Creating Video Games and Simulations

Digital artist

A digital artist may also be called a graphic designer. In game design, digital artists are required to have high level design and software skills. On a video game team, graphic artists may do a number of different tasks on the development projects. This can include illustrating, designing, and producing the look and feel of the game, manipulation of images, or video, and more. Training for a career in digital art involves learning traditional art skills, design skills, and learning a number of different computer programs and techniques for creating digital art. There are technical colleges that offer programs in graphic art or digital arts. There are also a number of colleges that offer bachelors' and masters' degrees. Closely associated programs in digital arts would also prepare you to work as an artist on a video game design team.

Storyboard

A document that describe the scenes and sequence of a game

Animators

Animators create objects or images that appear to be in motion. On a video game production team, animators would create characters, other objects in the game, and the environment in which the game takes place. Animators will work closely with digital artists or graphic designers. Animators need to have a high level of technical expertise. Most animators have a college degree. This could be from a technical college or a traditional university. Animators generally pursue degrees in Digital Design and Animation, Graphic Arts, 3D Design and Animation, or closely associated degree programs.

Design specifics

Design specifics not relating to characters, actions, or navigation need to be listed and described. This would include art, music, and sound

Technical design document

The document developed to communicate to the programmer the technical requirements to run the game (abbreviated TDD)

A list of features in your game

The features should describe what you are going to use to accomplish what you stated in your core statement. A features list is not a list of objects or people in the game; it is a list of what the user is going to experience in the game. For example, in your alien RPG you might include that the player will create an alien spaceship, customize the ship with weapons, take over important resources on Earth, and so on

Game design document

The initial document developed by game designers, which includes the information necessary to build a game (abbreviated GDD)

Programming language

The language used to build the game that tells computers what to display and allows communication through the Internet

The story

The story of the game should be written in detail in the game design document

A core statement that describes your game

This could be related to the type of game you are creating. For example, your statement could be: The game will be a role-playing game where aliens invade Earth and conquer the universe

A table of contents of the game components

This could include characters, objects, navigation, screen options, controls, and more. For example, with your alien RPG you might include the alien in charge, spaceships, earth warrior, lasers, spaceship controls, and more