Difference between Game Designer and Game Programmer

By Juegostudio | Game Design | May 27th, 2022

Difference between Game Design from Game Programming

Are you dreaming of becoming a game designer or a game programmer? A game designer and a game programmer must work together from the outset to finish the game project. If the response is a “Yes”, then you need to comprehend the dissimilarities between game design vs game programming first.

Knowing the differences between game design vs game development designations becomes pivotal especially if you want to pursue a career in one of these fields. If you want to know what game design and game programming do and what are the various roles and responsibilities associated with each role, please read on.

Game Design

It is an important facet of the game development process. Game design involves bringing creativity into the game play. This especially means including components or features into the game play to retain the engagement of the players. The game design focuses more on the storyline and plots to make the game play interesting.

Design and aesthetics are the focal points to create an engaging game that aims to educate or entertain. Game design is the responsibility of game designers who set up themes, characters, challenges, and rules of the game. Games like Super Mario Bros, Batman: Arkham Asylum, The Stanley Parable, and Fruit Ninja are instances of great game designs used to build an engaging game play.

Game Design Constitutes Three Elements:

  • Gameplay,
  • Systems & Mechanics, and
  • User Experience.

Game Programming

Game programming is the fundamental aspect of game development. It involves translating the ideas projected by game designers into a game. Game programmers write the code to create the modules of the game that are integrated gradually.

This is a slightly complex exercise as it requires knowledge of programming languages like C++ or Java and application programming interfaces. Advanced skills are needed for terrain mapping, use of artificial intelligence, and use of input devices like controllers or joysticks. Football Pro, Invictus, Witcher 3, World Of Warcraft, etc are some of the popular games developed in C/C++.

Game programming has subcategories like:

  • Network Programming,
  • Graphics Programming, and
  • AI Programming.

What are the roles of Game Designers?

Prime Role of a Game Designer

The primary role of a game designer is to visualize the concept and design ideas to make the game interactive and interesting. Their role is much more holistic because it demands the visualization of the entire plot of the game. They need to possess profound knowledge when it comes to discovering what gamers want, what character types will gel with the story well, and what kind of theme will attract more players.

Game Designer’s relation with other teams

A game designer will create the structure of the game and define the rules of the game. They design the gameplay and collaborate with other teams in different stages of game development. A lot of software developers are game designers but may not necessarily possess experience in graphics design. A game designer needs to document the design that will be used by other teams to transform the design into a game.

Qualifications

To enter the field of game design, one must earn a degree in software art and design or game development. Game designers typically possess an analytical bent of mind. Moreover, their problem-solving skills are substantial.

What are the roles of Game Programmers?

Chief Role of Game Programmer

A game programmer transforms the design specifications into computer programs by writing the code. Storyline, terrain, characters, theme, and layouts are developed using programming languages and APIs. This field requires sound knowledge of computer science. Good technical skills are needed to transform the design into a computer game.

What is Demanded from a Game Programmer?

A game programmer must understand dynamics and physics to add depth to the movement and actions. Game programmers put life into the game by transforming the game blueprint into playable mobile, PC, or console games. They develop the prototype and document the various stages involved in game development. There are various types of programmers and some or all are part of the game development based on the complexity of the game.

Mentioned below are certain jobs carried out by a game programmer:

  • Graphics programmer
  • Engine programmer
  • UI programmer
  • AI programmer
  • Network Engineer
  • Sound Programmer
  • Program lead
  • Tools Engineer

Responsibilities of a Game Designer

A game designer is accountable for creating a full-fledged game design plot. They must design different levels and reward systems. A game designer must be skilled at developing storyline, plot, environment, theme, genre, and unique gameplay ideas. They must be able to quickly recognize viral trends in the gaming world.

Responsibilities of a Game Designer:

  • Collaborate with various teams to pitch the ideas
  • Design character and object movement
  • Design difficulty levels and terrain
  • Design settings and rules
  • Optimize the interface. This is accomplished by closely cooperating with the user experience team and the user interface
  • Pitching game ideas to clients and executives
  • Manage multiple projects and teams
  • Follow industry best practices and trends
  • Monitor workflow
  • Create a comprehensive documentation
  • Perform quality control at every stage

Responsibilities of a Game Programmer

A game programmer is responsible for transforming the project’s design into code to develop a playable game. They develop user interfaces, game characters, and 3D graphics, and deploy game mechanics and logic. A programmer must know AI concepts to process large amounts of data and develop a code that is portable across platforms.

Key Commitments of a Game Programmer:

  • Brainstorm design elements, game concepts, and specifications
  • Identify optimal game frameworks and transform concepts into code
  • Design and test gameplay features
  • Generate game storyline and scripts
  • Integrate graphic design and audio features.
  • Perform tests and implement validation procedures.
  • Document the game development life cycle
  • Develop the latest game trends and integrate them into the main design
  • Build a customized engine for the game and create custom tools
  • Scripting events, functions, and interactions
  • Develop dynamics and physics (e.g., dimensions, gravity, movement, etc)
  • Write device-specific code (e.g., joysticks, keyboard, or mice)
  • Implement algorithms, handle memory and caching issues
  • Resolve issues and fix bugs

Conclusion

If you are interested to work in the field of Game Design and Game Development but are not sure of the demands of the role, then the above article can aid you to comprehend the requirements, responsibilities, and roles of each designation clearly. Each role has its own charms and is one of the best paid jobs in the gaming industry.

If you want to read such articles related to the gaming industry, browse through the blog section of the website of Juego Studios. Access more insightful write-ups about trending topics and futuristic technologies in the gaming field.

About Juego Studio

Juego Studios is one of the remarkable game development company spearheading innovations in Game Development, Non Fungible Tokens, Blockchain, and Art and Design. Juego Studios have given birth to numerous viral games including Adventure Quest Battle Gems, School of Dragons, and Raids of Glory.

Head to Games Portfolio on Juego Studios’ website to discover more about the games they have created and the clients with whom they have collaborated. If you have any fascinating game ideas, trust Juego Studios to transform them into an enchanting game.

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