Sign in to follow this  
Scrobbs

Game design advice

Recommended Posts

Wotcha,

I'm beginning to approach the point where my grasp of Cocoa and iphone SDK starting to lean towards vaguely competent.

With regards to designing games/software, can anyone offer any advice, or a good resource I can read/look at that will give me a pointer or two in the process?

It's a one-man band affair, so not sure whether a process that a studio follows will help - or is it all much of a muchness?

Ta :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I asked my buddy next to me and he says that a useful source of programming information specifically for iPhone is the Apple iPhone dev center. They got a whole bunch of videos and stuff.

Game design wise, if you're a first-timer, I really recommend you start with something simple. I see too many first-timers burn themselves with overly complicated projects. Also, have an idea of what you want to create before you actually start on something. I don't just mean visually, but game mechanic-wise. Structure-wise. I dunno... Some self-imposed deadlines might help you along, but personally I don't use any strict systems.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

What PiratePoo said about simplicity; way too many mod teams and new indies burn out on overly ambitious and complex projects. No matter how awful ideas are, people can develop almost fanatical devotion to them, especially when they're working for noone but themselves.

My advice is to prototype lots of small things as quickly as possible, and only expand on the best. Show them to people you know won't soften their feedback too.

In terms of studio process, you'll find a different methodology at nearly every one. There's definite advancement in game designers being able to articulate what they do, but it's still somewhat vague and flexible.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Nice one all. I hear ya wrt something simple - I think I will need to approach it like this in the first place as I still have an incomplete grasp of the language.

So, for instance, once of those crappy helicopter games where you're flying through a cavern that gradually gets thinner, you touch the screen to go up, release to go down. That in theory should be a simple affair, perhaps making the animation etc better as I improve - purely for a personal proof of concept.

I think structually (in a code sense) I will prolly have to feel my way forward :):tup:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I remember reading a book that pretty much condensed the first year of game design I took in school (It was a shitty course mainly because it took a year and it was summed up in one book that took a week to read) so I'll try looking that up.

Also read Remos blog, I remember forwarding it to a friend interested in some stuff because I think chris went into some 101 basics at one point and I started sending them to the level designers at work (I'm a peach to work with) because I felt they were missing fundamentals on what they were making.

I think it was the first edition of this: http://www.amazon.com/Game-Design-Practice-Wordware-Developers/dp/1556229127/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269351876&sr=8-14

edit; Ok i was thinking of someone else about level design 101, but I do remember this from chris, I seriously got on board with this train of thought and have been designing make believe projects based on the principle ever since.

http://chrisremo.com/bloggin/?p=3

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yeah, making something simple is the way to go. I tried to make complex games for years before finally realizing that (although a lot of people were saying it). And I still haven't finished even the simple game, due to other stuff I'm doing on my free time.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I think it's best to tell somebody about it (through a blog, or just your mom even) so that there's somebody out there to shame you if you lose motivation and stopped working on it.

I don't follow that practice myself because, well, I don't want that kind of pressure. But if you're determined to see it through the end....

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Iteration is a good approach. Running X48 (student teams of four infest a PC lab and code for about 28 hours straight to make the best game they can from scratch with XNA), we had much higher quality end results this year, in part because more of the teams were iterating rather than trying to finish a massive design to a deadline. One team had a prototype up and running in 12 hours or so, and used the remaining time just to refine it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

An advice that isn't worth a lot : don't think helicopters : you might loose some time trying to make one.

Think 'a scrolling ball' that helped me quite a lot.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I know neither Jack nor Shit about making a game, but I know one thing that goes for every passionate personal project: Don't be afraid to ask for help! Realize you are not a super-computer that can do everything perfectly all the time, so ask those around you for how to improve things (though I bet you already know this, since you posted this here), or even ask for help to create things directly.

For example, if you're primarily a coder guy, and don't feel confident with stuff like making title/icon graphics, or with audio design, ask someone to make it for you. For example, we have a fine selection of Dudes right here on the forum with all kinds of skillsets, with the thing in common that they all love video games, and are not douchebags. ^^

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I would probably start out implementing a robust physics engine and a living, breathing sandbox city for the game's main protagonist to ride his space scooter around in. Then I would let some friends play with it and work with the feedback.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

You should make the bestest game evar!!!1!1!!1!one!!eleven!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

They've already covered the basics for yeh, but just to drive a couple of points home: http://www.boingboing.net/features/morerock.html

I'm in a very similar situation, and the lure to do something really innovative and complex is so strong because we make the kind of games we want to play. Retreading design ideas so that a concept can come to fruition has it's own danger, in that if a project doesn't excite you, you won't finish it.

I think the trick is to find ONE crazy element or "hook" to focus on that holds your interest enough to get a head of steam going on it... and then couch it in easily created/familiar territory that won't take forever to complete. One well-explored mechanic can be equivalent to a shit ton of just about everything else that makes up a game.

Also, don't think that your game has to have x amount of polish or it's not done/real... A LOT of the best games of the last decade were first released as what amounted to little tech demos or proof of concepts that ended up being gateways to obtaining support in the form of funds, publishers, like-minded teammates, you name it.

If it's fun/entertaining, not much else matters at first.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this