The Importance of game design

The video gaming industry is currently worth around $195.65 billion dollars and continues to get larger by the day. Thanks to new and ever evolving technologies, the video gaming industry has benefited tremendously and has been able to produce a new era of gaming, in which the experience is unparalleled compared to that of just a decade ago.

The video gaming industry has been one of the fastest industries to adopt these new and upcoming technologies. From virtual reality that enables players to get more immersed in the game and bridge the gap between the real world and the gaming one, to online streaming services that are making new and upcoming gaming titles easier to access for people across the world.

As technology continues to develop, gamers’ expectations of how they experience a game are also on the rise, in which it’s crucial for gaming design to be continually evolving. Below, we’ll take a look at the importance of game design and how it impacts the player.

Genres of Gaming

Today, there are so many different types of games on offer, attracting people from all different walks of life. Some of the different genres of gaming include:

• Action games – Players control the action in the game with reactionary or physical obstacles. Often, you will be competing against a component or be competing in a challenge.

• Adventure games – Rather than being based on combat or confrontation, adventure games present puzzles and challenges in an imaginary world where players are tasked with puzzle solving, unlocking mysterious secrets and exploring the virtual world.

• Casino games – Casino games are continuing to gain popularity after being around for decades in a real life casino. Today people can play a poker game online, explore online slots, or compete in a game of craps.

• Shooter games – Shooting games are a subgenre of action games and involve some type of combat. Players will play from their own point of view, aiming down the sights to kill whatever target crosses their path.

• Survival games – Survival games involve elements of RPG and adventure games and are one of the most popular genres of video games in recent years. The aim of the game is to survive while facing multiple challenges from opponents and threats within the virtual world of the game.

Why is gaming design so important?

The design of the game can make or break the experience the player has and determine the overall success and popularity of a title. In order for a game to be designed well, it must entice the user to keep playing, immerse them in the world of the game, and offer lots of reactions to the players actions.

In the early days of gaming, the focus was on creating a limited amount of code so that a game wouldn’t take up too much memory space on a device. However, as gaming has evolved, not only has the capacity of consoles increased but players can now stream video games, enabling developers to create much more advanced games without players having to worry about memory capacity on their console.

Fundamentally, the object of great game design is to create a seamless experience where the player can focus on the goal of the game, instead of the logistics of it. The three most important concepts when designing the game are user experience, enjoyment and engagement.

Word can get out quickly

Today, there is even more pressure to ensure the design of a game is flawless as word travels a lot quicker than it used to and poor reviews can really damage the reputation of a video game title and the developer that created it.

It’s now common for professional gamers and hardcore gaming fans to live stream or record their gaming experience and share it on streaming channels like YouTube. These people have immense power to influence others opinions and thoughts of the game and how successful it will be. Often, gaming professionals are offered free games in order to test them out and share their experience with the gaming community.

The benefits of good gaming design

A well designed game has the power to entrance the player in the world of the game, enabling them to forget the outside world and lose themselves for a while. If a video game is designed well, not only will this be directly related to more video gaming sales, but the developer will gai a positive reputation.

A poorly designed video game has the power to instantly impact the experience of the gamer, in which they could become disinterested rather quickly and even stop playing the game altogether.

Overall, the design of a video gaming is fundamental to a game title’s success. While just a few decades ago the focus in the news was on keeping a game simple and easy to use, today’s video game designers have to think about so much more in order to keep players continuously entertained.