Recently we had a discussion on this over at eo, but I thought what I typed up was blog-worthy, so I figured I'd post it here as well. Following is my own development cycle for a typical project, but I invite you to post your own here as well… it's neat to see how different the process is by which everyone does their work.
Here's how I generally run through the development of a game… Probably not the best way either, though it's similar to Pug's in a few ways.<b>The Beginning</b>Usually I'll get an idea, and then run it through my head for a while (especially if I'm at work, with no GM to goof around with). Then, if after all that bouncing around in my head it still sounds like a good idea, I'll whip up most of the graphics I'll need to make an engine, and then program the basic layout in GM. I'll usually fiddle with that for a long time too, until I am happy with the way it plays.<b>Making It Into A Game</b>At this point (and I should mention, almost entirely throughout the game's production) I will scrutinize the design, and really try to figure out if the game will be fun, what elements will make it fun, and how I need to program it to be as adaptive to new ideas as possible. I'll start making more graphics, and programming the graphical details I want in the game, and figure out if all the things I want to do are even possible.I will even add some sound effects now, if I feel that it's absolutely necessary to get myself into the right mindset for the game.Once I'm happy with a working room, with a working player object, I'll usually code a basic menu as well… so I can make sure that the game is ready to run through a series of rooms without having problems clearing things out of memory, crashing because of loose ends in my programming, etc.<b>The Details</b>When everything is mostly looking okay and playing the way I want it to, it's time to really start making all the graphics I'll need, as well as refine the programming and make everything smooth and slick. This is the part where the real work in graphics and programming need to be done, and it is often the point where I abandon a project because it is either too much of a mess to continue, or I feel that the game will become too big to develop by myself within a reasonable time frame. I'll go back and forth between graphics and programming, putting some new graphics in, programming the game so it uses them and makes them look right, and then loop the process until I've gotten everything into the game that I need.I'f I am working on an online game, this is usually the point at which I work in that functionality as well, which usually adds a pretty significant amount of time to the production cycle.<b>Polishing It Up</b>Providing I've made it all the way to this point, the game is usually about as "finished" as it can be, without many sounds, music, and still with a few quirks here and there. I'll dig through the code and try to hammer out all the bugs, as well as create and add in sound effects that I think are appropriate. Sometimes I will make a large addition to the game at this stage, if it is really needed, but mostly this time is just for making sure that no weird bugs exist in the game, and that the sound and music are added in / working well.<b>Release</b>Time to post the game on like 500 websites. Yay. This stage is sometimes more work than the actual game, hehe.And there you have it… not that magical or glamorous, but that's how it all happens. A funny thing I have noticed so far is that a lot of people add sound in last, or close to last. I think sound should get as equal production time and attention as graphics, but I usually put it off 'til the end as well… probably because I'm a graphic artist at heart, and that's what I enjoy doing more. In any case, thanks for reading!
Yeah, probably. I also suck at audio. XD
I work almost exactly like you FF, with elements of Joewoof's process (like the design document - I've got BOOKS on some games)
My GD cycle:
-Getting the Idea: It usually comes after i've played a good game or after I make a game and I learn lots of new things and decide to start at fresh.-Refining the Idea: After getting the idea, I play around with it. I see what can be done and what needs to go. I try to see what type of game will fit the idea i.e platform, topdown, 3D, etc. -Starting the Game: Here, I start spriting,programing etc. Also, I usually play alot of games with a similar style or idea to get some more inspiration.At the end of this stage, I have the basic game engine complete.-The Work: Here's the part that usually takes forever. This is where I start fleshing out things like storyline and dialogue and scenery and settings and all that.I think about what the levels are, what kind of music to fit the level and overall presentation. I usually end up creating about 4x more sprites and objects too.-Polish and Shine: The bug testing stage. Here, i try to make the game as smooth as possible. This is where i start releasing official demo's. It is also here that I put in stuff that is extra and that has nothing to do with the gameplay itself, like making a splash intro and making icons and revamping the menu.By the end of this stage, the game is done.-Release: Release the game to the public and hope people see it like i do.I'm pretty good at audio, but only with sounds, not music.
I can do pretty much everything except for music.Oh, and I have a habit of saving every single little idea I have since I could remember.Some of my oldest notes date back when I was 6 years old. I have a small cabinet for my new notes. About 20 filled notebooks worth of notes. AT least 2000 pages worth of paper. And ever since I read an interview with a professional designer about the importance of documentation, I made even more notes. Nowadays, I spend the most money on buying good notebooks and great pens.Well, I typically really develop an idea and story to the extent of it being extremely annoying. But then when I start programming an engine, I laugh at how hard something would be and scrap it, and continue making design changes until I just scrap the whole project.
However, if I DO get past a basic engine and some concept, I usually hunt for a spriter and then ask for some sprites there. After that, I continue some more level design, make levels, program in items etc., on a need-base, and so-forth. Note, I haven't released a finished game which I'd claim authorship to. :)Lol, you will someday Takagi. Eventually. [;)]
Hopefully. Just don't scrap ideas when you scrap projects.
lol, I usually have trouble finding ideas so I cant afford to scrap em. [:P]
1. I first get motivated about 100 ideas, then I sort them out in my head while they ruffhouse, filter the good ideas, and then either make a plot or make a closer look at the idea.
2. If I want it to be really good then I start with how things look like, level design, and features. If its a mini game then I just start making a menu realy quick. 3. If it started out to be a really good game I think more about making the menu and the options, then I make the menu.If its just a mini game I make the menu with always this: Start/ commence or somthing else for playing, Load, Help, Quit. and if the mini game is arcade I put in highscores.4. I make the gamplay, graphics and all the interactings, add sound a little latter.5. scrape out the crap.6. polish it.