Game Design Aspirations | Equipment Isn't Everything
Edited By
Marcelo Rodriguez
A student in the sixth form navigates hurdles in pursuing a career in game design, raising concerns over limited resources. Yet, a wave of insights from fellow people suggests there are many paths available, sparking a discussion on how to begin without high-end equipment.
Limited Tools, Broad Options
With a subpar laptop struggling to run essential tools like Unity, this aspiring game designer turns to their phone and college computers for coding. Despite their circumstances, there's clear support from others. Comments flood in with creative solutions to practice game design.
"Just have some pieces of paper and pen. Make some board games. Playtest them!"
Key Insights from the Community
Three major themes emerged from the discussions:
Simple Materials Work: Using paper to design board games helps understand basic mechanics.
Accessible Software: Recommendations for lightweight game development tools like Godot, GDevelop, and PyGame show promise. One commenter mentions, "You don’t need a powerful computer to run these."
Focus on Design, Not Just Coding: Many stressed that critical skills like communication and player analysis matter more than technical capabilities at this stage.
Inspiration from Various Mediums
One sentiment echoed throughout the dialogue: "Make games. You need to iterate." By engaging with diverse formats, be it board games or web-based games, individuals learn valuable design skills. One user shares:
"Creating small games using HTML and JavaScript were how I got started."
Suggestions from the Crowd
Despite limitations, valuable advice keeps pouring in:
Design and play board games for basic game mechanics understanding.
Try online platforms for web-based games.
Focus on player experience through critical analysis of games you dislike.
Key Takeaways
△ Pen and paper can serve as effective tools for game design.
▽ Low-spec development software is available to start learning.
※ "You’re years away from needing a design portfolio."
Overall, while the journey seems daunting, the message is clear: passion and creativity have no bounds, and the right mindset can turn any situation into an opportunity to learn and grow in the world of game design.
Future of Game Design on a Budget
There's a strong chance that as technology advances, game design will become even more accessible for those on a budget. Experts estimate that by 2028, low-cost tools and platforms will dominate the market, allowing aspiring designers to create high-quality projects without needing top-tier hardware. As online communities continue to share resources and ideas, more individuals are likely to start their game development journeys, resulting in an explosion of creativity. This shift could lead to a broader range of innovative games and diverse storytelling, making the industry richer than ever.
Lessons from the Past
An interesting parallel can be drawn to the early days of the indie music scene in the 1990s. Artists began producing music with minimal equipment, relying on their creativity and passion to carve out a space in the industry. They often recorded tracks in garages or on basic recording devices, yet many of those artists went on to change the music landscape entirely. Just like those music makers, today’s game designers are set to transform the gaming world, proving that resourcefulness and imagination can yield groundbreaking results, regardless of the initial constraints.