Games Development / Task 1: Game Design Document
1.9.2023 - 22.9.2023 (Week 1 - Week 4)
Takuto Hozumi / 0354047 / Bachelor Of Design (Hons) In Creative Media
Games Development
Task 1: Game Design Document
LECTURE
W1 Module Briefing
In this module, students uses Unity to design a 2D game.
Fig.1-1: Unity
The module is an ongoing project to create a single game. It begins with
Task 1: Game Design Document, which outlines the game specifications,
followed by Task 2: Design Assets. This is followed by a prototype in Task
3, which is completed in the Final Project.
The game requires the following elements;
- Stage 1 (like a tutorial)
- Stage 2 (the main part of the game)
- Boss Stage
Stages 1 and 2 should have different backgrounds or other visual aspects
to avoid boredom. *There is no need to create completely different
images. Changing colors, etc. is acceptable.
W2 Ideation Methods
SCAMPER Method
Fig.1-2: SCAMPER
https://slidemodel.com/
SCAMPER is a design thinking method that generates new ideas for products
and services (applied to games in this module). This is to obtain new ideas
by rethinking existing elements in light of the following items.
- Substitute
- Combine
- Adapt
- Modify (Also Magnify and Minify)
- Put to another use
- Eliminate
- Rearrange
From these initials, the name SCAMPER is derived.
Substitute
To consider improvements by substituting something from existing products
or services.
- What can I substitute so as to make an improvement?
- How can I substitute the place, time, materials or people?
- Can I substitute one part for another or change any parts?
- Can I replace someone involved?
- Can I change the rules?
Combine
To try to improve by combining the advantages of another element, such as
a strong point of a product from another company.
- Can I combine or merge this or that with other objects?
- What can I combine so as to maximize the number of uses?
- What can I combine in order to lower the costs of production?
- Which materials could I combine?
Adapt
To think about items that can be applied to solve the problem. Similar to
the two items above.
- Which part of the product could I change?
- Could I change the characteristics of a component?
- Can I seek inspiration in other products or processes, but in a different context?
- Does the history offer any solutions?
Modify (Also Magnify and Minify)
To find what can be emphasized and what should be reduced in the elements
of the product or service you want to improve.
- What can I magnify or make larger?
- What can I tone down or delete?
- Could I exaggerate or overstate buttons, colors, size…?
- Could I grow the target group?
- What can be made higher, bigger, or stronger?
Put to another use
To consider other uses for current elements to discover new attractions,
different from their original purpose.
- What else can it be used for?
- Which other target group could benefit from this product?
- What other kind of user would need or want my product?
- Are there new ways to use it in its current shape or form?
Eliminate
To identify items to be deleted. It helps reduce product cost and labor.
- What can I remove without altering its function?
- Can I reduce time or components?
- What would happen if I removed a component or part of it?
- Can I cut costs?
Reverse/Rearrange
To take one element of a product or service and make it the complete
opposite. It can produce entirely new results.
- What can I rearrange in some way – can I interchange components, the pattern, or the layout?
- Can I change the pace or schedule?
- What would I do if part of your problem, product or process worked in reverse?
3i Method
Fig.1-3: 3i
https://www.zeratech.com/en/the-3-principles-of-design-thinking/
The principle of cyclic iteration sees the alternation of three main phases:
Inspiration, Implementation, and Ideation. For each phase, it is possible to
identify divergent (exploratory) moments and converging moments (of
grounding). The iterative feature allows you to review and refine the
designed solution up to the optimal one.
TASK
W1 Review of existing works
Before designing the game, we will do a critique of the game created by
the senior; we need to play 1~2 games and list the shortcomings of those
games.
1. Conjure
The first one I played was "Conjure by Kezia Lynn". It is a side-scrolling
2D action game in which the main character can attack by firing magic, and
jump.
Fig.2-1: Conjure by Kezia Lynn
Fig.2-2: Collision Detection
Fig.2-3: Falling Off-map Bug
Based on the above, I see 2 areas for improvement.
1) The feeling of control of the characters should be improved. Improve
movement speed and jumping performance to enhance the playing experience.
Then the enemies are too weak, their movements should be made more complex
to add difficulty to the game.
2) Fix bugs such as falling walls, and preventing magic bullets from applying
their hit points to the player. There may be more if you look for it, so debug
thoroughly.
2. Adam’s Nightmare by Matthias Lim Shou En
Next, I played Adam's Nightmare. It is also a side-scrolling 2D action game.
However, the game is more about solving puzzles by climbing ladders and
grabbing things rather than physically attacking enemies.
Fig.2-4: Adam’s Nightmare by Matthias Lim Shou En
Good player control. However, there are many keys that correspond to actions
and are difficult to understand. The difficulty of the game is good. It is
neither too difficult nor too easy. It is challenging.
Fig.2-5: Unprogressive Bug
Unfortunately, the decision to pull an object on a floating floor, and that
time became impossible to progress. Unable to deactivate the action.
Overall, I thought the game was very good.
One area for improvement would be to make the player's actions easier to
understand. The complex gimmicks provided are interesting, but the key
layout could be devised to make the controls more intuitive and sensible.
For both games, and for my future game too, it might be better to carefully
debug the game before it is released.
W2 SCAMPER Method (In-class Group Exercise)
We students did an exercise to understand the SCAMPER method before
writing the game proposal. We were divided into groups in class and each
group came up with a game an idea (this idea is only use for this
exercise).
Fig.2-6: W2 SCAMPER Exercise Presentation Slides
The base game was set up as Mario, which all group members were familiar
with, and this idea reflected elements of other games using the SCAMPER
method.
Game Ideas
Idea 1
- Horizontal
- Automatically goes straight ahead
- Advance the map automatically
- Player Action: Attack, Jump only
Based on reviews of existing works, this is an idea that focuses on avoiding
requiring players to perform complex operations. The game is intended to
progress with the player character riding in a single vehicle, such as a
trolley or baby carriage.
Fig.2-7: Idea 1 Game Screen
- The stroller automatically rolls down the hill and the speed of the stroller keeps increasing.
- Player can jump
- Jump at the right moment and step on a crow to knock it down.
- If the stroller hits a crow from the side or from below, the stroller takes damage and loses health.
- When the player's health reaches zero or falls into a ravine, the player's remaining life is reduced by one, and the game starts over from the beginning of the stage.
- The game is over when the remaining life becomes zero.
- Stepping on a banana peel causes it to slip and become inoperable for a few seconds.
The story begins when a careless parent leaves his stroller in front of a
supermarket and goes shopping.
The game (Fig.2-8) was used as a reference for ideas of game system.
Fig.2-8: Trolley Stage (Donkey Kong)
Idea 2
- Vertical
- Auto-scroll to bottom
- Drill down to the bottom
- Player Action: Attack, Dig
This game is about a greedy pig searching for treasures lying in the ground.
There are squares of soil that can be drilled and squares of stone that
cannot be carved.
Fig.2-9: Idea 2 Game Screen
- Player can move (left and right), drill (left, right and down), and attack monster.
- Soil can be drilled, stone cannot be drilled.
- If you run out of HP, the game is over.
- There are enemies such as snakes and insects that attack players.
- Finding treasure chests may yield items that can improve the performance of the drill.
Final Game Proposal
Fig.2-10: Game Proposal (30/9/2023)
REFLECTIONS
Experiences
The first project in "Games Development" module taught us 3 major things. The first was the idea of ideas: we learned how to utilize methods such as SCAMPER and 3i, and through in-class group work, we learned how to come up with bold ideas and how to transform existing ideas. The second was actual game development using Unity and C#. The materials provided are not posted on this blog because it is recommended that they remain private, but learning how to create basic games while simultaneously learning about 3D as well as 2D The third is about actual game ideas that they will create on their own personal projects. Through personal consulting, I examined whether it would be feasible as a game and whether it would be technically feasible with the lecturer.
Observation
Using Unity, I have found that complex movements can be made possible by applying scripts locally to objects without actually doing any advanced programming. While I could not understand how games sold in the market were made when I was playing them normally, I realized they were developed through such a game development engine. However, I still do not fully understand it, so need to continue my studies especially for C#.
Findings
What I have found in playing games created by seniors is that the player's sense of control (behavior) is directly related to the comfort of play. It is difficult to specify at this stage of the game concept in task 1, but I imagine it will require careful production with repeated test play. This project continues in the next article, Task 2.
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