Barry Santos
Web Developer, Software Engineer, and Project Manager in London
Game design is an art form, and we often grow professionally when we challenge ourselves. Some are fortunate enough to design professionally. Others design games as part of their education or for their own pleasure (and hope of recognition).
What is game design
Game design is the process of creating game content and rules. Good game design is the process of creating goals that the player will want to achieve and the rules that the player will follow in making meaningful decisions towards achieving those goals.
Don't forget about the player
Good game design focuses on the player. This means that above all else, the player and his desires are taken into account. Rather than directing the player's actions through rules, good game design motivates the player to move in a designer-specific direction. Challenging the players to get to the opposite edge of the playing field or level up is only part of the task. If they don't have a reason or desire for this action, the game will become torture.
In the process of creating a game, designers try to see the project through the eyes of the player:
- What is this game?
- How do I play?
- How do I win?
- Why do I want to play?
- What do I need to do in the game?
Meaningful choice
At its core, game design is the process of creating opportunities for the player to make meaningful choices that will affect the outcome of the game. Think of the game as a boxing match. A huge number of decisions lie on the way to the final victory. How long should I train? Block or dodge? What will my opponent do now? Where is his weak point? Hit with the left or right? These few simple questions don't even come close to the billion decisions an athlete makes during a match.
In terms of thinking, games are somewhat similar. Games like Tetris and Chess keep your mind busy, forcing you to figure out the next possible steps. We know that by making them, we can both continue the game and lose with a defeat. Games like The Sims or the Sid Meyer's Civilization series force the player to make dozens of decisions per minute. Only a small part of these decisions are straightforward like "Go east or west?", But every decision, no matter how small, affects the gameplay.
For the development of the game environment design, contact here https://kevurugames.com/game-art/game-environment-design/