1. How should I choose a premise or narrative?
My first impression was to make my game similar to other games that I had played. However, this method wasn’t very effective because I wasn’t inspired by copying another premise. Next, I tried a word association method to generate ideas, and through this I was able to find an idea that not only connected to several different things that I liked (space-based survival movies and a pet rat) but also allowed me to combined those things into something new that was more interesting to me.
2. How long should my game be?
You can try to estimate how much of a game you can get done in the amount of time given, but for people new to game making, the game will basically be telling you how long it is going to take and not the other way around. Although it is good to have a plan, I’ve found that one should expect everything to take at least 50% more time than you initially expect. One should plan a game based on how long you think it will take and then scale down to the essentials. If you end up ahead of schedule when making your game, you can always come back to those ideas that you cut out when you scaled down and use them as extended features.
3. How big of a game can I accomplish in this time?
Like I mentioned in my answer to the question above, it can be really difficult for beginning game makers to accurately estimate how much time it will take them to complete a game or how much of a game they can complete in a given amount of time. One should plan out how long they think it will take to make a game and then cut down. If there ends up being extra time, one can always expand the game. By working in this fashion, you can ensure that you get the most crucial parts of the game completed first so that you will at least have a functioning game when your deadline arrives.
4. What should I consider when choosing a program to make the game?
Some of the most important aspects to consider are cost, familiarity/time, and features. Often, at least when you’re starting out, cost is going to be a limiting factor. You may end up using the program you can afford rather than the one you want. Another factor to consider is how familiar you are with certain tools. If you are really familiar with a particular program, then your workflow will probably be faster if you use that program. However, if you have to spend a lot of time learning a new program before even starting your game, this is going to increase your production time. Even worse is the possibility that you’ll get so frustrated by the learning curve when trying a new game making program that you’ll quit before you even get started on your actual game; that is probably the worst outcome of all. One last factor to consider is features. The more advanced a computer program is, the more features it will have, and the more elements you’ll be able to add to your game. However, if you’re not familiar with a really advanced tool or its existing features, you’re going to spend more time learning and trying things, and you might get sidetracked and never finish your game. Even big companies that use really advanced programs usually have workers who specialize in using certain features of a program instead of the whole thing. If you are using a really advanced program and you are trying to do everything yourself, it is going to take a really long time to create a game (if you even finish it at all). However, if you’re working with a team of experienced people, a more advanced program will probably be necessary in order to achieve your vision. No matter what tool you choose, though, make sure you have a solid premise. *A really advanced, highly polished game with a bad story/bad game play is still a bad game, no matter how shiny and flashy it is*
5. What system do I want the user to use to play my game?
For your first game, this probably isn’t going to be a question worth asking. The cost of a game making program and your own abilities are probably going to be the deciding factors. However, as you get better and your skills improve, you might start branching out into genres of games that need more advanced features, like online multiplayer support. Once you get to a point where you really have a game worth distributing, you can start thinking about which platforms (computer, game console, smartphone, etc.) you want to target. At this level, the type of game that you are making may have a strong influence on the system you choose. If your game needs touch controls, then you’ll most likely be targeting cell phones and tablets. If your game utilizes virtual reality technology, you’ll probably be targeting high-end gaming computers. There are pros and cons with any platform, and you’ll always be losing some functionality and gaining others when you select a specific platform. Even games with rather universal gameplay will have to be tweaked for the unique specifications of each platform, including different controls, screen sizes, and operating systems. The most important thing is to create a solid game. As your skills advance, the type of game you are making will help guide you to the right platform.
6. How will I be able to expand upon this game in the future?
Chances are, expansion won’t be as big of a problem because you’ll have already cut a lot of features in order to meet your deadline. However, if you start with a really solid core of a game, you can start building out, adding new features, and polishing up the game assets, all without breaking your game. Having a really solid game premise will help too. If you’re really excited about your characters and/or your game universe, there will often be many more stories that you want to tell than you will actually be able to fit in one game. If you start with a game you really love, expansion should be easy. Just be careful about changing the essential parts of the game when you expand. If you add in new features (like, say, a double-jump) into a game that is built on a foundation of other older features (like, say, a single jump) your game might not play as well when you expand it, and you might lose any gamers who liked your first game before the expansion.
7. Should I use other audio and sound effects or create my own?
For me, this became more of an issue of time than anything else. As much as I would love to create all the audio on my own, no one person is an island, and it takes an army of trained professionals to really make each special part of a game shine. If you find that you can’t let go of a certain part of a game, such as making the music, and this obsession is holding up the development of your game, then perhaps you should be working in a different aspect of the games industry. Maybe making music is more of your thing. However, if your project is moving along pretty well and you have the time and ability, then making your own game music can be really fun. For me, I’m going to leave this up to the professionals. Just make sure you have to rights to anything you use, or you might end up with problems later on down the line.
8. Should I use other artwork or create my own artwork?
The answer to this question is very similar to the one above. However, I am personally more comfortable making art than music, and I feel really proud when I see any strong art that I created really adding to the final product. That being said, I did not have a lot of time to make the art for this project, and I am somewhat disappointed with how far away from my original vision the game ended up being. One factor that contributed to this is the fact that I didn’t plan out my art assets as well as I planned out other parts of the game. I didn’t decide on a solid color scheme or a specific style until I was too far into the game to change things. Also, I had made the decision early on that I would only use tools that students could use in a classroom that used Chromebooks. Had I not made this decision early on, I would have rather used some other software that runs on a desktop computer instead. I am more familiar with programs like Photoshop and Illustrator, and I felt really restricted and stymied when I didn’t have access to the features I was used to using. I’ve never been comfortable or happy with using someone else’s artwork, but for those who are more comfortable with doing so, this could save a lot of time and frustration. Again, just make sure you have the rights to use whatever work is taken from someone else. Us creators are all working hard, and I personally believe artistic people deserve to be compensated for their work.
9. How do I organize my workflow to ensure that I can complete my game?
Much like I’ve mentioned several times, it is important to A) plan, and B) start with only the essentials. Creating a game with the minimum number of elements necessary can be referred to as following the idea of Minimum Viable Product. When following this line of thinking, one starts by making a game with the most basic and essential elements possible. Then, once that goal has been achieved, one can move on to other features. I believe this approach is best in terms of organizing one’s workflow to ensure that one ends up with a functioning game when the final deadline rolls around.
10. What should I do if I start running out of time?
One of the most effective ways to avoid running out of time is to cut your game down to the most essential elements and then build up from there. Another very effective way to avoid running out of time is to have a clear and solid plan and then stick to it. Don’t get sidetracked with certain features or game assets and then end up taking more time than you planned on any one part of the game. Get it done first, and then go back and improve on it when you have time. One last very effective way to avoid running out of time is to learn through experience. The more games you make, the better you will be at gauging how much time it will take you to complete a project and at determining how strong certain features need to be the first time through. All that being said, if you still are running out of time, then it’s time to cut. Gameplay should always come first. If you have to, make your game art just basic shapes; have little or no sound at all; use text to explain things that would be better shown through visuals. When you’re almost out of time, remember that done is better than perfect. As Tim Gunn says on Project Runway, “Make it work!”
Conclusion:
Some of the key points from all of this are to start small with the essentials and then build up, to use what you can when you are just starting out, to plan thoroughly, and to just get something done when you are first starting out. You can always do something bigger and better next time, and by then, you’ll be a little wiser and a little more experienced.