Phil O’Connor谈如何才能雇佣到优秀的游戏设计师

原作者：Phil O’Connor 译者：Willow Wu

（在本文中，Codemasters首席设计师Phil O’Connor列出了10个帮助你在简历和面试过程中识别“真正游戏设计师”的方法，避免避免雇佣效率低下或不合格的应聘者。）

我在游戏设计方面所拥有的财富是非常丰裕的——一部分是好运眷顾的结果，但同时，这也是多年来我努力实现的目标。

从很早的时候我就梦想着当一名游戏设计师，不断累积知识和经验，最终说服了别人给我这个岗位。

作为一个拼死拼活进入这个行业的人，我对迈入这个领域的设计师有不一样的看法。谈到资质，我觉得每一个游戏设计师都应该在接触这份工作之前严格审视自己所付出的努力，并且他们应该是成绩过硬的游戏研究生。不幸的是，在如今行业中，对游戏设计师的迫切需求导致很多人拿着高薪却做不出与之匹配的作品。

游戏设计是行业中的一个烫手山芋职位。在我合作过的公司中，大家对待这个职位的方式不尽相同。有些设计师还要担起制作人的责任，有些人把他们当作是艺术设计，还有一些公司没有都没有专门的职位，把任务分配给制作人、程序员或者是艺术设计师。

但是大家都一致同意游戏设计师是不可或缺的。问题在于，每个人都是游戏设计师，或者认为自己是。我的意思是每个人都能想出游戏点子，一抓一大把。

Epistory(from gamasutra)

游戏设计的精髓在于将多个点子巧妙组合在一起，跟团队积极沟通想法，在开发周期中逐步转化为现实（概念→原型→修改→最终实现/被淘汰）。

游戏设计师这个群体存在着可信度问题。原因之一就是他们缺乏专业能力鉴定证明。我知道现在有些学校据说能“教”你游戏设计，甚至还能得到一个学位证书，但大多数开发者都认为这个主意非常可笑，这样出来的23岁毕业生能懂得游戏设计的什么呢？

在这个行业中累积历练才是最好的学习途径，至少拥有多年的开发经验，并且至少拥有一款已发行的游戏。由于行业中的大多数开发者都没有游戏设计学位，你的同事一般也不会把你视为这个领域的权威，因为随便一个人，甚至是他们的狗都能想出游戏点子。

拥有计算机科学学位和艺术文凭的同事们会不断质疑你到底有没有能力做出关键决策。制作人也会时不时地给出设计“建议”，因为他们有管理权，这使得他们认为自己更有资格做出设计决策。

另一个障碍就是这个行业招来了太多骗子。游戏设计工作的本质(主要是靠想法驱动，不需要职业资格)吸引了那些认为自己可以通过说谎找到工作的人。这其中有不少人成功了，因此游戏设计师的名声就更糟糕了。

对开发工作室来说，这可能会产生致命的影响。为了提高这个职业在行业中的声誉并帮助开发者雇佣合适的人，我提供了一些关于如何正确面试游戏设计师的建议。

如果求职者有几十个3A级别的作品，并且能提供证明，显然你就不需要这个列表了。而在行业工作少于三年的人都比较难评估，希望这些建议能帮助你挑到合适的人。

鉴别真正游戏开发者的10个方法

简历：

1.观察求职者是否对游戏有着浓厚兴趣。从简历上应该可以看出他/她是否将游戏视为一种生活方式，而不仅仅是单纯的工作。Mod制作经验就是一个非常关键的信息。任何想成为游戏设计师的人都会在闲暇时间尝试制作各种内容：为最喜欢的游戏设计关卡、制作mod、设计素材、创造桌游、制作RPG背景、剧情创作等等，完全都是“靠爱发电”，不求报酬。

游戏设计师应该也是游戏狂热粉，不仅仅是玩，还能做出不同形式的作品。对于那些没有在闲暇时间多玩游戏或者游戏制作经历相对较少的人，你就得谨慎些。要注意求职者是否是长期以来都很关注游戏，而不是突然的职位意向改变。

有些开发者就是觉得当制作人/艺术设计/程序员当累了，他们想换个职位。虽然这些人经验丰富，但是不一定适合。具有游戏设计本领的求职者通常从早期就表现出对游戏机制的热衷。

2.观察求职者是否会尝试各式各样的游戏：一个真正的设计师对游戏广泛涉猎，而不只是单单一类。询问他们会玩什么类型的游戏，或者是观察他们是否有更多爱好。

让他们阐述喜欢某类玩法的原因，他们应该可以详细地道来。跨平台、桌游、RPGs还有那些经典的卡牌、国际象棋、西洋双陆棋等等，好的设计师会从不同类的游戏中借鉴优秀点子。

3.如果简历已经列出所参与的发行游戏项目，那就让他们详述对游戏的具体贡献。真正的设计师能够讲出很多细节，因为大多数人都会对自己的作品引以为豪。如果回答得很含糊，那跟你对话的这个人可能就是个骗子了。

面试：

遵循以下的面试指南，你应该能找到一位真正的游戏设计师。

1.任何一位设计师都能以一种浅显易懂的方式解释游戏机制。如果你让这位求职者为你的游戏构思一个特色，并描述它在机制方面是如何运作的，真正的设计师能从运算和机制层面进行讲解，如何通过游戏的其它系统实现，细节面面俱到。

举个例子，在谈到AI如何才能对玩家的行动作出反馈，设计师应该详细说明这其中的工作原理：是基于玩家的“错误行动”累计点数？依赖于对话系统中设置的触发点给出特定的反应？还是基于某种接近系统，当玩家进入一定距离范围内时AI开启检查程序，评估玩家的威望值，展示的武器、服装等？

如果求职者不能详述相关概率、算法或者拟出大概的系统，那么他们可能不是真正的游戏设计师。

2.游戏设计师应该能够清楚地解释他们的设计想法，并且能和任何人展示。这是游戏设计最主要的工作之一，跟团队讲解游戏特色，让他们从自己角度去理解整合：对程序员来说就是代码，对艺术设计来说就是素材创作，音效表达，还有制作人谈话、营销策划。如果你听不懂这个创意，那就没有必要雇佣他/她了。

3.制作游戏的过程其实也是在推销游戏。设计师必须要向用户解释清楚为什么这个游戏好玩——1分钟内完成阐述，而且不能让玩家一头雾水，要令他们信服。任何一个人，如果他/她不明白游戏创作开始的那一刻也是推销的开始，那么他就不是一名合格的设计师。

设计师要向所有的开发部门推销这个游戏，而不仅仅是管理部门和营销部门。尽管接下来的几个月可能都无法做出一个可玩的产品，但一定要让他们觉得接下来的工作是非常有趣的，设计师就是项目初期的拉拉队员。

在面试过程中，让求职者推荐一个他/她最想要实现的游戏概念，如果你觉得这个想法很没意思，或许你就不应该雇佣这个人。

4.真正的游戏设计师应该能详述他们喜欢/讨厌一款游戏的原因。询问他们最喜欢和最不喜欢的游戏，说明原因。

平淡无奇的见解是个不好的迹象。比如不喜欢游戏界面的颜色，或者某些角色的名字。他们应该提供清楚且有说服力的理由。

5.兴趣广泛：真正的游戏设计师能从周围的生活环境汲取灵感：书籍、新闻事件、音乐、历史、电影、艺术等等。根据你所需招募的游戏类型，这可能会成为最关键的问题之一。

让求职者谈一谈个人兴趣爱好，平时看什么样的书，什么类型的电影等等。真正的游戏设计师应该拥有非常广泛的兴趣爱好，把它们融入到设计过程中。我问的其中一个问题就是你最喜欢的电影是哪部，为什么。从回答中你就能了解到对方是什么样的设计师。简短的回答通常都不是什么好迹象。

6.态度：当心创意人。有些人认为游戏设计就是想出好点子。他们把自己想成是办公室里最聪明的人，因此雇主应该以一种低姿态应该来“请”他们，这样才能得到绝佳的创意，挣大钱。这种态度并不少见。离这种人远远的！

要当心的另一类人就是游戏粉丝。这些人知道行业中的话题热点，对热门游戏了解得一清二楚，但他们并不懂游戏设计或者有任何原创的东西可以贡献。他们依靠游戏媒体和大众舆论来理解游戏，基本上都是模仿别人的言行。他们知道某个公司的所有产品，但是无法逐一详述清楚。

有些人或许会觉得这不是什么大毛病，那我用更贴近生活的例子来解释：有一个人学会了一首吉他小品，能够完美地演奏，一个音符都没有错，但如果你让他增加一点蓝调或者爵士风来演奏，他们表示做不到。他们了解的是那首小品而不是音乐。有些设计师就是这样。

听听求职者关于游戏和行业的个人见解——是不是大部分内容听上去都觉得很耳熟？跟游戏媒体的评论一模一样？或者这并不是他们的原创见解？那么，你面前的这位应该就是个粉丝。

7.没有一种设计能在与代码的第一次接触中存活下来: 问让他们举一个游戏特色改动/被砍的例子，以及他们是如何应对的。如果他们有游戏开发经验，应该能至少描述原方案中被砍（无论是什么原因）的其中一个游戏特色，解释为什么淘汰它，对游戏的其它部分有什么影响。

要确保他们覆盖了细节，以及他们是如何考虑的。真正的游戏设计师会清楚地记得这种痛苦事件（然而是不可避免的）的背景细节。如果求职者的描述让你觉得对方似乎不怎么在意原先的设计，或者他们没有游戏特色被砍的经历，这就是不好的信号了。

结论

请注意，这10个方法中的任何单独一点都不能直接判断该求职者合不合适。但是如果坐在你前面的这个人出现了很多上文所提到的不好的迹象，或许你应该重新考虑下让他加入你的团队。

当然，即使求职者的面试表现非常好，也不能保证这个人能够对你的项目或文化建设起到帮助作用。判断一个人是否是优秀员工有很多参考因素，本文只涵盖了其中一部分，但至少你可以对自己的判断更有把握。祝你早日找到满意的员工。

本文由游戏邦编译，转载请注明来源，或咨询微信zhengjintiao

[In this passionate opinion piece, Codemasters principal designer Phil O'Connor outlines 10 different ways you can spot a "real game designer" during the resume and interview process, and avoid hiring ineffective or unqualified applicants.]

I have the incredible fortune of being paid to design games. I consider this a privilege, the result of some luck, but at the same time, it’s something I worked for years at achieving.

I wanted to be a game designer from a very young age, and I built up the experience and knowledge that eventually convinced people to hire me to do this.

As someone who worked so hard to break into the industry, I have a somewhat stronger opinion than most about the quality of game designers that get in. I feel that every designer should pay their dues before they’re allowed anywhere near game design, and that they should be supremely qualified as students of gaming! Sadly the demand for designers has created a situation in the industry where many people getting into design positions don’t fit the bill.

Game design is one of the most tricky and contentious positions in the game industry. No two companies I have worked with have treated the position of design in the same way. Some designers have producer-type duties/powers, others treat them like artists, and yet others don’t have design positions at all but instead assign the job to a producer, coder or artist.

The only thing that everyone seems to agree on is that you need game designers. The problem is, however, that everyone is a game designer, or thinks they are. What I mean by that is everyone can come up with game design ideas, ideas are a dime a dozen.

Game Designers Suffer From a Credibility Problem

The art of game design is getting the right combination of ideas for a game, communicating them effectively to the team, and executing those ideas through the cycle of development (from conception, to prototyping, to modification, and to the final implementation/cut stage).

The problem is that game designers suffer from a credibility problem. One of the causes of this is the lack of professional accreditation for game design. I realize there are schools now that supposedly “teach” game design, and you can even get a degree in it now, but most developers laugh at the idea of a 23-year-old graduate in game design having any clue about designing a computer game.

The best school for game design remains industry time, at least the years development experience and, at the very minimum, one shipped title. Since most designers working in the industry don’t have a degree in design, many of your peers are reluctant to treat you as an authority in your field, especially since anyone and their dog can come up with game ideas.

There is constant skepticism from colleagues holding computer science degrees and art diplomas about your qualification to make critical decisions about the game. Producers are also prone to “suggest” designs because they have managerial authority, and this makes them sometimes believe that they are better qualified to make design decisions than you are.

Another obstacle to the credibility of game designers is that the field attracts a good degree of charlatanry. The very nature of game design work (mostly ideas driven, no professional qualification necessary) attracts the kind of people who think they can BS their way into the job. Too many of them succeed and thus give designers an even worse name.

For development studios, this can have a fatal effect, and in an effort to improve the reputation of my profession among my peers and help developers hire the right people, I am providing some advice on how to properly interview for game design positions.

Obviously, if the candidate has dozens of shipped AAA titles under their belt and has a proven record, you don’t really need this list. Any candidate who has less than three years in the industry is more difficult to assess, so hopefully these suggestions will help pick the right people.

Ten Ways to Spot a Real Game Designer

The Resume:

1. Look for signs of a deep interest in gaming. The resume should indicate gaming as a way of life, not just a job. Modding experience is especially a key sign. Anyone who wants to be a game designer has an extensive record of making games in their spare time, for free: making levels for favorite games, modding, writing game material, creating board games, RPG background, story writing, etc.

Game designers must be gaming fanatics, not just playing them, but making them in multiple mediums. Beware any game designer that doesn’t play games every spare second of their time or have an extensive history of game making. Look for a long history of gaming interest, not just a sudden career change decision.

Some developers decide that they are tired of being producer/artist/programmer and they want to go into game design. Although experienced, they may not be suitable for design work despite this. Candidates that have a knack for game design usually have demonstrated a passion for game mechanics stretching from early adulthood.

2. Look for a wide variety in gaming taste: A real designer should have a wide interest in games, not just a single format. Look for signs of this wider interest in their hobbies, or ask them what kinds of games they play.

Ask them to describe what they like about each kind of gaming. They should be able to do this at length. I am talking cross platform, boardgames, RPGs, and the classics: cards, chess, backgammon, etc. Good designers borrow the best ideas from all mediums.

3. If the resume lists design credit on shipped games, ask them to describe in detail what their design contribution was to those games. A real designer should be able to go into extensive detail on this, most designers are proud of the work. If the response is vague, you are probably talking to a charlatan.

The Interview:

If you follow these steps in an interview process, you should be able to spot the bull from the real deal:

1. Any designer should be able to describe mechanics in a way that is understandable. If you ask the designer candidate to come up with a sample feature for your game, ask them to describe how the feature will work mechanically. A real designer can describe mathematically and mechanically how a feature will function and be implemented with other game systems, down to every detail.

For example, if a designer talks about how the AI will be able to react to the player’s actions, they should be able to detail exactly how that will work: will it be based on how many “bad behavior” points the player has accumulated, will it depend on triggers set in the dialogue system that will play specific responses, will it be based on a proximity system that the AI checks when the player is within range, assessing the player’s reputation points, shown weapons, clothing, etc.

If a candidate cannot describe probabilities, mathematics, or outline game systems supporting a feature, then they probably are not the real deal.

2. A game designer should be able to explain clearly any of their design ideas. If they cannot make you understand how their idea works, then you should pass. All true designers are able to explain how their ideas work and play to any audience.

That is one of the biggest jobs of game design, translating the feature to the team in a manner that they can understand it and integrate it from their point of view: for coders its codese, for artists its artese, sound language, producer talk, and marketing speak.

3. Making the game is also selling the game. A designer must be able to communicate why the game is fun to you. They have to be able to do this in under a minute and leave you with the unmistakable feeling that they are right. Any designer who doesn’t understand that you are selling it the minute you start making a game, is not a designer.

A designer has to sell to all sections of development, not just the management and marketing departments. Designers have to tell everyone working on the game how fun it’s going to be without a playable version for many months to come.

They are the cheerleaders for the project early on until there is something to show. In an interview, ask the potential candidate to pitch you a favorite game concepts they would like to work on, and if you are not convinced it’s fun, them maybe they are not right for you.

4. A true game designer should be able to describe in detail what they like/dislike about a game. Ask them to talk about their favorite and least favorite games. Ask them to explain why they like/dislike them.

Lackluster opinion in this area is a Bad Sign. So is an answer that amounts to them not liking the color of the interface or the names of some of the characters. They should be able to provide clear and solid reasons for their opinion.

5. Wide areas of interest: A real game designer is inspired by the world around them: books, news events, music, history, movies, art, etc. Depending on the type of game you are interviewing for, this may be one of the most critical questions you can ask.

Ask the candidate to talk about their personal interests, what kind of books they read, movies they watched, any other personal interest them may have. A real designer should have extensive and wide interests, bringing those interests to bear in their design. One question I ask is what their favorite movie is and why. The answer can tell you a lot about the kind of designer they are. A short answer is usually a Bad Sign.

6. Attitude: Beware the Ideas Man. Some people think game design is just about coming up with bright ideas. They fancy themselves the smartest person in the room, therefore employers should be begging to hire them so they can get their hands on their wonderful ideas, which naturally will make millions. This attitude is fairly easy to spot. Stay away!

Another type to stay away from is the Industry Fanboy. A fanboy is someone who is intimately aware of the debates and major conventions of gaming, knows all the top games and the buzz about them, but doesn’t understand game design or have anything original to contribute. They rely on the game press and popular opinion for their understanding of games, basically copying what other people have said and done. They known the canon, but cannot elaborate on it or expand on it themselves.

Some may think this is not such a bad thing, so as an illustration consider someone who has learned a guitar piece by heart: they can play it perfectly, note for note, but if you ask them to interpret the piece by adding a blues feel to it or a jazzy tone, they cannot comply. They known the piece, but they don’t know much about music. Designers can be like that.

Listen to the candidate talk about games and the gaming industry — if a lot of it sounds familiar, if it sounds straight off the pages of the game press, or if the words are not their own, you are probably dealing with a fanboy.

7. No design survives first contact with code: Ask them to describe an example of a feature change/cut and how they adapted to it. If they worked on a game, they should be able to describe at least one feature in the original design that was cut (for whatever reason), and describe why they chose that feature and how it impacted the rest of the game.

Make sure they go into detail on how the cut impacted other gameplay features, as well as how they took that into account. A real designer should be able to recall in detail the circumstances surrounding such traumatic (but inevitable) events. If they sound like they didn’t care about the feature in the first place, or if don’t have a feature cut story, this could be a bad sign.

Conclusion

Note that none of these 10 points on their own are an indication that the candidate is not suitable. But if you sense that the person in front of you checked off a good number of these warning signs, you might want to reconsider giving them a position on your team.

Of course, even if your candidate checked positive on all of them, there is no guarantee that the person will work out for your project or your culture. There are many factors that make someone a good employee that are beyond the scope of this article, but at least you may have better confidence that they are actually real game designers. Happy hiring.

[O'Connor has worked on several upcoming and shipped titles, including O.R.B, Battlefield Europe, Operation Flashpoint 2. He previously worked as a consultant for his company Iconoclast Games before joining Codemasters in 2006.]

（source: gamasutra.com ）