Salaries

InGameJob

Glassdoor

Salary.com

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Description

A Game System Designer is the unseen hand guiding the intricate mechanisms that breathe life into a game. They craft and balance the interconnected systems that underpin the player's experience, from combat and economy to progression and AI behavior, mixing logic, challenge, and reward to create a compelling gameplay loop.

Every aspect of the game's interactivity, from the satisfying clink of a well-placed sword strike to the thrill of unlocking a new skill, is the result of their meticulous design. They ensure the gears of gameplay mesh seamlessly, driving players forward on a rewarding and engaging journey.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement the underlying systems that power the game's mechanics, including economy, inventory, save/load, and data persistence.
• Create and optimize complex algorithms and scripts that handle everything from AI behavior to physics simulation.
• Analyze player data and in-game metrics to identify areas for improvement, balance issues, and potential monetization opportunities.
• Translate gameplay concepts and mechanics into functional systems that are efficient, scalable, and support the desired player experience.
• Ensure the game runs smoothly and efficiently across various platforms and hardware configurations.
• Break down complex systems into reusable components for ease of maintenance, iteration, and future game development.

Resources

• GameDesign Math: RPG Level-based Progression
• Gamedev Economy Design by Fundamentally Games
• Keys to Meaningful Skill Trees by GDKeys
• Keys to Economic Systems by GDKeys
• A Systemic Approach to Systemic Design - Mike Sellers
• A Peek Inside the System Designer's Toolkit by Squirrel Eiserloh
• Game Design Case Studies - One Designer | One Game | One System
• LCIEducation: Introduction to Game Design: Game Systems and Balance
• Introduction to Game Systems Design by Dax Gazaway
• What is game economy design by Machinations
• The Fundamentals of Game Economy Design by Tom Hammond

Books

• Level Up! The Guide to Great Video Game Design by Scott Rogers
• The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses by Jesse Schell
• Theory of Fun for Game Design by Raph Koster
• Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games by Tracy Fullerton
• Game Feel by Steve Swink
• Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products by Nir Eyal
• Game Balance by Ian Schreiber and Brenda Romero
• Advanced Game Design: A Systems Approach by Michael Sellers
• Games, Design and Play: A detailed approach to iterative game design by Colleen Macklin and John Sharp
• Kobold Guide to Game Design by Wolfgang Baur, Amber Scott, Colin McComb, Keith Baker, Michael A. Stackpole, Kelly Pawlik, Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood
• Designing Games: A Guide to Engineering Experiences by Tynan Sylvester

Tools to learn

<aside> ☕ Remember you don’t need to learn all, these are only some of the more common tools for this role

</aside>

• Game Engines
• C#
• C++
• Python
• Git
• Visual Scripting Tools
• Jira
• Trello
• Tableau
• Power BI
• Rider
• Lucidchart
• Unreal Insights
• Unity Profiler
• Confluence
• Notion