1. The first thing I like to do is assess what my objectives are, however vague or undetailed. I like to outline on paper what I would like the end to be. This is usually a general and unformulated idea. I like to get the big picture before I hammer out details. Shortly after, I discuss what kind of game it will be: action, adventure, mystery, etc.
2. Next, I like to talk about the aesthetics of the game. I particularly love the artistic side of game-designing because I love to color and recently I have developed a passion for painting. Within talks about the visual appeal, ideas start to formulate as to the characters of the game. What do I want it to look like? Where is the gamer going to be transported to? What kinds of colors and environments do I want the gamer to experience? Then, lastly, I assess the relevance of each idea and then match them to my objectives. In this respect, I have a game environment accomplished. This is a very time-consuming stage, because ideas flow and are usually rejected, brainstorming occurs in staggering ways and many thoughts are shelved due to lack of relevance or programming constraints. Phew, it can be exhausting!
3. After that, I set about building my environment on the computer or on paper. Sketches are made of the individual characters, buildings and other components to be approved or rejected. At this stage, a visual represenatation of ideas are now presented and argued over. I like to review each sketch and see if there are any changes that can be made. Consequently, looking at these images also kickstarts some game ideas. For this game, we have decided on side games that are triggered when the gamer reaches a certain point in the game.
4. The next step is to determine what kind of side games we will have and what the individual objectives are, what the format of the game will be, how we are going to present it in conjuction to the overall game and what kinds of factual information will be presented in the side game. These side games are solely made on the computer and information is gathered and uploaded on the computer, eliminating the need for paper prototyping. Sometimes I find writing things down really helps me to stew over ideas and at other times it hinders my thought processes. Once, I have the big picture mapped out on paper, I like to barrel through to the end without stopping to write everything down. It does make it a little bit harder to go back if an error occurs, so in hindsight (or foresight) I should chronicle many things on paper...
5. Finally, once the game is done, I like to test it several times, keeping an eye on all facets of the game design. I watch for glitches in gameplay, aesthetically unappealing areas, unfair time restrictions or too difficult questions, not enough information and more. I also value feedback from other people who have had no dealings with the design process. These "new" people have a fresh and hopefully candid view on the game. For this game, we are hoping to get a few young people we know between the ages of 14 - 18 to test our game. We will then use the feedback to finetune the game before it is presented to a larger focus group for testing.
I hope this foray into my cerebral maze of jumbled thoughts and ideas sheds some light on my design processes. Cheers!
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