1. You are a Jack of all Trades
Game Designers must possess passion, love, and curiosity for everything in this world. You must understand culture, psychology; design, and art. You need to know history and popular science. You must read every book under the sun and watch every movie or show out there. You have to be well-versed in the little things that inspire joy in people; you need to understand economy and balance. You don’t have to be an expert in these fields, and you might never really get to know it all, but as a game designer that is your aspiration and goal.
2. You Care for the Fans
No matter what platform your game is launching on, or what genre it belongs to, remember that your role is to make sure your fans are happy. Every decision you make must end with a mechanic, story, or an experience that will make fans wish the game will never end. Others will take care of the business, you are here to make sure fans are served.
3. You are a Professional
Game Designers are professionals. This means they get paid to create games. This is a unique and wonderful way of making a living, yet this comes with great responsibility. Do not over-romanticize your role or your game. At the end of the day, you need to make sure your game makes money. If you made sure the fans are happy, they will be happy to pay you. That is ok. That is what professionals do.
4. You are Relentless
Your work might never end. If you did your work right, the fans will come back for more and it is your responsibility to give them more. Craft the experience in a way that will allow you to add to it more and more layers. Make it special so you won’t get bored. If you’re not bored your fans won’t get bored.
5. You are Methodical
Art is intuition fused with science. An artist cannot paint great works of art without understanding the science of color. A sculpture cannot carve his Galatea before they understand how ivory behaves. Yes, as a Game Designer you must listen with your heart, but you must also work with knowledge and analytical tools to create your own masterpiece.