Welcome to Quarter 4 of Game Design! Do you need to go back to Quarter 1? Quarter 2? Quarter 3?
Day 136
1. Now you are going to create a game that shows what you have learned. (You will have until day 160 to complete it.) You can create any style of video game you like! However, we’re going to plan this out a little more in-depth before we get started. Today create a new game document. In it, write the following:
- Your game’s genre
- Your game’s perspective (platformer, top down, first-person, third-person, etc)
- Your game’s main character
- The object of the game
- The main obstacle the player will encounter
2. You will be able to change these later, but it’s important to make some decisions early and write them down.
Day 137
1. Today list at least 5 game stages/levels in your document. These should include the beginning (make sure you note how/what the player will learn about the game story and objectives), the end (how the player will win/end the game and what happens) and at least 3 ideas for stages or levels in the middle.
Day 138
1. Today sit down and list ideas for mobs, opponents, obstacles, bosses, etc. Make sure you write down notes about your character, its design, any upgrades or powerups you can think of, and any important equipment that you know you want in your game.
Day 139
1. Today is all about making design decisions! Will you be using pre-existing sprites? Will you be making your own? What about backgrounds, enemies, inventory, etc? If you are going to be using premade elements, go find the sets you will be using. If you will be designing your own, sketch out basic ideas either on paper or your computer. See how much you can get done today.
Day 140
1. Are you ready to get started? Use the plans you made in your game design document and begin work on your video game.
Day 141
1. Continue working on your video game. Remember, it’s best to get “broad strokes” in place first before you begin working on small time-consuming details.
Day 142
1. Continue working on your video game. Remember, don’t stop to add finesse to small details until the main structure is done!
Day 143
1. Before you continue working on your game, go to your game document and list the stages/phases/levels that you need to add before you reach the end of your game.
2. With that list in mind, continue working on your game.
Day 144
1. Continue working on your game.
Day 145
1. Continue working on your game.
Day 146
1. Are your levels or stages in place? If not, make a list NOW of how many you have left to do. Break it down by days and make a plan. How long will it take you to complete the main framework of your game?
2. Continue working on your game.
Day 147
1. Continue working on your game. Make sure you follow the plan you made yesterday.
Day 148
1. Continue working on your game.
Day 149
1. Continue working on your game. How many more days to you need before you will finish the main structure?
Day 150
1. Continue working on your game.
Day 151
1. Continue working on your game.
Day 152
1. STOP. Look at your plan and compare it to your game. How are you doing? What still needs to be done to make your game complete?
2. Make a list of the steps you need to follow to complete your game.
3. Continue working on your game.
Day 153
1. Continue working on your game.
Day 154
1. Continue working on your game.
Day 155
1. Continue working on your game.
Day 156
1. Continue working on your game.
Day 157
1. Continue working on your game. You will need to be finished by day 160.
Day 158
1. Continue working on your game. It’s time to finish up! (Done by day 160).
Day 159
1. Finish up your game! You’ll need to be done by tomorrow.
Day 160
1. Finish your game. Great work!
Day 161
1. It’s a Crash Course day! Watch the following videos.
Day 162
1. Time for more Crash Course! Watch the following videos.
Day 163
1. Watch the following Crash Course videos:
Day 164
1. Today watch the last episode of Crash Course Games.
Day 165
1. For your final project, you are going to be designing a physical card-based game. It needs to be complete by day 179. Today, read the article “How to design and create a pirate card game.”
2. Of course, your game will not need to be pirate-themed. Brainstorm and create a list of 5 different themes/topics you could make your game about.
3. Brainstorm and create a list of 5 different goals or objectives your game could have.
Day 166
1. Today is the day to make some decisions! Choose the theme or premise of your game and the win conditions (this can be something completely different from what you came up with yesterday). Create a game design document and title it with the working title of your game (you can change this later) and write down everything you already know about your game.
Day 167
1. Begin working on your game.
Day 168
1. Today, make a plan. What cards will your game need? Begin creating a list of cards with any info you already have in mind. If you only know types or categories, that’s okay. Just get started creating!
Day 169
1. Using the list you made last time and your game design document, sit down and make some more decisions.
- How many players should play this game?
- What is the object of the game/how will you win? (It’s fine if you already decided this, just check and make sure it still works)
- What will the mechanics of your game be? (How will your players get cards, lose cards, and interact with the cards of other players?)
2. Read the article “Designing Engaging Card Game Mechanics.”
3. Your game does not need to have complicated mechanics. A card game like ‘War’ is very engaging, but its mechanics are extremely simple. What is the least complicated mechanic you can use to allow players to play the game you have in mind?
4. Make some decisions about how your game will actually work and write them down in your game design document.
Day 170
1. Today write the rules for your game. (You can make changes to these later if you need to.)
Day 171
1. Now that you have the rules for your game, go back to your list of cards. Update it to include any new cards that you know you need. Note down any special features or characteristics of the cards that you know now (points, health, special rules or mechanics.)
Day 172
1. Today begin making your cards.
Day 173
1. Continue working on your cards. How much do you need to do before you can try out your game?
Day 174
1. Today do a test run of your game. Do your rules work? Are your cards balanced? What could be changed to improve your game?
Day 175
1. Based on the playtest of your game, what should you change or improve? Make a list in your game design document.
Day 176
1. Implement the changes to your game that you decided on yesterday.
Day 177
1. You need to have your game complete and ready to play by Day 180. What still needs to be done? Get working on it!
Day 178
1. Keep working on your game!
Day 179
1. Continue working on your game. What do you need to do to make sure it’s ready to play tomorrow?
