-
Videogame Area Design
Overview Areas are where players interact with environment, story and gameplay. They require solid planning as they are among the most expensive — if not the most expensive — pieces of the gameplay puzzle a designer is assembling. Here are some tips to help apply foresight to the level design process and (hopefully) minimize costly revisions. Area Purpose All areas should have a purpose. Whether it is for players to grab the Statue of Awfulness or fight their way to rescue the disgruntled prince, there should be something happening. An area that the player just walks through with limited narrative or advancement purposes is a waste of resources. Determine the…
-
Savegame Tips
Overview Planning the save game system for your game is essential. The platform being used, the type of game, and the programming resources all must be taken into consideration. What kind of save system? Do what other games that are similar to yours do — and then try to add some improvements if possible. Many shooter games, especially on consoles or hand held devices, have save points — the player does not choose to save the game. As an RPG designer it was always my belief that ALL games should allow save games whenever the player wants but occasionally, usually for issues of difficulty, a save point system makes more…