Individuals who are interested in becoming a game designer should complete a four-year bachelor's degree program in a field such as computer science, computer engineering or game design. These programs are available at colleges and universities, with many of these programs available online as well. To get into a game design training program, an individual should submit copies of his high school diploma or GED along with a transcript and scores from standardized tests.
To become a game designer, a person must take classes on topics such as how electronic games evolved and how video games are structured. Students should study how users interact with various types of games and the various genres of video games while attending schools such as the University of Advancing Technology.
A review of puzzles that keep game players intrigued but are not too overwhelming for the average video gamer also is an important component of a game design training program. Training courses additionally teach students how to create both games that are entertaining and those that are more educational.
Education to become a game designer also includes a look at how to develop a storyboard to identify various shots in a video game scene. Students must be able to visualize various scenes through different camera angles, much like they would in a movie production course. Training in this field additionally requires students to have a strong understanding of one or more industry scripting languages used to develop games.
Creating realistic characters for video games also is an important skill that game designer training programs teach. In addition, other important education topics in this industry at schools such as the Academy of Art University include three-dimensional modeling and modeling game props.
As part of a game designer training program, students must usually complete several workshops that allow them to develop video game ideas either independently or collaboratively in a group setting. These workshops give them practical experience with the same tasks they must perform in a real-world situation. In addition, some programs require students to complete a hands-on internship with a video game or computer game publisher before they can graduate.