Game Design Skills

TOMORROW: “How LD Documents Are Done in AAA Studios” talk goes live! Senior Game Designer Ostap Dovbush at Ubisoft, with 15+ years of experience who’s worked on titles like XDefiant and Watch Dogs: Legion, returns to share how Level Design Documents are used in AAA studios to shape gameplay spaces and workflows. 🗓️ December 6th at 12:00pm PST 📍 Funsmith Club Discord → https://lnkd.in/etvzYEuA Join us live, bring any questions you may have, and hang out with the community. We’d love to see you there😁

As a teenager, I kept asking my MIT friend why Blizzard kept changing StarCraft. His answers planted a seed that took 20 years to grow into Game Design Skills My friend and mentor was Tom Cadwell. My friend and mentor was Tom Cadwell - winner of the 1998 Blizzard StarCraft: Brood War Beta Invitational, now Chief Design Officer & EVP of Research and Development at Riot Games, and former Game Director of League of Legends. Infinitely better at the game. Way smarter than me too. No matter how many times I asked, "Why did they do this?" he had a real answer. Thoughtful. Considered. From someone who understood the craft. Most people didn't have that luxury. I realized then that the fastest way to learn game design is from people in the fray, doing the work. Back then, your options were limited: 1. Make games until you figure it out 2. Or find that rare person who deeply understood it and hope they'll teach you I got lucky with #2. But not everyone has that luck or connections. That's why I'm on a mission to level the playing field. Shortly before I left Blizzard in 2012, I started writing "The Black Box of Game Design" blog. I wanted to share lessons most people at the company had forgotten, let alone what players or designers outside ever knew. When I joined Riot, I found out many of the developers there had been reading and studying my blog for months. This showed me that even inside the industry, there's an incredible hunger for insight from people actually doing the work. This blog evolved into Game Design Skills and the Funsmith Club Discord - today, we have 7,500+ game developers in our community. If you're stuck figuring things out alone, or you don't have anyone to learn from, you don't have to stay there. You can hop on into Funsmith Club Discord and get: - Free in-depth guides on our knowledge base - Bi-weekly live professional talks on our Discord - Accelerator bootcamps for those ready to make the professional leap You no longer have to be lucky. You can just be proactive and start asking questions and make some friends in the communnity. Join our Discord Community here: https://lnkd.in/g7_2HSYA

6 steps to become a better game designer: Step #1: Ensure game design is your true calling This reality entails: - Setting aside ego - Embracing curiosity - Making tough decisions - Collaborating effectively Test your passion by creating a simple game. Or participating in game jams. Step #2: Master foundational game design skills - Analyze games critically - Build a diverse portfolio - Gain hands-on experience with development tools Formal education is optional. Focus on practical skills and continuous learning. Step #3: Showcase your expertise - Develop a compelling portfolio - Highlight your skills and projects in your resume - Tailor your applications to each studio And demonstrate how you align with each company's needs. Step #4: Secure an entry-level position - Apply to junior designer roles - Gain industry experience - Be open to internships or contract work - Ship a volunteer project Each stepping stone counts. Step #5: Network within the gaming community Engage with professionals through: - Events - LinkedIn - Discord Servers (e.g Funsmith Club😜→ https://lnkd.in/egH8_ZMN) Building relationships leads to opportunities. Step #6: Advance your career - Leverage your entry-level experience. - To take on more responsibilities. - You'll be first in line if you have the skills and are already doing the work. Continue learning, seek feedback, and adapt to industry trends. ♻️ Repost if your network might find these useful!

Remote Game Jobs Here’s a list of studios currently offering remote opportunities across all levels, with some being fully remote (work from anywhere). ▪️ SOFTGAMES - https://lnkd.in/e5aRJins ▪️ VOID Interactive - https://lnkd.in/daEvDGd5 ▪️ CI Games - https://lnkd.in/dSA5nXSa ▪️ Amber - https://lnkd.in/exvbTafT ▪️ Stairway Games - https://lnkd.in/giyu92Dd ▪️ Gamebreaking Studios - https://lnkd.in/g8q2hXRX ▪️ Room 8 Studio - https://lnkd.in/dbQWH_Q9 ▪️ DreamForge Games - https://lnkd.in/eQyaiSy8 ▪️ That's No Moon - https://lnkd.in/gKfmZtQJ ▪️ Gardens Interactive - https://lnkd.in/enDPDAE6 ▪️ Playground Games - https://lnkd.in/e6TaNFYU ▪️ Second Dinner - https://lnkd.in/gaEkFuCW ▪️ CoolGames - https://lnkd.in/g_JBnv8 ▪️ Fool's Theory - https://lnkd.in/eGCnzR-g ▪️ Hypemasters - https://lnkd.in/exXbYB_7 ▪️ ArtDock - https://lnkd.in/e4d2wd2X ▪️ Octo Games Studio - https://lnkd.in/ej628wbH ▪️ Dovetail Games - https://lnkd.in/dpgtYS-E ▪️ nDreams - https://lnkd.in/eYeAe6iu ▪️ Core5 - https://core5.info/ ▪️ Joyteractive - https://lnkd.in/ehhVBSTt ▪️ UGI STUDIO - https://lnkd.in/eUDdv6Eb Repost for visibility, let’s help our community find these opportunities😁

I wrote another article for Game Design Skills about HOW TO WRITE A STORY FOR A VIDEO GAME Start writing a gameplay-focused story by defining the game mechanics. Establish exactly what the player does, how often they do it, and what (if any) secondary or tertiary mechanics support the primary one. Designer Shigeru Miyamoto has stated that he always begins with gameplay and only thinks about story once the mechanics begin to feel fun and novel. Define the major source of the conflict to increase the satisfaction of overcoming the gameplay challenge. The players’ level of satisfaction is linked to how invested they are in the central conflict. The major source of the conflict must offer a compelling reason to play that holds up from a storytelling perspective and not simply as a backdrop to the action. Heavily gameplay-focused experiences get away with simple, archetypal conflicts. Narrative games demand more thought-out conflicts and resolution options. The Walking Dead’s relatively open-ended worldbuilding allowed me to get creative when designing villains and conflicts. READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE HERE: https://lnkd.in/d4dpfynM #NarrativeDesignTip

12 Must-Read Game Design Books ▪️The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses https://lnkd.in/gi4zhREq ▪️The Role of a Great Game Designer https://a.co/d/39TU6C5 ▪️An Architectural Approach to Level Design https://lnkd.in/ed78BsRU ▪️Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals https://lnkd.in/dTMgDx86 ▪️Game Design Workshop: Playcentric Approach https://lnkd.in/dFkT9qPx ▪️Designing Games: Engineering Experiences https://lnkd.in/e9cmuvnC ▪️Level Up! The Guide to Video Game Design https://lnkd.in/eiJukHYe ▪️Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products https://lnkd.in/etyauZcz ▪️Narrative Design for Indies: Getting Started https://lnkd.in/eK8fvT_x ▪️Narrative Design for Writers https://lnkd.in/eZCVg43x ▪️Game Feel: A Game Designer’s Guide https://lnkd.in/eAu-qmZX ▪️Game Balance https://lnkd.in/eabwnFjK 🔔 Looking for people to geek out over these books with? Join the Funsmith Club Discord to connect with other designers, swap notes, and chat! → https://lnkd.in/egH8_ZMN

Every designer knows how important a Game Design Document is. It captures the game’s vision, aligns the team, and turns ideas into actionable steps. But there’s one document that quietly directs the player experience far more than most realize… On December 6th, Senior Game Designer Ostap Dovbush, with 15+ years of industry XP, including work at Ubisoft on titles such as XDefiant and Watch Dogs: Legion, returns to share how Level Design Documents are used in AAA studios to shape gameplay spaces and workflows. He’ll cover the goals of an LDD, the different types of documents you’ll encounter, how to use them properly to elevate your level design process, and how they create a cohesive and structured level design pipeline. 🗓️ December 6th – 12:00pm PST 📍 Funsmith Club Discord → https://lnkd.in/egH8_ZMN If leveling up your LD is a priority next year, this session will give you tools worth using, so don’t miss your chance to join live!

When should you bring your game for playtests?  Answer: As often and as early as possible. Where/How can you do it? Answer: In the Funsmith Discord Playtest Sessions! Here's some stats and highlights from the Playtest Sessions in November 2025: - 10 games playtested - 39 playtesters For the upcoming month, here are the planned sessions: - Wednesday, 03rd December at 1 PM PST - Wednesday, 17th December at 1 PM PST If you are reading this you are more than welcome to join us! Join the Funsmith Discord to know more → https://lnkd.in/egH8_ZMN

Video game enemies exist to act as a foil to player actions and ambitions. Some elements are universal, but different genres demand very different approaches. However, there are some core principles to guide designers in creating enemies in general: Step #1: Establish the enemy’s core function - Why does this enemy exist from a narrative perspective? - Why does this enemy exist from a mechanical perspective? - Why will the player want to engage with this enemy? Step #2: Assess the current enemy roster Memorable games have a roster of enemies that feel, look, and act unique while offering novel challenges. Start brainstorming once you’ve established what kind of enemy is underrepresented (and would bring something exciting to gameplay). Step #3: Consider player abilities Great enemies should occasionally engage you at the limit of your ability, using up resources and forcing you to use what you’ve learned on your journey. Enemy design should focus on fun ways of teasing out player abilities. Step #4: Prototype enemy Understand your design’s strengths and weaknesses. Creating a test arena with the appropriate objects for cover, flanking, or any other tactics that will apply in-game allows you to get a feel for the enemy design in context. Step #5: Adjust the enemy according to feedback There’s no substitute for seeing your idea in action. Test your enemy in every scenario you picture them being used in-game. And use the results to tune your design’s stats and behaviors. Step #6: Keep iterating This one is self explanatory!! Keep reading our Wiki for a complete beginner’s guide to enemy design → https://lnkd.in/encaRekM

Non-AAA Game Studios Hiring Great News! Here’s a list of indie studios that regularly post openings across all experience levels, including some remote roles. ▪ Turtle Rock Studios - https://lnkd.in/e5kQTx7W ▪ Velan Studios, Inc. - https://lnkd.in/dxQYsCuB ▪ Giant Enemy Crab - https://lnkd.in/gtsNHngc ▪ Behaviour Interactive - https://www.bhvr.com/jobs/ ▪ Photon Tadpole Studios - https://lnkd.in/ejSrZpwu ▪ Enduring Games - https://lnkd.in/eyWZrFJf ▪ Frima - https://lnkd.in/eNzE2kCd ▪ SOFTGAMES - https://lnkd.in/e5aRJins ▪ Grendel Games - https://lnkd.in/g4nA8VDn ▪ Bonfire Studios - https://lnkd.in/g6bF4pQr ▪ Blackbird Interactive - https://lnkd.in/g9Mfr2R6 ▪ Funktronic Labs - https://lnkd.in/egstqj45 ▪ DigitalFish - https://lnkd.in/eVHE8BHE ▪ Overwolf - https://lnkd.in/eS5tSUQN Repost for visibility, let’s help our community find these opportunities😁