A lot of people don't understand what game design really is. There is no art in game design. There is no programming in game design. Game design is done almost exclusively with writing and math. Game programmers program the games, game artists make the art. It's the designer's job to come up with the ideas for every tiny detail of the game, and communicate those ideas to the programmers, artists, testers, etc. The designer decides what NPC the player encounters where, and what the NPC will say; what weapon the player can get at what point in the game and how much damage it does; what attacks a boss mob has and how much damage they do, etc.
Professional game designers typically make a comfortable wage, but it's not amazing. There's a game industry salary survey from 2006 here: http://gamecareerguide.com/features/266/index.php?cid=GCG06_ENDEX3 that lists Designers on page 4. Average starting salary is $43,000 per year, and average salary across all titles and experience levels is $63,000. Salary depends on years of experience, title within the company, and location of the company -- if the company is in an expensive state like California you'll get paid a bit more.
As far as education, you need to get a Bachelor's degree, but there isn't a specific college or major that's best for game design. Just pick a major that you enjoy and that will allow you graduate as quickly as possible. And don't worry about the schools that offer "game design" majors -- they're either actually 100% art and zero design, or they're a complete waste of time. (The only exceptions are the Master's program at Carnegie Mellon, and possibly USC's program. Avoid everything else.)
In college, along with the courses for your major, take math up through Calculus 1, and at least two courses in Statistics, two courses in writing, one Computer Science course, and one art course. Math and writing are the main tools of a designer, and the CS and art courses will help you work with your programmer and artist colleagues later on. Fill up the rest of your course requirement with a wide liberal arts education -- history, literature, mythology, sociology, psychology, etc, are all useful in game design.
If at all possible, go to college near city with a lot of game studios, like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Austin, Seattle, etc. Most game companies will not pay for relocation for an entry level job, and some won't even interview you if you don't live in the area, so it'll be a lot easier to find a job after college if you already live near several studios. There's a map here: http://gamedevmap.com/ that lists every game studio by city. Try to find a college in a city with at least 10 game companies.
While you're in high school, focus on getting good grades so that you can get into a good college. Take as many math classes as you can, including AP Statistics if your school offers it. Take any writing classes they offer, and any programming classes if you want. But one of the best things you can do now is play a lot of games, and take notes on everything: what you liked, what you didn't like, and what specifically you would change. Try to be as specific and detail oriented as you can -- there's a lot of refinement in design, sometimes as small as changing damage from 35 to 32, or moving one word in a sentence.
If you're seriously considering getting into game design, read everything here: http://sloperama.com/advice/ It's a bit harshly worded at times, but it's a good reality check of what working in the game industry is really like.
2007-10-16 09:30:50
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answer #1
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answered by Ryot 4
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2016-12-24 20:34:29
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answer #2
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answered by Anonymous
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This Site Might Help You.
RE:
What subjects are required to become a video game designer?Do these classes require to be taken in High school
Also, what is an average salary for a video game designer? What does the salary depend on?
2015-08-16 14:06:57
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answer #3
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answered by Anonymous
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To be honest, you don't even really need schooling to be a video game designer. It helps. However, if you're a good smart, you can learn quickly enough on your own.
I have video game designer software. That's all you need. A good background in playing video games, computer programming knowledge (a little at least) and the right software.
2007-10-13 14:31:32
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answer #4
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answered by Autumns Lamb 2
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Video game designer depends on experience. In other words, you can't study to be one. Either you are (by designing your own game(s)) or you are not (i.e. never designed anything).
Don't believe me? Look up biography of Mr. Miyamoto, the head designer over at Nintendo, creator of Mario, Donkey Kong, and more. Most game designers started by... designing simple games.
Average salary depends on where you're working at (country, state, market, company size, etc.)
2007-10-13 15:35:37
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answer #5
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answered by Kasey C 7
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2016-04-22 16:45:22
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answer #6
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answered by Anonymous
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2016-04-28 03:56:12
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answer #7
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answered by gudrun 3
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tthe average across all levels is around $60,000, but u'll probably be starting in the 40,000 range.
you'll need to take programming classes, be familiar with a wide variey of languages. this should include C++, and slower languages like visual basic.
learn to use 3D modelling and animation software, learn about texturing, take art courses.
2007-10-13 14:32:24
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answer #8
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answered by rufsketch1 3
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2016-05-17 05:57:41
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answer #9
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answered by Merie 2
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So..
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2014-07-28 12:15:33
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answer #10
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answered by Anonymous
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