   I want to be a game designer!
  How should I go about being a game designer? I'm a somewhat experienced programmer, and I've got a bunch of great ideas for games that I just started writing down! I'm also an experienced gamer. How do I let my employers know that I'm good at game design? I've been thinking about going back to UCSC in their "Game Design" major - is that a good idea, or should I just start applying to companies with no degree as a game designer?I'd post my "great" game designs here, but I'm afraid ya'll will run off with them. :) Is there anything I can do to safeguard against that, so if I really do design the next "Doom" or "Alice" I can ensure that I get paid for it?I know there's lots to designing games; the overview, the starting details, and all the subtle details that develop as the game is developed. I also have enough of a programming background to know what is and is not programmable by an average programmer...are there any game companies reading this, that might be willing to give me a shot as a Game Designer? If you want to see a game I've designed (and started implementing...) you can browse on over to http://amtgard.shop.tm/webmmo ... it's a completely original game, and I hope the intellectual property is protected!   
Recomended reading.;  You should actually start at lesson one of the above recommended reading.  It's a great resource, and may help you realize your thoughts.   ;  Someone from Santa Cruz wrote:>How do I let my employers know that I'm good at game design?Are you employed at a game company now?>are there any game companies reading this, that might be willing to give me a shot as a Game Designer?Unlikely at the present time. Do that reading, then ask different questions.;  Wow, thanks for the link to that site with all the aspiring game designer info. I guess I'll keep posting my amateur game designs here (in hopes they get better with feedback) and, uh, I'll stop making the mistakes mentioned in the article. I haven't finished reading it yet...so I guess I'm an arrogant, impatient game designer...Looks like I'll have to go back to QA to get my foot in the door, and then hopefully work my way up...I should be able to land a QA job with a Game Design degree, hopefully. :) Or I'll just get that CS degree...so many decisions...What do ya'll think? Should I go with what I love and get a Game Design degree from the University of California at Santa Cruz, or should I get a CS degree, even though I'm not too fond of writing large amounts of code? (I'm not much of an artist, either...of the two I'm a better code writer) I think I'd have more fun in school with the game degree, and it is a programming intensive degree from a reputable university...but then again I might have a better chance of landing a hot internship with a CS degree...what should I do?   ;  Santa C wrote:>Should I go with what I love and get a Game Design degree... or should I get a CS degree, even though I'm not too fond of writing large amounts of code?Why are you asking this question? Seriously. You should keep on reading those articles.