About Game Design

Yes.

But will all of the designs be good? In fact, you don’t need to have ever even though about game design before and you can still give any game a shot.

Perhaps I’m being a smart-ass here but let me modify this topic somewhat so I make clear what I’m writing about in this piece; can a designer design any game that will also be great?

This brings me into the terms competence and passion. I know quite a few people in creative positions who have a lot of experience and are very competent at what they do, producing solid stuff over and over again, but that lack any passion or joy in what they are doing.

I’m sure most people have met or worked with someone like this and I’m quite certain that these types of people exist among game designers as well. The reason for the lack of passion can be a lot of things, but one that is relevant for my rambling is that the designer is working on something that he doesn’t like.

I’m still not answering the topic, but bear with me.

So image yourself being a designer for a game based on the most awful TV-show you can come up with. “Days of our Lives” comes to mind for me for example. Do you think you would make great designs for it?

So the answer to my modified topic is no. I don’t think a designer can stay passionate doing ANY game and make it great, not talking about good, but great. Admittedly, I’m a bit torn about whether my “Days of our Lives” example is too extreme but when I think about it I’m sure that if everyone at Blizzard loved it they would make an awesome game for fans of the show.