Just thought I'd share this with you. It's something I do when designing a game and might help a few struggling with your game planning.
When you first get FPS Creator up and running, you can’t help but play around with it, and why not, you can get a game up and running in under 30 mins! But what is it that you’ve actually made? My guess here is a couple of rooms with a scattering of objects, weapons and enemies while sat in front of FPSC making it up as you go along which is all good and well, but unless you really know what you want you’ll soon run into trouble and lose interest in your ‘game’. If you want to create a game that people will want to play, and something that you won’t lose interest in half way through then you’ll need is a Game Design Brief.
You may have heard a phrase something similar, ‘Design Document’ is one of them (and you can see the anatomy of a Design Document here:
http://gamedeveloper.com/features/19991019/ryan_01.htm) and all major gaming companies have them, in fact, a game won’t be wrote without one! A design document describes a game from beginning to end; including story boards and concept designs, here’s a quote from the above link:
Quote: "The purpose of design documentation is to express the vision for the game, describe the contents, and present a plan for implementation. A design document is a bible from which the producer preaches the goal, through which the designers champion their ideas, and from which the artists and programmers get their instructions and express their expertise."
Our design brief won’t go into such depth; it will just ask 6 simple questions.
So what are these 6 questions?
Quote: "1. What is your game about? If you met a friend on the street and you mentioned that you’re writing a game and he asked “really? What kind of game?” then this would be your answer. What exactly is your game about? A good inspiration here is the back of DVD film cases. When you hire a film, it’s this description that draws your attention to what the film’s about and if it sounds interesting, you’d probably hire it, the same can be said for your game. Try to sum this up in 1 or 2 paragraphs.
Example: The player must enter a lost temple and find The Lost Diamond of Ra then place it in a special opening to prevent a prophecy coming true in which the dead rise. "
Quote: "2. Where does it take place? Where does the game setting take place? Is it in an overrun medical facility? A military factory? Over a number of settings (outside, alien landscape / inside, a base on Mars)?
Example: The game takes place inside and around a large ancient pyramid. This will be split over several levels with a number of floors per level."
Quote: "3. When does it take place? What period in history is this game taking place? Is it set in the future? In the past? Or is it set in an unknown time?
Example: Earth, 1940's"
Quote: "4. Who is the player? A little background on who the player is will help a lot. This will help you determine his strengths and weakness’, his age, experience, etc.
Example: The player plays an archaeologist in his mid 30's. He has a few scars from previous adventures and always carries a pistol."
Quote: "5. Why is the player there? This is crucial, without this the player is just someone ‘there to shoot things’. A good back-story will help draw the player into the game.
Example: He has deciphered an ancient scroll that’s laid almost forgotten in a museum until the player came across it. The scroll foresees the end of the world when the dead rise. As no one else believes him, he is the only one who can stop it."
Quote: "6. How is the game won? This will help plan the ending of the game as this is where many games fall down. Game makers have many excellent ideas about what should go into their game, the puzzles, the trap, the look but haven’t really thought about how it will end. Now here’s your chance!
Example: He must find a large diamond that will fit in a certain opening, this will then open another chamber where another scroll can be read out, in turn, stopping the dead rising."
As you can see, although it certainly doesn’t go into any depth, just sitting down for 15 minutes with these 6 questions will undoubtedly help you with the flow of your game and you can make your answers as detailed as you wish, in fact, the more detailed the better and you can add / remove as you go along.
I hope you find this of some use and may all your games be award winners!!
