DO YOU HAVE TO BE ARTISTICALLY GIFTED TO STUDY GAME DESIGN?

Updated December 6, 2022 · 1 Min Read

Does it matter if you're not artistically gifted if you'd like to study game design? Come along as we explore this question and peruse game design careers.

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If you're pursuing a career in game design, or a game design degree, you may just wonder if you're up for the task, artistically speaking. Many of the most inspiring and addictive games have amazing art, so how could anyone hope to stand up to the competition? The fact is, you can create amazing game art with some effort and training, but you also don't need to focus on art if you want to pursue game design. This article covers what it's like to be a game designer and why it isn't always necessary to have artistic skills.

What Is Talent, Anyway?

"Talented" and "gifted" are tricky terms. They imply that some people are naturally good at their pursuits and others aren't. The fact of the matter is, art talent is not innate like many people believe. No one is born with the ability to draw well or create amazing imagery. It may seem like it at times, but the simple truth is that some children stick with the practice of art while others don't. Likewise, plenty of people begin their artistic journey later in life and go on to create amazing work. No matter whether you feel you're a capable artist, you can surely learn what it takes to become a game designer.

A Day In The Life

Game design is a broad field that involves all kinds of roles. From programming to texture painting, your job does not have to be a strictly visual one. If you're interested in becoming a level designer, you can easily become great at your job with simple blocky shapes and maps. Odds are someone else will focus on creating each individual game asset when you work at a large company, so you can focus on specifically crafting an engaging space for players with the images and assets provided. If you study the level design of some of the most famous products out there, you'll learn that it can be more about game mechanics and challenging the player, rather than colors and painting skills.

Avoid Art Altogether

If you'd like to pursue game design without even touching the visual side of things, it might be time to consider programming. This is a wise choice in general as programming skills make anyone highly competitive in today's job market.

When it comes to game design specifically, your code will directly impact every aspect of the game. From experience points and player levels to multiplayer interaction and worldwide leader boards, the code determines how players experience the game. You'll have complete power to craft a balanced game that players enjoy, making this a great choice for anyone who doesn't want to pursue art in the world of game design.

A Game Design Degree: A good place to start

With these points in mind, it's clear that you can become a great game designer with a bit of focused effort. You have all the time in the world to practice your art skills if you choose to focus on the visual aspect of game design. All in all, there's no need to worry about innate artistic talent when you can either pick up the skills you need or simply focus on another discipline within game design.

Related resource:

8 Cheap Online Game Design Degree Programs

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