Your Game making process

danlbryant

I'm curious to know, what the process you guys use for making a game. From idea to completion.

(edit) Do you create the game first, then make the art afterwards? do you prototype different gameplay techniques? tell me!

DreamLab

I haven't completed my first game yet but I am pretty sure it goes like this. (well for me)
1- Get the idea down. Plan out what you want everything to do and happen.
2- Start trying to make the game come to life in GS by playing with the actors and such.
3- Once you have the the game(Gs portion) done, Create the art for the game
4- put the art into your game and test it.
5- Test the game on your device and look for bugs and problems.(spend a lot of time on that)
6- Get some beta testers to test your app on other devices
7- Do some kind of marketing or something to promote your game. (video, website,ect.)
8- submit the game to apple (in the review process)
9- Put all the videos and such together and get ready for the big day
10- big day! Announce your game at as many places as you can(Gs, facebook, twitter, ect.)

then updates and things like that are to come. Again, I have not made my first app yet, but that is what I think are the steps.

VoidedSky

First I come out with an idea. Then I get the concept down on paper, then In GS. Then I get the graphics. Then I finish the basics in gs. Then I write a checklist in paper of what I need to finish. Then I publish it!
~CTM
EDIT: oops I forgot beta testing!

danlbryant

Awesome!
@tshirtbooth: We all have to take breaks for Black ops :P

ozboybrian

Well i'm on my first game so it went like this.

1. Bought a MAC
2. Downloaded GS
3. Have little design experience, so grabbed some royalty free pics.
4. thought of what I could do.
5. watched tutorial after tutorial.
6. Nagg Game Dev's (Msones - Tshirt etc etc) till they go crazy and kill a couple people.
7. Goto work - sit at my desk and work on gamesalad (security officer, pretty cruisey)
8. Come home, eat, gf goes to bed, more GS,
9. Bed.
10. Wake up, Gf goes to work. More GS
11. repeat steps 5-11

butterbean

Hahha Tshirtbooth you're funny, gotta' take a break for some Jolt and COD

Game idea comes to you at 2am

Fuel up with Peet's Coffee in the am.

Contact graphics artist for assets

Start work on the game

Get distracted and start another project...

5-8 months later go back to working on original idea whilst starting 3-5 other new projects....

The hardest part is sticking to one game and not getting distracted by fleeting ideas!

(maybe I should switch to decaf...)

ozboybrian

I just worked with what I could. Can't wait for my next game cause then I can really unlock my imagination.

I think learning CS5 and all vissual techniques is very crucial to making a good game.

SlickZero

It's always different for myself. I've started 6 games in GameSalad, but have begun to focus on 1. Sometimes the inspiration comes from an idea, or experience first, sometimes I get inspiration from artwork first, and even the tempo of music I'm listening to gives me ideas. Sometimes someone will say something and that will start a endless chain reaction in my head that winds up being the basis for a game. The same process is what I do for art and music. Inspiration can come from anywhere and anything at any time.