13 replies to this topic

[rekaru]

Okay, so this topic is to give your own gamemaking tips to newbies and just in general for everyone to remember when they're writing stories for their games or just developing games themselves.. They don't have to be long and detailed tips either, just enough info to get your point across.

Game Design Tip #1: Symbolism
Symbolism if executed well enough can be a really good thing that adds depth to your game. However, the purpose of symbolism to help further emphasize the game's theme better, well at least that's what I use symbolism for. Don't add symbolism just to make your game "deeper", because in the end it will make your game look like rubbish if used for this purpose.

Game Design Tip #2: Organize!
This might sound like an obvious thing to do, but if you really want to make things easy on yourself than organize all of your storyline and game concepts into different word documents. Organization is your best friend. Heck, if you can draw your concepts then by all means go ahead. Just organize.

Game Design Tip #3: Plan Out Ahead
Don't, don't, please don't make up the story as you go along. There's a high possibility that it will lead to plot holes plus you the creator will be dissatisfied with your own work. If you plan the story out ahead of time, you always have time to make adjustments and additions. Most of the time, making up the story as you go along will make your game seem really rushed and newbish. Sure you don't have to plan everything out, but at least get a basic outline of what's going on.

Game Design Tip #4: Develop
You should really have a good idea about the world you are creating and all of the environment within a game. I mean, you did create it so why not develop it further? It will help you get a better idea of how everything works, including the character's personalities, which will definitely come in handy when creating dialogue or just designing the game. It's always a benefit.

Game Design Tip #5: Make the game for yourself
What I mean by this is that you should make the game to please yourself, not others. Now, I'm not saying create something completely obscure, but make something that you find interesting and that you like. If the game becomes a chore, then abandon the project. Game making is for fun for yourself, so don't worry if you're worried that you might displease others if you decide to quit your game. And hey, if you decide to pick it back up again years later, than by all means go ahead. Furthermore, don't settle, always strive for perfection in your game until you are pleased.

Game Design Tip #6: Don't bite more than you can chew
Just as it says, don't promise us a million features if you can't deliver them all to us. Make sure you know your own limits before you promise us anything at all, because all the promises in the world won't make your game any better if you can't deliver them to us.

Game Design Tip #7: Tinting and Atmosphere
To set the atmosphere for a certain scene, it would be wise to tint the screen appropriately. That doesn't mean blast the screen a deep red when somebody is mad, just tint the screen subtly to correspond with a certain environment. For example, a graveyard could use a blue tint to it. Don't use tinting to correspond with characters, use it to correspond with the environment to help add to the already established atmosphere.

Game Design Tip #8: Screen Shot Capturing
There are many ways to take screen shots of your game, however if you plan to do a lot of screen shots I recommend you use an image program that has a feature for capturing screen shots in it, because the "Print Screen" just won't cut it. My program of choice is Irfanview, because if you can set it to one button and set it to one folder, then all you need to do is press whatever button you set to capture screen shots (I use F2) and it will automatically capture it and send it to the designated folder. No hassle, no MS Paint pasting required at all either. Just press the button.

Okay, that's all for now. It's up to the rest of you to contribute your own ideas. Here are some suggestions, a good portion of it thought of by Cyberian, of what you should focus on:

• Creativity
• Coding
• RPG Maker
• Spriting
• Composing
• Style
• Gameplay
• Atmosphere
• Feel
• Design
• Motivation
• Characters
• Concepts
• Story Writing

Okay, have fun. Happy writing. =)

[Amethyst]

Spriting

Game Design Tip#9: GraphicsGale is your friend. Use it.
Download link. The program is in English, though the screen-shots it shows aren't. It's completely free, a massive step up from paint. I use it for pretty much everything, and I have GIMP, Photoshop, Paintshop, and lots of other stuff I can use. The customizable grids are lifesavers when spriting sets- no more tiling patterns in the background. It can do Batch Conversions of images to 256 color depth, or convert a single image neatly and instantly (photoshop works better for conversions but gale is much quicker and straight forward). Recoloring sprites and face sets can be done in a matter of minutes. It also has some decent and useful low-budget fills, such as blur, noise, and buttonize. It takes little getting used to and should basically be used by everyone.

Game Design Tip#10: Edit images in 24 Color mode
Because 256 colors will produce some pretty ugly stuff, especially in paint. Switching between color depths takes about two seconds using Gale, and you can have any combination of 256 colors in the image you want (something saving it in 256 with Paint won't let you do that). Allow me to demonstrate the difference:

The image on the left, 256itized by paint has distorted the hue of most colors. The image on the right is much more vivid and smooth. On the left, the green is more emphasized, which creates some awkward pixels. The consistency of the robe on the right is not apparent on the left. The shading in the face is also less apparent on the left, and he is paler. This is because paint has a pre-programed template of colors to use for 256, and will if used much, result in an off-color game.


Game Design Tip#11: Always save images as PNGs
Or, rather, the main point is NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER save something that you plan to use in RM as a JPG. EVER. The filesize may be much smaller, but not only can RM not load JPGs, the image will become distorted- not good with sprites and tiles. BMPs, on the other hand, RM will convert to PNGs, thank goodness. However, they take up ALOT more space than PNGs. Besides that, the two are virtually identical. Paint will, however, only allow you to change the color depth of a bmp. Gale makes no difference.


Game Design Tip#12: Transparency in Gale
When you are modifying an image through use of the selection tool in Gale, you will get splotches of background color where you have moved or cut from. Usually white or black, these can get tedious to continually click the fill tool with the background color to replace. Save yourself the trouble- first go to the File Menu > Preferences. Then click the background color and select your background. Close the Preferences window. Then in your layers mini-window (which should probably be docked, find the layer your image is on, and click the ... Button. Turn transparency on, and select your background color- voila! No more background maintenance.


Game Design Tip#13: Docking in Gale
Docking is a good way to keep your screen tidy from all those mini windows. To dock, just grab the mini-window and throw it over to the side. It'll stick there and a toolbar will be created for it. I ussually keep my screen like this: Image Link

Game Design Tip#14 Customizable Grids in Gale
By clicking the White Grid icon in Gale, you will see a drop down list of customizable grids. Use these as guidelines for where tiles and frames start and end. No more messy background tiling. Here are a few dimensions to get you started:
Character Sets- Image: 288x256 Sprite: 72x128 Frame: 24x32
Battle Animations- Image: 480x480 Frame: 96x96
Face Sets- Image: 192x192 Face: 48x48
Tile Sets- Image: 480x256 Tile: 16x16 Lower-layer adjusting tiles: 48x64
RM screen size (a panorama or picture of this size will fill 20x15 tiles)- 320x240

Game Design Tip#15: Make your own Chipsets
But that doesn't necessarily mean make your own Chips. Take Chips you'll use in a certain area from other sets, and make your own chipset from them. Very nice indeed, and can create some damn useful chips that aren't out there. The exception is, if the styles of the tiles totally crash. Then, find something that matches better. Usually anything from the same artists will work well together.

Game Design Tip#16: Recoloring in Gale
Recoloring in Gale is super easy, especially in 256 mode.
You have two options, you can use the 'select by color tool' to do it manually that way, or you can quickly convert the image to 256 colors.
In that mode, you can click the colors in the palette and modify them with the color tools below them, and it will change any instances of that color in the image instantly. You can also select a color for the palette by right clicking it in the image with any non-selection tool.

Design

Game Design Tip#17: Know what you want
Have a VERY clear idea before you even start gathering resources of what you want from a scene or area. The follow up to this is don't settle for less than what you want. Once you know what you're looking for, prowl the web for it. If you can't find it, get the next best thing, or edit something close to it. Don't change your game based on what's available to you, though, whatever happens.

Game Design Tip#18: How do you feel?
Think how you want your player to feel about a certain area. What impression should they get from seeing it? What mood should the music set? Use aspects of style and atmosphere to awe the player. If it's somewhere mystical and dark, take a leaf out of Zelda's book- have an overlying dynamic picture with glowing particles floating around the area, or maybe if it's in the middle of the battle field, have a parallel event that randomizes explosions, sword noises, etc, so they feel like they're constantly under threat.


Style

Game Design Tip#19: Consistency

One problem with many RM games is... They have no style. They take whatever graphics they can find and throw them together. Instead, repeatedly use the same chips in each area, modifying them for new purposes. It makes the game seem more developed, less cookie-cutter, and more like it's an original creation, not what someone did with a common pool of resources and mixed it up a little. The same can be true with music. It's quite easy to change the instrumentation of midis in Anvil Studio. Perhaps you should think of a theme of sounds to use for your game, changing songs to those instruments- for instance, echoing sounds, or strings, or more synth and electronic effects.

Game Design Tip#20: Consistency the second
If a player can examine a window at one point in the game, they're logically going to expect they can examine windows at other points of the game. Without consistency like this, the game will soon become very unprofessional.

Game Design Tip#21: Don't bite off more than you can chew, the second
To add on to the above tip, if you feel like making a completely interactive environment at the beginning, where the player can examine pretty much anything, stop and think how you're going to have to do that through the whole game before you even start.


Sigh, that's all for now. Can't think of anything else, but I had a lot more when I started. Sorry. >.<

[rekaru]

Game Design Tip #22: Label Coding
A lot of times when you make this giant event with a lot of complex coding, or even a custom battle system, the first thing you want to do is label. Make a 'comment' and explain exactly what that event is doing. That way, when you refer back to your coding, you'll have everything right there. You won't need to remember anything, because heck, you'll probably forget half the stuff in there if you don't label it. Labeling is important in case that event clashes with another, or something to that effect, you could always go back and fix it. Remember, to 'label' your coding, use the 'Insert Comment' feature in the Command Menu, not the 'Label' command. That is something completely different.

Sorry, wasn't that inspired to create more.

Edit: Thanks Cy.

[Amethyst]

You may want to rephrase something there so people don't get confused about labels, since they're also a command of their own.

[kspr]

i definetely have to disagree with tip# 6. if you make grandiose plans, you will have to find a way to bring them to fruition. there is a difference though between plans and promises. promises are out there in the open, and plans are only in your notebooks. you always have to try to raise the ceiling when you develop because that is how you come up with new and different things, and ways of doing them. if you dont set insanely high standards and goals for your production, then it will be really obvious that you didnt put your heart into it. making games is an artform, and it shouldnt be something you just do without purpose.

[E.Nigma]

Well, as number 6 says, dont "PROMISE" anything. You can plan anything that you want, but if you cant master it and make it work, then that number 6 is saying is basically, dont tell everyone that your game will have this and this when in the end, it wont.

[kspr]

i know that, but the way i understood number six, it says to me that you shouldnt set high standards for yourself.

Make sure you know your own limits

NO! push your limits, and advertise what you have AFTER YOU HAVE IT!

[dhm]

Game Design Tip #23: Your Audience's Attention Span
Your audience does not have the same perseverance as you do when it comes to playing your project. That said, here are a few tips to keep your players from saying "f this!", alt+f4'ing, and tossing your project in the recycle bin.

• Gradually introduce your story. There's no need to fire off dozens of names and a massive timeline of events within the first few minutes. It can wait. Toss them into some action instead.
• Keep the text and walk speed appropriately fast.
• Avoid game overs whenever possible. It's lazy design logic. The better solution is to give the player an option to retry, or possibly skip the scenario if they can't do it. Nothing is more discouraging than getting a game over and the reason they exist is because it's more work to do something else. I promise it's worth it though.

Edit: holy crap what is this I don't even.

Sorry, necro'd.

[Stars]

We don't mind necro-posting (or resurrection, if you prefer =p) when someone has something worthwhile to say.

[kspr]

/>[*]Avoid game overs whenever possible. It's lazy design logic. The better solution is to give the player an option to retry, or possibly skip the scenario if they can't do it. Nothing is more discouraging than getting a game over and the reason they exist is because it's more work to do something else. I promise it's worth it though.
[/list]

How so? Aside from dying in battle?

[dhm]

/>

[*]Avoid game overs whenever possible. It's lazy design logic. The better solution is to give the player an option to retry, or possibly skip the scenario if they can't do it. Nothing is more discouraging than getting a game over and the reason they exist is because it's more work to do something else. I promise it's worth it though.
[/list]

How so? Aside from dying in battle?

In 2003 at least you can call a common event when your party wipes out. I'm not sure how newer makers handle it, and if you aren't using a maker you shouldn't have such a restriction.

In the quest to remove gameovers, here's what I've come up with.

Lose a minigame, give the option to retry.
Lose a minigame 5-10 times, give the option to skip.
Win the minigame, get a prize (not gamebreakingly overpowered, of course, but some small reward for not skipping out).

For random encounters, you can give the option to retry the battle, a la FF:Mystic Quest. I might actually give this a try in the CBS... Otherwise, even simpler you can just take the player back to the field with a small percentage of money gone or something. (Better than losing all your progress!)

I don't like game overs, so I try to avoid my audience from encountering them. Unless, of course, you play on Expert Mode.

[Nanaki]

/>Avoid game overs whenever possible. It's lazy design logic. The better solution is to give the player an option to retry, or possibly skip the scenario if they can't do it. Nothing is more discouraging than getting a game over and the reason they exist is because it's more work to do something else. I promise it's worth it though.

Yep, agreed. Sounds like the LucasArts Game Philosophy. I play these things for fun. Why should it be painful?

[kspr]

because when you can just skip it, your game goes from final fantasy to barney's hide and find. if you suck at a minigame, have it change the story if you fail too much. if it's something that results as a consequence of an advancing story, then it should have a negative effect if you fail. otherwise it should be entirely skippable. if you're going to go by philosophy, and the amazon page you linked to doesn't load, then check out the winston rowntree style

and actually, stories that advance through forced minigames are just a bad idea in general.

Well some video games are like tossing cards: sports games, fighting games, racing games. The fun is in repeating and practicing them. But other mission-based games are like having sex. There's a specific progression and goal in mind, and repetitive interruption only ruins the mood.

source: The 7 Commandments All Video Games Should Obey | Cracked.com http://www.cracked.c...l#ixzz1Kgftl51S

[dhm]

/>because when you can just skip it, your game goes from final fantasy to barney's hide and find. if you suck at a minigame, have it change the story if you fail too much. if it's something that results as a consequence of an advancing story, then it should have a negative effect if you fail. otherwise it should be entirely skippable. if you're going to go by philosophy, and the amazon page you linked to doesn't load, then check out the winston rowntree style

and actually, stories that advance through forced minigames are just a bad idea in general.

Well some video games are like tossing cards: sports games, fighting games, racing games. The fun is in repeating and practicing them. But other mission-based games are like having sex. There's a specific progression and goal in mind, and repetitive interruption only ruins the mood.

source: The 7 Commandments All Video Games Should Obey | Cracked.com http://www.cracked.c...l#ixzz1Kgftl51S

Well, I agree there should be a challenge, but since every player has a different skill level you want to accommodate all skill levels you can (if you are trying to broaden your audience to get more players).

I don't think it's good to say "Hey, there's a minigame coming up, do you want to skip it?"

That's a little lame. So I let them try it once. If they lose, they get to start over (if it's possible to do some sort of checkpoint I'd include it as well). If they lose a few times, you can assume they might be having trouble with it and say "Hey, do you want to skip this?"

So they get the choice, but only because you don't want to punish them to the point where they can't progress.

The longer people play your game, the more they'll be able to enjoy it, I think.