Game Design as a Career

1. Amy Bultena
Stanislaus County Office of Education
azschaber@stancoe.org
Gaming. . . As a Career?

2. Do you play any type of digital game?
•Did you know that you
are developing career
skills by playing digital
games?
•The #1 requirement to
become a game
designer is to be a
gamer.

3. Game Designers. . .
• Play games
• Must be able to work as a team
• Can Be
• Artists
• Designers
• Programmers
• Have a bachelor’s degree
• Computer Science
• Software Engineering
• Graphic Arts / Design
• Multimedia Design
• Make on average $70,000.00 / a year

4. 3 main roles for a Game Designer
Lead Designer
-team leader / management
-usually good at computer
programming, storytelling, and
art
Level Designer
-Creates level by level play
-usually good at computer
programming and art
Content Designer
-creates story, backgrounds, & characters
-usually good at storytelling and art

5. A Day in the Life: Video Game Designer
• https://goo.gl/v7uQKk

6. Digital Gaming Then & Now
1986 2017

7. What is 8-bit animation?
• 8-bit refers to color
• Each pixel is represented by one
8-bit byte
• The maximum number of colors
that can be displayed is 256
• Less colors = less detail
• Images are often blocky or
pixelated
• It was one of the first methods
used to put color on computers
and in video games
• 8-bit animation uses 8-bit colors
and makes the images move

8. The original Legend of Zelda uses 8-bit animation
https://goo.gl/VWPFb8

9. The original Legend of Zelda uses 8-bit animation

10. Today, you are a Content Designer
• Legend of Zelda is doing a reboot to
the original, 8-bit design
• New levels
• New villains
• New lead characters
• Goal is still to rescue Zelda
• Design a new lead character (in 8-bit
style) for Legend of Zelda
• Things to consider
• Size?
• Appearance?
• Weapons?
• Vulnerabilities?
• Health?

11. Today, you are a Content
Designer
• Design a new lead character for Legend of Zelda
• Must be in 8-bit style
• You CANNOT copy an existing image from the
internet etc.
• You CAN look at other images for ideas.
• Coloring will help!

13. Animate a new lead character for an 8-bit
animation reboot of Legend of Zelda
It can be simple or complex.

15. Let’s watch a demonstration!
• https://goo.gl/sZmQWG