How to Design Your Own Video Game

Write details. Design documentation is the lifeblood of the game. This is content that contains a detailed description of the game’s action, plot, setting, visuals, and many other elements. The format of the document is not as important as the content. ^[4]

• Design documentation is important when you’re managing a team of developers and artists. Make sure the material is written specifically for them, rather than player-oriented. Avoid writing ambiguously; Instead, you need to specify how to perform each action in the game. ^[5]
• Not all games have design documents, and no two design documents are the same. You can use these steps as a guide, but don’t be afraid to adapt the material to the game’s requirements.

Write a table of contents. Every aspect of the game must be mentioned in the table of contents. The only element that doesn’t need to be added is the story unless it has a connection to the action in the game. ^[6]

• Write the table of contents as if you were writing a guide for players. Start with the overarching sections, such as character creation, battles, and main skins, and add more subsections to each. ^[7]
• See the table of contents as the outline of the game. You will add more information to each item in the table.

Write detailed information for each item. After you create a table of contents, you will specify the action section. Take the time to go over every detail so you don’t get confused when you start coding. Each action must be explained in detail so you don’t get in trouble when it comes to execution.

Consult other people or support groups. Depending on the approach, the game design process will require collaboration. Other people’s opinions can help you focus on the game, and spot the missing parts.

• Make sure the game reviewer knows you want to release it. The person probably won’t comment in detail if he thinks it’s just an idea.
• If you are going to consult with a loved one, usually a parent, keep in mind that they will probably give a less objective review than the average game reviewer. You can still ask them to review it, but they shouldn’t be your sole source of reference.

Select a programming program. It is a foundation program because it has a wide range of development tools that make game design easier. The process of creating a game using this type of program is less time-consuming and less complicated than if you were to tinker with it yourself without help. You will find a lot of programming programs specifically for independent developers. ^[8]

• These programs often make it easy to tweak the graphics, sound, and AI.
• Each program has its pros and cons. Some programs are more suitable for 2D graphics, while others are only for 3D graphics. Meanwhile, some programs require users to have programming knowledge. Even so, there are still some game development tools that do not require programming knowledge. Many programs charge a license fee, especially the commercial ones. You can refer to the following popular independent development programs:
  • Unity – Famous 3D program that is easy to use and flexible. Unity also supports 2D game development.
  • Unreal Engine – The program is suitable for many user groups. Many AAA games have been created with this program. It also has Visual Scripting which is called by default Blueprints
  • Godot Engine – A popular free and open source program in recent times. Contributors have added more features to each release. This program also has Visual Scripting and supports many programming languages. Users can use it to create 2D and 3D games.
  • GameMaker: Studio – One of the most popular 2D game creation programs.
  • RPG Maker Series – Visual programming for traditional Japanese 2D role-playing games.
  • Source – Popular 3D program that is constantly being updated and tweaked.
  • Project Spark – Optimized 3D program for ordinary users.

Research your chosen program or find someone knowledgeable. Depending on the chosen program, you will have to have a certain amount of programming knowledge. Even the most basic program needs you to take the time to learn how to use it. If the programming part is beyond your capabilities, learn more or hire a support person.

• This will be the first stage of the grouping part. If you don’t know how to code, the first person you need to hire is a programmer. Graphics and sound can be post-processed; you need to set up a prototype before continuing with the project.
• You should connect with the community of independent developers. Many people join projects for different reasons and interests. This is where game design documentation comes into play as it helps you focus on the original idea.

Make a test run. After getting familiar with the selected program, you need to create a demo of the game. This demo is a basic test of the core functions in the game. You don’t need to create graphics or sounds for your demo, just use simple symbols (such as a cube or simple drawing) and a small test area. ^[9]

• Test and improve the demo over and over to make sure the game doesn’t get boring. Make note of the points that are not good or not effective, and review the related actions. If the demo isn’t fun, maybe the final version isn’t.
• There are always features that seem simple or workable but don’t work when you’re designing the game. The demo will change over and over as you’re still looking at the good and the bad.

Improved controls. The most basic function of the game is that the player interacts with the game through input controls. Use a demo to make sure all controls are perfect.

• The game has unprofessional controls that will make players uncomfortable. In contrast, a game with perfectly executed controls will aid the player’s skill.

Review project requirements. Depending on the size of the project, the graphic requirements will vary. Some games have only a few simple shapes and colors, but games with complex features must be created by a team of many artists and sound designers. Set realistic goals for in-game resources and hire the right people.

• Most indie games are created by a small team, mostly one person. If you do the project yourself, it will take longer, especially if you want to create the entire resource yourself.
• There are many free resources on online developer communities. However, always make sure that anything you use doesn’t infringe the copyrights of others.

Create a graphic sketch. To visualize the game’s graphics, you need to add graphics to the demo, and start expanding the demo into the full game.

• You can use many styles. Pixel (archaic style) graphics are often one of the popular styles favored by many independent publishers. The reason is because pixel graphics take less time and creative costs, but still produce “beautiful” games. ^[10]
• If you have a lot of time and manpower, you can consider using 3D graphics. Basic 3D modeling can be done with just one person, but more complex details will require more time. 3D models often need more details. ^[11]

Design the world or structure of the game. After creating the graphics, you can create the structure of the game. Depending on the style of the game you need to create multiple levels or play areas. If you want to create a puzzle game, you can design puzzle templates.

Graphics resource development. Depending on the graphic style, you can use many different programs to create graphic resources. Some popular programs include:

• Blender – This is one of the most popular open source programs in the field of 3D modeling. There are countless online tutorials out there to get you up and running quickly.
• Photoshop – This program is needed for texture creation, and the creation of most 2D graphics. However, this is a paid option; so, if you’re worried about money, try GIMP – a free and open source alternative to Photoshop, as it has almost the same functionality as Photoshop.
• Paint.net – This is an open source alternative to Paint Shop Pro, and will allow you to create 2D graphics easily at no cost. This program is especially useful for creating 2D pixel graphics.
• Adobe Illustrator – This is a useful program for Vector graphics. However, this option costs money; If you’re on a tight budget, try Inkscape – a free and open source alternative to Illustrator.

Record audio resources. The sound design has the role of making the player immersed in the game. Regardless of whether you use sound or not, when and how you use sound effects, or use voiceover, it all affects how players connect with the game.

• You can find many powerful and free recordings and sound creation software on the internet. Consider using these factors if you are on a tight budget or working independently.
• Create sound effects with items around the house.

Spend a lot of time playing the game. As you build on each aspect of the game, play around with it to make sure it’s fun and engaging. If an area or idea seems flawed or poorly set up, feel free to improve or cut it. Once all levels, puzzles or play areas are complete, you’ll need to try them out to ensure a pleasant experience from start to finish.

Focus on core values. During development, you need to constantly check to see if the game stays that way. Make sure you stick to the feature list, and you don’t get stuck on a lot of extra details. ^[12]

Continuously honing. Regularly review the graphics, sound, and design to refine the rough edges and highlight the distinct style of the game. The ability to refine quickly or slowly will depend a lot on the graphic style you have chosen.

Finding fault. After you have a smooth game from start to finish, it’s time to start finding ways to “break” it. Finding bugs in the game and fixing them is a necessary step to ensure multiplayer.

Take actions that you wouldn’t normally try. You need to try out all the interactions that the player can make. Make sure players don’t easily circumvent or break the rules of the game.

• Error checking can take a lot of time, even equivalent to the time it takes to create a game. If you have a lot of people helping you in testing the game, you can find and fix many bugs.

Prioritize bug fixes. If you find a bunch of bugs but have limited time to fix them, make sure the critical bugs that cause the game to crash are addressed first. For example, if there is a bug that allows players to get infinitely high scores in a scoring game, you need to make sure the bug is fixed immediately.

Observe how other people play. You can invite some friends to try the game. Observe how they approach challenges, and how they interact with the game world. Maybe they’ll try to do things you don’t think anyone else will. ^[13]

Check the programming tool’s regulations for the release of converted programs. Each programming tool supports certain platforms, and some tools require different license types for each platform. For example, with Game Studio, you can publish on Windows and Mac OS X with the standard version, but you must upgrade to the professional version and pay an additional fee to publish the mobile version.

Game advertising. When you’re about to release a game, start attracting attention. Post some screenshots and gameplay videos in action on popular game forums. Contact game news sites and let them know that your game will be released soon (remember to introduce downloads, fees, and game synopsis). ^[14]

• Create a website for your company as it grows so you can grow your following. Setting up a forum for your game is a way for fans to communicate with each other, and regularly updating the site can attract more attention.

Select a delivery service. Some indie developers will promote the game on the site, but this option is costly, and some servers may not be able to support the loading capacity required for a successful game. A few popular distribution channels that support indie game publishing on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux computers are as follows:

• Steam
• Desura
• Humble Store
• GOG
• Mobile games need to be released through that device’s app store (e.g. Apple App Store, Google Play Store, etc.). This principle also applies to game consoles (Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, etc.).
• Each service will charge a different fee based on the revenue of the game. Learn to choose the right one for you. Most services have a customer service channel, with representatives able to talk directly to the developer.