Game Designer vs. Game Programmer

So you love those enticing and thrilling times playing mobile or desktop games? More so, do you expect to get into this industry that offers loads of opportunities to follow your gaming passion? Well, for aspiring students looking for different opportunities to enter the gaming industry, distinguishing two important gaming positions, namely, game programmer and game designer might be somewhat confusing.

Though these two belong to the same stream, there are certain aspects you need to understand about them to help you decide which position you desire the most. You can better term this distinction as execution vs. conceptualization.

Primarily, you need to understand that both game design and programming work in tandem for the creation of user-engaging games. So let’s take a closer look at both these career avenues in brief.

Game Designer

Game designing is a creative and holistic approach to game development. The primary quality for becoming a Game Designer is to know exactly what gamers expect from games.

You need to visualize a bigger picture of how a game will play. Hence, studying how games will flow; right from the start to their end is necessary. Structuring games, forming rules for playing them, conceptualization, documentation, and overall management of flow are aspects that game designers need to handle.

Additionally, excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities are skills you need to possess for working in this trade.

Game Programmer

Programming of games includes considering design specifications provided by Game Designers, integration of sound and art, and then translating all this into games that are playable.

Innate command over computer programming languages/tools such as C++, C#, JavaScript, APIs, interfaces, logical thinking, math skills, gameplay programming, graphics programming, game engine programming, concepts of artificial intelligence are necessary elements that you need to possess.

This complex profile requires you to map game terrain and environment, implement some artificial intelligence elements and connect inputs of players via controllers.

Designing games involve creative visualization of games, while programming relates to technological aspects for implementation of this vision for making the game a reality.

Remember that this industry is a pool of rewarding opportunities; however, bypassing proper training and education will lead you to nowhere. Enroll in Bachelor’s course in Computer Science & Game Development / Game Art & Design at Backstage Pass today for an exciting career in Gaming and become the Game Designer or Programmer the Industry is waiting for.

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