces the concept of dynamics and features as a set of mechanics that form a bigger part of the game.
Chapter 6, Designing Systems and Features, explores the theory behind game design and the creation
of mechanics, features, and systems that are fun to play. You’ll learn how a new mechanic is taught
and how the core loop of a game is formed. Finally, you will learn about the roles of conflict, combat
systems, game complexity, and depth.
Chapter 7, Making Prototypes, demonstrates how to prototype a game idea or concept. This chapter
will cover both paper and digital prototyping, with all the pros and cons of both techniques. You will
read about a practical example from a real-life scenario that is easy to replicate as an exercise.
Chapter 8, Designing Compelling Stories for Games, highlights the importance of narrative elements in
games and helps you design strong characters, intriguing worlds, and compelling stories.
Chapter 9, The Fundamentals of Level Design, introduces you to processes and techniques used to
create highly playable game content. You’ll learn about creating believable spaces, manipulating light
and geometry, and making the best of the available game mechanics.
Chapter 10, Creating Characters, explains the different kinds of characters that populate virtual worlds
and how to make the best use of them. In this chapter, you will also get a closer look at a practical
character-design example for an existing game, from which you’ll be able to get some inspiration to
try and do your own character design, a great exercise for any game designer.
Chapter 11, Balancing Your Content and Systems, combines the knowledge from previous chapters and

explores the ways in which you can pace, structure, and adjust the rules and content of your games
to create experiences that capture and hold the interest of your audience.
Chapter 12, Building a Great User Interface and User Experience, outlines the complexities of input
mechanics, camera systems, and effective game feedback. You’ll then gain practical insight into the
processes behind UI and UX design, helping you create interfaces and experiences that are informative,
empowering, and delightful to interact with.


Preface

Chapter 13, Making Your Games Accessible, dives into how to make your games more accessible, that
is, easier to use, understand, and relate to. You’ll then learn about usability testing and arm yourself
with the expertise required to plan and execute your very own playtesting sessions.
Chapter 14, Mastering Games as a Service, distills the knowledge required to turn your game into
a successful service by establishing an update strategy, running events, designing season passes,
addressing game balancing, working with analytics, providing customer support, and using the tools
required to operate your games sustainably.
Chapter 15, Understanding Monetization Techniques, expands on the knowledge from the previous
chapter and dives deep into the techniques and knowledge required to thoughtfully, ethically, and
effectively monetize your free-to-play games.
Chapter 16, The Final 10%, takes you through the processes that need to take place before a game is
finally released. You will also read about the difficulties and pitfalls of closing and releasing a video
game, and how to avoid them.

To get the most out of this book
We’ve done our best to explain any industry-specific terms and practices in order to make this book
as accessible as possible.
The contents of this book require no prior experience in game development. However, a basic knowledge
of some popular video games (such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Elden Ring, Super Mario 3D
World, The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, Hearthstone, Dota 2, and Starcraft) would be helpful.


Disclaimer
The screenshots used in this book are for illustrative purposes only. We do not recommend you misuse
these in any way. For more information, please consult the terms and conditions of the publishers
mentioned here:
• Electronic Arts (EA): />• Nintendo: />• Interplay Productions: />• Mobygames: />• Valve Corporation: />• Activision: />• Capcom: />• Blizzard: />
xvii


xviii

Preface

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• Bethesda Softwares: />• THQNORDIC: />Tips or important notes
Appear like this.

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Preface

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1
Introducing the Game
Production Process
Welcome to the games industry! It’s an ever-changing world where competition is fierce, publishing
platforms and business models come and go (in just a few years, crowdfunding has appeared, peaked,
and seemingly vanished), whole genres of products disappear (only to be revived or reinvented 15 years
later), and big publishers, small independent studios, and even streaming services such as Netflix all
fight for an ever-limited resource – player attention. As game makers, we often give away more and
more (if not all) of our content for free, hoping to monetize users later down the line.
At the time of writing, Valve’s Steam still dominates publishing on PC, while Sony, Microsoft, and
Nintendo keep fighting for their share of the console pie. Despite Nintendo Switch’s success and the
emergence of Steam Deck, handheld consoles are on the back foot, quickly being replaced by phones
and tablets.
The mobile industry itself is all but dominated by Google’s Play Store and Apple’s App Store, and
while the mobile market keeps on growing, it has become much, much harder for small developers
to break through and make a profit.
User acquisition is extremely challenging (read expensive), and a lack of support from the community
and platform holders can sink your profitability. Premium (paid-for) mobile games are all but gone,
and the most successful products are what we consider freemium or free-to-play.
In this crowded market, games are becoming more and more expensive to make, market, and operate.
What worked in 2010 works no more; the best bet for small groups of indie developers is to find success
with Steam Early Access or nab a deal with the Epic Games Store. Still, since the introduction of the
(now-defunct) Steam Greenlight, the PC gaming market has been packed with countless new titles.
According to the data exposed by there were 379 games published
on Steam in 2012; by 2021, that number grew to over 10,000. Developers now face a market that’s

increasingly hit-driven, and unless you sit on a billion-dollar brand such as Marvel or Call of Duty,
playing it safe is no longer an option. If you do not adapt and innovate quickly enough, you’re sure
to face commercial failure. As the stakes go higher, teams either balloon out of proportion or grow
ever leaner.


2

Introducing the Game Production Process

Now, this reality check might sound a little grim, and make no mistake, while it’s very difficult to make
a great game, it’s even harder to make it successful. But for those who keep on trying, for those who
do not hold back and surrender after their 1st, 5th, or even 10th canceled or failed game, this industry
can offer a uniquely fulfilling and rewarding career. And across all of the different roles, being a game
designer could just be the most fulfilling of them all.
We’ll start this book by delving briefly into the basic machinations of the games industry, exploring
game design roles and responsibilities, production methods, and the development process. There’s a
lot to cover, and probably much more exciting stuff to follow, so... are you ready? Let’s begin!
We will cover the following topics in this chapter:
• Game design roles
• Development teams
• Software development models
• Production schedules and milestones
• The role of a games publisher

Game design roles
Game designers come in all shapes and sizes. We’ve got generalists that work on everything as well as
highly specialized craftspeople put in charge of a single area or system. Creative leads, on the other
hand, often work on a more conceptual level, maintaining a cohesive vision for a game and shaping
it through feedback, with typically little to no hands-on involvement.

There’s no universal distinction, with roles and responsibilities varying between companies and even
teams, but game designers can be roughly divided into the following categories:
• Generalists: These include junior and senior game designers, as well as lead designers and
creative directors. A generalist will often take care of (or provide feedback on) all areas of game
design not already covered by someone else on the team.
• Economy designers/monetization specialists: This is a role very likely to be encountered in
the mobile games industry, as nearly all products require someone with expertise in designing
and implementing a fitting monetization strategy, as well as balancing the in-game economy
(from the pace of player progression to the distribution of loot, and much more).
• Level designers: This is often a crossover between a designer and a 3D artist. Some level
designers only take care of the gameplay side of the level, while others are capable of delivering
a finished stage.
• Mission/content designers: Rather than working on new features and game mechanics, these
designers specialize in adding and balancing in-game content, from buildings, vehicles, NPCs,
and weapons to quests, puzzles, achievements, and more!


Game design roles

• Narrative designers: These are tasked with writing, designing, and implementing narrative
elements in games. They often work together with level and mission designers (or take their
responsibilities) to help craft a compelling experience.
• Systems designers: This is a catch-all term for all designers that focus on the design of game
mechanics, loops, and systems rather than content creation and balancing. Big game projects
will often have a specialist taking care of multiplayer game modes, player progression, or combat.
• Technical designers: This is a term usually reserved for highly qualified mixtures of a gameplay
programmer and a game designer, or used for a game designer empowered by tools and scripting
languages. They design and implement new game features and mechanics, be it independently
or by bridging the gap between design and programming disciplines.
With a huge variety of responsibilities, and studio or game genre-based requirements, there is no

set list of qualifications or skills you must acquire for any specific role. Job specs vary widely. Some
companies expect their designers to script, while others settle for an elaborate design document. You
may already know your top skills and passions, but have you considered skills outside your regular
interest? We’ll dig into that next!

Specialization and T-shaping
More specialized positions only make practical sense in a big team or a large company that can support
them. Look carefully at the opportunities available to you as well as your interests. If you have another
passion, explore it; there’s a high chance it will become useful or inspiring. An interest in creative
writing and storytelling can lead to a career as a narrative designer. An artistic aptitude and interest
in 3D art and world-building will naturally lead you toward a level of design.
On the opposite side of heavy specialization lies T-shaping – by cross-training and attempting tasks
in a variety of different disciplines, you will broaden your skill set and the spectrum of work you can
handle. Spending a few hours every week on personal development (be it with a book, free tutorials,
or by tinkering on a side project) is a great habit that will help you become more independent, boost
your creativity, help you understand the work of your colleagues, and improve your career prospects.
Ultimately, your job is not to design the perfect gameplay system and walk away. You are there to help
realize the game’s potential, turning it into the best possible experience for your players. Sooner or
later on a project, you’ll find an area outside of your core responsibilities that you’d like to improve,
and often, it’s much faster and easier to just work on it yourself, rather than create a list of tasks for
someone else to eventually (if ever) address.
For the record, I am not advising you to be a rogue agent who constantly messes with other people’s
work and tries to sneak things past the quality assurance team. I am simply encouraging you to be very
proactive and seek opportunities to improve things. The difference between good and great is that extra
care and attention, which often wasn’t planned for and isn’t necessarily part of the original specification.

3


4


Introducing the Game Production Process

When things are good enough, derailing other team members just for a tiny improvement is not
warranted or productive. In these situations, a wide skill set can enable you to turn great into excellent.
Just make sure to share the changes you’ve made with other – leave the surprises for the players, not
for your team!
A variety of skills will turn you into a more helpful and independent team member, allow you to
communicate more effectively with experts from different fields, and even improve your creativity.
One of the most coveted ones is programming. However daunting it sounds, taking even the most
basic scripting courses and tutorials will be hugely beneficial.
It will improve your understanding of how games work (including the constraints and possibilities
at hand) and perhaps even allow you to create or tweak parts of a game without having to rely on
programmers. Just make sure they review your work and decide whether it’s up to their standards!
When it comes to tools, word processors, spreadsheets, and presentation software are absolutely
essential, but don’t forget about the powers of a whiteboard or pen and paper! Even the most basic
drawing can help you clarify your ideas and avoid confusion.
On top of that, having a working knowledge of popular game engines such as Unity and Unreal is
highly desirable, and both offer plenty of free, easy-to-follow tutorials. Any generalist should also
look into learning 2D and 3D art software, audio and video editing suites, as well as the VFX (visual
effects) editors built into the aforementioned game engines.
As for personal growth beyond tools and game theory, I suggest self-studying in psychology (especially
cognitive science), creative writing, physics, and economics. But remember, you learn most when
you’re making something and having fun. Focus on something you enjoy or wish you could do.
Take things at a manageable pace and stay on the lookout for new tasks and opportunities to jump on.
Experiment, stay curious, and don’t believe everything you see or hear. Remember, landing a dream
job in the games industry is just the first step. If you wish to excel at your craft, you’ll have to carry
on learning. And if practicing your current set of skills is no longer challenging, it’s time to consider
acquiring new ones!
Right, we’ve hammered home the importance of learning, but even if you can do everything yourself,

most of us rarely go at it alone. Making games is usually a team effort, and game development teams
can differ widely. Let’s dive into that next.

Development teams
In tiny independent teams, there can often be no space for designated product people (a term used
to describe game directors or managers, producers, game designers, and live operations managers).
In such situations, game design responsibilities are distributed between the artists and programmers.