A lot of people read the term 'Game Design' and begin filling in what that means to them. For some people it's an umbrella term to describe the development process of a videogame from inception to completion, others refer to story boards and character outlines when talking about the tasks of a game designer. It seems to me that a lot of people and institutions have this spectrum of things in mind that relate to game design.
And all of these fail to do the term justice.
Game design is a very specific part of the game development process. It's a part of this process that begins at the inception of a game and lasts throughout the game development process into well after the game is released. The designer(s) work to make every aspect of the game, every individual element, support the overal themes and goals set out for the game in question. It is a highly iterative process, and affects the entire project at one point or another.
A capable game designer can make a game feel like a cohesive whole, something more than just the sum of its parts. A well designed game will explain its mechanics, the lore and central themes of the story to the player, without having to explicitly verbalise these. In much the same way that cinematography can tell you a lot about a character, without them having to speak any dialogue, in a film, the same can be done through each of the elements that make up a video game.
If you have ever played a game that did not explain itself clearly enough, a game where you get stuck because you don't know where to go, a game whose confusing interface did not help make the game a smoother experience, it is a failing of the game's design, and by extension, its designer.
Now obviously, there are more people involved in game development to consider in all of this. A game designer is dependant on the skills and cooperation of the rest of the team. If a designer has no voice in the process, their efforts may be lost. The same goes if a designer is unable to clearly communicate the design, and its ramifications for each discipline, to the varying team leaders and/or team members. It is therefore extremely important that a designer has some insight into each discipline. The better they understand the work being done, the more accurately they can communicate their wishes to the people involved, and as a result, help these elements support the design ideals.
I belive that a good designer is marked by these properties; an understanding of design principles, the ability to effectively communicate, willingness to re-evaluate design decisions and personal assumptions, and an insight and appreciation of the varying game development disciplines.
It is my belief that a capable game designer, coupled with an able team, are the bare essentials required to create a succesful game.
