Planning for your game

[Conra]

If you want to make a proper game then you are going to need proper planning. There are various documents involved in doing the planning of your game and some of these can get quite lengthy.

The main document will be the GDD (Game Design Document) and since this can get extremely long it reffers to numerous other documents that you should have.

The second most important documents are needed re the art bible and the story bible. Both of these contain information that you NEED to have at hand while developing.

There are many other documents so I have created a Power Point presentation for you to understand each of these ( http://www.megaupload.com/?d=5RFOWXIZ ). If I get response or requests I will also upload templates that can be used for your game for these documents.

I hope this post helps you and happy developing :cheesy:

[Robin]

GDD for a personal project is a waste of time.

[Conra]

Thanks but I still think it's neccesary because you need to have atleast a basic layout of your maps and characters and even your ideas and plans for the games.

[Robin]

I've never planned a thing in my life, let alone written it down. I've been more successful with my projects than 90% of the people here.

[Conra]

I believe you on that but for me and some people that i know it can be extremely fraustrating and difficult to develop a game without proper planning. :embarrassed:

[thezeus]

When I mapped Mirage, I planned nothing.  I just moved around as I mapped and went with feel.  Sometimes, overplanning can screw up a project and make it too, meh.  Have an idea of the overall concept, then use trial and error to fix it.  The great thing about development is you don't have to show it to anyone until you are happy with the results.

[Toranos]

It really does depend on the person. If you are pathetic at keeping on track, due to short attention spans, disorders, over-enthusiastic and can't sit still, and burn yourself out on a project, then get bored (Pretty much a definition of short attention spans), planning is probably a good idea for you, to keep your over-active imagination spanned out. This is mainly for beginning game developers, joining the scene as wanna-be huge gaming companies, starting off with one or two people, and burning out the project within a week.

If you know in your head what you want, and you have the mind to tackle it without writing it down, planning isn't essential. It's sometimes a good idea if you have a team, to be able to keep your group in the same mindset as you, but if you can speak your mind well to them, then this is still only an optional route, doesn't ensure your project will succeed, or fail. It really depends on the leader.

[Fogger]

I agree with Tora it depends on the person. Personally I would probably plan out the Major details then leave the rest to be improvised. Plan or no plan I don't think it greatly effects the making of a proper game.

[Craselin]

Ive got a whole folder of planning for my game

[MrKris]

me too I have a lot of documents and power points about my game lol

[Craselin]

I presented a power-point of some of my stuff to my tech teacher and he was like  :huh: lol

[MrKris]

LoL I don't present them to anyone I just make them for fun.

[Craselin]

@kris:

> LoL I don't present them to anyone I just make them for fun.

I usually don't either but my teacher asked if i was doing anything to do with game production and i showed it to him

[MrKris]

oh my tech teacher dos not care if I am doing anything lol he just wants me to do his work.

[Craselin]

@kris:

> oh my tech teacher dos not care if I am doing anything lol he just wants me to do his work.

Then your teacher SUCKS! lol jks. Were going off topic arent we…?

[MrKris]

No we are talking about planning your game. Ya I sometimes draw out some maps and tiles I want to make.

[Craselin]

I dont draw out the maps themselves but i draw the layout of the town, etc. I'll do a scan later

[Helladen]

@Conra:

> Thanks but I still think it's neccesary because you need to have atleast a basic layout of your maps and characters and even your ideas and plans for the games.

Writing stuff out for yourself is pointless. I keep it inside my head. ;3

[MrKris]

I write it out for my team not for myself. I remember everything but my bloody team can't remember a thing.

[Robin]

@kris:

> I write it out for my team not for myself. I remember everything but my bloody team can't remember a thing.

Then you haven't explained yourself properly.

[Conra]

You should seriously explain stuff better to your team.

[Rithy58]

I spend a good amount of time planning before I start it but it never work. I usually waste like 6 months with nothing but idea.

For a big game project, I guess planning should be done but a small indie game, there shouldn't be that much planning. Especially with Eclipse Engine since you can develop the game along the way and make changes when you need to.

Sincerely,
Rithy

[MrKris]

@ Conra and Robin

If I say something once they understand for about 2-3 days, but after that time they forget everything. I have to put it in a topic on our forums so they can look at it when every they need to. Then I don't need to keep explaining stuff to them.

[Robin]

Then get a team that's actually good. When I do work with people I get talented friends who're on the same wavelength as me. You shouldn't have to be micromanaging your team. You should be able to just let them do what they want and it should turn out just fine.

If it doesn't then ditch those people. Anyone who needs babysitting is just pulling you down.

[azure]

I don't have the attention span to write everything down, besides I never finish all of my todo lists at one time. Projects go best for me when I plan them in my head and work on them as I think of things or have inspiration. As it was said, it depends on the person really. Finally, I second that Robin has had more success then 95% of eclipse when it comes to finishing 'good' projects.