everyone can design games (girls' game clubs)
DESCRIPTION
These instructions were created for the girls' game clubs where the starting point is that Everyone can create games. This document is a simple overview of things you have to keep in mind when creating a game yourself.TRANSCRIPT
x Everyone can design games
How to get started? 1. What inspires you? (Come up with an idea or a theme)
2. Play games and study the games (focus on interac5on, character design, anima5on, sound design…)
3. Find a team or work alone 4. Make sure your target is feasible = small enough 5. Decide which tools you want to use 6. Define a Mmeframe AND sMck with it 7. Share your game online or play it with your friends (play
tesMng)
IDEA
S
I have an idea, then what? • You can make games out of anything • Keep in mind:
– Games have rules – Games have an objecMve – Usually games have some limitaMons – Usually games have winners and losers – Games require players to make decisions – Games require the players to use some skills
• Games are an experience – what type of an experience do you want to create and share?
But I do not have an idea L You can also use different ways to come up with ideas!
You can download the Idea cards on your mobile phone (“AGD Lenses” applicaMon for iPhone), for free.
Play games to get ideas
Think about your hobbies: Inspire by your interests!
Start drawing a character and start telling a story.
Simple design document • Game (name) • Overview (theme, idea, goal)
– Control (how to play the game, with keyboard, mouse, other?) – Scoring (where to get points)
• General features – Life points / health points (lives) (how many lives, health, bonus points) – How do you advance in the game (levels, check points…) – Main character (describe their role, draw) – Other characters (describe their role, draw)
• How many characters does the player need to control • Are there some tools or weapons needed
• Gameplay (what’s key in gameplay experience) • The game world
– Key locaMons – Scale – Objects – Time (day / night)
• User interface (what a player sees on the screen) • Music
You an start wriMng a
document to describe your idea IF it helps to put the idea together. It also makes it
easier to communicate your ideas to the rest of
the team.
• Theme • Story • Characters • Level/environment design • Gameplay • Art style • Sound and Music • User Interface, Game controls
FIRST DEFINE JuxtaposiMon is a great way to add dynamics to a game. Come up with a conflicts
between the main characters and the enemy
character(s) / world.
What’s the world like? Where the acMon
happens?
What happens in the game? What
are the key mechanics (rules)?
How to control the character
(keyboard, mouse, other?)
TEAM
& SKILLS
• It is easier to work in a group / a team • If you want to work alone, start with something simple
(see quick proto slides) • A team consists of (one person can be responsible of
different areas): – ArMst (game 5tle, characters, worlds, objects…) – Animator – Lead / manager (to make sure you get
things done within the 5me limit) – Sound – Programming
Define a <me limit • With a Mme limit it is easier to get things done • Good Mme limit is something between 2 days and 4 weeks • Time limit helps you to focus and trim the plan to get things
done – You can also do for example 2 hours twice a week or how ever you
decide. Just calculate the total Mme spent. Less is more – it is easier to reduce complexity than add Mme and hope to learn new skills
– With one game done, it is easier to start the next one with higher ambiMon
MILESTO
NES
Idea and team
Create characters, compose or find music, start working with
animaMons
Need to cut out some
features?
Polish the game
Quick prototype
Split the work into milestones and sMck with the Mme frame. If one part of the process takes more Mme than expected, you need to drop something off. Do not get stuck with any issues. For example within 48 hours:
Publish Iterate and
finalize
You can also find graphics, music and code snippets online that are free to use for non-‐commercial projects.
25 hrs 3 hrs 5 hrs 1 hrs 10 hrs 3 hrs 1 hrs
QUICK PR
OTO
• When you have an idea and a plan ready • The next step is to do a quick prototype to see how your idea
would work in pracMce • Quick prototype is a paper prototype or a simple version of
the game with limited interacMons and early graphics – Quick prototype helps to make results – Playing the quick prototype moMvates to conMnue
Quick proto is not (necessarily) preBy It is ok to dream of doing a Mario game. But keep in mind that you need to start small.
Paper prototype
Deco
AnimaMon
Game prototypes
OTH
ER THINGS
• You can also start with:
– WriMng game stories – Making hacks and versions of an exisMng game (you need to get an
access to the source code, find code examples from the internet) – Making caricatures or comics based on a game – You can create a play using characters or events from your favorite
game – Create a fan page
Or work without a computer Thaumatrope – animaMon without a computer 1. Find a cardboard and cut a circle out of it 2. On the other side (in the middle) of the card draw a bird 3. On the other side (in the middle) draw a cage (upside down) 4. Make holes to the card on both sides 5. Secure a loop of string through each hole 6. That’s all! When Thaumatrope turns quickly and creates an illusion that the bird would be inside the cage
Picture source: Mediametkaa book (Kerhokeskus Finland)
• Aqer you have done the quick prototype • Adjust the plan if needed and just start working – Define what you sMll have to do – You’ll learn by doing!
DEVE
LOPM
ENT
TOOLS
Game development (free)
Anima<on Without a computer
Game Maker Muvizu Cardboard
Unity 3D FluxTime Pen & Paper
Kodu CreaToon Modeling clay
Sploder Adobe Flash Toys
Scratch Paper, glue (deco)
Kodu Sploder Scratch
Just some examples of potenMal tools.
LET’S DO
IT!
• You are ready to go! • Do not give up, believe in yourself • Everyone can truly design and develop games • Game development is a great way of learning and
expressing yourself!
• If you have some quesMons, do not hesitate to contact me: [email protected]