Game Development Steps

davidsalomon

Hello, I'm new to making App Games, but I've been going around reading and viewing many videos and I've done a couple of things.
The purpose of this topic is to ask you experienced guys, what steps do you do to create a complete-functional game? I'm creating a platformer game by the way.
For example:
1) Describe in paper the game's topic and plot.
2) Sketch the actors and landscapes in paper.
3) Create all the actors in a design package such as Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop. Also create the actors' animation designs, just like Platformer template.
4) Once all the actors are done, start using GameSalad and program the game.

I don't know if these are the steps you take to make the game in a very effective way. I guess that if I just design the player and start programing, I'll realize I'm missing the monsters so I'd have to design the monsters and then continue programing. Is it better to take those steps? Sketch in pen & paper, design and finally program?
What do you do?

steve86

Hey David where are you from?

davidsalomon

I'm from Monterrey, Mexico, steve86.
Currently I'm studying Mechatronics Engineering in college, which has nothing to do with App or gaming development but the product development and production. Anyways, I like using my free time and as a hobby in research and investigating about software and app development, specifically games, and specially for Apple products.
I also like visuals (design) so I use some time to draw and do things in Adobe Illustrator. Later you'll see my creations .

Back to topic, anyone?

steve86

Can you tell me your email, I want to talk to you about something.

davidsalomon

steve86 said:
Can you tell me your email, I want to talk to you about something.

I sent you a message, but first we can talk through PM's before providing emails

Can any of you share your steps?

old_kipper

There are no strict rules and I find that playing with game mechanics plays a large part of things. I may have an idea, but that idea varies in how fully formed it is, and this is where playing with mechanics comes in. How does it 'feel'? Does look right? Sometimes it takes some real animation and art in the mechanic to know if it's working so I make some sample art to try it. Once I have built this feasibility and feel test' I go with it/think on/drop it. Then it's planning perhaps a level. This will be what I call dirty coded. By this I mean I build up all the elements to get it working but not elegantly. Then it's time for test and a design analysis. This test level will be where I really test play and by the time it's right I will know what systems need to be put in place that will be used by the whole game and what elements can be designed so they can be tweaked simply at a global level to vary or ramp things across the game with a single or pair of variables. An example of this would be to have speed of enemy objects reference 2 game attribute numbers plus perhaps their game scene number, and by using these numbers in a variable allow difficulty across the whole game be ramped with adjustment of the two game attribute numbers. I also find that this is the place to develop the art work and scale for the art. Ive just done a game that took 2 weeks just to move simple elements around for one screen, while play testing it to see if it worked. I had to steal pixels from actors to get all the actors spaced so it worked.. Slow I know but the result looks very simple and people get it. And it might be well to address sound and music at this point.

So once the systems are worked out it's time for some serious planning, and then building a master level and score system and allowance for pause or whatever. This design is best worked out on paper and then implimented when using my brain as I forget things and to see a structure on paper I find really helps.

Once you have a master level you can copy or actors that will work to build up levels easily you can get stuck it with level building if your game calls for that. Some don't. Some don't in an obvious way but do have to have a levelling up system within a single scene. Others use mechanic that don't need it.

So not sure if that helps. I see tsb is about release a start to finish video. This might well be useful. I also suggest you not only watch as many of the cookbook videos as you can stand but you mix this with research, reading, and lots of playing about. The 'another castle' podcast is fab and there are more indie dev podcasts out there. There is no right or wrong about the dev path, but it's worth bearing in mind that in the end it absolutely is about entertainment and engagement. And there are no rules... Just smiles and fails.

BlueFanStudios

There is no point in putting hours upon hours of effort into graphics if the game isnt fun.

Make the game in gamesalad first, even if you use circles and squares to get everything in place and then make sure the game is FUN! if the game cant be enjoyable with just circles and squares then no amount of graphics is going to sell the game.

old_kipper

BlueFanStudios said:
There is no point in putting hours upon hours of effort into graphics if the game isnt fun.

Make the game in gamesalad first, even if you use circles and squares to get everything in place and then make sure the game is FUN! if the game cant be enjoyable with just circles and squares then no amount of graphics is going to sell the game.

I agree with you in most respects but do think that art has to be developed to fit the game, and can influence the design of game play and mechanics- the frame rate, size of actor, memory overhead of number of frames, even reactions in the animation impacting timing, clarity of interface and ergonomics have effect. Trialling graphics is all part of the process but is often the approach is 'bolt on'.

There is also a continuum of importance of graphics to the build within different genres. If I was working on a point and click, or hidden object I would certainly make sure I had a working art style before I built a test/prototype, while at the other end of the scale, a mechanics driven game would need to be tight on the mechanics first to ensure a fun game.

BlueFanStudios

old_kipper said:
I agree with you in most respects but do think that art has to be developed to fit the game, and can influence the design of game play and mechanics- the frame rate, size of actor, memory overhead of number of frames, even reactions in the animation impacting timing, clarity of interface and ergonomics have effect. Trialling graphics is all part of the process but is often the approach is 'bolt on'.

There is also a continuum of importance of graphics to the build within different genres. If I was working on a point and click, or hidden object I would certainly make sure I had a working art style before I built a test/prototype, while at the other end of the scale, a mechanics driven game would need to be tight on the mechanics first to ensure a fun game.

I would develop some concept art, not ALL the art. Otherwise you might drop a whole chunk of it because it just wont work in the game and you will later drop. Unfortunatly when you put so much time and effort into one particular part of something you are less likly to drop it.

davidsalomon

Thank you very much guys, both have said true things!
I guess I'll be creating some dirty coded actors just to be working in the mechanics of the game and see if everything works fine, and then I'll make it elegant and professional as old_kipper has said .

Thank you very much!