Game design normally starts from an idea that someone has for a new game or maybe a follow up to an existing game that has proven to be very popular. The game is not the work of one person and initially the game designer would discuss with the other team members what direction the design for the game should take.
A document is prepared to outline what the game is about. What characters are involved and what rules are to be implemented. Game Design is all about creativity and coming up with ideas to make it better. The actual mechanics of the game would be discussed and dealt with as the development of the game takes shape. It is almost like a story board that is used by film directors before shooting a movie. Video Game Testing plays a very crucial role in the development of the game before it is released to the public. This function is designed to iron out any problems that may affect the enjoyment for the consumer. Video Game Testing may seem like a dream job for a lot of people but it requires a great degree of attention to detail and good communication skills to enable you to relay to the rest of the team any bugs or problems that have been found. The testing begins as soon as the first part of the game is ready and is an ongoing process designed to fix problems as soon as possible. Testing does not only involve actual playing of the game, it may require the game to be left on pause or stopped for prolonged periods to see if this has any effect on it. Basically any scenario that could happen when the game is being played by the consumer will be tested and reported on. Game Programming does not just consist of one person. There may be a whole team to work on the game depending on its complexity. The lead programmer will work with graphic designers, modelers and other programmers to construct the game. The type of programming involved will depend on whether the game is designed for the PC or a particular console such as the Playstation 3 or Xbox.
