Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
ChapTeR 3
Core Game Design
Concepts
You have an idea
for a game, a vision in your head about how it can be
played, so how do you begin to put it all together? Perhaps you've sketched
out an amazing-looking character and want to spin an entire game around
that. For the most part, that approach won't serve you as well as you may
hope. There are sounder methods for developing a game.
Amazing characters and stunning environments are just part of the entire
package. Developing the gameplay is the primary step, and that begins with
the story, which helps define the actions of the game and reasons why things
happen the way they do. Couple that with the type of game you're creating
(refer to Chapter 2, “Gameplay Styles,” for a review) and who your audience
is, and you have a plan.
Start with an overview of the game, describing what the story is and the
goal for play, and then flesh it out from there.
Writing the game
Creating the characters
designing props
Creating environments
Understanding the basics of animation
Understanding cinematics and cutscenes
Writing the Game
As you develop characters and environments for your game, the main thing
you'll want to keep in mind is that gameplay should always come first. And
although you're jotting down your initial ideas for the design (you have to
