Sutd Game Lab's prototyping tips

We are Phaedra, Wong Yi & Jun Xuan, Game Developers

We make award-winning, innovative games

We conduct training through our Game Innovation Programme and

workshops

About Us

What’s in a Game?

Goals

What do I do to win?

Rules

What CAN I do? What CAN’T I do?

Interaction

How do I play? (Controls, Interaction with players and game itself)

Challenge

What makes this tough / fun?(Other players? Elements within the game?)

Jump!

Smash!

(Don’t

Die!)

Mechanic (Rules + Interaction)

VERB NOUN+ = Game Idea!

Run

Climb

Navigate

Build

Trade

Scheme

Fall

Fish

Chair

Chess

Bun

City

The Magic Word Bag

VERB NOUN

Game Ideas!

???

???

???

???

???

???

The Magic Word Bag

- Mockup of your intended

experience.

- Find out: “Is it fun?”

- NEED NOT BE full game!

What is a Paper Prototype?

Examples!

- Tests theories early

- Unifies vision

- Saves time and money

Why Paper Prototype?

wow.

So fast, much testing

Start Making!

- Craft the rules!

- The moment you have

something playable, PLAY IT

- What works?

- Goals

- Rules

- Interaction

- Challenge

- Let’s play each

other’s games!

- Get feedback

- Any questions?

Playtesting

- Never too early

- Feedback is never “wrong”

- Observe without influencing

- Contextualise

- Evaluation tool:

JamToday Game Scope(available on Google Play & App Store)

Evaluate The Potential of Your Prototype

Digital Prototyping Tips

Can’t wait to start coding!

But wait!

How do we know

if a mechanic

works?

How do we test it?

What can we use

to iterate quickly?

What can we use?

Anything you’re most comfortable with, that serves the purpose

Examples:

Storyboarding or Wireframing software

Game creation software (with good flexibility

vs learning curve)

Microsoft Excel

Marvel https://marvelapp.com/

Balsamiq https://balsamiq.com/

GameSalad

For Windows/Mac

Makes HTML5 & mobile games

Low learning curve

Drag and drop interface

Specify logic via UI (no syntax to

learn)

Ready-made tutorials available

Makes asynchronous multiplayer games

Construct 2

For Windows

Makes HTML5 games

Low learning curve

Drag and drop interface

Specify logic via UI (no syntax to

learn)

Can make real-time multiplayer games

Possible to collaborate on a project (tutorial with SVN available)

GameLooper

For Windows/Mac

Mobile Games

Low learning curve

Drag and drop interface

Specify logic via UI (no syntax to

learn)

Gamified tutorial

Play the games directly on your mobile through Dropbox

Game Maker Studio

For Windows

Multiplatform, but free version

publishes only to Windows

Medium learning curve

Specify logic via UI, or learn to script directly

Can make real-time multiplayer games

Possible to collaborate on a project (SVN, Git, Mercurial recommended)

What about art and audio?

Super place for resources:http://www.pixelprospector.com/Need inspiration?http://orteil.dashnet.org/gamegenhttp://gamemechanicexplorer.com/More info on rapid game prototypinghttp://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/HermanTulleken/20140119/208901/Ra

pid_Game_Prototyping_Tips_for_Programmers.php

Tips when rapid prototyping

Note your assumptions, then test them

Speed is of the essence

Don’t reinvent the wheel

Don’t be attached to either mechanic or code

Stand on the shoulders of giants… by Googling