Man always found one game after another to simulate his brain: from simple Tic Tac Toe to the almighty Chess. And then in the 20th century, he created virtual reality. From Tetris to Call of Duty (the list is huge!), Game design is getting better and better. Game designing has come a long way since its inception. With gaming becoming increasingly complex, game design has also evolved tremendously.
With each passing year, you are getting complex, compelling storylines right in your palms. This virtual world inside the game is coming to life. Now who makes this possible? If you are passionate about this, you could be that person. The one who designs the characters and comes up with plots, who also doesn’t shy away from programming. You could be that all-rounder. Choose from a variety of free game design certificate courses to stay ahead of the ‘game’.
What is Game Design?
Game Designing is the art of designing aesthetically and visually appealing games for various purposes (entertainment, educational, experimental.) It involves developing in-depth storylines, characters, dialogues, and rules. for the game. It is a multidisciplinary field where the professional needs to be a writer, an artist (in terms of design), and a programmer.
Who Can Pursue Game Design Courses?
Anyone can become a video game designer even if they do not hold a college degree or have any working industry experience. One can even pursue design courses if one wants to become a video game designer. Here are some skills that people should have before joining game design courses.
- You are a born storyteller
- You love to animate, i.e. bring your stories to life through design
- Your passion for these led you to coding as well
- And finally, you are a team player
Eligibility Criteria for Game Design Courses
For UG Game Design courses, (B.Tech, B.Sc)you must (10+2) in the science stream from a recognised board with a minimum 50% aggregate. For PG Game Design courses (M.Sc, M.Tech), you should have a masters in a relevant field.
Note: Please note that UG and PG courses mentioned here vary from animation design to engineering. The idea is that you are equipped with fundamental knowledge in programming, and designing. since game design is a multidisciplinary field. If you have the passion to learn, any of these courses will make you that artist.
Entrance exams for Game Development courses
- NID DAT (National Institute of Design aptitude test)
- UCEED (Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design)
- AIEED (All India Entrance Examination for Design)
- CEED (Common Entrance Examination for Design)
You can also pursue online game development courses either to have an overview or for specialisations.
Important Skills for Game Design Courses
Being a game designer will require people to have creative skills. Suppose you have some previous skills in the field of art or engineering, it is best if you consider expanding your skills and knowledge in these areas. Below are some skills which are extremely important for candidates who want to pursue game design courses.
- Creativity and innovation
- Logical and analytical skills
- Powerful visualization skills
- Designing (drawing, graphics)
- Technical skills (basic knowledge of programming)
- Attention to detail
- Organisational skills
- Perseverance
- Teamwork
- Interpersonal skills
What Will you Learn in Game Design Courses?
Game design students will be learning how people will design, document, and even communicate the different design ideas so that they can be turned into completed games. Learners can also apply their game design skills to solve several challenges where these skills are wanted.
- Game theory
- Basics of art
- Concept design
- Introduction to 3D
- Pre-visualisation of level design
- Fundamentals of digital sculpting
- Stylised character modelling
- Asset integration into the game engine
- Programming languages
Popular Game Design Certification Courses
- Incube8 VFX Game Design Certification Courses
- Edge by Pearl Academy Game Design Certification Courses
- Packt Game Design Certification Courses
- NIIT Game Design Certification Courses
- Futurelearn Game Design Certification Courses
- Amazon Game Design Certification Courses
Career Opportunities after Game Design Courses
Game designers will have exciting career opportunities and it will be rewarding for them when they are interested in devising video games. Game designers earn a lot and the profession will experience rapid growth over the coming years or as and when the gaming industry expands. Hence people look forward to pursuing game design training courses.
You come up with the concept of the specific game. Then you present it to the whole team. Then you work with them in developing everything (storyline, characters, dialogues, movements, rules of the game)
Average Base Salary p.a.: Rs. 5,69,261/-
You are an excellent programmer who creates the perfect interface for the game. (which the end-user will see and interact with). You work with the entire game development team in the process.
Average Base Salary p.a.: Rs. 4,89,570/-
UX Designer
You focus on the user experience while being enrolled in game development certifications. You do this by creating prototypes of the product and modifying the design based on user feedback. You find solutions by working along with other designers, engineers, product managers, and clients.
Average Base Salary p.a.: Rs. 6,07,913/-
Salary Trends
Average Base Salary of a Game Designer based on experience:
Experience in years | Average Base Salary p.a. |
< 1 | Rs. 4,83,387/- |
1 - 4 | Rs. 5,12,239/- |
5 - 9 | Rs. 9,50,000/- |
10 - 19 | Rs. 51,00,000/- |
Scope after Game Design Courses
According to Newzoo, the global gaming market was worth 159.3 billion dollars in 2020. And it is estimated that the industry will cross 200 billion dollars in 2023. Thus it is a lucrative, financially rewarding field. If you love gaming and want to leave your signature on it, then best game design courses online are a huge stepping stone.
Top Recruiters
Game developers are in high demand all over India and the world. Below is a list of the top-level recruiters who hire people who have pursued game design courses online and are as follows:
- Bonfire Studios
- Electronic arts
- Zensar Technologies
- Unanimous studios
- Activision
FAQs
Q: Are there any online Game Design courses?
A: Yes. There are a variety of online Game design courses offered by top universities, and colleges. These are recognised worldwide. These online game design courses can teach you the fundamentals as well as augment your skills in the gaming field.
Q: What is the duration of different game design courses?
A: This varies depending on different game design courses. There are short online game design courses that can be completed in a few weeks such as game design certification courses. Then there are game design courses (B.Tech) that take up to 4 years.
Q: What are the best careers after game design courses?
A: There are many careers after game industry certifications. To list a few: Game Designer, Game Developer, UI Designer, UX Designer.
Q: What are the different fee structures for game development courses?
A: It can vary depending on the online game design certificate. There are both free and paid courses. The fees for game development courses (UG) can be up to 4-6 lakhs or even more depending on the institute.
Q: What are the different ways of teaching online game design courses?
A: Most courses offer the following: Complete accessibility to the materials 24/7, self-paced study with 24/7 tutor support, Audio/video inputs, question and answer forums for the entire candidates, and case studies. There will also be weekly, and monthly evaluations.
Q: What are the core/fundamental subjects taught in game development courses?
A: This would depend on the specific best certifications for game developers. To list a few: Game theory, 2D, 3D, Concept design, Programming languages.