Game Prototyping 101

Rule num 1 - Just do it

Before embarking on any endeavor, it is essential to create a plan, make a draft, or, in other words, a prototype. This helps determine the starting point and understand the direction of movement.

Do you want to work faster and better than others?

Do you want to avoid wasting tons of effort?

Create a prototype.

Surprisingly, 90% of novice developers don’t do this! (and not only novices!)

What is it? Why is it necessary? And how do you deal with it? A game prototype is needed to test the mechanics and gameplay of a game. It serves as the foundation for all further work and provides a solid reference point for the entire project.

When people enter the game development field or attempt to create games, they are unaware of the majority of problems they will encounter.

The main problem is how to gauge the level of enjoyment players will derive from my game. It is crucial to determine this as quickly as possible. How? By creating a game prototype and doing it right.

You will find tips on creating the right (in my humble opinion) prototype in this article, which can greatly assist you.

The Concept

The concept serves as a concise and comprehensive one-page description of our project, feature, or mechanic. It captures the essence of our core ideas and provides references that illustrate what we aim to achieve.

Having a concept is crucial as it simplifies the initial stages and helps us choose a clear direction. Without a concept, we risk getting lost in a complex maze of possibilities.

The concept acts as the foundation for creating a prototype. It presents a theory that needs to be tested through prototyping. A well-crafted concept provides a solid vision of the desired outcome, outlining specific frames and requirements.

It’s important to note that concepts and prototyping can be applied to any unit, regardless of scale. Whether it’s a feature or an entire game, you can harness the scalability and power of concepts and prototypes as valuable tools in your creative arsenal.

Remember, the concept sets the stage and guides us towards our desired results, while prototyping helps us validate and refine our ideas.

Prototype

You can face this problems if you don’t create a prototype

1. Lack of Clarity: Without a well-crafted concept and a solid prototype, developers often find themselves wandering aimlessly in a haze of uncertainty. The absence of a clear vision can lead to confusion during the development process and result in a final product that fails to resonate with players. Quite a peculiar situation indeed!
2. Inefficient Development: Skipping the sacred steps of concept and prototyping can have rather unfortunate consequences. Developers may find themselves caught in a web of constant backtracking, making impromptu changes, and wasting valuable time and resources. It’s like a dance of inefficiency that can leave everyone scratching their heads.
3. Missed Design Opportunities: Oh, the wonders of unexplored possibilities! By neglecting the concept and prototyping phases, developers risk missing out on innovative features that could have set their game apart from the crowd. It’s like leaving a treasure chest unopened, never knowing what hidden gems await within.
4. Increased Risks: The thrilling dance with uncertainty awaits those who venture forth without a concept and prototype. Unforeseen challenges and risks can emerge, leading to delays, budget overruns, and an increased likelihood of project failure. It’s like walking on a tightrope without a safety net.
5. Poor Gameplay Experience: Skipping the sacred ritual of prototyping can result in gameplay that feels disjointed or lacks balance. Without thorough testing and iteration on mechanics, developers may struggle to create a captivating and enjoyable experience for players. It’s akin to serving a half-baked dish that leaves everyone unsatisfied.
6. Misaligned Expectations: The absence of a carefully crafted concept and prototype can lead to miscommunication and misunderstandings among team members, investors, or other stakeholders. This misalignment of expectations can cause conflicts and hinder progress throughout the development process. Quite a comedic spectacle, isn’t it?
7. Limited Market Appeal: By disregarding the concept stage, developers risk creating a game that fails to resonate with their target audience. Without a well-defined concept, it becomes challenging to identify the unique selling points and differentiate the game in a crowded market. It’s like getting lost in a sea of mediocrity.
8. Reduced Investor Interest: Investors often seek solid concepts and evidence of a working prototype before committing their resources to a project. Without these crucial elements, developers may struggle to secure funding or attract the necessary support to bring their game to fruition. It’s a bit like trying to sell an idea without a convincing pitch.

In conclusion, the consequences of neglecting the creation of a concept and prototype in the captivating world of game development can be quite eye-opening.

With a lack of clarity, inefficient development cycles, missed design opportunities, increased risks, poor gameplay experiences, misaligned expectations, limited market appeal, and reduced investor interest, developers embark on a precarious journey that can make or break their dreams.

Let us appreciate the importance of these foundational steps, for they hold the key to unlocking the full.

What is good prototype, in theory

Let’s start with the rules.

Use only primitives:No visual effects or imitation in the form of primitives. No sounds (unless they are essential for gameplay elements). No huge locations and thousands of monsters. The level for the prototype should be typical (if it’s an open-world RPG, then a small location; if it’s a corridor shooter, then a labyrinth with 2–3 large rooms). Menus, inventories, and other extras are optional. The prototype should include the core gameplay elements and mechanics. Exceptions:

If you have ready-made assets for interfaces, trees, enemies, effects, weapons, etc., feel free to use them when necessary.

The prototype should include: Basic gameplay upon which the entire game will be built. Mechanics such as player and enemy movement speed, health, and other parameters. Simple levels to showcase gameplay. Proper project organization.

All the core elements of the game can be easily assembled at this stage, tested, improved, and then you can start working on the visual aspects, aesthetics, and other joys.

The goal is to understand how interesting the idea is and refine it.

Now let’s consider what should be included in game prototypes using examples.

Abstract examples

Example 1: We are creating an open-world RPG in a first-person perspective (similar to Morrowind).

Our environment:

Trees — cylinders.

Large rocks — cubes.

The world — simple terrain.

Our enemies: Orc — yellow sphere. Spider — black sphere. Dragon — large red sphere.

Player: Sword — a shape based on a cube. Shield — hemisphere/sphere/a shape based on a cube. Hands — 2 spheres, collision body.

Mechanics:

Enemies inflict damage (orc 25, spider 15, dragon 50) with corresponding health points of 50, 30, and 200.

The player levels up and gains experience from defeating enemies (implementing this now will make balancing easier).

The player can run, jump, walk slowly, attack, and block enemy attacks with the shield. The player receives 5 units of damage with each hit. Player health points — 250.

In the worst-case scenario, it will take you 2 weeks to implement this. No saving, transitions between locations, sounds, effects, loot, skill progression, or anything else.

Just raw gameplay with combat.

The goal is to experience the essence of the game. The visual appearance is not important; the feeling is what matters.

Example 2: We are creating a corridor shooter in a tight space with vertical gameplay.

What do we need?

Assault rifle — cubes put together (because it’s an assault rifle) and bullets (red beams).

Enemies — blue balls that shoot blue bullets.

Player mechanics — running, jumping, super jump (hold spacebar every 5 seconds), shooting, crouching.

Stats — everyone has 100 health points, and shots deal 25 damage.

Now, let’s focus on the level in more detail. Levels in shooters are crucial; they should be clear, interesting, replayable, with multiple paths and secrets.

We will create a labyrinth and 2 rooms.

One room will have 3 levels, requiring jumping and defeating all enemies. The other room will be at the center of the labyrinth, with 5 levels. The exit and game victory will be at the top. All that’s left is to place the enemies correctly and test, test, test.

Again — the essence

You will be saved from

1. Lack of Clear Vision: Failing to establish a clear vision for the game can result in a lack of focus and direction throughout the development process.
2. Inadequate Planning: Insufficient planning can lead to disorganized workflows, missed deadlines, and inefficient use of resources.
3. Unrealistic Scope: Taking on too much work or having overly ambitious goals can lead to feature creep, scope creep, and prolonged development cycles.
4. Lack of Prototyping: Skipping the prototyping stage can result in gameplay and mechanics that don’t work well or fail to engage players.
5. Lack of Quality Assurance: Insufficient testing and quality assurance processes can result in a game that is riddled with bugs, performance issues, and crashes.

It’s important for game developers (especially for indie) to be aware of these common mistakes and take proactive steps to avoid them.

Learning from the experiences of others can help improve the chances of success in the highly competitive game development landscape.

Conclusion

In game development, the significance of concept and prototyping cannot be overstated. They lay the foundation for successful games, saving developers from potential failure.

Conceptualizing and prototyping a game is like creating a blueprint for a building. Without a solid concept, developers may wander aimlessly, unsure of the game’s direction. Without prototyping, they risk wasting time and resources on misguided ideas.

Investing in a well-defined concept and functional prototype offers invaluable benefits. Developers gain clarity on mechanics, art style, and the overall experience. This allows informed design decisions, prioritization of essential features, and avoiding scope creep.

Concept and prototyping identify and rectify design flaws early on. By testing and iterating, gameplay imbalances are addressed, resulting in a more engaging experience.

In essence, concept and prototyping act as a safety net, guiding developers and streamlining the development process.

Remember the power of concept and prototyping in game development. Embrace them as allies, navigating challenges and creating extraordinary games that captivate players worldwide.

#gamedev #gamedesign #games

Thanks Oleksii Kirin for AI art!