Design ?
Advice?
You’ve got a great idea.
But how do you capture it in writing?
Everyone’ll have their own way of doing that best. Some compose 60-page design documents. Others, like me, write a page of badly-written notes, unreadable to anyone else. I don’t know what’s best for you. But I can give suggestions on what to write about:
- Hook. What makes your game idea great? For me, this is the most important to write down. Once you capture this, you can write down the next three points much easier. Is your game about something thought-provoking? Scandalous? Is it putting a new twist to an old classic? Or, is it doing something that’s never been done before?
- Mechanics. What does your player do? And for what purpose? This is your gameplay. It can be as simple as pressing QWOP to move in the game QWOP, to tapping buttons to chat in Mystic Messenger, to the tons of key combos in Dwarf Fortress.
- Story. What story should players remember your game by? What emotions should they leave your game with? Every game has a story. If the story isn’t obvious, it is created by the player. A story can be created from the increasing numbers in 2048, the rising empires in Civilization, and the silent interactions in Monument Valley. Think about what story’ll be found in your game.
- Mood. What impression does your game make? What are the visuals? Sound? First impressions matter. First impressions will hook — then keep — the player playing. Perhaps, you’ll give your game a retro vibe with pixel graphics and chiptune music. Or, a modern, clean look with flat geometries and instrumentals.
