The Many Hats of Making Games

One of the things I’ve learned in talking to multiple designers and publishers about making games is that a lot of them are multi-talented. They don’t just design games but write rules and prose, do their own graphic design, and some are artists too. Tack on marketing strategist, public relations, and Kickstarter manager, and you have one person wearing a whole lot of hats.

In the case of Encoded Designs we have four people who wear those hats. Bob and Shawn are editors, we all write rules, prose, and proof each other. Phil takes care of the management side of things and is pretty deft with Illustrator. I’ve learned quite a bit about graphic design over the last few years, help with PR, and have successfully managed a Kickstarter.

Making a game and getting it out there so people will want to play it requires a lot of skills. If you aren’t Eloy Lasanta of 3rd Eye Games or John Harper from One Seven Design Studios, then you might want to figure out where your skills are strongest, surround yourself with others who are as passionate about making things as you are in those areas where you’re lacking, and help them make the things they want to make along with those things you wish to make.