Wintermute Engine Forum
Game development => Game design => Topic started by: Uhfgood on October 12, 2003, 08:40:44 PM
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I've created this poll because i'm curious what the few people on here do when they create their games. I personally believe in the evolutionary design, that is, start with a few notes and/or images, and then let everything evolve from it. What are your thoughts on the subject?
Keith
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I chose the 2nd one. I usually describe the idea and try to code it. I use provisional graphics to imagine the final effect.
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I suppose I did too many options in the poll, however, this is what i'm finding out from various things i'm reading. That a rigid design is almost doomed to fail, because if you can't change it very easily then the things that don't work stay in the finished product, and it fails. I said almost because in some instances you may need it, when dealing with a huge team, but then they end up doing alot of changes anyways, so it makes it a lot of work. I prefer design as you go methodology. There is something of some merit, however, and that is like Tolkien said (now don't quote me because I don't know the exact quote) something like you need to do the map before doing anything else. And then Hemingway (the writer) said something to the effect that you need to know the end of your story. But other than that, writing pages and pages of design takes the organic and evolutionary process out of it, and produces something not altogether that great. The secret of monkey island was done this way, that's why there's no "true" secret of monkey island.
They started with an idea, and as it developed they started putting in funny things, that eventually changed into the MI game we know and love today.
So I think that's probably the secret of fun games... start with an idea, write out some basic outline, or notes, or some sketches, and then get to work and develop it.
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Yep, i'm with you in everything you said.
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While looking for informations on the new Leisure Suite Larry-Game I found some game designs Al Lowe put on his side, maybe it could be some helpful inspiration for writing our own design documents:
http://www.allowe.com/GameDesign/index.htm
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I voted for the last one.
However, I have noticed that that just doesn't work! You must test your ideas in practive, too. What looks good on paper might not work in the game. I once designed an entire game on paper only and it sucked big time.