Getting started in game design?

Alright guys I really want to try game design but I dont really know how to start. Im going to be getting a good computer for chrismass and really want to try this out so does anyone have any programs for begginers that they can suggest?Getting started in game design?
You should start by learning a programming language.Getting started in game design?
Chances are, you won't become a professional game designer just by making mods for already-released video games.It's best you join a university that teaches graphic design and/or game programming. That's your best bet as of now.
Or you could have a go at using level editors and try to get involved in a modding project.
Is there any beginner game design program type things that will teach me the basics?
[QUOTE=''Sway-'']Alright guys I really want to try game design but I dont really know how to start. I'm going to be getting a good computer for chrismass and really want to try this out so does anyone have any programs for beginners that they can suggest?[/QUOTE]

It depends on what you really want. If you really want to be a game designer, or the person who visualizes the gameplay, the storyline, the visual style, the balancing, etc.. Then it might be in your interest to start dreaming up and writing some design documents now, while maybe taking some English classes, maybe some anthropology and/or psychology classes. More and more schools are supporting game design degrees now, so that will definitely be up our alley.

Also, many argue whether or not a background in programming helps more than it hurts. It is worth mentioning that (i think) pretty much every successful designer/director has had programming knowledge, though.

But if you're just looking to get into any aspect of game development, then you might consider other professional fields as well, like art, writing, or programming. Besides, everyone wants to be the guy that designs the game, and the competition i can only imagine is extremely fierce.
[QUOTE=''Sway-'']Is there any beginner game design program type things that will teach me the basics?[/QUOTE]

Run a search. You're sure to find a host of customisable open source game engines. Just don't expect to knock out a super original, high-end masterpiece any time soon.
[QUOTE=''Sway-'']Is there any beginner game design program type things that will teach me the basics?[/QUOTE]

sorry buddy you gotta go to university. And you need at least a MASTERS to be able to get hired/.
[QUOTE=''Sway-'']Is there any beginner game design program type things that will teach me the basics?[/QUOTE] download greenfoot or xna. both are free, and both use java (technically xna uses c#, but they are the same thing.) you will have to learn the language before using either one with any success, but you can just go to any library or bookstore to get a book on beginning java. or go here, but it is very boring and long.
[QUOTE=''-Jiggles-'']Chances are, you won't become a professional game designer just by making mods for already-released video games.It's best you join a university that teaches graphic design and/or game programming. That's your best bet as of now.[/QUOTE]

5 or more years ago, i'd tell you that you were absolutely wrong, that modding is probably the easiest way to become recognized by the big wigs. Just look at Valve, Counterstrike, Day of Defeat, Portal, Team Fortress, these are all titles made by modders that Valve decided to hire. It's the best way to demonstrate that you know what you're doing, that you know what is fun, that you know what gamers want, that you know what gamers will pay for, and what it takes to make those games.

But that was 10 years ago. 10 years ago, there were no game design or development courses to take. And motivating a bunch of unpaid friends and organizing them into teams to get the job done is not easy, and neither is making a hit as popular as Portal or Counterstrike. For each completed mod, there are hundreds behind it that started up and died off, most of which that never even saw an alpha release.

Now, as aspiring game developers, we have options, we can go the modding route and hope our commitment, will, organization, and designs are strong enough, and our games popular enough to catch the eye of Valve and the like. Or we can go to school, and show our potential employers that while we may have never organized a team of developers, we're still very serious about the business.

In my opinion, both are strong routes, but one is cheap, the other is easy, you can't have it both ways.
[QUOTE=''Dr_Brocoli''][QUOTE=''Sway-'']Is there any beginner game design program type things that will teach me the basics?[/QUOTE] sorry buddy you gotta go to university. And you need at least a MASTERS to be able to get hired/.[/QUOTE]Lawl, a masters in game programming, eh? 
[QUOTE=''Dr_Brocoli''][QUOTE=''Sway-'']Is there any beginner game design program type things that will teach me the basics?[/QUOTE] sorry buddy you gotta go to university. And you need at least a MASTERS to be able to get hired/.[/QUOTE]Lawl, a masters in game programming, eh? 
[QUOTE=''-Jiggles-'']Chances are, you won't become a professional game designer just by making mods for already-released video games.It's best you join a university that teaches graphic design and/or game programming. That's your best bet as of now.[/QUOTE]

that's my advice to ya.
Cant I goto school for game design and mod on my spare time? Also how do you start modding.
Go to Yoyogames.com and download the Gamemaker software. It is a game development software that doesnt require any programming, but can be used once you learn it. I dont reccomend learning the language since you wont be using it once you need to make 3-d and better games. 2-d games are pretty much all youll be making with game maker, but you can make just as good as any other 2-d game. Thats were I started.
The game design field is getting more and more like Movie production. First I would decide what area I wanted to go in. There are many aspects of game design like: Programming, Art, Design, Producer, Writer, Music, sound, etc.Now if you want to program, it is a plus to be able to draw as well. I would start learning C# or C++ programing languages.  There is a tutorial that shows you have to develop a tetris type game on the web.  Do a google search on game development tutorial. It will take you a few years to get confortable with programming. As you begin to develop more complex things, start you a website with a portfolio of the things you've created.Enrolling in a school that has a game design degree would be a big help. Programming is not for everyone, and you will know right away if it is for you or not.    
Try buyying Halflife 2 and counterstrike:source for PC, they're really cheap and have a huge modding community. Learn how to make maps using the map editor and use counterstrike:source to test it (just get half life 2 cause it's a great game with some good design features).

Start learning visual basic so that you undersstand the basics of computer programming, M$ have a free version on their site, though note you can't make games with this.
[QUOTE=''Sway-'']Cant I goto school for game design and mod on my spare time? Also how do you start modding.[/QUOTE]

most game design degrees include makeing some sort of game as a project so you'll be spending too much time on that, sometimes these projects are mods
[QUOTE=''HardQuor''][QUOTE=''-Jiggles-'']Chances are, you won't become a professional game designer just by making mods for already-released video games.It's best you join a university that teaches graphic design and/or game programming. That's your best bet as of now.[/QUOTE]

5 or more years ago, i'd tell you that you were absolutely wrong, that modding is probably the easiest way to become recognized by the big wigs. Just look at Valve, Counterstrike, Day of Defeat, Portal, Team Fortress, these are all titles made by modders that Valve decided to hire. It's the best way to demonstrate that you know what you're doing, that you know what is fun, that you know what gamers want, that you know what gamers will pay for, and what it takes to make those games.

But that was 10 years ago. 10 years ago, there were no game design or development courses to take. And motivating a bunch of unpaid friends and organizing them into teams to get the job done is not easy, and neither is making a hit as popular as Portal or Counterstrike. For each completed mod, there are hundreds behind it that started up and died off, most of which that never even saw an alpha release.

Now, as aspiring game developers, we have options, we can go the modding route and hope our commitment, will, organization, and designs are strong enough, and our games popular enough to catch the eye of Valve and the like. Or we can go to school, and show our potential employers that while we may have never organized a team of developers, we're still very serious about the business.

In my opinion, both are strong routes, but one is cheap, the other is easy, you can't have it both ways.[/QUOTE]

The best is to do both, get a degree in computer sciences (game design degrees give you no advantage over them) then mod in your spare time or in your spare time when you leave and only have a job to pay the bills. Modding will give you great experiance in the game industry and computer sciences means that if the game designer idea falls through you can do many other jobs.