When you play video games, you may wonder who made the game. With video games becoming more sophisticated over time, the process of developing video games becomes ever more complicated.

Unlike those playing the games, most developers are not holed up in their basement, hunched over the computer. Most successful video game designers have undertaken a game design course to kick off their careers. It is typical to work as part of a large team. Due to the many components of game design, creating a game from start to finish is a group undertaking requiring programmers specialising in different areas. The person who animates the characters’ movements will be different to the person in charge of sound effects.

In Australia, aspiring game designers usually enrol in the a Diploma of IT, which offers room for specialisation. As an accredited course, the Diploma is highly regarded among employers in the industry.

Video game designers are often gaming enthusiasts themselves, but there is plenty of hard work behind modern game design. Designers must be aware of new developments in their field, and maintaining a network of colleagues and former classmates is one way of ensuring exposure to latest news in the industry.

Those who work in the computer gaming development industry have career opportunities aside from programming. Experienced video game designers often moonlight as lecturers and tutors for game design academies. Another possibility is to branch into consultancy.

Location is crucial when deciding between game design courses, Melbourne has an established computer gaming industry. To choose a program with industry links, the college must be geographically well-placed. Video game designers may be tech-savvy, but face-to-face interaction trumps remote collaboration.

Now you know that video games are designed by a large team of highly trained specialists, and how they work together to bring their ideas to life on your devices.