Want to be a Game Designer?

I'm having lunch next week with a young tester that wants to be a designer.

My first reaction to folks that 'have ideas' and want to be designers is surprisingly harsh. I mean, I'll have a fun brainstorm with anyone, but if you really want to be a designer, I'm going to rip your heart out and step on it right in front of you. Well, metaphorically.

This isn't out of cruelty...it's both fair and helpful. Having an idea, even a VERY good one doesn't make you a designer. Ideas are the easy part. As I usually say, "Coming up with the idea is like fucking chics...it's a blast, but the real design is like raising the baby."

Next, you'll also have to have a practical skill to help take those ideas and make them real. Oh, and day to day it's going to bore the SHIT out of you. Finally, you probably will never get someone to give you even $10,000 to make YOUR game, nevermind $30 million for your opus Call of Duty clone. If it is your game, it won't be for long. The people that gave you money will influence your design and change it, and the rest of the design should be changeable to some degree by to your peers / team to get their creative investment. No one wants to work in your kingdom. It's a team effort, son.

If you're still interested after this initiation rant...then we'll talk about how it's a really awesome job. :)