The video games industry has boomed and shows no signs of slowing down. There are around 2.5 billion gamers globally, which is anticipated to expand further. In terms of revenue, the gaming industry produced $35.4 billion in 2019, with over 2.3 billion players looking for new experiences in the same year. With such incredible statistics, it is clear that the video game industry will continue to grow in the upcoming decades.
Many folks want to work in the gaming industry. Turning your interest into a job is perhaps the best thing for your career. Aside from the fact that this area is constantly relevant, active, alive, and impenetrable to difficulties prevalent in other areas, it will become a paradise for individuals who enjoy games.
You may fall into many illusions if you only scratch the surface of the issue of working with games. The classic game design vs. game development battle is one of the most ambitious. Many people confuse these jobs. But, as you’ve probably figured, we’re not going to validate such a hypothesis.
Game designer vs. game developer is a pair of specialists who aren’t separated in such a way that generalists can gladly combine them. The main contrast between game design and game development is that these individuals think differently. If designers are in charge of the creative side, developers are in order of the codes and the game’s technical base.
It’s simpler to explain using an example. In a game like Mario, the game designer was responsible for creating game mechanics such as Mario’s ability to leap, adversaries dying if Mario hops over them, a mushroom to give Mario an additional ability to break through a specific sort of brick tile, level design, and so on.
Anshul Gupta, BSc Video Game Programming, Birmingham City University (2016)
Although that’s the work of a level designer subset of game design). However, the programmer (developer) was in charge of coding the whole game system, such as the basic controls, opponent movement, and art integration into the game, among other things.
But this is merely the beginning: our tale of game design vs. development is barely getting started. Join us and receive a straightforward explanation of your long-standing question about the difference between game design and development without being rude or misleading.
What is Game Designing?
Game design does not happen by accident. At first, it includes establishing a paper containing all the facts about the upcoming game. This is the same analytical review step that many people find tedious. Game designers discuss the following topics:
- the target audience;
- genre;
- main plot;
- alternative scenarios;
- maps;
- levels;
- characters;
- game process;
- user interface;
- rules and restrictions;
- the primary and secondary goals, etc
It is impossible to continue the development of the game without this information. Once the concept has been approved, the game designers will collaborate closely with the artists and developers. They will ensure that the overall picture of the game is accurate and that the execution is consistent with the original concepts.
Designers will separate into teams, each in charge of a specific game aspect. For example, one may focus on the look of the levels and the arrangement of items and objects. Another consideration is the growth of characters and the balanced improvement of their skills as they proceed through the scenario. Also, don’t forget to write conversations, which are often essential aspects of many games.
The correctly adjusted work of a game designer is the backbone of all subsequent work. Its from their ideas that other experts will construct while working on their tasks. Designers look at the overall picture of the game and comprehend what the players want from it. They know what should happen from when a player switches on the game until the final video is shown.
What is Game Development?
All technical parts of the game are included in the development. Based on the designer’s idea, the developer produces code, programs works to implement sound effects and creative aspects, and considers all technical limitations. If the team lacks particular professionals in charge of quality assurance, the developers are in order of test.
The developer’s job is to implement the designer’s ideas, concepts, and layouts into the code. Without a developer, all of this is simply a bunch of sketches. The complexities of alternative movement in the game environment, the outcomes of interaction with objects, game mechanics, and everything else that makes the game playable must be considered.
Development is a tough and challenging task. The difference between game design and game production is pronounced here. The designer considers the game and its idea, and the developer ensures that all of this is realized:
- Loading and displaying the gaming environment;
- Taking into account the laws of physics that will be relevant in the game and their impact on the gameplay at every moment;
- Creating the user interface, menus, and heads-up display;
- Development of artificial intelligence of opponents and non-player characters;
- Guaranteeing the correct reaction of the game to the actions of players from their controller;
- Providing networking opportunities allowing people to play online, etc.
Developers do not have to build code from the start when using so-called gaming engines. An engine is the underlying software of a game that can be reused and utilized as the foundation for constructing several new plays with few alterations.
Large firms like EA, Rockstar, and Microsoft have their custom-built engines. Open source solutions are used effectively by smaller businesses. Right present, the most popular answers are Unity and Unreal Engine. At 4CROWS DIGITAL, we use these engines during game creation.
Designers are called to be thinkers, dreamers, and visionaries, representing their roles fairly. The developers specialize in bringing ideas and concepts to life: thanks to them, the designer’s vision becomes a playable product. They cannot survive without each other. Game designer vs. game developer is not a battle but rather great teamwork. As a result, the optimal scenario for any gaming company is well-established department communication and an integrated approach to game creation.
We hope you can now see the contrast between two vital and ethical gaming professions. People in any successful team always know how to think through concepts and develop them into a harmonious canvas. Others mold these ideas into accurate shapes with which you may engage in a genuinely immersive form.
At 4CROWS DIGITAL, we are constantly guided by the ideals of cooperation and open communication between departments. As a result, our game designers and developers work well together, ideally delivering projects just as the customer desires. Contact us for design and development guidance or assistance: we will discover the proper implementation for any of your ideas.
