Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Section I: History, Career, and Ethics
- Section II: Understand the Elements of Game Theory
- Section III: Apply Pre-Production Techniques to Plan Game Prototypes
- Section IV: Apply Procedures to Develop a Game
- Video Presentation
- Conclusion
Introduction
Game Art and Design is the third course in the Game Art Design pathway at DSA, and focuses on exactly what the name states: the art of game design/development. The previous two courses focused mainly on the art aspect of this, and how to use industry software and tools, but this year was more about the actual industry itself along with the process of creating a game. We delved into the different career paths within the industry, went far more in depth on the phases of development (pre-production, production, post-production) that we had touched on in previous courses, and learned about how levels are designed and how to make games fun. This is also the first year we are introduced to the Unity Game Engine, as well as our first year working on the coding aspect of game development.
Section I: History, Career, and Ethics
Career Reflection
One of the reasons I am so interested in the game industry is because there is such a wide range of talents, skills, and ideas that go into making a single game. And because of this, there are many different fields to explore within the industry whether that be visual artists, audio engineers, programmers, writers, etc. Of course my biggest aspiration, as most young game design students, would be to hold the title of a game designer, however to reach that point I will likely have to build credibility and get the right hands on work experience. I have no problem with this as I am also very interested in both the visual arts - 2D, 3D, and animation - and programming. Having that versatility is also important when working with a team on a project, so I am most interested in building myself up in both of those fields. Until I can reach the point of being a game designer as a career, I will try to work on smaller personal projects as hobbyist in the mean time. One thing I can say for sure though is that I have no interest in the business/marketing side of the industry. While it does have a big impact on the process of game creation, I have no interest in business and I'd much rather work directly on the game itself.
Ethics Reflection
Ethics in game design both within the workplace and in the products themselves is an important topic that is discussed in this unit. The game industry is supposed to follow a code of ethics set up by the International Game Developer's Association (IGDA), however there is still work to be done in terms of treatment of workers in the industry. As far as game content, game ratings developed as a response to criticisms against violence and other dark content in games being consumed by young people. In NA we have the ESRB, and ratings like M for mature make sure to notify the buyer of any possibly offensive content they might not themselves, or in the case of a parent, their kids to be viewing. Other countries may have other rating systems such as EU's PEGI, so it's important that developers keep this in mind when forming an idea of their key demographic.
One of the reasons I am so interested in the game industry is because there is such a wide range of talents, skills, and ideas that go into making a single game. And because of this, there are many different fields to explore within the industry whether that be visual artists, audio engineers, programmers, writers, etc. Of course my biggest aspiration, as most young game design students, would be to hold the title of a game designer, however to reach that point I will likely have to build credibility and get the right hands on work experience. I have no problem with this as I am also very interested in both the visual arts - 2D, 3D, and animation - and programming. Having that versatility is also important when working with a team on a project, so I am most interested in building myself up in both of those fields. Until I can reach the point of being a game designer as a career, I will try to work on smaller personal projects as hobbyist in the mean time. One thing I can say for sure though is that I have no interest in the business/marketing side of the industry. While it does have a big impact on the process of game creation, I have no interest in business and I'd much rather work directly on the game itself.
Ethics Reflection
Ethics in game design both within the workplace and in the products themselves is an important topic that is discussed in this unit. The game industry is supposed to follow a code of ethics set up by the International Game Developer's Association (IGDA), however there is still work to be done in terms of treatment of workers in the industry. As far as game content, game ratings developed as a response to criticisms against violence and other dark content in games being consumed by young people. In NA we have the ESRB, and ratings like M for mature make sure to notify the buyer of any possibly offensive content they might not themselves, or in the case of a parent, their kids to be viewing. Other countries may have other rating systems such as EU's PEGI, so it's important that developers keep this in mind when forming an idea of their key demographic.
Section II: Understand the Elements of Game Theory
Game Mechanics Reflection
In game design, you have to know your way around game mechanics, as this is the very basis of what makes a game, a game. Key game mechanics would be rules and procedures, procedures being the steps to play a game, and rules which define concepts, restrict actions, and determine effects. These mechanics line the player up for the end goal, which should be clear and rewarding. If your game follows the state of flow, this goal should be achievable, and the player should find the entire experience rewarding, due to the balance of challenge and ease. Another mechanic would be the implementation of resources, which should have both utility and scarcity. While you may think of resources as just currency, materials, or food items, they can also be as simple as health or time.
Artifact 1: Exploring Game Mechanics - Sub Terra
One of the biggest take aways from creating this artifact would be the awareness of each mechanic used by the game. Typically, we do not spend such close attention to each resource or how each procedure, rule, and the factor of chance play into how a game flows. I also created my first state diagram, a good skill for pre-production.
In game design, you have to know your way around game mechanics, as this is the very basis of what makes a game, a game. Key game mechanics would be rules and procedures, procedures being the steps to play a game, and rules which define concepts, restrict actions, and determine effects. These mechanics line the player up for the end goal, which should be clear and rewarding. If your game follows the state of flow, this goal should be achievable, and the player should find the entire experience rewarding, due to the balance of challenge and ease. Another mechanic would be the implementation of resources, which should have both utility and scarcity. While you may think of resources as just currency, materials, or food items, they can also be as simple as health or time.
Artifact 1: Exploring Game Mechanics - Sub Terra
One of the biggest take aways from creating this artifact would be the awareness of each mechanic used by the game. Typically, we do not spend such close attention to each resource or how each procedure, rule, and the factor of chance play into how a game flows. I also created my first state diagram, a good skill for pre-production.
Artifact 2: Game Genres
Section III: Apply Pre-Production Techniques to Plan Game Prototypes
Design Pipeline Reflection
Artifact 3: Thumbnail Sketches
Artifact 3: Thumbnail Sketches
Artifact 4: Orthographic Sketches
Artifact 5: Rough Character Sketches
Artifact 6: Designing a Prototype