The document provides guidance on how to design games for beginners. It recommends starting with an inspiring idea, studying existing games, finding a team or working alone, ensuring the target is feasible, choosing design tools, defining a timeframe and sticking to it, and sharing the game for feedback. It also offers tips for coming up with ideas, creating a simple design document, forming a team with different skills, setting milestones and time limits, and making a quick prototype. The overall message is that with planning and small, achievable goals, anyone can start designing games.
2. How
to
get
started?
1. What
inspires
you?
(Come
up
with
an
idea
or
a
theme)
2. Play
games
and
study
the
games
(focus
on
interac5on,
character
design,
anima5on,
sound
design…)
3. Find
a
team
or
work
alone
4. Make
sure
your
target
is
feasible
=
small
enough
5. Decide
which
tools
you
want
to
use
6. Define
a
Mmeframe
AND
sMck
with
it
7. Share
your
game
online
or
play
it
with
your
friends
(play
tesMng)
4. I
have
an
idea,
then
what?
• You
can
make
games
out
of
anything
• Keep
in
mind:
– Games
have
rules
– Games
have
an
objecMve
– Usually
games
have
some
limitaMons
– Usually
games
have
winners
and
losers
– Games
require
players
to
make
decisions
– Games
require
the
players
to
use
some
skills
• Games
are
an
experience
–
what
type
of
an
experience
do
you
want
to
create
and
share?
5. But
I
do
not
have
an
idea
L
You
can
also
use
different
ways
to
come
up
with
ideas!
You
can
download
the
Idea
cards
on
your
mobile
phone
(“AGD
Lenses”
applicaMon
for
iPhone),
for
free.
Play
games
to
get
ideas
Think
about
your
hobbies:
Inspire
by
your
interests!
Start
drawing
a
character
and
start
telling
a
story.
6. Simple
design
document
• Game
(name)
• Overview
(theme,
idea,
goal)
– Control
(how
to
play
the
game,
with
keyboard,
mouse,
other?)
– Scoring
(where
to
get
points)
• General
features
– Life
points
/
health
points
(lives)
(how
many
lives,
health,
bonus
points)
– How
do
you
advance
in
the
game
(levels,
check
points…)
– Main
character
(describe
their
role,
draw)
– Other
characters
(describe
their
role,
draw)
• How
many
characters
does
the
player
need
to
control
• Are
there
some
tools
or
weapons
needed
• Gameplay
(what’s
key
in
gameplay
experience)
• The
game
world
– Key
locaMons
– Scale
– Objects
– Time
(day
/
night)
• User
interface
(what
a
player
sees
on
the
screen)
• Music
You
an
start
wriMng
a
document
to
describe
your
idea
IF
it
helps
to
put
the
idea
together.
It
also
makes
it
easier
to
communicate
your
ideas
to
the
rest
of
the
team.
7. • Theme
• Story
• Characters
• Level/environment
design
• Gameplay
• Art
style
• Sound
and
Music
• User
Interface,
Game
controls
FIRST
DEFINE
JuxtaposiMon
is
a
great
way
to
add
dynamics
to
a
game.
Come
up
with
a
conflicts
between
the
main
characters
and
the
enemy
character(s)
/
world.
What’s
the
world
like?
Where
the
acMon
happens?
What
happens
in
the
game?
What
are
the
key
mechanics
(rules)?
How
to
control
the
character
(keyboard,
mouse,
other?)
8. TEAM
&
SKILLS
• It
is
easier
to
work
in
a
group
/
a
team
• If
you
want
to
work
alone,
start
with
something
simple
(see
quick
proto
slides)
• A
team
consists
of
(one
person
can
be
responsible
of
different
areas):
– ArMst
(game
5tle,
characters,
worlds,
objects…)
– Animator
– Lead
/
manager
(to
make
sure
you
get
things
done
within
the
5me
limit)
– Sound
– Programming
9. Define
a
<me
limit
• With
a
Mme
limit
it
is
easier
to
get
things
done
• Good
Mme
limit
is
something
between
2
days
and
4
weeks
• Time
limit
helps
you
to
focus
and
trim
the
plan
to
get
things
done
– You
can
also
do
for
example
2
hours
twice
a
week
or
how
ever
you
decide.
Just
calculate
the
total
Mme
spent.
Less
is
more
–
it
is
easier
to
reduce
complexity
than
add
Mme
and
hope
to
learn
new
skills
– With
one
game
done,
it
is
easier
to
start
the
next
one
with
higher
ambiMon
10. MILESTONES
Idea
and
team
Create
characters,
compose
or
find
music,
start
working
with
animaMons
Need
to
cut
out
some
features
?
Polish
the
game
Quick
prototype
Split
the
work
into
milestones
and
sMck
with
the
Mme
frame.
If
one
part
of
the
process
takes
more
Mme
than
expected,
you
need
to
drop
something
off.
Do
not
get
stuck
with
any
issues.
For
example
within
48
hours:
Publish
Iterate
and
finalize
You
can
also
find
graphics,
music
and
code
snippets
online
that
are
free
to
use
for
non-‐commercial
projects.
25
hrs
3
hrs
5
hrs
1
hrs
10
hrs
3
hrs
1
hrs
11. QUICK
PROTO
• When
you
have
an
idea
and
a
plan
ready
• The
next
step
is
to
do
a
quick
prototype
to
see
how
your
idea
would
work
in
pracMce
• Quick
prototype
is
a
paper
prototype
or
a
simple
version
of
the
game
with
limited
interacMons
and
early
graphics
– Quick
prototype
helps
to
make
results
– Playing
the
quick
prototype
moMvates
to
conMnue
12. Quick
proto
is
not
(necessarily)
preBy
It
is
ok
to
dream
of
doing
a
Mario
game.
But
keep
in
mind
that
you
need
to
start
small.
Paper
prototype
Deco
AnimaMon
Game
prototypes
13. THER
THINGS
• You
can
also
start
with:
– WriMng
game
stories
– Making
hacks
and
versions
of
an
exisMng
game
(you
need
to
get
an
access
to
the
source
code,
find
code
examples
from
the
internet)
– Making
caricatures
or
comics
based
on
a
game
– You
can
create
a
play
using
characters
or
events
from
your
favorite
game
– Create
a
fan
page
14. Or
work
without
a
computer
Thaumatrope
–
animaMon
without
a
computer
1. Find
a
cardboard
and
cut
a
circle
out
of
it
2. On
the
other
side
(in
the
middle)
of
the
card
draw
a
bird
3. On
the
other
side
(in
the
middle)
draw
a
cage
(upside
down)
4. Make
holes
to
the
card
on
both
sides
5. Secure
a
loop
of
string
through
each
hole
6. That’s
all!
When
Thaumatrope
turns
quickly
and
creates
an
illusion
that
the
bird
would
be
inside
the
cage
Picture
source:
Mediametkaa
book
(Kerhokeskus
Finland)
15. • Aqer
you
have
done
the
quick
prototype
• Adjust
the
plan
if
needed
and
just
start
working
– Define
what
you
sMll
have
to
do
– You’ll
learn
by
doing!
EVELOPMENT
16. TOOLS
Game
development
(free)
Anima<on
Without
a
computer
Game
Maker
Muvizu
Cardboard
Unity
3D
FluxTime
Pen
&
Paper
Kodu
CreaToon
Modeling
clay
Sploder
Adobe
Flash
Toys
Scratch
Paper,
glue
(deco)
Kodu
Sploder
Scratch
Just
some
examples
of
potenMal
tools.
17. LET’S
DO
IT!
• You
are
ready
to
go!
• Do
not
give
up,
believe
in
yourself
• Everyone
can
truly
design
and
develop
games
• Game
development
is
a
great
way
of
learning
and
expressing
yourself!
• If
you
have
some
quesMons,
do
not
hesitate
to
contact
me:
sonja.angesleva@igda.fi