Editing Video game design (section)

== Overview ==
{{See also|Game design}}

<!-- THIS PARAGRAPH IS USED in Game Development article as well, be sure to update. -->Video game design starts with an idea,<ref name="Bates3">[[#Bates|Bates 2004]], p. 3</ref><ref>[[#AdRol|Adams, Rollings 2003]], pp. 29-30</ref><ref>[[#Bethke|Bethke 2003]], p. 75</ref><ref>[[#Chand|Chandler 2009]], p. 3</ref> often a variation or modification on an existing concept.<ref name="Bates3" /><ref>[[#AdRol|Adams, Rollings 2003]], pp. 31-33</ref> The game idea will fall within one or several [[Game genre|genres]] and designers will often experiment with mixing genres.<ref>[[#Bates|Bates 2004]], p. 6</ref><ref>[[#Oxland|Oxland 2004]], p. 25</ref> The game designer usually produces an initial game proposal document containing the concept, gameplay, feature list, setting and story, target audience, requirements and schedule, staff and budget estimates.<ref>[[#Bates|Bates 2004]], pp. 14-16</ref>

Multiple design decisions are made during the course of a game's development; it is the responsibility of the designer to decide which elements should be implemented. For example, consistency with the game's vision, budget or hardware limitations.<ref>[[#Bates|Bates 2004]], p. 160</ref> Design changes will have a significant impact on required resources.<ref>[[#Bates|Bates 2004]], pp. 160-161</ref>

The designer may use [[scripting language]]s to implement and preview design ideas without necessarily modifying the game's [[codebase]].<ref>[[#Bates|Bates 2004]], p. 161</ref><ref>[[#Oxland|Oxland 2004]], pp. 297-298</ref> A game designer often plays video games and demos to follow the markets' development.<ref>[[#Bates|Bates 2004]], pp. 161-162</ref>

Over time, it has become common for a game designer's name to misleadingly be given an undue amount of association to the game, neglecting the rest of the development team.<ref name="Bates 2004, p. 162">[[#Bates|Bates 2004]], p. 162</ref> This is in stark contrast to the industries' origins, when creators were often given little to no recognition.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Fatsquatch |title=Of Dragons and Easter Eggs: A Chat With Warren Robinett |url=https://tjg.joeysit.com/of-dragons-and-easter-eggs-a-chat-with-warren-robinett/ |website=The Jaded Gamer |access-date=3 February 2021 |date=20 May 2003}}</ref> Coincidentally, this lack of credit lead [[Warren Robinett]] to create the first [[Easter egg (media)#Origin|Easter egg]] in a video game.

Funding, traditionally provided by [[Video game publisher|game publishers]], who may have specific expectations from a game,<ref>[[#Bates|Bates 2004]], p. 12</ref> must be taken into account, as most video games are ''market-driven'' — developed to sell for profit.<ref>[[#AdRol|Adams, Rollings 2003]], pp. 47-48</ref> However, if financial issues do not influence designer's decisions, the game can become ''design-'' or ''designer-driven''; but few games are designed this way,<ref>[[#AdRol|Adams, Rollings 2003]], pp. 48-49</ref> with it becoming more common among [[indie game]] developers, alongside alternative sources of funding, like [[Early access|Early Access]] or [[Crowdfunding in video games|Crowdfunding]]. Alternatively, a game may be ''technology-driven'', such as [[Quake (video game)|Quake]] (1996),<ref name="AdRol51">[[#AdRol|Adams, Rollings 2003]], p. 51</ref> to show off a particular hardware achievement or to market the [[game engine]].<ref name="AdRol51" /> Finally, a game may be ''art-driven'', such as ''[[Myst]]'' (1993) and [[Journey (2012 video game)|Journey]] (2012),<ref name="AdRol52">[[#AdRol|Adams, Rollings 2003]], p. 52</ref> mainly to show off impressive visuals designed by artists.<ref name="AdRol52" />

In [[Rules of Play (2004)|''Rules of Play'' (2004)]], [[Katie Salen]] and [[Eric Zimmerman]]n write:
{{cquote|A game designer is a particular kind of designer, much like a graphic designer, industrial designer or architect. A game designer is not necessarily a programmer, visual designer or project manager, although sometimes he or she can also play these roles in the creation of a game. A game designer might work alone or as part of a larger team. A game designer might create card games, social games, video games or any other kind of game. The focus of a game designer is designing game play, conceiving and designing rules and structures that result in an experience for players.

Thus game design, as a discipline, requires a focus on games in and of themselves. Rather than placing games in the service of another field such as sociology, literary criticism, or computer science, our aim is to study games within their own disciplinary space. Because game design is an emerging discipline, we often borrow from other areas of knowledge — from mathematics and cognitive science; from semiotics and cultural studies. We may not borrow in the most orthodox manner, but we do so in the service of helping to establish a field of game design proper.
}}