Everything you need to know about game design_Part 2

Game design is a fascinating world in which our favorite video games are born. And those who create games are called game designers. We can say that game designers are the wizards of our time, who create magical worlds in which we can travel, fight, explore and have fun with our friends.

What is game design

Game design (also game design concept) - the process of creating the form and content of the game process (gameplay) of the game being developed.

Work with gamdizayn can occur both through the appropriate document (design document is a so-called document in which a detailed description of the developed computer game is prescribed), and exist only in the minds of game developers.

The direction of gamedesign determines: the set of possible options from which the player can choose during the game; the conditions of victory and defeat; how the player controls what happens in the game; how interacts with the game world; the complexity of the game, etc.

Stages of game development

Game design development can be divided into several major stages:

1. Design

• Purpose: (idea, genre, setting)
• Means: (program code, game engine)
  

2. Creativity

• Game mechanics: (objects, controls, physics engine, AI)
• Levels: (object placement (level design))
  
• Graphics: (artwork, 2D, 3D models, animations, backgrounds, special effects, screen and menu design)
  
• Plot: (scripts, events, dialog, narration, video inserts)
  
• Sound: (sound effects, music, voiceovers)
  

3. Publishing

• Polishing: (material consolidation (alpha version), bug fixing (beta version))
• Sales: (advertising, localization, sales system)
  
• Support: (release of patches, release of add-ons)
  

In this article, we will look at the third stage in detail. Read about the first two here.

3. Edition

Grind

An example of what bugs look like in the game. Game - Assassin's creed

Making a great game is like putting together a big puzzle. Many different people work on different pieces of this puzzle: draw pictures, record sounds, create 3D models and many other things.

And then, when all the pieces are ready, it's time to put them together. Special programs help to combine all these pieces into one big and complex game. This is how the game becomes whole and ready for the players.

Putting the pieces together (alpha version)

When a game is made, it first looks like a big puzzle, and the pieces of that puzzle are put together bit by bit. Until all the pieces fit into place, the game is called the alpha version. When this happens, you can start checking out individual levels and things in the game.

At this stage, you can even make a small part of the game so people can see what it will look like and start to get interested in the project.

Bug fixing (beta version)

When the game is fully assembled, the only thing left to do is to fix the resulting bugs (bugs). They appear in any case, as the game is a system with a complex structure.

Testers search for bugs in the game.

3. Edition

Advertising

Before people know about your game and can buy it, you need to tell everyone that such a game exists. Of course, someone might accidentally buy the game without knowing about it beforehand, but the chances of that are small.

Therefore, it is much smarter to tell as many people as possible about your game. This can be done through advertising in stores with computer games or on internet sites. This way more people will know about your game and may buy it.

A truck suspended on a "web" and a "symbiote" appeared in Sydney - it was installed in honor of the release of Marvel's Spider-Man 2.

Localization

Released the game in the native Russian language? Prepare for the fact that the audience of potential players will consist of only a few countries, and the profit will be meager.

Releasing a game in English is much more profitable - its text will be understood by the majority of players around the world, these players will be much more solvent, and therefore the profit will be much higher.

Support

Creating a game and selling it is not the end of the life cycle of a game project. When the game is already at the end users, the players may still need your help. Large companies even have entire technical support departments that deal with such issues.

Patch release

Before the game is made available to everyone, it is tested to fix the most obvious bugs. But that doesn't mean there aren't unforeseen bugs in the game.

Sometimes, when a lot of people start playing, they may find small bugs that no one realized were there. It could be problems with different equipment or things that players do in the game that the creators of the game didn't think of.

That's why sometimes special fixes called "patches" have to be made after a game is released. This is normal because games are often improved after they are released.

Releasing add-ons

If your game is interesting and has no major bugs, it's like getting a "green light" for creativity. If players really like your game, it means you can create more things for it, such as add-ons or new parts of the game. You can develop the story in the game further, make it even more interesting and create a world where new adventures will take place.

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How to become a game designer

1. Study games.
2. Get an education in game design or related fields.
   
3. Create your own games.
   
4. Learn the basics of programming.
   
5. Work in a team.
   
6. Analyze games.
   
7. Meet professionals.
   
8. Build a portfolio.
   
9. Keep learning.
   
10. Be persistent and persevere.
    

Inspiration from successful projects

The best examples of game design

The Last of Us

"The Last of Us" is a video game developed by Naughty Dog Studios and released in 2013. It is a mixture of action and adventure genres with survival elements. The game is set in a post-apocalyptic world that has been struck by an infection that has turned most of the population into aggressive mutants.

Players follow the characters Joel and Ellie, who are trying to survive and find a safe haven. The focus is on the story and the relationships between the characters. "The Last of Us" has received high marks for its story, gameplay and visuals and it has become one of the most celebrated games in the industry.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

"The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" is an open-world role-playing game developed by CD Projekt Red studio and released in 2015. It is based on Andrzej Sapkowski's book series about the Witcher Heralt of Rivia.

Players control Geralt, a professional monster hunter, and explore a vast open world, completing a variety of quests, fighting monsters and making important decisions that affect the course of the story. The main goal is to find Geralt's daughter, Ciri, and fight the mysterious Reaper.

The game received high marks for its deep story, colorful world, quality gameplay and characters. "The Witcher 3" has become one of the most popular and influential RPGs in the industry.

Red Dead Redemption II

"Red Dead Redemption II" is a video game developed by Rockstar Games and released in 2018. It is an open-world adventure game that is a prequel to "Red Dead Redemption".

The game is set in 1899 and follows the Van Der Linde gang led by Arthur Morgan. Players explore the wild west setting, fight bandits and infiltrators, hunt, engage in various activities and make decisions that affect the course of the story.

The game has received high marks for its cinematic story, gorgeous open world and detail, and character personalities. "Red Dead Redemption II" has become one of the most impressive and popular open-world and western-themed games.

Interested in design but find it difficult to take your first steps? Watch easy-to-understand video lessons, carefully filmed by CODDY teachers.