Game Development
Hire Game Designers for Mechanics and Levels
Game designers decide how a game plays: its rules, mechanics, levels, progression and what keeps players coming back.
The role
What game designers do
A game designer writes design documents, prototypes mechanics, balances difficulty and in-game economies, designs levels, and uses playtesting to refine the experience. Some specialise in systems, levels, narrative or monetisation.
Typical deliverables
- Game design documents
- Mechanic prototypes
- Level designs
- Progression and economy balancing
- Playtest plans and findings
Tools you will see
- Unity or Unreal Engine
- Spreadsheets for balancing
- Miro or FigJam
- Machinations
- Playtesting tools
Choosing
How to choose game designers
What to look for
- Released games or playable prototypes with a clear design role.
- Design documents that are specific and testable.
- Evidence of changing designs after playtesting.
- Experience in your genre.
Questions to ask
- 1What was your specific role in the games you list?
- 2How do you test whether a mechanic is fun?
- 3How do you balance an in-game economy?
- 4Can you share a design document?
Planning
Before you post the job
Designer or developer
Designers define how the game plays; developers build it. Small projects sometimes combine both roles.
What drives cost
Game scope, number of systems and levels, documentation depth and playtesting.
Hiring on Open Lance
- Posting a job and reviewing proposals are free.
- Each milestone is funded into escrow before work starts and paid when you approve it.
- Hire fixed-price, hourly, as a monthly Dedicated Hire, or buy a packaged Drop-In.
- Client fees are shown before you pay and added on top of the work.
FAQ
Questions about hiring game designers
Do game designers code?
Some prototype in engines or visual scripting. Many work with developers who implement designs.
What is a game design document?
A document describing mechanics, systems, levels and goals so the team builds the same game.
Can a designer help with monetisation?
Yes, especially designers experienced with free-to-play economies.
Related
Related skills
Post a job for game designers
Describe the work and compare proposals. You only fund the first milestone once you have chosen someone.