Game Design for Game Developers by Iain Lobb

@iainlobb  

Zwok  

Meta4orce  

Stackopolis  

Pop  Pirates  

Owl  Spin  

Dull  Dude  Games  

Super  Gun  Kids  

Addic>ng  Game  Design  

Addic>ve  Game  Design  

I  hope  I’m  right!  

Without  good  game  design  you  are  

guaranteed  to  fail.  

Tailor  your  game  to  the  market.  

Play  test  your  game  on  people  other  than  your  

friends.    

Don’t  ignore  feedback.  

Don’t  clone.  

Recombine  popular  game  mechanics.  

Nobody  reads.  

Make  learning  the  rules  into  part  of  the  game.  

Games  should  get  easier  as  they  go,  not  harder.  

Flight  (Armor  Games)  

Humans  are  hunter-­‐gatherers.  Let  the  player  collect  coins,  power-­‐ups  

and  keys.  

Items  and  upgrades  turn  a  skill  game  into  a  

strategy  game.    

Whatever  you  do,  put  a  shop  in  your  game!  

Deep  game  play  is  based  on  decision  making,  not  

manual  dexterity.  

Let  the  player  know  what  they  can  get  if  they  keep  

playing.  

Randomise  rewards.  

Saving  the  player’s  progress  increases  their  investment  in  your  

game.  

The  new  genera>on  of  gamers  have  never  

played  games  that  don’t  save  their  progress.  

Don’t  make  players  repeat  large  sec>ons  of  

game  play.  

Auto-­‐save  all  the  >me.  

Build  your  own  achievements  system.  

Tell  the  story  with  voice  ac>ng  and  game  play.  

Sissy’s  Magical  Ponycorn  Adventure  (Untold  Entertainment)  

Meta4orce  

2.5  dimensions  is  enough  for  anybody.  

Create  living  worlds  to  explore,  not  empty  voids.  

Take  the  player  on  a  journey.  

Li[le  Wheel  (One  Click  Dog)  

Puzzles  should  make  the  player  feel  clever,  not  

stupid.  

The  wrong  theme  will  kill  your  game  before  you’ve  

even  started.  

Cute  characters,  animals  and  friendly  monsters  

have  broader  appeal  than  space  marines.  

...but  consider  your  audience.  

Remember  what  you  liked  when  you  were  8  years  old.  

Keep  the  guns  but  lose  the  gore.  

Good  characters  are  recognisable  from  their  

silhoue[es.  

Good  characters  are  recognisable  from  their  

colour  scheme.  

It’s  easier  to  iden>fy  with  a  simple  character.  

To  iden>fy  with  a  character,  we  need  to  see  their  face.  

Even  viewed  from  the  side,  characters  should  face  the  

camera.  

Characters  with  big  heads  are  more  expressive.  

Use  a  Zelda-­‐like  perspec>ve  rather  than  a  true  top-­‐down  view.  

The  same  idea  can  be  a  hit  or  a  flop  depending  

on  how  well  you  implement  it.  

Don’t  invent  your  own  control  scheme.  

Polish  like  crazy!