Noah Falstein

Agreed! One of the advantages of starting in the games industry in 1980 was that there were no classes or experts to tell us how to make video games - so we just learned by doing it and seeing what worked. Still a great way to tackle anything new, particularly given the emerging technologies that games are famous for launching.

Here is one of my favorite insider networking tips for conferences to get clients or employment leads. Attend talks relevant to the work you do (or want to do) and position yourself close to the Q&A microphones (or if they pass around wireless mikes, sit in the front row). When it comes time for Q&A, have an inciteful, thoughtful question ready that reflects your knowledge and experience. Be among the first to ask a question. Introduce yourself very briefly with your current status and knowledge, e.g. "I am a freelance designer specializing in MMORPGs" and ask your question. Do NOT try to overtly sell yourself. Make sure you linger visibly after the talk. Often a prospective client or new employer will approach you for conversation.

Diversifying your skills is a critical step in staying current and enjoying the changing world of game design. You have to be brave enough to take on new areas that build on your current strengths but take them in new directions. For example in 1999 I was invited to Shell Oil headquarters to explore ways games could improve their business. Using what I learned in entertainment titles to train workers and improve business planning was challenging but fun, and by the time the term gamification was coined, I was already a recognized expert. Start early and don't wait for standardization - in 2024 I would recommend diving into GenAI methods and riding the changes of AI development as one alternative.

As a game designer with 44 years of professional experience, including 24 years primarily as a freelance designer, I can confirm that long-term success demands that you love being a lifetime learner. I began in 1980 as an assembly language programmer (no full time designers back then) and now specialize in design and advisory work in the games for healthcare field. Along the way I've been a producer, project leader, creative director, writer, and other roles in addition to design, in many different game genres. Currently I'm loving learning more about neuroscience, rehabilitation, brain plasticity, and more. You also need other skills/personality traits, but enjoying the constantly changing landscape of game design is the most essential.

Making good games is hard. Adding effective game elements to a non-game app or service is even harder. Assuming you can do this without having people on your team who have significant and relevant experience is not a winning strategy. I've seen startups that want to make a game-based app that have a dozen employees before they even consider hiring an experienced game developer. Some use a designer who plays lots of games but has never made one - which is like expecting a non-cook who loves eating at restaurants to be able to compete with expert chefs. There are also specific skills necessary for success in making games that help with education, training, medicine and other transformational purposes.

Duolingo is a great example and a company that takes games seriously. They recently recruited at the annual Game Developers Conference. Their use of streak "freezes" is a particularly adept case showing their understanding of good practices. By allowing users to earn or buy (both with limits) the ability to preserve their streaks if they inadvertently miss a day or two, they avoid the problem the NYT had with their Wordle game where they lost significant numbers of players after some particularly difficult words broke players' streaks. Many people have travel, emergencies, or technical issues interfere with streaks, and these freezes are a great way of addressing that.