Game Design is the practice of creating and balancing systems and the mechanics which the player uses to affect those systems. This is not to be used for programming questions about the "design" of features, engines, etc.
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1answer
1k views
2.5D Game Engines/Libraries - Which are the most popular and stable?
Like many other developers, I have experience with many programming languages. I've worked with C++, Java, JavaScript (+ HTML5 Canvas), etc. The question thing that I've found very difficult to ...
5
votes
6answers
355 views
Low dexterity game development
I am tasked with developing a game for kids with low dexterity (as a college project).
I am stuck trying to find examples of similar games to generate ideas about game play and overall function. The ...
2
votes
3answers
583 views
RPG combat and gold/exp reward equations
I have a game that I'm creating, but I'm running across issues in keeping the ratios between high and low level players similar in the battle and reward equations. Obviously a higher level player ...
10
votes
3answers
455 views
Practical balance of “chance” video game mechanics
I've been a small games developer and designer for years, and I've recently begun working on more serious design documents for bigger projects.
A common theme I'm running in to is imbalance when it ...
1
vote
3answers
198 views
Player's feeling towards stage selection in a platform game
In a 2D platform game with RPG elements (not that it matters much), there's three ways, among others, for the player to choose the next stage he will play:
He can only play the next stage and the ...
3
votes
1answer
171 views
Best way to design a negotiation deal?
I'm currently coding a heavily text-based RPG game which requires you to do deals with characters or suppliers in the game, sometimes the deals are good/bad.
Currently the way I'm doing it is that, ...
4
votes
4answers
488 views
Game loop alternatives for efficiency
Understand where I'm coming from - I've been taught that a game is implemented something like this (pseudocode):
while (!win_condition)
{
waitforinput();
updategraphics();
//etc..
}
exit();
...
4
votes
1answer
140 views
How to balance damage dealt by opponents in a strategy game?
Consider the following situation: you are developing a RTS, with different races opposing each other, with different kinds of abilities (e.g. Starcraft). How should I go about in balancing the damage, ...
0
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0answers
43 views
Platform for arcade revival development? [closed]
I'm trying to remake some games with the classic arcade style (on mobile , no vector) : one screen , using 256 x 224 pixels in midi sounds and color tables .
Then I'm searching for a platform to ...
0
votes
1answer
168 views
Handling Latency in Multiplayer Shoot-em-ups
I had an idea for an architecture, and I was wondering if anyone has implemented something like this or has used AWS or some other service to help?
I thought about using NodeJS + SocketIO to handle ...
3
votes
1answer
619 views
Best way to implement achievement system?
I'm currently trying to implement achievement system for my game. However, I can't find a better way to realize some complex ones like: The player has collected x coins, complete level with time least ...
1
vote
0answers
35 views
player cannot see up and down in the dialog mode in VBS2 VTK
I'm developing scenario in vbs2 vtk. In my scenario I need to use dialog mode for satisfying some requirements. I've successfully created dialog and I need movement in the dialog so that is also done. ...
1
vote
1answer
188 views
Collection of Simple Children's Game Mechanics
Context:
I've tried Googling / searching on Amazon for books on this, but I end up get all types of resources on "How to Gamify XYZ" rather than the mechanics of simple games.
I'm trying to build a ...
4
votes
1answer
421 views
Character progression through leveling, skills or items?
I'm working on a design for an RPG game, and I'm having some doubts about the skill and level system. I'm going for a more casual, explorative gaming experience and so thought about lowering the game ...
4
votes
2answers
207 views
How to do simultaneous action without it being real time?
This is really a pacing question, but there's no tag for that:
The general concept is that the players are working in a team and need to be able to react to eachother's movement and observations as ...
14
votes
5answers
667 views
I have an “amoeba” game mechanic. Any idea on how to implement it?
Outside of a tetris clone, a crappy 2D top-down shooter, and some messing around with stuff like Unity and Flixel, I realize that I have yet to complete a single, polished, bells-and-whistles game. I ...
5
votes
2answers
2k views
Realtime multi-player game design principles for Node.js
I've been reading the Valve article on multi-player networking which has been adapted from Yahn Bernier's 2001 paper called Latency Compensating Methods in Client/Server In-game Protocol Design and ...
-3
votes
1answer
243 views
Is there a market for a Text-based empire-building game? [closed]
I am working on building a text-based in-browser empire building game. The screen will be split into a console and an EXTREMELY rough vector map of your empire (just squares in a bigger square). ...
0
votes
2answers
373 views
Design Pattern for Social Game Mission Mechanics
When we want to design a mission sub-system like in the The Ville or Sims Social, what kind of design pattern / idea would fit the best? There may be relation between missions (first do this then this ...
0
votes
2answers
1k views
Breakout ball collision detection, bouncing against the walls
I'm currently trying to program a breakout game to distribute it as an example game for my own game engine. http://game-engine-for-java.googlecode.com/
But the problem here is that I can't get the ...
-1
votes
1answer
513 views
MiniMax not working properly(for checkers game)
I am creating a checkers game but My miniMax is not functioning properly,it is always switching between two positions for its move(index 20 and 17).Here is my code:
public double MiniMax(int[] ...
37
votes
8answers
2k views
What can make a peaceful game successful?
Today, the most successful games are action games like FPS, RPG, MMORPG...
I'd like to make a peaceful game, but I don't know how to attract people. I can make good graphics, but that's not the main ...
2
votes
4answers
442 views
What are some good examples of exuberant in-game instructions for telling the player to repeatedly smash a button?
What are some good examples of exuberant in-game instructions for telling the player to repeatedly and quickly press a button or perform an action? I'm especially interested in examples in retro games ...
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votes
1answer
726 views
Best book for game development in java [closed]
I am looking for the good books on java game programming.
Please help.
Thanks,
shantanu
0
votes
1answer
255 views
Logic behind greedy Spider game?
What will be the best algorithm or logic that can be used for game like greedy spiders.
As far as I can think it is based on A* algorithm ? Where the shortest path has to be a search between the ...
1
vote
3answers
957 views
How do I structure a 2D platform level?
I'm doing a 2D platformer but I don't know how they are usually built.
The approach I'm looking at is making it tilebased, with ground tiles on bottom row, then platforms on some places in "mid-air" ...
1
vote
1answer
1k views
How to utilize miniMax algorithm in Checkers game
I am sorry...as there are too many articles about it.But I can't simple get this.
I am confused in the implementation of AI. I have generated all possible moves of computer's type pieces. Now I can't ...
1
vote
2answers
264 views
Using Copyrighted Images
I was thinking about developing a sidescrolling platformer very similar to an old Mario and Luigi game for NES. To start out I was thinking about taking the images from a site like this:
...
1
vote
1answer
417 views
Recommended method towards making custom maps for a 2d game?
I am planning on making a 2D game, however different from my last personal projects I want this one to have enhanced graphics, with custom-designed levels. My previous 2d platformers were tile-based, ...
0
votes
4answers
244 views
How to run around another football player
I have finished a simple 2D one-on-one indoor football Android game. The thing that it seemed so simple to me, a human being, turned out to be difficult for a computer: how to go around the opponent …
...
3
votes
1answer
505 views
What is a normalized Vector?
Can someone explain the following code? I need to learn what each part means so I can turn it into enemy movement in a space shoot-em-up
Vec2d playerPos;
Vec2d direction; // always normalized
float ...
2
votes
2answers
136 views
Different methods of ammo resupply
I'm writing a small game at the moment. Presently, I have one or two design elements that aren't locked down yet, and I wanted to ask for input on one of these.
For dramatic effect, the player's ...
9
votes
3answers
333 views
Bejewelled Next Best jewel selection
Is there a game design technique I can use so that I completely remove 'No more moves left' situations. ie. the game should contain no impossible scenarios.
As far as I've guess It all depends on ...
3
votes
4answers
538 views
What are examples of games with “minimalist” models/art assets [closed]
When teaching game development, my student's obsess about building realistic or complex art/models/animation. And spending wayyy to much time trying to get accurate collision detection between two 3D ...
0
votes
1answer
598 views
RevoluteJoint Stop Rotating when Some Physics Body Collide in Andengine + Box2d?
I am making a Game from andengine + box2d in Which i am using RevoluteJoint in that case i am facing some problem that when physics body or Sprite Collide with this Revolute joint body then Revolute ...
0
votes
4answers
384 views
Is the city of the GTA, L.A. Noire, Assasins Creed or Saint Row games considered a level? [closed]
I'm trying to figure out whether or not the worlds in which these games take place are levels or not, for the sake of level design. I consider the world to be one big level and all the missions and ...
1
vote
1answer
126 views
What web technology could I use which would support a decision tree?
I am a big game development fan but I haven't done any commercial work in the past. I have been asked by a non-profit to look at developing a game similar to the award-winning www.playspent.org
They ...
2
votes
3answers
120 views
Victory rewards in digital CCG
I am currently polishing a digital CCG where people can play against friend and random opponents in a classical Magic the Gathering-like duel CCG.
I plan to award the players with 20 ingame currency ...
0
votes
1answer
209 views
Effectively implementing a game view using java
I am writing a 2d game in java. The game mechanics are similar to the Pokémon game boy advance series e.g. fire red, ruby, diamond and so on.
I need a way to draw a huge map maybe 5000 by 5000 pixels ...
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votes
1answer
98 views
Can game designers or developers be addicted to online games? [closed]
Do game designers/developers play as much as hardcore gamers, and could they be considered addicted? In the clinical addiction sense. If yes, is it good or bad? If not, is it called enthusiasm?
I'm ...
4
votes
4answers
220 views
How to make players be creative in a game, if the game cannot evaluate it?
I am working on a prototype game with several funny/visual effects that the player can trigger. The player can be quite creative in the way to use or combine these effects but it seems impossible to ...
0
votes
5answers
1k views
How do I approach large companies if I have a killer mobile game idea?
I have an idea for a game that has potential, but I'm not a programmer.
How do I tell this to development companies without having my idea stolen? All I want from the company is for somebody to ...
-1
votes
1answer
102 views
Slide down transparent CCScene
I want a transparent CCScene (or CCLayer) to slide down when the game is paused...and I want it to be clear enough to see the CCLayer behind it.
How could I do this?
Thanks
2
votes
1answer
181 views
“Untangle”-Game AI
I am trying to program an AI for such untangle games like Untangle game.
I tried the following possibilities:
1) Just set one node after the other to a random place. If every node was moved once, ...
0
votes
1answer
226 views
Is it possible to extract textures or sprites from compiled game files?
For instance, every map in Portal has what appear to be sprites over a texture indicating the obstacles you'll face (see screenshot). Are these resources compiled into the source as byte code, or is ...
4
votes
3answers
371 views
Cost to licence characters or ships for a game
I am producing a game pitch document for a university game design class, and I am looking for examples of licencing cost for using characters or ships from other IP holders in a game. For example:
...
19
votes
5answers
1k views
How should I structure a design document?
Should the design document be a continuous line of text, with real sentences, more like a description of the entire game, or should I structure it in simple points? What are the benefits, and are ...
2
votes
4answers
453 views
Alternatives to a leveling system
I'm currently designing a rough prototype of a mecha fighting game.
These are the basics I came up with:
Multiplayer (matchmaking for up to 10 people, for now)
Browser based (HTML5)
2D ...
1
vote
1answer
188 views
How to update a game off a database
I am currently writing a sports strategy management game (cricket) in PHP, with a MYSQL database, and I have come across one stumbling block - how do I update games where neither player is online?
...
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votes
1answer
550 views
Has anyone else read “Programming video games for the Evil Genius” [closed]
I bought this book called "Programming Video Games for the Evil Genius" by Ian Cinnamon. If there is anyone who has read or is familiar with this book I am wondering if they think it is worth reading.
...
