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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16answers
17k views
Good game design books? [closed]
I have some experience in creating, however I like to have some well written reference material to help me produce better products. Are there any game design books that are not aimed at a particular ...
42
votes
13answers
3k views
1% idea, 99% execution?
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 ...
44
votes
7answers
10k views
How to develop RPG Damage Formulas?
I'm developing a classical 2d RPG (in a similar vein to final fantasy) and I was wondering if anyone had some advice on how to do damage formulas/links to resources/examples? I'll explain my current ...
9
votes
3answers
1k views
Algorithm for determining random events
I'm struggling with coming up with an elegant solution to generating random events in the game that I'm working on.
Say there are 4 classes of events that can happen, with varying events in those ...
9
votes
4answers
872 views
Calculating the output of two armies fighting
I am programming a strategic game using Flash. The game works very similar to the famous game "Travian".
My problem is as follows: I am trying to make the calculation of the troops lost as a result ...
202
votes
57answers
30k views
Game development Blogs [closed]
What are good game development/design blogs to follow?
Please one blog per answer (make sure to provide a link) and give a brief summary as to the content of the blog posts.
If you can, pick a ...
55
votes
19answers
7k views
Level Design Tips [closed]
What are some pitfalls or pieces of good advice when designing levels or maps for a (presumeably 3D but not necessarily) game?
13
votes
5answers
4k views
Lag compensation with networked 2D games
I want to make a 2D game that is basically a physics driven sandbox / activity game. There is something I really do not understand though. From research, it seems like updates from the server should ...
9
votes
8answers
941 views
What should a game have in order to keep humans playing it?
In many entertainment professions there suggestions, loose rules, or general frameworks one follows that appeal to humans in one way or another. For instance, many movies and books follow the ...
19
votes
4answers
1k views
How to determine the amount of experience needed for leveling up
Related questions under this topic might include:
How should I base how much experience points it takes to get to the next level?
What factors are involved in this?
How do I keep the player not ...
14
votes
5answers
4k views
Algorithm for dynamically calculating a level based on experience points?
One of the struggles I've always had in game development is deciding how to implement experience points attributed to gaining a level. There doesn't seem to be a pattern to gaining a level in many of ...
12
votes
1answer
783 views
Programming a climbing system like tomb raider
I was wondering if anyone knew or had knowledge of how to program a climbing system like the one found in tomb raider/uncharted.
I had thought of just having bounding boxes at all the climbable ...
5
votes
5answers
523 views
GamePlay Patent
Do you know any patents of GamePlay model? I mean behavior between User as Player and the System? In another words Patent of GamePlay rules. For example "when player's character dies -> the system ...
27
votes
3answers
2k views
How to design the attack class in an RPG game?
I am in the planning phase of a small RPG style game.
The character will have have a set of attributes, like strength, agility, etc which are represented as integers. The character also will have a ...
20
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 ...
23
votes
11answers
10k views
How do you come up with ideas for new games?
What is the best way in your opinion to find new ideas for games? I want to invent something really new (like Gish, World of Goo, Crayon Physics etc), but I'm having problems coming up with new, ...
23
votes
6answers
2k views
Designing a game - Where to start? [closed]
A friend of mine and I are planning a game together to work on in our free time. It's not an extensive game, but it's not a simple one either.
He's working on the story behind the game while I'm ...
11
votes
4answers
8k views
Best Way to Create A Map for a 2D Game?
I apologize for the subjective "best" keyword.
My friend and I have started creation of a 2D adventure game. It will be top-down in the style of pokemon or zelda (just the perspective). We have been ...
11
votes
4answers
1k views
Programming the combat sequence in a role playing game
I'm trying to write a short "game" where a player goes around and fights monsters but I have no idea how to handle the combat.
For example, say I have a "Warrior" and a "Troll". How do the two fight ...
5
votes
7answers
495 views
10
votes
5answers
550 views
Custom Content Package for Files
I am about to purchase quite a few model packs from a website for prototyping my game. In the contract it states that I must protect them as to prevent the public from gaining access to them.
I ...
17
votes
9answers
896 views
Approaching the Fun Factor in Game Design
As designers there has to be some ways you've approached establishing the 'fun-factor' in your games. You've likely done something in one game that may very well transfer into the future games you've ...
16
votes
5answers
1k views
Enemy Spawning method in a Top-Down Shooter
I'm working on a top-down shooter akin to DoDonPachi, Ikaruga, etc. The camera movement through the world is handled automatically with the player able to move inside of the camera's visible region.
...
12
votes
4answers
1k views
What makes puzzle games addictive?
I'm currently developing a puzzle game for Android that is sort of along the lines of Alchemy.
I was wondering what makes games like Alchemy or Bejeweled so addicting? How do I keep players ...
12
votes
6answers
704 views
Is there a site where people discuss game concepts and questions in general?
I like making game concepts for fun, as a hobby. I don't think that all my game concepts are amazingly awesome and have to be created and would revolutionize the industry. I just want some people to ...
3
votes
2answers
533 views
Factors to consider when building an algorithm for gun recoil
What would be a good algorithm for calculating the recoil of a shooting guns cross-hairs?
What I've got now, is something like this:
Define min/max recoil based on weapon size
Generate random ...
11
votes
4answers
2k views
How can I design an effective game object interaction scheme with a component-based architecture?
This is a design question... I'm sure this could be generalized more, but I'm having a hard time with it. I am wondering about design for game object interactions - here is my example (2D ...
10
votes
1answer
1k views
Unit Testing a C#/XNA Game Project
I have been dabling in game development since I started programming, but never very seriously. I work as a business app developer, but I'm working on some games in my spare time.
In the business ...
7
votes
2answers
803 views
Methods for character design
When one begins the character design process, what are good starting points? Are there well known methodologies or systems to help in this process? How does the design process work in game industry, ...
5
votes
1answer
4k views
Time based movement Vs Frame rate based movement?
I'm new to Game programmming and SDL, and I have been following Lazyfoo's SDL tutorials. My question is related to time based motion and frame rate based motion, basically which is better or ...
3
votes
2answers
1k views
Culling for a 2D, platformer game?
By culling, I mean, only rendering what is currently seen by the camera. In my game, nothing is tile based. Each object has a center point and that is where it is on the screen. The camera is ...
4
votes
3answers
515 views
First Person Shooter game agent development
I would like to apply (program) the Artificial intelligence methods to create a intelligent game bots for a first person shooter game. Do you have any knowledge from where can I start to develop as a ...
3
votes
6answers
394 views
Developing an ELO like point system for a multiplayer gaming site
I'm currently working on a gaming site where users will submit virtual players for different games, like Chess, Nash, Backgammon, Go, etc. The idea is that users don't compete themselves, but through ...
-3
votes
3answers
887 views
What language for Indie dev? [closed]
What would be a easy/fast language that would be good for an Indie developer for a FPS?
Java?
C#?
C++?
C?
Anything else that would be good?
Edit: (Platforms: Linux, Mac, Windows)
3
votes
9answers
875 views
How do I create a game that runs on Windows, iOS and Android?
I use C++ to create windows games and now I want to step into another other OS like Android or iOS. I'm totally familiar with C++ so I tried to create app for iOS using objective C it was working ...
0
votes
2answers
212 views
Game Design Education [closed]
I am very interested in a career as a video game designer. to clarify i mean one of the people to figure out how the mechanics, story, levels and art all work together. To any designers on the ...
123
votes
30answers
8k 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 ...
29
votes
16answers
2k views
Turn-based strategy games where action happens in real-time?
Okay, this idea has come up for the 3rd time in conversation now, and it's been bugging me for years. The idea is a game where all players make decisions/issue orders to units while the game is in a ...
13
votes
4answers
1k views
(RPGs) Drop table design
I guess this question pertains more to games like MMO and Diablo-like games.
What are the usual designs for implementing a drop table, where a monster could drop different type of items depending on ...
24
votes
19answers
1k views
Are there many games involving the manipulation of water?
I'm in the very, very early brainstorming stages of a game which centers around the manipulation of water and the terrain around it. (i.e., changing the water's state between solid, liquid, gas; ...
22
votes
6answers
852 views
Have any video game designs used non-uniform random numbers in interesting ways?
A variety of video games use uniformly distributed numbers to decide the outcome of an event, such as a "50% chance to hit" almost always means to check if a random floating point number from 0-1 is ...
14
votes
3answers
1k views
Guidance for building a proper in game economy
I'm seriously thinking of building a space opera game which would share some of Machiavelli The Prince aspects regarding commerce: each player will be able to extract/build/buy/sell/donate a wide ...
10
votes
1answer
374 views
Decision Tree vs Behavior Tree
What are some differences between Decision Trees and Behavior Trees for AI Game Development? When would you use one over the other?
15
votes
7answers
11k views
What does a Game Designer do? what skills do they need?
I know someone who is thinking about getting into game design, and I wondered, what does the job game designer entail? what tools do you have to learn how to use? what unique skills do you need? what ...
6
votes
2answers
738 views
Where do you search/look for game developers for an indie game startup? [closed]
I just recently saw stackoverflow had a game dev sister site so here I am, wondering if you experienced fellows know where one can search/look for game developers for an indie game startup? In other ...
24
votes
8answers
1k views
In-Game Tutorial Decisions
I'm working on a game with confusing mechanics such as energy storage and the coolant temperature. What is the best way to get a new player learned quickly? What are the pros and cons of different ...
17
votes
6answers
837 views
Fight with creativity burnout
I have big creativity burnout :/ Do you have any ideas how can I fight with it ??
4
votes
3answers
528 views
Investigation stage before starting a game
I was thinking about how to organize the stage about getting informed about whatever game is needed to develop, what would others do.
For example, if I wanted to develop a game about car racing, I ...
21
votes
13answers
2k views
How to implement “bullet time” in a multiplayer game?
I have never seen such a feature before, but it should provide an interesting gameplay opportunity.
So yes, in a multiplayer/real-time environment (imagine FPS), how could I implement a slow ...
12
votes
2answers
12k views
OpenGL ES 2.0: Setting up 2D Projection
This article describes in general, how to draw sharp OpenGL 2D graphics, using fixed function pipeline.
http://basic4gl.wikispaces.com/2D+Drawing+in+OpenGL
Because OpenGL ES 2.0 has some ES 1.x ...
