The Game Design Thread - Amateur Game Designers Welcome!

[finalark]

I've been an amateur game designer ever since I was a kid. It started with making a homebrew TCG out of index cards when I was young, then it shifted to RPGs on RPG maker, and now I've simultaneously working on a table-top strategy game that I've been play testing with a group of friends for a while now and an improved version of an old homebrew TCG.

So this episode of Extra Credits got me thinking:

There should be a thread for amateur game designers like myself to bounce ideas off of each other and to show off what they've been working on. So I'm making this thread as a place for people to throw ideas around, collaborate or just discuss game design in general. I hope this is useful for all of you out there, enjoy!

Mods, if a thread like this already exists or should be moved elsewhere, feel free to delete/move it.

 

[Chronodiver Lokii]

FINALARK I SAID YOU WERE A FAVORITE IN THE OTHER THREAD BUT NOW YOU ARE A FAVORITE AGAIN BECAUSE GAME DESIGNNNNN

im not as big on putting ideas up towards the design end, but im a concept artist/illustrator who is hoping to break into the games industry after graduation (this june ; -- ; yikes)

i like this thread and its a great idea c:

 

[Rutger]

Extra Credits always has some great stuff, I need to go find what I last watched and catch up.

Game Design is what I want to get into, and I've been taking programming classes for a while now. I made a very, very, very, very basic connect four game in Java back when I took that class.
I'm working with C++ right now, I'm still at a basic level.

 

[finalark]

We need to hang out more, Lokii.

I'll be honest, I've been wanting to get into the games industry my entire life, but lack the programming or illustration skills to find a position beyond an idea guy has lead me to peruse a degree in film instead. I'm still working on homebrew board games with the hopes of one day finding a publisher for them. Or maybe I'll beg a bank for a loan in the future to start a game studio. Oh well, a guy can dream.

 

[Zankoku]

My attempts at building a game have always started at coming up with some gameplay mechanic that I think would be cool and ended at completing the engine and having no ideas what to actually use it for. :v

 

[Chronodiver Lokii]

I wish i could have that problem omg
programming/enginework is lost on me
im sitting here in UDK right now making basic terrains and i am lost :I

btw, if anyone is thinking of getting into concept art or wants to learn to draw, lemme know. i stream from time to time, and ill usually take a picture from start to finish so it goes over an entire process of work

 

[finalark]

The only engine I'm proficient with is RPG Maker, although I don't think that counts as an engine. I've started some neat **** in RPG Maker but I always lose will power or other stuff comes up and I don't have the time to finish it. Needless to say, I've never completed a game I've started in RPG maker.

I think the farthest I've gotten was making a game where the main concept was that your characters were all spell casters and elemental rock-paper-scissors was a major part of combat. Characters could be customized based on what sort of equipment they were wearing, since different prices of equipment granted them different spells. The player could also find a number of hidden crystals in the game that could be socketed into equipment to give the user access to even more verity of spells. I got about half way through making it. Sadly, the old computer I had it on crashed and I lost all of my data.

 

[Zankoku]

My experience is mostly between Klik & Play, Multimedia Fusion (now Clickteam Fusion), C++, C#, and Java. I dabbled in RPG Maker but the UI drove me crazy when I tried to do custom things, though I was really impressed by some of the efforts I'd seen back then (Kindred Saga, Eternal Souls battle engine demo, Tetris engine for RPG Maker).

I love the structure and logic behind designing an engine but I never have any actual plot or game world things planned out so that's probably why I always get stuck when it comes time to actually make a game lol

 

[finalark]

I pretty much have the exact opposite. I always have ideas for game mechanics and then I come up with game worlds that said mechanics can fit into along with a loose premise, but I lack the programming knowledge to ever put anything into action. Unless its RPG maker, in which case I lack the drawing and musical skills to make custom graphics or compose music for the game.

Oh well, I suppose this is why teams make games, not singular people.

Unless you're the guy who made Cave Story.

 

[Minato]

Making one was something I always dreamed about doing. I used to brainstorm ideas, but nothing as of late.

Maybe one day I can create something on the side. Something small like an adventure game would be nice. Then moving on to something even bigger after enough experience.

 

[Sarki Soliloquy]

Yes! So watching this thread! I need to transfer for of my creative passion into game design.

I'm currently taking a game design/simulation course for my degree in college. There's a lot I'm iffy about and I feel like I'm yet to get my hands really dirty into a game production. I'm starting to learn the ropes of Autodesk Maya and I want to toy with it so badly. Only if I build my gaming rig and computer desk sooner! X(

Otherwise, I feel qualified to be a designer or artist. I've started as a child making my own TCGs off of flashcards scrawled with crayons and colored pencils before school every day. Then I went to RPG Maker 2003 with a former friend and made a rather cookie-cutter JRPG we ended up dropping. The communication and development between us felt like a power struggle too and that certainly gave me a good perspective of how not to run a game dev team. I've also made many word games for forums and am in the process of designing a Diplomacy-style game for Smashboards (hint hint!)

I also conceptualize characters and concepts and apply them to upcoming or released games. I visualize characters, stages, items, etc. for Super Smash Brothers and I've made concepts for how a true Kirby RPG would go down. Once I get concept art down I could add some moveset designs to support threads for certain characters like ManlySpirit did for Lyn.

Don't mean to sound cocky in this post. I'm just as nervous and inexperienced as the rest of you are. That's why this thread is good for aspiring game designers since we can bounce ideas and maybe even collaborate.

 

[Zankoku]

I'm totally willing to lend whatever skills I've got towards a group project if something gets started.

 

[Sarki Soliloquy]

So what disciplines are you interested in or practicing? I can see myself as a designer and I have feasible enough art skills to create certain things such as maps. Taking a drawing course to get fundamentals down too.

 

[PsychoIncarnate]

Wish I could have done game design. I'm trained more for film editing and effects.

My drawings and animation skills need work too

 

[Chronodiver Lokii]

i am a concept artist by trade
i can also do some 3D (lopoly stuff) and texture work

 

[finalark]

My strong suit is game design in general, primarily level design and mechanics. I'm also pretty boss at writing, which goes beyond dialog and into the realm of tutorials and menus and such. Hey, someone has to come up with the text that explains how to play the game.

 

[Chronodiver Lokii]

if you guys actually do want to set something up, let me know. i can get us professional scrum sheets and asset trackers. i know the pipeline we use at school is similar to hi-rez (SMITE)...according to a grad friend who works there xD

 

[finalark]

Sounds awesome, I don't know if I'll have the time to work on a game right now but when I have more time in the future I'd be down for it.

EDIT: Some day we should all get together over skype and just have a design jam. Just kinda toss ideas around and see what comes of it.

 

[Sarki Soliloquy]

Yeah, maybe in the near future when I get more familiar with certain aspects. Definitely would be open for it. Not sure how far everyone is in with their study programs.

 

[PsychoIncarnate]

Well if you need a motion graphics animator, I'm your guy

 

[Jam Stunna]

I guess this thread is more for the actual design aspect of games, but I've always wanted to write a game script. I started a script for a Fire Emblem fan game a few years ago, I think I'll try to complete it at some point this year.

 

[finalark]

I guess this thread is more for the actual design aspect of games, but I've always wanted to write a game script. I started a script for a Fire Emblem fan game a few years ago, I think I'll try to complete it at some point this year.

You could always go for an adventure game or a visual novel, since those games tend to be story heavy.

 

[Chronodiver Lokii]

and VNs are farily easy to program, especially with entire engines dedicated to VNs
Heck, VNs in engines like Unity wouldn't even be too bad (our game jam game from this month is probably being moved from gamesalad to unity...idk why our lead programmer didnt want us to use unity in the first place....gamesalad made our lives difficult and broke our game)

 

[finalark]

So I threw together this design document for a survival horror/adventure game I had an idea for. Its not very long and there isn't much to it, since I just wanted to get my ideas down on (digital) paper, but here it is:

Spoiler

Imprisoned Design Document

© 2014 Ben G.


Core Concept:


Imprisoned will be a horror-adventure game in which the player will explore an old cursed mansion. The game play will revolve around avoiding enemies and solving puzzles in an attempt to escape.


Features:

· The player will be provided with a cellphone in game that can be used to contact other characters that will give the player hints and advice, this includes:

- A character who will provide advice on how to deal with different kinds of monsters

- A character who will provide hints on how to solve different puzzles

- A character who will save the player’s game


· After finishing the game, the player will be given the option to replay the game as one of the support characters. The support character’s stories will feature different areas and puzzles than the ones shown initially. In order to receive the true ending of the game, the player must finish the game as all four characters


· Players must avoid monsters to survive, if they are hit once it is game over.

Level Design:

· The mansion will be broken up into several different areas; about 5 areas will be explored per character. Areas planned at this time include:

- The Art Gallery

- The Gardens

- The Music Rooms

- The Basement

- The Graveyard

- The Attic

- The Bedrooms

- The Foyer


· Each area will be large and non-linear. The player will be able to complete the puzzles in any given area in whatever order they wish. However, progression from area to area will be linear.


Engine:

· The game will be built on RPG Maker VX Ace

If you guys have anything to add please post about it, I'd like some feedback on this idea. I'm not sure when or if I'll get to work on it, but I plan to once I have the time for it.

 

[Chronodiver Lokii]

Nice design doc! : O

 

[Sarki Soliloquy]

It's really nice to see your ideas, finalark. Are you currently making that game? Wonder how improved RPG Maker VX Ace is over 2003 (a lot, LOL?)

Man, I outta give a hand at recording some of my ideas in a doc like that.

 

[finalark]

It's really nice to see your ideas, finalark. Are you currently making that game? Wonder how improved RPG Maker VX Ace is over 2003 (a lot, LOL?)

I haven't started on it yet, since I really don't have the time right now. RPG Maker VX Ace isn't too drastically different from 2003, aside from allowing higher-resolution sprites to be imported. It does have a lot of neat features that you're never going to use unless you're challenging yourself to make a game using only the pack-in resources.

The interface is nicer, though.

 

[Sarki Soliloquy]

I thought you could code into RPG Maker XP or VX. Not sure which one though. 2003 felt very limited with what you could include yourself.

 

[finalark]

I thought you could code into RPG Maker XP or VX. Not sure which one though. 2003 felt very limited with what you could include yourself.

You can code into all of the versions on the PC. Granted, if you're try to do anything more than make a 2D RPG/Adventure game then you need to be looking elsewhere.

 

[Thirdkoopa]

Game producer /'director' here. I've got to add more to this thread when I'm on my computer. I primarily work on music and writing for my specialties but I'm starting to get good with everything... Asides from actually doing code.

 

[john!]

thread is relevant to my interests

i do everything except drawing lol

 

[JOE!]

This thread is awesome!

Being a student for Game Design as well as amateur designer, I can definitely see myself hanging out here more often lol.

Actually, I've been getting people together around SWF (mainly the P:M boards) for a Music-Based fighting game, if anybody is interested in such a concept?

 

[finalark]

Actually, I've been getting people together around SWF (mainly the P:M boards) for a Music-Based fighting game, if anybody is interested in such a concept?

I'd be interested in doing some play testing. I'll be honest, I don't possess the programming, drawing or animation skills to contribute much for a fighting game.

On that note, a group of friends and I have decided to make a serious attempt at starting a game studio. The first game we're going to be making is an artistic puzzle-platformer where the main mechanic is that the player is given different items in each level, with the player using these level-specific items to solve different puzzles. I'm not going to post too many details out of respect for the friend who came up with the game but the point is that we're looking for a good engine to build the game on. So if anyone has any suggestions please let me know.

 

[Chronodiver Lokii]

LOKII LIKES FIGHTING GAMES
o ^ o /

if you need a concept artist lemme know akjfsdlksadjfsdaf

edit:

working on a character for my graduate portfolio
some friends are gonna model, texture, and animate her. im pretty stoked

 

[Sharkarat]

I know this Thread is kinda old, But posting in case anyone is interested.
The Humble Weekly Bundle has RPG Maker. Not only that, They're also holding one month Indie Game Maker Contest with prizes.
This hopefully might motivate me to sit down and actually learn to make something.

 

[finalark]

I know this Thread is kinda old, But posting in case anyone is interested.
The Humble Weekly Bundle has RPG Maker. Not only that, They're also holding one month Indie Game Maker Contest with prizes.
This hopefully might motivate me to sit down and actually learn to make something.

RPG maker plus a ton of RPG maker resources? For six bucks?

You sir, are a hero for posting that.

 

[Twewy]

I want to get into the game designing industry myself, and have been trying to learn a little GML and how to draw better so I'm not just an idea guy who writes the script.

Right now I'm trying to plan a RPG to make in Game Maker that takes some inspiration from RPGs like Mother 3 and Final Fantasy Mystic Quest, and let me tell you that I am awful at coding. I'm in a really, REALLY, early alpha phase right now, building a test overworld, and thinking of a plot.


And no I am not going to use RPG Maker/RUBY.