UI Designer To Game Designer — Need Advice

Help and Feedback Game Design Support
#1

hey developers!

i’ve been a professional ui designer for over six years, specializing in clean, user-friendly interfaces. recently, i’ve been feeling the pull toward game design and want to make the transition. the challenge? the most scripting i know is how to animate ui elements, and as for building or modeling… let’s just say it’s not my strong suit.

i know game design is more than just scripting or building—it’s about crafting engaging experiences, balancing mechanics, and ensuring a game is fun to play (while also making some :money_mouth_face::hand_with_index_finger_and_thumb_crossed: at the same time).
that said, i’d love to hear from others who’ve made a similar transition.

:person_juggling: what skills should i prioritize learning first? or should i try learning everything in one project?
:spider_web: are there any specific resources or workflows that helped you break into game design?
:art: how can i leverage my ui expertise to bridge the gap while learning other aspects of game design?

to add, my goal isn’t to become a full-stack developer, but i do want to understand the ins & outs of game design, especially when working with a team. i don’t see myself working solo on long-term projects, so collaboration would be my priority.

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#2

Hi! I definitely think your UI expertise will work to your advantage when designing games. Although I’m not an expert UI designer, it’s easier for me to cook up a UI layout for a game rather than trying to make an entire environment using models. One question you could ask yourself while coming up with a game idea is, “What game mechanic could I make that would work with UI, but would work better with models and environments?”

For example, I’m working on a game right now that’s a real estate management game and I have a little UI window for upgrading appliances in the houses. However, down the road when I get faster at modeling, I’ll be able to make a full-fledged furniture placement system which will help me attract creative players in addition to players that love to grind.

In short, I’d definitely recommend coming up with a super simple concept that helps you learn as many basic mechanics as possible but won’t have you hitting a brick wall when you polish it up. I’ve learned different things by working on different projects, but there’s nothing wrong with trying to learn it all for one game.

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