Established Game Designers

Becoming an established game designer can be difficult, and it is only through perseverance and hard work that one can strive to become established within the industry. This does not necessarily mean that to be an established designer is to be in a AAA studio making great money, it can be simply being well known within the industry. (Image Below: (Unknown 2014).

Some of the most recognisable designers within the industry are seen as idols and provide inspiration for many fledgling designers. Designers such as Shigeru Miyamoto, who as many would know, is one of the key figures behind popular titles such as Super Mario, Legend of Zelda and Donkey Kong. The success Miyamoto managed to attain as well as his creativity when it comes to creating a fun and engaging game play experience only urged more people to design games. Even another major game designer, Hideo Kojima, said that it is the Super Mario series that made him want to be a game designer.

Similarly for me it is not necessarily individuals within the industry that inspire me to become a game designer, but rather several titles that I have played over the years that made me want to create such memorable experiences. For me a large part of my inspiration came from Super Nintendo titles such as the Lufia franchise, Secret of Mana and Secret of Evermore, Zelda A Link to the Past, Tales of Phantasia (Image Below: Riley 2006). and Yoshi's Island. All were memorable titles for me and each resonated with me in some way that made me want to be a designer.

Melbourne alone has quite a few established game studios (Roughly ~50% of Australia's total active studios). Studios such as Tantalus have been around for a long time, and have been successful in dealing with titles such as MX vs ATV, Ben 10 and the recently ported Wii U release of Zelda Twilight Princess HD. Wicked Witch is also another recognisable studio in Melbourne known for AFL titles and puzzle games. While studios such as this may appear daunting, and one might think that it would be difficult to gain recognition, there can be other alternatives to help you get established within the industry.

Attending monthly meet ups such as the Independent Game Developers Association (IGDA) can be a great way to network and make friends. These events foster the idea of bringing in your own projects, no matter how small to show off to others. This can be a fantastic way to get your name out there, for you never know who may just be attending the event. (Image Below: Vogel 2016).

References

Riley, A. (2006). Tales of Phantasia (Super Nintendo) Review. [Online Image] (Available). Retrieved on 31/10/2016 from http://www.cubed3.com/review/352/1/tales-of-phantasia-snes.html

Unknown (2014). A Link to the Past Walkthrough. [Online Image] (Available). Retrieved on 31/10/2016 from http://www.zeldadungeon.net/a-link-to-the-past-walkthrough/

Vogel, M. (2016). Shigeru Miyamoto on the Development of Yoshi's Island. [Online Image] (Available). Retrieved on 31/10/2016 from http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2016/03/shigeru_miyamoto_on_the_development_of_yoshis_island

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