How simple should your first game be?

Metronome49

I'm a Graphic/Web Designer, and graphic artist, but I'm no programmer.

I don't want to be too ambitious with my first project, but I also refuse to put anything that's not at least a little original and highly polished on the App Store.

iTouchGamer

I would go really simple lol. My first game was so simple I could probably re-do it right now in 30 seconds, time me on that haha. Just try it out, see what you can do.

GamersRejoice

I think your first game should be a fairly small project that may or may not see the app store. My first project helped me learn GameSalad and I never actually ended up releasing it, I scrapped it but still have the idea to make it a great game. Then I made Sketch Ball which I'm quite proud of for my first project.

TouchTiltGames

Hey Metronome, I'm a Graphic Designer too...been using GS for a year now. I too wanted to start off small but what I did was just created a bunch of little games with no intent on publishing them - just for practice. Then when I hit one I wanted to carry through, I spent probably 3 months on it. (Rodent Rage).

kapser

Even small projects can be long to make, so it's often good to aim small.
However, making a bit more complex game will force you to experiment with gamesalad. Prototype the core gameplay before getting too involved and making graphics, then you will know if it needs to be big to reach the level of polish you want. Start with what you think is the hardest to code, and the rest goes smoothly.

Personally, it took a few prototypes before I find a game mechanic with the level of originality I was hoping for and ended up having a pretty huge first project. I wish I was making something simpler like a block removing game but oh well I'm having fun making it

Metronome49

@Kapser

Yeah, that's the approach that I'm currently taking. I'm prototyping core gameplay, and just working on concept art to reference for when it's ready for imagery and animation. Hopefully the gameplay concept I have is fun.

LumpApps

My first was a Pandeiro. A tambourine but with a thing all other apps where missing which was a slap sound.
Not completely true but none made the sound the way Pandeiro does.

It is a very simple app.
1 finger = sound 1
2 or more fingers = sound 2
Shake = sound 3
It took me over a week to get it done. But I too am a graphic designer and you know how it is. "a little to the right, a little to the left"

The funny thing is that my second app Penny Shoel sells close to nothing whilst it is a cool game. But Pandeiro sells some every day. Penny Shoel took me over a month to build and is pretty complicated because it simulates real physics.

So simple is no problem. Just add something that others do not have and make it look slick.

Edit: and don't get trapped by the cool graphics you make. Build a game from 'naked' actors first. Just blocks and if it works start filling them with graphics. A stupid game with cool graphics is still a stupid game right?

ozboybrian

For your first project don't worry about how big or small it is. (within reason) it's obviously a learning phase and the more things you may have to incorporate the more you're going to learn.

I've made one game from Scratch that's worthy of the app store (still needs Graphics)
And i've polished up a lot of templates. But I haven't released anything yet. However, after my 4 months with GS i'm pretty happy some of the things i've picked up a long the way.

Metronome49

@Ludwig
"and don't get trapped by the cool graphics you make. Build a game from 'naked' actors first. Just blocks and if it works start filling them with graphics. A stupid game with cool graphics is still a stupid game right?"

That's great advice. I'm only doing some concept artwork right now until I have the functions of the game down... which is hard. And it sucks, 'cause the graphics are the fun part.

@ozboybrian
That's good advice, and I personally would rather make one ambitious game with lots of moving pieces and deliver, than make several throwaway games.

LumpApps

Yes it is the fun part but it isn't fun when you have done them and the game don't work. Or when you find you did the graphics wrong and have to over. I have been there

Dizko

Do whatever you have an idea for, big or small.

I agree with the wisdom of doing your prototyping with out art, you get an unclouded vision of what the game feels like before being corrupted by pretty pictures. And if you're new to GS like I was, it gives you the opportunity to learn before diving head first into a project.

11clock

For my first app that's still in development, I decided to make a game where you keep the enemies from crossing the screen by tapping them. This is allowing me to experiment with many different ways to make enemies move. I'm also implementing achievements, teaching myself how to use global attributes.

The best first project to make is a game that will teach you the core mechanics of what you're using, in this case GameSalad. Make one that you can experiment on, something that will be fun to make. Actually, this applies to all apps.

JoeMeister

When I started with GS I listened to some advice from Tshirtbooth or Phonics (I forgot which one).
He said to start of with something small. Best advice I got cause you can dig yourself a huge hole
when you try to create the greatest Game ever build and then get frustrated cause it will take forever
to do. I created a simple app called Coin Fountain in a week or so and got it released in the App store.
While the game was never a big seller the mental boost was huge.
I have since learned so much, mostly from this really great Community here at GS and from the book by M. Garofalo (A MUST HAVE), that I am developing a Game for over 4 month now which I think will do really well (If I ever get it finished).
But it feels great to have a little game out there while creating the Big One.

jonmulcahy

This was my first attempt at a game using GameSalad: Z is for Zombie. It took me about 6 weeks, and ended up being much more complicated than I originally thought. But, the learning experience from it was incredible. Every game I've made since then has been more and more complicated.

GameSalad interviewed me once it was released as it was in the first group of GS games to make it into the app store: http://gamesalad.com/blog/2009/11/12/interview-with-z-is-for-zombie-creator-jonathan-mulcahy/

As long as you work within the limitations of gamesalad, i say you make a game you would want to play, no matter how complicated.

Here's a youtube video of it:

gamedivision

I'm making my first game now been at it for about 2 months started of as a simple idea turned out to be a massive project but im trying to do as much of it myself as possible,also going to be releasing it on iPad at the same time as well as creating a website for the games as well as loads of promotion so the endless late nights then working all day are starting to take there toll,I hope it's all worth it .
Project has changed so much doesn't even look like the original idea but should be looking for release in the next month once I get game centre Facebook ect on there

Metronome49

@jonmulcahy

Yeah I had seen your Z is for Zombie before. It's cool that it was your first game.

I started work on a similar concept of a auto0walker shmup zombie game, retro pixel style, but decided I should go simpler for the first try. It will probably be my second game.

It only took you 6 weeks, huh? How much work per day? I'm only some spending nights and weekends in the Creator, but I read here a lot, learning. I like to know exactly what I'm doing before I sit down in front of a software program, instead of just banging my head around with stuff.

I'm hoping my first simple game hitting the App Store will have my juices flowing to push in to a more complicated project.

jonmulcahy

I probably spent 2-3 hours a day and 4-6 on weekends. Sometimes more, sometimes less.

The game I'm working on now I'm doing even less time, 1-2 hours a day, that's why it's taken me since august

JPickard

Metronome49, I'm in the same boat. Graphic designer/illustrator trying to make my stuff come alive in GameSalad.

Unlike you, though, I'm being way ambitious with my first game. But I'm taking the process in managable chunks. Little bit of design here, a bit of GS there, a touch of PR research, and a bit of how Apple/GS works together. When one of them starts hurting my brain, I switch to one of the others. This is working for me so far, because it stops me from getting frustrated with the parts that I would other wise bang my head against a wall about.

steeler0038

jonmulcahy, how much did you make from z is for zombie, i just looked it up on itunes and couldn't believe how many reviews you got on it! It looks like a cool game btw, love the graphics!

jonmulcahy

steeler0038 said:
jonmulcahy, how much did you make from z is for zombie, i just looked it up on itunes and couldn't believe how many reviews you got on it! It looks like a cool game btw, love the graphics!

id have to look it up, but i made enough to pay for the lowest gs membership at the time within a week, which was $500

ktfright

My first game was a top down drifting game called DRFT. GS used it in one of their promo videos, and this was back when GS was at alpha or beta 3x or something! Sadly, I scrapped the idea completely, but I still wonder if I should still go back to finish it...

LumpApps

Z for Zombie looks nice. I wish I had heard of gs earlier. I have had problems and spare time for about 2 years and could have made a nice buck if I stepped in at that time. still possible but much harder I gues.

@jonmulcahey. Since august? I must learn to have so much patience. I am a workaholic and good with shortterm projects.
Does any of you tend to get addicted to gs. To me it feels like having a c64 back in the 80s. I spent (past time, my English is not that good) hours and hours in my teen room figuring out basics and playing games.

Load"gamesalad",8,1

jonmulcahy

ktfright said:
My first game was a top down drifting game called DRFT. GS used it in one of their promo videos, and this was back when GS was at alpha or beta 3x or something! Sadly, I scrapped the idea completely, but I still wonder if I should still go back to finish it...

of course you should! especially now with GameCenter coming.

lildragn

Really cool stories in this thread. So I'm bumping it so maybe we can gather some other stories

As for myself I'm a professional 3d character artist and always wanted to develop my own game but never had the tenacity to bring my ideas to completion using all sorts of apps including Unity/Construct e.t.c, so I'm hoping that my first "game" using Gamesalad will end that 2 decade long lull

It'll be pretty ambitious considering I work on games daily but never actually put one together... I know, for shame! You say . It'll be a variant of Hit the apple http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hit-the-apple!/id380858627?mt=8

~t

dmilinovichiii

It's possible to be both creative and simple. Try to come up with a few types of games you don't see much on the App Store. Then pick the one that is easiest to make with GS and make it more original.

svn

I am building my first actual game with GS. It's your basic Tiki-Totems like-game. You know, unlikely to reach the charts but a good first project to acclimatize to GameSalad.

David_GryphonsRealm

I'm Doing my first game as well. It's gonna be a simple runner game. But I think it'll have some good qualities. Simple yet fun and addicting has been my experience with it so far !!