The Games Design Process

Introduction

Game design and development is a time-consuming process. Developing a game entails creating worlds and filling them with characters, items, munitions, automobiles, flora, animals, sceneries, and a diverse range of real-life aspects. It necessitates scheduling, planning, and the establishment of a production system. Pre-production, production, and post-production are the three steps of the game design process. Here’s a rundown of everything that’s included.

Pre-production Process

Around 20% of the game design process will be spent on pre-production. It entails planning, mapping, scheduling, research, and resource collection for the next manufacturing process.

1. Concept Development

The game’s central theme is polished and enlarged to explain major features such as the scale of the universe, gaming mechanics, level mapping, character biographies, and a detailed plot, among others. Brainstorming sessions are an important part of creating the game’s core concept. This is an opportunity for all heads of departments to share their visions for the game and to bounce ideas off one another based on their worries about the process. Throughout the manufacturing process, a library of characters, textures, and items will be created and expanded. This is a crucial resource for the project’s animators, 3D modelers, and designers. The game’s objectives will be clearly outlined, the concept art will be accepted, and the game will be well-known in its genre. Plot points, characters, story arcs, action sequences, climax events, and other details have been added to the tale.

2. Storyboarding

A storyboard is used to visualise the content. Character action, shot selection, action sequence, and artistic direction are all planned out for each act.

3. Research and Development

R&D is carried out in a variety of fields, including:

• Demographics – Who is the target audience, how do you design for their playing style, and how do you market to them?
• The software/engines to be used, human requirements, and financial resources are all considered.
• Execution – what real-world resources will be used to help create the product, will motion capture to be used to help with animation, and so on.

4. Game Development Document

The Game Development Document (GDD) is the development process plan. This is the blueprint from which the other departments will work, putting out the major details such as the game and its goal, programming building blocks, design phases, etc. Each department’s demands, timeframes, and resources will be detailed in sections dedicated to them in the GDD. Concept art and aesthetics will be provided to the designers to work with.

5. Mapping

The levels are spread out during the game’s runtime. This is macro mapping, which describes where the game is going, how it will be played, and how the player will be steered through it.

6. Prototyping

A few primitive prototypes will be built to examine what works and what doesn’t, as well as to check if there are any issues and whether the concept has legs. The testers provide comments on the gameplay so that the final product may be improved.

Production Process

About 60% of the design process will be spent on production. It is at this point that the majority of the job is completed. All systems are a go! Teams from animation, 3D modelling, and programming start working together.

1. 3D Modeling

The game’s elements are all mapped to a grid and rendered as 3D objects. Since all of the visual elements are generally constructed from scratch, this is a complicated and time-consuming procedure.

2. Level Action

The level action is boxed out, including how each level’s action unfolds, the micro details of each level’s action scenes and goals, as well as how the player is moved to another level.

3. Animation

The script is then brought to life by animating all 3d objects via a series of moves or a scene.

4. Texturing

Texturing is applied to all 3D models’ stationary elements. The library of artefacts where textures have been developed and saved is referred to by animators.

5. Lighting

Lighting is a vital aspect of game design since it gives depth to the game’s atmosphere and creates a 3D look. It’s utilised to set the mood, generate suspense, and mimic the real environment.

6. Interactivity

Its addition of functional and interactive elements. These are the complex functions that the player must accomplish to advance in the game and have them engaged.

7. Artificial Intelligence

AI is employed to react to the player’s decisions or actions. It is the game’s ‘brain,’ consisting of complicated algorithms that personalize the game to the user.

8. Cinematics

Cinematics are short tutorial parts that show the player how to play the game. Tips, character information, maps, and other material can be included. They’re frequently a break in the game where the player is provided additional information to help them continue.

9. HUDs and Menus

HUDs (heads-up displays) keep the player informed about their progression. They can transmit information such as the status of points/rewards, timings, and location on a map, among other things. The menus inform the player about the game’s goals, accessible features, and in-game purchasing information, among other things.

Post Production Process

1.   Sound Design and Visual Effects

All of the speech, soundtrack, foley and audio effects necessary for the game’s ambience is brought together by sound design. To improve the aesthetics, visual effects, or special effects, are added to the scenes.

2.    Quality Assurance

Quality assurance testers are called in once more to evaluate the final game’s draft version. They test it to its extremes and offer vital input on its functionality as well as any bugs that need to be fixed.

3.   Refining

The testers’ input is taken into account. The music and graphics are then polished one more time to make the final result even better.

4.   Packaging and Marketing

The game’s artwork is utilised in packaging as well as marketing materials such as posters, web advertisements, trailers, and so on.

The Ten Crucial Roles in Game Design

1. Delivery Managers / Producers are in charge of the project’s business aspects, such as expenditures and timelines. Producers are often in charge of the finances and marketing tactics for the product.
2. Development Managers need to ensure that game development goes well, that milestones are met, risks are minimised, and that colleagues are doing their jobs. A project manager is frequently at the core of communication between the development and design teams, as well as senior management.
3. Game developers create games by transforming design concepts into fully functional games. Game developers have a strong experience in programming. To code ideas into dynamic graphics and music, developers should have a combination of imagination, arithmetic abilities, and patience.
4. Game Designers are the game’s creative genius and a link between authors and artists, with certain programming skills. The creation of attention-grabbing tales, characters, goals, rules, and problems that drive interactions between game elements is part of the game design process.
5. Level Designers are in charge of generating innovative and entertaining levels. The difficulty for a level designer is to maintain a player’s attention and achieve the goal while minimising the risk of misunderstanding. Level designers are also in charge of discovering player bottlenecks as they go through the game, such as slipping outside of bounds or being stuck and unable to escape.
6. Concept artists, animators, 3D modelers, and FX artists are all examples of Game Artists. They frequently develop concept art and 2D pieces for the play, as well as add colour, motion, and life to it. While concept artists are engaged in the initial creation of the game, they may also be involved later in the production process to add additional aspects.
7. Characters, objects, props, and environments are created as 3D models by 3D Artists, which may subsequently be textured and animated. Modelers must be able to get and use high-quality reference materials, especially if they are duplicating real-world artefacts such as the Kalashnikov weapon.
8. Audio Engineers / Sound Designers generate genuine sound effects, record character voice conversations, and develop soundtracks to set the mood for players, such as opening music, menu pause music, and triumph music.
9. In the design process, QA Testers are essential. These individuals test games for problems and ensure that they function smoothly and those player manuals are clear. In what’s known as a bug sheet, they submit issues to the developers.

The game design process takes a long time since it necessitates multiple different modifications of the game’s general aesthetic. 3D animation, print art, 2D renderings, storyboards, trailers, and other relevant materials will be created by the design team. Being a member of a game design team will put your abilities to the test and allow you to learn new things. However, it is a very rewarding experience!

Understanding the game development process is crucial if you want to build video games. Regardless of where you fit into the pipeline, understanding the purpose and hierarchy of each department can help you work more effectively and avoid costly difficulties down the road.

In today’s gaming business, releasing new material is typical since it boosts a game’s repeat value, retention, and attractiveness. Feel free to contact the Arena Animations professionals if you’re interested in creating a video game from the ground up or improving an existing one. Arena Animations’ staff has years of game development expertise, allowing them to provide high-quality, error-free products on time and within budget.