You play a game or three of the genre you like but there is something missing, you search game after game after game for the one which has what you yearn. but it’s not there ! Okay you’re an analyst what we got here ? Take the games apart – technology, mechanics, tools, trends, marketing, publishing, distribution, development, history, what has gone before, specification formats, related industries. Take the players apart – demographics, psychology, You immerse yourself in history books, listen to strange music, watch specialist video’s, surrounded with subject matter. Obsessed? Yup ! you can see what they saw, feel how they felt, hear what they heard. Design specs getting big But is it what they want? yup Has it been done before? Nope Does it have appeal? yup wider than the others “global appeal”. Are you sure it’s what they want? Oh yes Is it trendy ? yes very trendy Will it be fun? Oh yeah lots o fun Will it market easy? Yes especially with the new marketing ideas Will it make money? Yes big money What are you going to do now? I don’t know I’ll ask for advice. What do I do with my design? Nomax5 armchair designer

Next step is to fire up your computer and get coding. No one will write it for you, so you''ll have to write it yourself, or at least produce a playable prototype.

quote: Original post by Nomax5
Will it market easy? Yes especially with the new marketing ideas
Will it make money? Yes big money

What do I do with my design?

ah... an optimist. I´d be very careful with statements such as "markets easy" and "big money".

But sandman is right, nobody will do it for you. You can always try selling your GD to someone, but the chances for that are rather slim.

Find the best features of your design, and cut the rest. Simplify the game to show off the best parts you''ve come up with. Always think in the lines of why does this make the player''s experience more enjoyable. Remove things that are "your ideas" instead of "good ideas." Then start learning the neccessary technology (C/C++, Java, Sockets, DirectX, whatever applies) that is needed to actually do it. If you can get a prototype up, you may be able to get some help, but the only way you can be positive it''ll get done is to do it all yourself.

Common "game desinger" myth. Game programmers aren''t struggling for ideas, so telling us one of yours is not reason enough for us to join a team. Only through experience can you be able to have the authority to lead the team, it comes with time.

- Kevin "BaShildy" King
Game Programmer: DigiPen
www.mpogd.com

quote: Original post by Hase
ah... an optimist. I´d be very careful with statements such as "markets easy" and "big money".

Nonesense. It will (MUST) market easy and make big money. It''s like one of those get rich quick things. Certainly you have received one of those emails. Think about it...if they didnt work, why would the emails still be going around years later

yeah, you must be right.. so let´s start a pyramid scheme!

Two things:

One thing you can do is stash that design somewhere where you won't lose it and wait until you are in a position to do something with it. For reasons why, check this thread.

The next thing you could do is start up your own company (or at least your own team) and make the game without waiting. Of course you'll have to find decent team members out there, do it in your free time, and probably not secure any funding (if at all) until you have a working demo of the game to show people, not just a design spec.

Oh yeah and you may want to try those development portals like GarageGames.com to help you find a publisher and team members etc.



_________________________________________________________________

Drew Sikora
A.K.A. Gaiiden

ICQ #: 70449988
AOLIM: DarkPylat

Blade Edge Software
Staff Member, GDNet
Public Relations, Game Institute

3-time Contributing author, Game Design Methods , Charles River Media (coming GDC 2002)
Online column - Design Corner at Pixelate

NJ IGDA Chapter - NJ developers unite!! [Chapter Home | Chapter Forum]

You know every thing in our world is designed , every single thing !
the pen on your desk the building you inhabit the tree in your garden all have a design a template so they may function as intended.
I know now why there is no requirement for game designers : all the game designs have been done : the First person game where you can select different guns or drive vehicles , the RPG where you can have swords and magic, The platform jumping game where you can well jump on platforms.

I think I’ll write a book or a film, hell it’s got to be easier when you know everything that happens.

And perhaps one day when visiting the game store I might (mid yawn) notice something new an innovation, I’m not holding my breath waiting though..

Signing off for good

Nomax5


Edited by - nomax5 on January 9, 2002 8:30:51 PM

You said it, everything in OUR world is designed. But we don´t have the doc for everything, we don´t understand a tenth of it...

.. and concerning games, that´s where the interesting things happen, because YOU get to write the design... sure, there might be swords and platforms, but do they have to be the swords and platforms we know?

If you are more comfortable with the passive media you´re probably better off as a screenwriter or a novelist, but that uncertainty is what I find so interesting about game design. It´s true, passive stories have better plots, better characters and more dramatic scenes.... but games have the possibilites.. because you don´t HAVE to fight the dragon to get the princess, Philip Marlowe doesn´t have to stay around and spy on Geiger...

it sounds kitschy, but the slogan of Origin was pretty good in that respect.... "We create worlds". Limited worlds they may be, but interesting nevertheless.


take care and be the best writer you can.