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How To Make Video Games Article

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northstar
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Re: How To Make Video Games Article

Post by northstar »

@josh... i think everyone has the wrong idea... read my lips... 'game design concepts'... not 'game design manual'... i think the only manual i ever liked was an old old lotus123 manual... indeed... nobody knows how to write a manual... i have had many a rant about that over the years (chuckle), but to be honest, i've become rather apathetic about it nowadays...

@mike... if you wish to do it, i will empower that... if you change your mind, i will empower that... its an interesting concept, it seems you are torn on this decision... all in, or all out... maybe you could split the difference and make it a hobby (smile)... have fun... steve
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lmoreno
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Re: How To Make Video Games Article

Post by lmoreno »

From a teachers prospective, I would encourage you to write a book via digital distribution. The process to publish is a road in itself, but you can look at the open source ebook book standards and receive donations.

Instead of a game production book, focus on the engine Platinum Arts where you break down every area of game design using this engine. There are MANY other book that already cover this concept on the the production process or video game design foundations. Besides, schools are looking for a comprehensive guide on a specific brand (in this case PAS). Game design / production is not about which engine, but the process towards its which is relevant with any engine. Teachers interested in diving into game design will not start out with the Unreal Engine as this is both a nightmare for the teacher and students alike. Like any instructional skill, you need to scaffold to the next level.

I used PAS in my own production class three years ago. It was a GREAT engine and allowed me to teach the concepts of game design and each of the interdisciplinary areas vs focusing on learning the engine and creating 3d models. We still use PAS, and many other engines in our concentrator courses where student teams of 2-3 create a mini game. They pick their engine based on the need of their game type and pitch the reasons why. In my capstone class, the entire class works in a studio based mirroring of the industry (departments) lead by students leaders (manager, producer, director) towards a single large scale full original video game from concept to production. Aside from our many milestones like a salary system, 100% student ran studio, open-source software and project management focus we could not of reached if PAS scared us off.
SchoolIsFun
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Re: How To Make Video Games Article

Post by SchoolIsFun »

Of course people would read it! I would read it! PAS needs an article, and in that article put things like how to certain things in PAS. :D
chocolatepie33
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Re: How To Make Video Games Article

Post by chocolatepie33 »

I'm pretty sure I'd read these articles, you could even have "guest authors" such as RonnieNeeley, with his "copyright content" article/forum post.

Just a weird thing, once I really understood how Sandbox worked, I was playing Mario Kart DS and started seeing it made as it would have been in Sandbox. The karts were playermodels, while pickup boxes and other things were mapmodels, while everything else was geometry and textures.
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donnelly517
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Re: How To Make Video Games Article

Post by donnelly517 »

chocolatepie33 wrote:I'm pretty sure I'd read these articles, you could even have "guest authors" such as RonnieNeeley, with his "copyright content" article/forum post.

Just a weird thing, once I really understood how Sandbox worked, I was playing Mario Kart DS and started seeing it made as it would have been in Sandbox. The karts were playermodels, while pickup boxes and other things were mapmodels, while everything else was geometry and textures.
That always happens to me!

Anyway, I'd read Mike's articles for sure. Never hurts to know more about Sandbox.
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northstar
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Re: How To Make Video Games Article

Post by northstar »

you know what i would be interested in... re-playability in rpg adventure games... i can see how fps is re-playable, just getting a higher score... but in an adventure rpg, thats a different story... once you figure out all the puzzles, what is left...

the games i still replay are the original age of empires, be-cause it is different everytime... and the original zelda, be-cause its fun (every 2-3 years)...
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Re: How To Make Video Games Article

Post by Hirato »

I'm surprised you even need to ask that question.

But let's first divide RPGs into story-based RPGs and combat-based RPGs, as these seem to be the greatest conflicting dichotomy of the RPG genre.

Story-based RPGs derive their replayability from the concept of "Choices and Consequences," much like a choose your own adventure book or a visual novel if you will.
These tend to have a branching story line with multiple, divergent paths and a lot of side content.
And even this side content have divergent paths and solutions.
Generally speaking you will want to use skill checks a lot, mainly to accommodate fighters, wizards, thieves and even diplomatic routes.
But that's that for choices.
Consequences relates to that fact that you will not be able to experience everything in the game, since some of your decisions will lock you out of some of the available content. It also infers negative effects for some of your actions or failing skill checks.
Let's say for example if you tried to intimidate a crime lord or something, if you failed do you really expect him to just let you go?
The only advice I have for this is, it should make sense. Don't try to force certain paths in routes in there just because you want to accommodate it.
Arcanum and Fallouts 1 and 2 are really good examples of this. The Witcher games are fairly good, and recent ones too.
Even the Quest for Glory series are excellent examples of this!



Combat-based RPGs generally have a randomly generated world and they are often party-based too. Part of the appeal to replayability here is the vast array of classes you have, their respective skill trees (if you can learn everything, or anywhere close to, it's a bad RPG) and the way you can combine them with other party members.
Some RPGs like ToME only give you a small amount of classes to work with initially and allow you to unlock additional, harder to master ones as you progress through the game and accomplish certain feats and tasks.
Some good examples here include roguelikes such as nethack, and another of Troika's classics, Temple of Elemental Evil.
Blizzard's casual hack and slash classic, Diablo, also fits in here.
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northstar
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Re: How To Make Video Games Article

Post by northstar »

well it never hurts to ask, never know when you might get a new angle on something... one must keep in mind that i'm just a guy, not really savvy about anything, but i love to immerse myself into a good movie (take me somewhere, somewhere i've never been before)...

i tend to lean towards the story based, but i have that fatal fault... i'm a nice guy... i want everybody to win... i guess the 'easy, medium, hard, and obscene' approach would be the best approach for me... which i'll bet is a bear to script, i would have no idea how to do that... but the thought has to be in my head as i make the maps... guess its all about the arguments (if/then)... as they say 'write about what you know', and i would define myself as a humanist, spiritualist, relativist, and realist... personality and identifying with the main character... kind of like a 'lord or the rings' approach... but in any case, i'll have to do some thinking... thanks hirato...
ticker
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Re: How To Make Video Games Article

Post by ticker »

Mike, I like the concept of writing articles about the process of game design. Please don't be deterred by comments such as those Josh_McH made regarding the format. As an engineer he probably wants 'how-to' bullet points, which is fine for purely procedural stuff, but may be completely unsuitable when you're discussing motivation and aspects of narrative design. Let's not discount the impact of emotive or visceral design either, because good game design engages players on an emotional level from the first few seconds. Discussing these qualitative aspects needs explanatory, descriptive text IMHO. I say give it your best shot. I'll be your first reader...
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Torben
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Re: How To Make Video Games Article

Post by Torben »

Would you like to have a german translation ?
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