Ask a Game Dev

MARCH 29, 2024

Each of the terms are the same basic concept - a demonstration of gameplay - but they each have small but important distinctions. Prototype - A playable example of a single gameplay system to prove out the concept. Examples might be character movement, a combat combo system, or a specific game mechanic.

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Prototyping Demo Dev Concepts 64

PreMortem.Games

OCTOBER 4, 2024

The small team of six to seven professionals is tasked with wading through roughly 150 new concepts per month, determining which few might have the potential to become the next big title. Kepler Interactive’s selection process hinges on more than just a game’s polish—it’s about the ‘vibe’ and the unique potential of the concept.

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Prototyping Concepts Build Development 151

Brand Game Development

OCTOBER 27, 2017

Prototype of a beach volleyball game by Julio Nazario. Protospiel conventions are based around prototype board games. Prototypes ranged from paper-and-pencil to full-on Game Crafter $100+ sets. When you go to a play-testing convention, it’s not about just getting your prototype tested. Need help on your board game?

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Prototyping Dev Point and Click Mechanics 130

iXie gaming

AUGUST 8, 2023

However, getting a competitive edge in the industry requires creativity and that’s where rapid game prototyping comes in. This article aims to explore the rising significance of rapid game prototyping in the game development process. The Process of Rapid Game Prototyping Rapid game prototyping is a powerful tool in game development.

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Prototyping Game Development Game Developer Development 52

PreMortem.Games

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

The game immerses players in a captivating odyssey across worlds within worlds, beckoning them to master the art of world-leaping mechanics to uncover a cosmic mystery. Carlsen’s vision for Cocoon sprang from a fascination with game mechanics. This prototype had many worlds, and a lot of the focus was on jumping between them.

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Puzzle Prototyping Art Communications 104

iXie gaming

AUGUST 8, 2023

In game development, one of the most essential aspects is prototyping. It is essential to avoid skipping the process of creating a “physical” prototype to understand and overcome the complexities associated with game production. What exactly is a game prototype?

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Prototyping Development Games Game Developer 52

Big Games

NOVEMBER 13, 2023

A lot of brainstorming and analysis goes into developing the concept that sets it apart from the crowd. A sure proof of the concept or idea has to be generated to see how viable and feasible it will be for the gaming studio to develop the game. Developers work closely with the engineers to decide the game mechanics.

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Concepts Game Development Game Developer Development 52

Brand Game Development

DECEMBER 11, 2017

Game rules are how we regulate the mechanics of our games so that they are consistent with the messages we want to send to players. Short-term mechanic testing. Brandon: At the short-term mechanic testing stages, you’re really just using rules to help underlying mechanics manifest themselves! Private testing.

Mechanics 130

Mechanics Writing Concepts Games 130

Mnenad

JULY 8, 2018

Prototype is ready! But I can now proudly announce that a playable prototype for the video game GenoTerra is finished (and I graduated with the Master in Design *yay*). The Mechanic I. I was looking for suitable solutions for having both views in the mechanic of the game. Master in Integrative Design. The Mechanik II.

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Prototyping Terrain Open World Rigging 52

Brand Game Development

DECEMBER 30, 2019

If you’re the kind of creator who has a few prototype board games in your closet somewhere, consider playing one of them with a few game designers. Order a professional physical prototype of one of your board games. Experiment with a theme or mechanics you’ve never used. Card games count, too! My first game, War Co.

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Dev Prototyping Games Game Designer 130

Radiator Blog

MARCH 16, 2023

It shows the everyday work of medium-scale commercial game dev in unprecedented detail: the creative high of successful collaboration as well as the ugly prototypes, grueling bug fixes, and painful miscommunication. Each level also had unique mechanics and art styles that all tied into a cohesive whole.

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Art Concepts Dev Studios 147

Logic Simplified

APRIL 1, 2024

Game concepts: In this phase, some of the questions asked are - What will be the genre of the game? Concept Art: Concept art shows how the characters, objects, buildings, and areas will look. Concept Art: Concept art shows how the characters, objects, buildings, and areas will look. What is the time frame?

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Game Development Game Developer Development Engine 100

PreMortem.Games

MARCH 1, 2024

As we were prototyping there was still a feeling the game needed more action. Thus I make an effort to use purchased art assets only as a starting point to then be modified into something more unique and fitting of the aesthetic.” “We built a prototype in our spare time and saw the potential. But that’s not all.

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Studios Prototyping Visual Scripting Art 104

Logic Simplified

AUGUST 8, 2023

Video game artists specialize in a wide range of digital art forms, such as 2D modeling, animation, concept art and texturing. The Role of Game Artists Concept artist The game concept artist creates the initial visual concepts of the game (characters, environments, props, vehicles and other visual elements) in accordance with GDD.

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Game Designer Game Design Art Prop 86

PreMortem.Games

NOVEMBER 17, 2023

I usually start with a location or concept from which I build a ‘mind map’. This finally leads me to prototyping and validation. I do sometimes have ‘flashes’ -or dreams- of cool ideas like a gameplay mechanic, other times a whole story or environment. This concept grew organically from a single idea. If yes – how?

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Dev Playtesting Art Games 160

Logic Simplified

SEPTEMBER 23, 2024

Let’s begin by understanding the concept of levels in a video game. In a game, new motives, challenges, and concepts are added to the game world, while ensuring they increase the degree of difficulty at every level. Define the gameplay mechanics. What drives a video game, and what factors control its engagement?

Mechanics 64

Mechanics Games Playtesting Concepts 64

Tom Francis

FEBRUARY 2, 2018

I’ve been tweeting GIFs of a game I’m prototyping in Unity for a while now, codenamed Tiny Ex-Cons, and recently did a video blog about the core elements I’m hoping to combine if I go ahead with it. And I’ve been holding back part of the concept, and indeed the name. And hey, you know who’s good at art?

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Prototyping Concepts Art Build 52

PreMortem.Games

SEPTEMBER 28, 2023

It usually starts with a ‘think pad’, which is basically just a google doc where I write down anything to do with a specific game concept. If I’m happy with this design, I’ll prototype it and test that prototype. This is never a good thing.” What’s your creative process? “It From there I take it step by step.

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Dev Puzzle Prototyping Development 104

Brand Game Development

FEBRUARY 19, 2018

If you’re a designer seeking a publisher, you will essentially need a solid prototype, a great sales sheet, and an awesome pitch. Your theme is that critical in order to nail down some concepts first, before diving into game mechanics. Brandon: The closer to completion of the core game you are, the better.

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Art Games Development Game Developer 130

iXie gaming

FEBRUARY 23, 2024

Here’s a quick overview of the entire process of developing multiplayer games, from pre-production to post-release: Concept and Design  Like any other game, the journey of building a multiplayer game starts by creating the game concept. Also, define your game’s genre, interaction modes, and gameplay mechanics.

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Game Development Game Developer Development Quality Assurance 52

Grid Sage Games

MARCH 10, 2022

Mechanics that are never quite worth taking advantage of, items that haven’t lived up to their potential, or were later superseded by other options but remained unchanged, or even long-term experiments that were included at some point but never updated/expanded/removed. Categorical Approach.

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Balance Mechanics Beta Prototyping 52

Brand Game Development

NOVEMBER 3, 2017

The analogy is morbid, but the concept is simple. 2: I did not order a prototype prior to manufacturing from the same company that printed. That means I took way too long to fix bad game mechanics, clean up bad ideas, and so on. Just here for Highway s & Byways updates? Click here. See which Kickstarters get backed.

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Point and Click Media Games Art 130

CG Spectrum

JUNE 10, 2024

3D Modelling 3D Animation FX Concept Art 2D Animation Game Design Game Programming 3D Modelling: Shaping Virtual Worlds “3D modelling is a rewarding career where you get to bring concepts and 2D imagery to life, sculpting personality and story into characters, objects, and environments.

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Film Animation Animation Concepts 52

Game Analytics

JANUARY 24, 2023

You want a really simple, fun concept at the core of your game. Make sure you can describe it in a single sentence and make a prototype. Then build on that one core mechanic that’s unique – because that’s your hook.” But remember, prototypes are never perfect.

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Data Prototyping Studios Racing 52

Big Games

JANUARY 8, 2024

Here are some of them: AI-Powered Content Creators Ludo AI: This tool excels at generating gameplay concepts and mechanics based on your preferences. Sketch a rough concept, set some parameters, and Dimensions will generate 3D models, textures, and animations. It can even help define core loops and progression systems.

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Game Development Game Developer Development Cross platform 52

Game Dev Unchained

MAY 28, 2024

Proceduralism and AI: Building Immersive Worlds AI’s role in game development can be seen as an extension of proceduralism, a concept that has long been a part of creating expansive game worlds. It can suggest new game mechanics, visual styles, or narrative elements, giving us a broader palette to work with,” he said.

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AI Feature Technology Data 52

Keith Burgun

JANUARY 4, 2023

For month after month, I tried fixing them with different supporting mechanisms, different ways that cards were obtained, different ways damage was dealt, and a lot more, but nothing really fixed the fundamental problem. Once I realized that we were going to have to ditch the core mechanism, that kind of meant something like starting over.

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Mechanics Game Design Game Designer Playtesting 52

Game Designing

SEPTEMBER 30, 2023

A fairly new concept, augmented reality makes players feel like the game is part of the real world by incorporating elements in the player’s environment. Game Designer A game designer is someone who brainstorms ideas and concepts, builds prototypes, and develops the game’s mechanisms. Check out their specific roles below.

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Games Graphics Technology Game Designer 52

Designer Notes

AUGUST 10, 2021

The big change that always gets mentioned when going from Civ 4 to Civ 5 is one-unit-per-tile (1UPT), which is interesting as 1UPT is purely a mechanical – as opposed to thematic – change. The game, a historical 4X set in classical antiquity, released on July 1, 2021, and is available for purchase here.

Tile 40

Tile Point and Click AI Mechanics 40

Game Designing

JULY 18, 2023

Although humans still produce the finished design, AI art speeds up design stages like brainstorming, idea generation, conceptualization, prototyping, and client pitches. This widely used AI software helps users visualize concepts and create simulated photos using any kind of creative input.

Art 40

Art AI Editing Software 40

Brand Game Development

MAY 14, 2018

Failure can involve missed deadlines, lost clients, scrapped prototypes, controversial public statements, or no-show events. Operational failures come from a problem in your plan’s implementation, but not necessarily the core concepts of your plan. Not all failure comes in the form of unsuccessful Kickstarter campaigns.

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Game Development Game Developer Development Concepts 130

Brand Game Development

OCTOBER 23, 2017

Will: I know for me personally, projects are a big concept. Sarah: I’m the one who makes the early prototypes and I’m in charge of the playtesting. When designing the game itself, it’s more important to marry yourself to the experience than it is the mechanics of the game. Brandon: How I imagine teams as a solo dev.

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Prototyping Games Playtesting Game Design 130

PreMortem.Games

MARCH 13, 2024

I lean heavily on text for as long as possible, postponing prototyping until it’s absolutely necessary. This isn’t a truly solo project, as I’ve had some contractors help out immensely in concept art, sound, and on the PR front.” I added the first goblin and the basic combat mechanics, and that felt good but still not quite there.

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Dev Prototyping Art Games 129

Deconstructor of Fun

JUNE 3, 2024

Here are some impressive stats: Voodoo maintains an average of roughly 100 prototypes in progress at all times, reflecting a massive stream of game development ideas. They test around 1,000 prototypes each year, demonstrating their dedication to exploring a wide array of concepts.

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Prototyping Studios Mechanics Game Developer 52

Mnenad

APRIL 9, 2018

One is sketching a scene or character concept very rough and with a lot of gesture on a piece of paper (or digitally) but in the following steps, when it comes to outlining the shapes, the sketch becomes sort of stiff and loses its dynamic. We rather think of an ideal or prototype bird like this one over here from a kid's science book.

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Terrain Concepts Art Mesh 52

Deconstructor of Fun

MARCH 22, 2021

Royal Match Royal Match is a perfect example of finding success through improvements - not step-change innovation - cherry-picking the strongest mechanics from the best games to create a new top game. Even though Candy Crush Saga had roaring success with the match-3 switcher, King was not the first company to create the mechanic.

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Puzzle Mobile Mobile Mechanics 69

Deconstructor of Fun

JUNE 12, 2023

I find the comparison unavoidable: They share many similarities and core concepts. This consumable item mechanic is the same in Squad Busters, which speaks of knowledge sharing between the teams. This seems to be Supercell's solution to avoid gacha mechanics in upcoming games.

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Beta Fighting Build Mobile 52