Hi I have read 2 articles about game design.They explained clearly. http://gamebuildpro.com/main/?p=99 http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3949/the_13_basic_principles_of_.php Does we have to follow some rules in game design.And for each level also we have to check the balance of fun and so on in a game.

No

Just watch out for the game design police!

Quote:

Original post by Rattenhirn Just watch out for the game design police!

(^_^) QFT

Harsh :P In all seriousness MobileGamer, of course there aren't any legally binding rules when it comes to designing a game! Having said that, there are certain things which you need to be considering (you can call them rules if you wish ^^)

1) You should be constantly challenging the player without ever overwhelming them

2) You shouldn't expect the player to put up with a huge learning curve

3) Give the player an incentive to go on, maybe in the form of in game money or equipment (obviously very dependant on the type of game you are making)

4) If the game is multi-player, you should make it so that neither player feels like it is unfair against them.

5) In single player, you should try and stick to rules that you create at the start, ie if the player can jump over obstacle X, you shouldn't randomly remove this ability, especially without telling the player.

After that, it all becomes very subjective, dependant on the game you are trying to make and personal preference.

I think you're generally better off not looking for a set of rules, but understanding the tradeoffs of possible design decisions and how they will impact your game.

I agree that in many ways, there are no real rules, in that any rule you make, you can probably find an exception for - however, from my experience working on commercial games - there are a few rules I've never strayed from:

1) Reward the player
2) Never take control away from the player in unexpected ways
3) Don't patronize the player
4) Present the player with the gameplay hook early - in the first few moments of gameplay if you can
5) Do not unexpectedly change the rules on the player - this is not a puzzle, it's just painful
6) Don't do something "different" for the sake of it, if it works in another game, it's fine to do it that way in your game - only "innovate" if it adds something to your product
7) Smoke and mirrors ftw - don't get hung up with simulation, if you can do it with trickery quicker and just as effectively - do it

Just a few comments on my list:

6 - may be a little contentious, but I've found it very useful. There is no point reinventing the wheel with some mechanics, especially where another game has done it so well. I AM NOT SAYING DON'T INNOVATE - what I'm trying to say, is pick your battles.

7 - God of war is an excellent example of point 7 - they used a lot of forced perspective trickery to make some of the epic background scenes look amazing on the PS2. I am sure when the programmers first read the design that called for a huge battle in the background they would have had palpitations. But the end solution was incredibly elegant and achievable on the PS2 hardware. It's all faked and looks great. You have no idea how many times I've seen a feature cut because it "couldn't be done" - when in fact, it could be, if you are willing to "fake it". I can only presume some developers feel dirty when they cheat. :)

EDIT:

I should add:

8) Less is more - you will always start with more in your design doc than you ship with, recognise this - cut early when features don't work
9) Always design with your limitations in mind - recognizing and embracing your limitations (including skills, manpower, hardware and time can be liberating). I often play the game - "What if I only had these to work with - what can I design" - this is an issue you will come across on every game, so it's a good one to be prepared for. ;)