Game design jobs for felons could be a good career choice for you. This article will talk about jobs for convicted felons in game design and describe what you will need to do to get a job in this industry. Skills seem to be what sets those apart who get hired for game design felon jobs, not your background.

What is game testing and design? Almost all of us have played computer or video games so it’s not too difficult to explain it. Simply put, game programming and design is the creation and development of gaming software.

So are there about jobs for convicted felons in Game Design? Yes, of course!

The gaming industry is one of today’s fastest-growing industries in the U.S. From 2005-2008, the U.S. economy as a whole grew by 1.4 percent while the gaming industry grew by an amazing 16.7 percent during the same period, according to the Entertainment Software Association. In fact, gaming is expected to become a $58 billion business by 2012.

Around 120,000 people are employed by the gaming industry which means that there are plenty of game testing jobs for convicted felons. This industry is one where people are more concerned about what you can do now than what you have been doing in the past.

Video design professionals are paid very well. The average annual compensation per gaming industry employee was $89,781 in 2009 and this figure is not expected to decrease any time soon.

Video design jobs for felons are suitable for those who are very creative and imaginative. You should be detail-oriented and disciplined. A passion for gaming is also a good quality for a game tester.

The first thing you will need to start a career in game testing is a high school diploma. Then you will need to learn about digital game design by getting a certificate or degree in video design. Core courses in a gaming program include animation, gaming technology, video design process and level design.

Once you graduate, you can get an entry-level job in a game design or entertainment company. These video design jobs for felons will involve tasks such as working with a team to design, develop, test and produce games, or create animations and 3D scenes.

Developing games or multi-media entertainment requires different types of game design professionals such as testers, programmers, concept artists, animators, sound technicians, modelers, music composers, level designers, story writers, producers, directors, etc.

The first few months in a video design company is mostly spent learning the ropes. Typically, the first job of a video design graduate will be an internship or a job as a tester. Game testers play a specific part of the game over and over to try to spot and document any flaws or bugs in the game programs or graphics.

In conclusion, game design is a good career choice for ex-felons who are interested in video games and are creative, artistic and imaginative. To get a job in the gaming industry, you can study game design and then apply for a job in one of the top a game design or entertainment companies. There are many game design jobs for felons available because the industry is experiencing very rapid growth.

Another, and possibly bigger, challenge faced by script writers involved in video game design is that this genre has one of the highest levels of interactivity. The choices made by the audience (in the form of multiple gaming paths) have a great impact on the kind of writing the script writer has to produce. Not only does the writer have to weave an intricate and creative story for the video, he also has to keep the players’ moves in mind at the same time. Scripting story lines and plots for video games is a challenging, albeit a highly rewarding task, particularly in the scope for creativity it offers.

Guidelines for writing a good video game design script:

• Today’s video game players are sophisticated and expect considerably more than simple repetitive scenarios of battling the baddies as they advance towards the goal. Video games today need to have a complex history and a wide range of choices that keep players engaged and interested enough to play the game again and again.
• Before you start working on the individual scenarios of the game design script, write a succinct executive overview in prose. This works as your calling card when you shop your script to game developers. Potential buyers will only be interested if you have narrated a unique and interesting story from start to finish. The overview can be any size but it has to take the reader through all the major stages of the game.
• Provide the game world with a background and history. A good video game is a complete world unto itself. Game designers need to visualize the kind of fictional world you want to create in order to create it effectively.
• Make a flowchart involving all the stages of the game. A video game is a highly complex creation, involving multiple decisions at every stage. Each decision leads to a different path that the player can choose. A flowchart helps you and the game developer to keep track of all game paths.
• Create multiple sub-quests and provide each one with its own prose overview. Each sub-quest is a miniature story in itself. You can keep the story simple but it has to be compelling enough to make the player want to go on to the next one.
• Provide bios and character descriptions for all important characters. Your game designer will need to visualize the whole picture before starting the project. A detailed written description of characters helps to bring them to life.
• Provide interactions between player and non-player characters. This needs to be done only if your story involves such interactions. In this case, the dialogue and flowchart that you write may be crucial to the development of the story as it can propel the player on to different paths that lead to the goal.
• Write short cut scenes between major points in the story. Cut scenes are incorporated for the purpose of enhancing or describing the story, as well as a reward for achieving major milestones in the game.
• Write the storyboard script. This is the last stage in the process of writing a script for video game design. This part is very similar to writing a movie script. You need to write each scene in detail with the help of all the supporting materials that you have already prepared.

Video games have been around for quite a while now, but the idea of going to college and majoring in video game creation is still fairly new. And if you’re a little wary of telling your parents you plan on going to school to study video games, you might feel better knowing the economics are in your favor. After all, many college students graduate and are unsure of what to do with their lives. You, on the other hand, will have a degree that can get you lucrative employment in a fast-growing industry.

Some video game designers will tell you that the best education is at your local video game store. So as a high school student, buy or rent all the games you can-the good ones, the bad ones, the great ones. Play each game with a critical eye, and keep asking yourself: what makes this game exciting or dull? How could it be improved? Develop your own ideas, and keep a collection of your sketches.

When it comes time to apply to a game design school you’ll have to decide if you want a bachelor’s degree, an associate’s degree or a certificate. The more time you spend in school the better chance you’ll have at a higher-paying game design career.

If you decide to study video game design online, be wary of the many scams lurking out there on the Internet. Investigate a number of online programs, and choose one that’s accredited by a trustworthy organization. It’s a good idea to speak with your guidance counselor or a career counselor; she or he will be able to recommend high-quality educational programs. Sometimes you can even earn credits that you can transfer to a traditional school should you change your mind and decide to apply to one of those institutions.

You don’t need to apply to a school that offers a video game major, either. As long as you go to a good school that offers courses in computer science, animation (both character and special effects animation are good to learn), programming and graphic design, you should be all set. You might even be able to design your own major if your college allows you to. It’s also a good idea to take plenty of business courses. You might be working at a small start-up firm someday, a place where everyone will be expected to take on some marketing and accounting tasks in addition to designing games. Or, if you decide to become a freelancer and design your own video games at home, you’ll want to know the best ways to market yourself and your products.

Taking classes is great, but you should also try to take advantage of internships and part-time employment at video game companies. The combination of a solid education and practical experience will make you a formidable candidate when you go to apply for jobs after graduation, and someone you meet during an internship could become a valuable reference.

1952 – Willy Higinbotham creates what is commonly referred to as “the first video game.” Similar to table tennis, this 2 person game was played on an oscilloscope.

1961 – A MIT student, Steve Russell, creates the first interactive game, Spacewars, played on mainframe computers.

1971 – Computer Space, developed by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney (founders of Atari), becomes the first video arcade game released. Although it was instantly popular, many people found the game too difficult.

1972 – Realizing the potential of video games, Magnavox released Odyssey, the first home video gaming system. Most notably though, Atari is founded and quickly recognized as the leader in the video game industry. Their first released game, Pong, was wildly successful and soon became available as a home version.

1974 – Steve Jobs, one of Atari’s technicians and later a circuit board creator, presented an idea to the Atari founders for a personal computer system. Because funds were tied up in other projects, Bushnell referred a venture capitalist to Jobs for funding support. That personal computer, of course, was the beginning of Apple.

1975 – The first computer game hits the markets. Gunfight used a microprocessor instead of hardwired circuits.

1977 – Retailing at $249.95, a large chunk of money at the time, the Atari 2600 game console is released.

1978 – Adding another level of competition and appeal to video games, Space Invaders hits arcades as the first game to track and display high scores. Soon after, the game Asteroids took it a step further and allowed three letter initials to be stored with top scores.

1980 – The first 3D game, Battlezone, is created. The game caught the eye of the US Government, who later modified it for training exercises. Due to the advancing complexity of games, companies begin to form teams to specifically address design. Game designers and programmers soon became separate, distinct careers.

1981 – The gaming industry proves its prominence with the first dedicated periodical, Electronic Games.

1985 – Developed by a Russian programmer, Tetris is released for arcades, video game consoles, as well as home computers.

1989 – Game Boys, handheld gaming devices made by Nintendo, hit the market to much avail. Later in the year, Sega releases the Genesis game console.

1994 – The Entertainment Software Rating Board is created due to concerns about violence in games and the marketing tactics used. Games now receive a rating displayed on the packaging.

1995 – Sony releases the PlayStation in the U.S. By 1997, 20 million units had been sold.

1996 – Arcades switch their focus from traditional video games to the more popular physical riding games, such as skiing, and car/bike racing.

1998 – The Sega Dreamcast is released, one of Sega’s last pulls to stay in the market.

2000 – Sony’s PlayStation 2 is released. The 500,000 initial units sell out instantly at $300 apiece. The same year, The Sims surpasses Myst as the best selling PC game. Game designers now work in teams of dozens to quickly create the complex games being sold.

2001 – “Next Generation” gaming systems are introduced. The Microsoft Xbox and Nintendo GameCube are not only more interactive for the user, but also easier to develop games for. Shortly after the release of these products, Sega announces it will no longer produce hardware.

2004 – The Nintendo DS is released as a purposefully portable system. Sony follows a year later with their portable version, the Sony PSP.

2006 – The Nintendo Wii revolutionizes the market with its controller system, designed to mimic actual physical movements such as swinging a tennis racket or throwing a bowling ball. During the same year, the PlayStation 3 is released as the most sophisticated (and expensive) console.

2007 – Apple releases the iPhone, creating an entirely new device in which to play games.

2008 – The App Store is introduced. With a diverse array of functionalities, games quickly become the most popular and lucrative “apps.” Game designing and developing for Smartphone applications becomes a large niche. In a successful effort to get people of all ages involved and excited about the Wii, Nintendo releases the Wii Fit game. By the next year, Wii Sports surpasses Super Mario Bros as the bestselling video game with over 40 million units sold.

What Is a Game Art Degree?
A game art degree is a fairly new degree offering and can be earned as either an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. An associate’s degree typically takes one to three years to complete. The prerequisite is a high school diploma. A bachelor’s degree takes four years to complete and also requires a high school diploma. Students entering these programs are usually avid gamers themselves. Both of these programs require significant gaming experience as well as a passion for the latest and greatest technological innovation.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), required skills in this field are more comprehensive then just simply technical skills. Coursework would include classes in animation, communication, graphic design, management, programming, software development, and two- and three-dimensional modeling.

Entry-level openings for those with a degree in game design are generally for game designers. Advancement could be to a project manager or creative director. Advancement in this field is less tied to degree advancement as it is to on-the-job performance.

What Does a Game Designer Do?
According to the BLS, a designer writes the blueprint for a computer game, deciding the mission, theme, and rules of play. Designers need to have their pulse on current gaming trends and a passion for innovation. They need to be well-versed in the history of gaming as well. Because there is no specific coursework in these subjects, gaming experience is once again key in succeeding.

What Is the Future of Game Design?
The gaming industry is a booming industry. According to independent analyst firm The NPD Group, the summary of retail revenue in the U.S. in August 2010 was as follows:

• Games and consoles: $818.9 million
• Video game software: $403.5 million
• Video game hardware sales: $828.5 million

Earnings are not tracked by the BLS. However, they fall under the umbrella of multi-media artist. The median annual earnings for a multi-media artist was $58,250 in 2009, significantly higher than the national median. Employment in this field is expected to grow 14 to 19 percent from 2008-2018, faster than the national rate. The states with the highest concentration of workers were California, Washington, New York, Minnesota, and Oregon.