Table of Contents
- Intro
- Unit 1 - History, Careers and Ethics
- Unit 2 - Game Theory
- Unit 3 - Pre-Production and Prototypes
- Unit 4 - Game Production
- Conclusion
Introduction
The art of Game Design and the pathway I have been involved in to understand it is a long and arduous journey, one that has changed me in a number of ways, both good and bad. I've come to understand the dedication needed to survive in this particularly cutthroat industry, but on a more positive note, have come to learn many important aspects of production as a whole, which can play into many different things that I may do in the future. The content that I go over will both be a recap of what I have learned, as well as a reflection of what it means to me in the long run and how I can make use of it.
The art of Game Design and the pathway I have been involved in to understand it is a long and arduous journey, one that has changed me in a number of ways, both good and bad. I've come to understand the dedication needed to survive in this particularly cutthroat industry, but on a more positive note, have come to learn many important aspects of production as a whole, which can play into many different things that I may do in the future. The content that I go over will both be a recap of what I have learned, as well as a reflection of what it means to me in the long run and how I can make use of it.
Section I: History, Career & Ethics
Artifact 1 - Career and Ethics Reflection
My time in GAD has introduced me to a number of different niches that the game industry presents, ranging from programming to various types of animation. I can say with certainty that my experiences with them have solidified which ones I'm not interested in, programming being the main example with its tedious and overall very confusing nature. At the same time, I'd say I've been slightly nudged towards certain mediums like animation and visual design, which are actually not major focuses of this particular class. I've become distant from the video game industry as I continue to learn more about it, realizing the crushing effect that it has on workers that decide to devote themselves to it, the fact that I've found some of the work itself as another irritating feature only affirms this belief.
That being said, one important aspect that I learned (mostly) outside of the influence of personal opinion was the importance of ethical decisions in game design, like setting the correct age rating and appealing to the needs of employees. The need for ethics in any sort of industry is a high priority, helping ensure the reputation of a company and health of its workers. Sadly, providing for workers and ensuring their health is a category that the game industry struggles with, considering the long hours and months of crunch time that most game developers have to deal with. However, this grand flaw in the industry proves to be a greater reason as to why ethics are so important, as the health of workers determines a company's ability to perform well and profit as a whole. That and the need to appeal to basic laws and rights is a requirement for every industry, game design included.
My time in GAD has introduced me to a number of different niches that the game industry presents, ranging from programming to various types of animation. I can say with certainty that my experiences with them have solidified which ones I'm not interested in, programming being the main example with its tedious and overall very confusing nature. At the same time, I'd say I've been slightly nudged towards certain mediums like animation and visual design, which are actually not major focuses of this particular class. I've become distant from the video game industry as I continue to learn more about it, realizing the crushing effect that it has on workers that decide to devote themselves to it, the fact that I've found some of the work itself as another irritating feature only affirms this belief.
That being said, one important aspect that I learned (mostly) outside of the influence of personal opinion was the importance of ethical decisions in game design, like setting the correct age rating and appealing to the needs of employees. The need for ethics in any sort of industry is a high priority, helping ensure the reputation of a company and health of its workers. Sadly, providing for workers and ensuring their health is a category that the game industry struggles with, considering the long hours and months of crunch time that most game developers have to deal with. However, this grand flaw in the industry proves to be a greater reason as to why ethics are so important, as the health of workers determines a company's ability to perform well and profit as a whole. That and the need to appeal to basic laws and rights is a requirement for every industry, game design included.
Section II: Understand the elements of game theory
Artifact 2 - Game Mechanics Reflection
Diving into the actual inner workings of game design, we find one of the most important aspects of the entire operation, mechanics. The importance of mechanics cannot be understated, as they make up every aspect of gameplay and reward for the player, making the experience fun and working out any flaws in the system. The use of game mechanics makes sure that the state in which the player experiences the game never runs into any issues and presents a fully formed system for the player to run through. This category of mechanics can include things as simple as the standard rules, as well as things as specific as predetermined endings or outcomes for certain actions. Put simply, mechanics are what make a game a game instead of an idea, being able to master the use of it is what sets many developers on the path towards making a thoughtful and comprehensive experience.
Mechanics can be found in every single aspect of a game, and really make up everything that the player sees for themselves, albeit not in a physical way. Typically a mistake in this area is what creates loopholes or sections of gameplay that can be exploited and remove the fun altogether. Especially if the game in question has online features and relies on player interaction, a small loophole in mechanics could ruin the expense for everyone depending on who decides to take advantage of it. That's why cheating is often such a big issue in large scale events, while most involve glitches rather than gameplay flaws. It's an absolute necessity outside of simply making the game appealing, as it actually determines the games functionality as a whole.
Diving into the actual inner workings of game design, we find one of the most important aspects of the entire operation, mechanics. The importance of mechanics cannot be understated, as they make up every aspect of gameplay and reward for the player, making the experience fun and working out any flaws in the system. The use of game mechanics makes sure that the state in which the player experiences the game never runs into any issues and presents a fully formed system for the player to run through. This category of mechanics can include things as simple as the standard rules, as well as things as specific as predetermined endings or outcomes for certain actions. Put simply, mechanics are what make a game a game instead of an idea, being able to master the use of it is what sets many developers on the path towards making a thoughtful and comprehensive experience.
Mechanics can be found in every single aspect of a game, and really make up everything that the player sees for themselves, albeit not in a physical way. Typically a mistake in this area is what creates loopholes or sections of gameplay that can be exploited and remove the fun altogether. Especially if the game in question has online features and relies on player interaction, a small loophole in mechanics could ruin the expense for everyone depending on who decides to take advantage of it. That's why cheating is often such a big issue in large scale events, while most involve glitches rather than gameplay flaws. It's an absolute necessity outside of simply making the game appealing, as it actually determines the games functionality as a whole.
Artifact 3 - Explore Game Mechanics
Artifact 4 - Game Genre Project
Section III: Apply pre-production techniques to plan game prototypes
Artifact 5 - Design Pipeline Reflection
The design pipeline serves as the framework for nearly every aspect of making a game, and being able to follow it is a crucial part of development as a whole. The game industry pipeline is split into 3 separate sections, those sections being pre-production, production, and post production, each of which deal with various stages of development and help organize the entire process. The steps usually involve large steps like storyboarding a concept, producing the main game itself, and then making finishing touches and focusing on marketing and advertising. This sort of pipeline can be used for any sort of large project, regardless of the particular industry it may be in, making its universal presence all the more noticeable. And its particular presence in the game industry makes it essential in the production of a successful product.
The design pipeline serves as the framework for nearly every aspect of making a game, and being able to follow it is a crucial part of development as a whole. The game industry pipeline is split into 3 separate sections, those sections being pre-production, production, and post production, each of which deal with various stages of development and help organize the entire process. The steps usually involve large steps like storyboarding a concept, producing the main game itself, and then making finishing touches and focusing on marketing and advertising. This sort of pipeline can be used for any sort of large project, regardless of the particular industry it may be in, making its universal presence all the more noticeable. And its particular presence in the game industry makes it essential in the production of a successful product.
Artifact 7 - Pre-production Reflection
While it may be easy to blow past the pre-production phase in the process of making a game, that does not make it any less important in the grand scheme of things. In order to make an in-depth experience, one needs a solid proof of concept in order to truly know what they're doing, and how to bring an idea to life. Things like storyboarding and concept art fall into this category, and help give the game and story a look and feel before it even exists, which can serve as a source of inspiration or a morale booster for those working on it. Pre-production also proves its worth by simply being an extremely helpful point of reference, if at any point there is a loss of direction during the production phase. That being said, all of these aspects prove that pre-production is not something that a developer can easily gloss over without running into large issues in the future. |
Artifact 6 - Concept Art
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Artifact 8 - Prototype Activity
Section IV: Apply procedures to develop a game
Artifact 9 - Production Reflection
One of the more recent things we have done in GAD was make use of the Unity game engine, an experience that I have mixed feelings about. My time with the engine has shown me many of the main aspects of game design and those who devote themselves to it, and is partially responsible for my slowly developing ideas on what to do for future careers. I've learned the true capabilities and potential that the engine holds, and I know for a fact that it's an effective tool for what it was created to do. That being said, I've also found it a bit irritating to work all around, which is mainly a personal preference as I have come to know it. I view things like programming to be overly complicated and overall tedious to deal with, hence my decision not to delve deeper into it as a career, but that does not mean I don't recognize its importance. The Unity engine is still an important piece of software for those who know exactly what to do with it, and my personal experience has given me a bit of insight outside of that, meaning that the engine has managed to make its mark, just in an unexpected way.
One of the more recent things we have done in GAD was make use of the Unity game engine, an experience that I have mixed feelings about. My time with the engine has shown me many of the main aspects of game design and those who devote themselves to it, and is partially responsible for my slowly developing ideas on what to do for future careers. I've learned the true capabilities and potential that the engine holds, and I know for a fact that it's an effective tool for what it was created to do. That being said, I've also found it a bit irritating to work all around, which is mainly a personal preference as I have come to know it. I view things like programming to be overly complicated and overall tedious to deal with, hence my decision not to delve deeper into it as a career, but that does not mean I don't recognize its importance. The Unity engine is still an important piece of software for those who know exactly what to do with it, and my personal experience has given me a bit of insight outside of that, meaning that the engine has managed to make its mark, just in an unexpected way.
Artifact 10 - Game Engine Products
Disclaimer: The requirement was to provide 3 games made in the Unity engine, I sadly only have one functioning one due to consistent issues with publishing.
Plane Time - Unity Play
Disclaimer: The requirement was to provide 3 games made in the Unity engine, I sadly only have one functioning one due to consistent issues with publishing.
Plane Time - Unity Play
Video Presentation
Conclusion |
Game design has been an enlightening experience in its own ways, mainly in helping me find out what I'm truly interested in and what it takes to achieve those things. Aside from that, I've simply learned a great amount about the medium itself and the dedication required to make a living out of such an industry. I may not be as drawn to it as I used to be, but that doesn't mean that I no longer find any enjoyment in it. The fields of visual design and animation still appeal to me, both of which were gone over in previous classes, and now I wish to explore them myself. And I'm glad that my experience in this class has helped me realize that, as I may never have by myself.