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.
2
votes
2answers
95 views
Are Map (containers) bad game design?
I just asked this question a bit ago, but it was mysteriously deleted. Not sure if anyone answered, as I didn't get to check it to read for answers. Anyways...
I have read on numerous answers here on ...
62
votes
6answers
2k views
How to deal with (bad?) player suggestions
Every game which builds a community while still being in active development will soon be confronted with players who post suggestions for new features on its forum. Most of these suggestions, however:
...
24
votes
3answers
2k views
+500
When should I hard-code data versus load external data?
I'm a thousand or so lines of code into making my own 2D space-based game, which creates networks of randomly generated star systems and populates them with a random selection of planets, stations, ...
2
votes
3answers
205 views
+50
How to determine the demographics of a game after release?
I am interested in demographics of people who actually play my game. Here are few assumptions I made:
Players, especially the younger ones, are often not the buyers (or downloaders in case of ...
1
vote
1answer
36 views
LibGDX with Android UI
Hello I want to combine between android UI and libGDX. I want to have half of my screen with libgdx engine (animated sprite) and the other half of the screen with android UI buttons. Does anybody know ...
1
vote
2answers
97 views
Game concept sketching [closed]
I am looking for 2D game concept sketching software(not engine). Something that will let me put sprites, backgrounds together and maybe do some minimal animations. The ultimate goal is to design game ...
31
votes
12answers
2k views
How to know when your game concept is simply not fun and to stop
I'm a new hobbyist game developer but have yet to come up with something original that I found to be really fun. The hardest part I find about game development is this:
You have an idea that in your ...
5
votes
1answer
339 views
How to design the AI for a board game like Risk?
I am about to develop a web game that is similar to board games like Risk, and iOS games like Lux and Strategery. I am curious to know what the concept behind the AI for such games should be like.
I ...
59
votes
9answers
2k views
What is the purpose of having lives?
I think in game design it is incredibly important to ask the question why about everything, especially something that has become so standard as lives. So I am asking, what is the purpose of a game ...
142
votes
32answers
11k views
How to prevent the “Too awesome to use” syndrome
When you give the player a rare but powerful item which can only be used once but is never really required to proceed, most players will not use it at all, because they are waiting for the perfect ...
123
votes
30answers
9k views
How do you prevent inflation in a virtual economy?
With your typical MMORPG, players can usually farm the world for raw materials essentially forever. Monsters/mineral veins/etc are usually on some sort of respawn timer, so other than time there ...
0
votes
3answers
116 views
Valid gameloops
I've got a thread (gameloop) in my game that is super complicated, and is built with the help of tutorials when I was still a beginner. But now that I understand a bit more, I find myself wondering ...
5
votes
2answers
181 views
What are the pros and cons of skill trees versus skill lists in RPGs? [closed]
What are the pros and cons of skill trees versus flat skill lists in
role playing games?
In what situations would the usage of one be more appropriate than
the other?
Here is an example of a ...
-1
votes
1answer
69 views
Input rendering
Suppose I have a simple game model (designed with MVC pattern):
There is a World, there is a WorldRenderer and there is a GameController.
Now, World is a model of the world, i.e. game state. ...
5
votes
3answers
260 views
Other than the ESA are there other sources for demographic data?
I'm pretty interested in seeing demographic data as I find them good targeting tools. But other than the ESA reports (free) and NPD numbers (paid) does anyone know any other sources for such data?
7
votes
2answers
489 views
Java 2D game programming: Different approaches to make a game loop
I am new to Java game programming, but the more I read the more I'm confused, because I've seen several different approaches to make a game loop:
1. The standard approach, that uses the Timer class ...
5
votes
6answers
433 views
Colors for villains, good guys and neutrals
I am looking for 4-6 color schemes for three factions, good, evil and neutral (in a space strategy if that matters). I'd like the player to choose which side they want to play and each side will have ...
-2
votes
0answers
51 views
“Full” 3D Game Library? [closed]
Something of the sorts of Slick2D, except for C++ and 3D support. I've only been able to spot things such as SDL and GLFW. I have yet to find anything that yields exceptional results yet. Help would ...
0
votes
4answers
92 views
Designing interface for interacting with game objects
I'm making a roguelike (-like) game, somewhat like Project Zomboid or Don't Starve. In my game, there are many different object in the world that the player can interact with; there are also many ...
2
votes
0answers
53 views
Algorithm for optimal control on space ship using accellerometer input data
someone has a good idea/suggestion on a good algorithm for controlling a space ship in a vertical shooter game using accellerometer data?
I have done a simple algorithm, but works very badly. I save ...
35
votes
8answers
5k views
Why do most video game guns reload without losing unused ammo in the magazine?
If I have picked up 500 spare ammo and I 73/100 bullets in my current gun, why will I end up with 473 spare ammo instead of 400 (losing the 73 unused rounds in the previous magazine)?
Is this just to ...
0
votes
2answers
75 views
Serious gameplay issue by spawning enemies according to elapsed time
EDIT: I have changed the title as I think that this is a general gamedevelopment question but, on a technical note, I am using Cocos2d v2.0
Some time ago I had asked a question on which was the most ...
-1
votes
1answer
66 views
Data driven tool for gamedesigner [closed]
I'm looking for a software my gamedesigner can use setting monster characteristics.
Like one row of all monster types (and ability to add new ones)
One column of all 'templates' (normal, small, big, ...
-5
votes
0answers
37 views
How to make an advanced 3D game with C++ DirectX [closed]
This would be a massive project. I have been coding in C++ for 4 years, and I know my was around pretty well. However, I never made games in C++. I would like to make an advanced game, like Team ...
-2
votes
2answers
107 views
What parts of my RPG should I develop first? [closed]
I'm developing an RPG, using java + libgdx, and I've got box2d, basic scene2d, tiled maps, and tablelayout/menu set up. However, I'm not sure what to develop in what order, I always just developed ...
3
votes
2answers
132 views
Best way to keep track of game objects
I'm not exactly sure how I should ask this question, and so the title may be misleading - I am not asking if I should use a list or a stack or a vector or a queue - but how I should go about keeping ...
3
votes
1answer
141 views
Making a game “resize-safe”
It's one thing to get the graphics aligned perfectly, it's another to do this for every single resolution and not take too much time and/or make the code unreadable due to size. Games like Battlefield ...
2
votes
2answers
147 views
What tools/software are used to make the environments/levels/maps in games? [closed]
This question has probably been answered before but I've not been able to find the answer, since I'm not able to frame the question with brevity.
So the whole question is :- The worlds/levels that ...
14
votes
5answers
915 views
How do I implement a programming system in my game that is both accessible, powerful, and fast to code in?
I'm currently working on a space-based sandbox game which will heavily feature the ability to custom program your systems. I want to implement this in a way that is both
accessible,
powerful (bare ...
-9
votes
1answer
115 views
Leg Shot By a Sniper [closed]
In most of the games,sniper's bullet kills the enemy with a single shot whether it hits them on the head or the leg. So,does actually sniper's bullet kills the enemy with a legshot.
4
votes
2answers
478 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 ...
23
votes
10answers
1k views
Alternates to scratch damage to solve combat deadlocking
Scratch damage is a game mechanic whereby any successful attack always does some minimal amount of damage. This is often used in subtractive combat systems, where the defense is subtracted directly ...
-4
votes
1answer
106 views
Recommended graphic software for creating great graphics in game? [closed]
I came across a game called Trine2. It has a great graphics here is one image i captured here. Forgive me but I need 10 reputation to upload image so i use external sites.
How did they create that ...
12
votes
4answers
699 views
How do I elegantly teach players how to play?
I've been thinking about how puzzle platformers teach players how to play.
I like Super Meat Boy, particularly the way in which it teaches you without noticing you are being taught. It kept me ...
1
vote
1answer
98 views
Score system for “little bit more complex” snake game
I have created snake game.
I can't think of good score system so that is is fair.
There is only one highscore list for all modes.
Player can choose any size of board
- Let's call that param "Board ...
-3
votes
2answers
190 views
Newbie game programmer - Where do I start? [closed]
Okay, so I have been really inclined towards game programming this past few weeks. I have primarily been a web programmer and know a fair number of lanugages like PHP, Java, javascript, python, etc. I ...
1
vote
2answers
88 views
Level Pacing in a Mobile Game [closed]
I've been creating a small little mobile game on and off for a while now.
Having got all the game mechanics in place I'm now trying to figure out how to organise these into levels to get satisfying ...
33
votes
4answers
2k views
How to break the feeling of busywork in a game
I don't know if this topic has been explored before but in a handful of games I've played there comes a point where trying to explore everything, doing sidequests, or even trying to get gear starts ...
-3
votes
0answers
59 views
help with windows programming [closed]
I just started to read programming 2d games by charles kelly.
I am a proficient c,c++ programmer.
In the second chapter he shows windows programming on how to open a window.
In the third chapter he ...
1
vote
5answers
1k views
How can I make my score-based game addictive?
I need some ideas to make players interested in the game result. Otherwise, the player plays again to get high score. My game is a calculation game that measures the speed of calculations that the ...
41
votes
14answers
4k views
1% idea, 99% execution? [closed]
I keep reading in the game development community that the idea of a game is 1% and the execution of the game is 99%.
Do you believe that to be true? Not necessary in those percentages..
I always ...
1
vote
1answer
136 views
How to handle a player's level and its consequent privileges?
I'm building a game similar to Mafia Wars where a player can do tasks for his gang and gain experience and thus advancing his level.
The game is built using PHP and a Mysql database.
In the game I ...
0
votes
4answers
1k views
Could I make my own pokemon game without running into a copyright issue?
I've always wanted to make a video game that criticises pokemon. I want to know if I could use pokemon as the characters in the game without running into copy right laws. The game itself will have ...
3
votes
4answers
309 views
How to make a Socially Conscious Game? [closed]
I'm working on a 4x, turn-based space game. It's currently in the design phase. Because I'm the Director of Technology for Gamers Against Bigotry, I'd like it to be socially conscious. In other ...
3
votes
1answer
326 views
What underlying character stats would you put into your “character” object in an RPG engine
basically I'm making my own RPG/TBS engine named Uruk (making an rpg themed about the epic of gilgamesh) and I am thinking of a combat system similar to the Disgaea franchise or the Super Robot Wars ...
2
votes
4answers
370 views
How do I approximate the result of battle between two armies with known strengths?
I need a simple algorithm to calculate the outcome of two differently sized armies battling.
Each army has 1-100 troops and every troop is the same value on the battlefield. The troops do not have ...
27
votes
9answers
1k views
Why should I choose to design a health bar rather than heart containers?
When designing any hero-based game, be it adventure, RPG, brawler, or similar, you eventually need to decide on your health system. Barring any regenerative systems with zero UI (like Call of Duty), ...
1
vote
2answers
55 views
Handling Block Collisions
The title isn't great, but let me try and explain my problem. I'm working on a little game at the moment the gist of which is that you're an entity in this 2-D world and you have to dodge obstacles. ...
0
votes
1answer
50 views
cocos2d-x - object creation and management in game design
How do others keep track of everything going on in their games? I am working on a new game and I am quickly realizing everything that I need to keep track of.
Example:
Maybe a layerManager that ...
0
votes
2answers
77 views
multi user web game with scheduled processing?
I have an idea for a game which I am in the process of designing, but I am struggling to establish if the way I plan to implement it is possible.
The game is a text based sports management ...
