Game Design

[Babar]

My previous game attempts suffered because I just thought of a basic plot, drew a BG, scripted it into AGS, and while doing this thought of other rooms and elements to add, drew them, scripted them into AGS..., and so on.
So how exactly should a game be designed for maximum perserverance to completion, quality and structure? Should I do scripting and then add the BGs, should I should I do the sprites along with the BGs or after, when should I start worrying about all the Global variables etc?
Is there some tutorial for game design, or is there some kind soul out there who can help me?

[Kinoko]

Well, I don't know what's best but I'll tell you how I did it.

I started off just writing basic plot elements down on paper. Then I wrote down the basic storyline, and wrote each individual task (like, "How to get rid of seal" out backwards and eventually had my whole game written out on paper (though I left room for a bit of changing around here or there).

I made lists of all the objects, inventory, characters, BGs etc that I needed, created my EGO, then started making each room one by one, doing bits here and there as I needed. The dialogues and globalints were probably the last things I completed... then there was the endless bug fixing...

[veryweirdguy]

Yeah, that's a good way of doing it. Work out plot, work out puzzles, find out EXACTLY what you need, then get it all done.

I think it's better to do ALL of your graphics before you even open AGS (that's why I have no experience in scrpiting). That way it's unlikely you will change too much during scripting & complicate things.

[Meowster]

The only thing with that is, take Rise of the Hidden Sun for example; he made the graphics before opening AGS, and when it got to putting it together he realized a lot of things weren't in proportion.

I created a folder for Luna, and in that folder I had other folders. Like 'Concept Art' 'Backgrounds' 'Music' 'Documents'. I even have a 'Trash' folder, so that instead of throwing things away into the recycle bin, I keep them all. Even discarded ideas I may use again.

I wrote a synopsis of the story. This didn't include puzzles. After writing a synopsis, I started on the script, right from the beginning. I think the script has helped because it's like ironing out your story and synopsis; it allows you to take a closer look at your characters and story than a short synopsis does, and a lot of small things change.

I haven't started putting together in AGS yet. I agree with Babyloi that you shouldn't do that until you know exactly what you need. I'm keeping a list of all of the animations and backgrounds I'm going to need, so when 'pre-production' is finished I can look at it and think, 'is that a decent amount compared to the size of the game?' and cut or add more if necessary.

Before we start actual production on it, as in gluing it together in AGS, I'm going to step back and look at it on a whole, to see what works and what doesn't work, and what story arcs just take away from the gameplay and what ones enhance it, and things like this.

So far, this method has proved pretty neat because a) everything is filed away neatly in the correct folders, instead of jumbled together in one massive folder, or all over my PC, b) pre-production is easier to keep track of, and c) because you know exactly what's happening in each department, it's easier to see what needs adding or cutting from the game.

Finally, when the pre-production is complete, I'm going to send some things to my slave in Austria, and he's going to draw one of those oh-so-fantastic graphs he draws to plot the course of the storyline, so everything is visualized and beautiful and it's nice and easy to convey ideas to the rest of the team for production.

To solve the problem of backgrounds and sprites not being in proportion; I scan concept sketches in to AGS and try the sprites over them, and if something needs fixing I fix it on the sketch before colouring it for use in the game.

[InCreator]

Step 1: Use story with pen and paper
(if you don't write story down, you'll lose it. Just trust me)

Step 2: Make game playable from start of making to end. I mean that game should be playable all the time, this includes during development. If you just think that you're going to draw bg-s only for next few weeks, you'll never get to a making a game itsself.

So, make 2 rooms, put objects there, inventory items, characters and so on. Then go with next 2 rooms. And so on. This guarantees that whenever you'll run out of will(power), you already have at least something done, and you can cut it shorter or redo it at least to a MAGS game.

Nobody can't play just a bunch of BG-s or sprites/sounds/script. But they can play a game, even if it's short one.

That's my way to get something done. Maybe It'll work for you.

[Scummbuddy]

I hate a patented process up on my webpage. Scroll down a bit. http://www.freewebs.com/lucasstyle/games.htm

[SSH]

I would say that you should leave the bit you enjoy most to last. FOr me that is scripting. I did do all the graphics before the scripting (excpet for a few I found were missing as I went along... these things are never hard and fast). But writing dialogues... I only wrote the into beforehand, and it took me ages to get motivated to fill in all the dialogs (and other descriptive texts).

Does anyone use mind-maps?

Oh, and I orgnaise my folders similarly to Yufster

[Gonzo]

As anyone who's visited my 'website' frequently knows, I've started 2 or 3 different (quite ambitious) games. However, every time I have failed to plan properly and just jumped in and only later become disillusioned with the project. The first game I went for a very generic private detective idea, and I'd planned nothing, which is a pretty bad idea for a mystery game. About five backgrounds and four character sprite sets in I gave up because I had no ideas beyond the start of the mystery and I just felt like I'd get bored. And if I'm going to get bored making (even thinking up) a game, who's going to be interested in playing it?

A few more abortive attempts in, my next game will be planned from start to finish before anything happens in AGS. From my experience, I think forward planning is the key. At least construct a framework for each 'act' before you start drawing/scripting stuff - you can end up wasting a lot of time on stuff that will never see the light of day, without planning.

I think doing stuff 'on the fly' can kind of work for a few things, like you can write a story or even a novel (if you're lucky) as you go, but for something as labour-intensive as a game, you can't really afford to just jump straight in!

[Ginny]

Well, there is no right or wrong way, you should use whatever way works best for you, but as I gather your last method wasn't very fruitfull. So, I can tell how I do it (or believe it should be done):

1) Firstly, once you have an idea you are certain you want to make into a game (I get many ideas which i just like to leave alone for now), you should work on it just to make sure you know all the basic premise: Who are the most important characters (you don't have to have names yet, I usually can't think of a proper name at this stage), where does the game start/take place, when, if it's of any importance, and what special features it may have.
2) Start writing a lot about you game. It's nice to have written material to go through for inspiration and motivation. I like to write up a short passage about the location, about the time, the characters and their personality, and then the linear part of the plot. it doesn't have to be a lot (though in my case I do write quite a bit), if it's a short and not serious game a few lines about each character is enough.
3) You can start drawing some of the things at this point, I think, while simultaneously working out every single location in the game, dividing the plot into goals, obstacles, and eventually puzzles. Write some of the dialog, particularly the dialog that is connected to the puzzles, etc. Btw, if it's a long game, I'd go over this step in bits, each time with the next 'part' of the game, even if you don't show this division of parts in the game. Also, I like to have the GUI worked out and possibly scripted by now, or even before this stage.
4) Drawing and Scripting at the same time, or drawing and then scripting, or scripting and then drawing. Whichever suits you more. For a large game, each 'part' canbe done one by one. For example, I like to start working in the editor and scripting pretty early on, using placeholders if needed, and then putting in artwork that's finished. I don't like using placeholder backgrounds though, cause afterwards I need to redraw hotspots. Still, that's fine aswell sometimes.
5) Music, sound effects, voice acting if applicable (or later on) can be added later or in the proccess of making the game.
6) Beta-testing yourselfand then by other testers, fixing bugs, adding things like extra stuff, easter eggs, bonus material, intro of logo, start room (I like to have this ready beforehand though), manual, launcher, icons, etc...
Then a few more final tests and voila! All through the proccess, staring at any point you'd like, just as long as you have some work done, you can keep updating the players about the game .
I'd either do what's easier first or what difficult first, when it comes to sprites and bgs, if there isn't a difference for you, then at the same time.

Whew, got a bit carried away there.

There have been a few threads like this I think, but I can't find them right now, they're old. There's this though: http://www.kecek.com/forums/index.php?mforum=GTD&showtopic=24 on Game Team Design, a similar thread, though not yet many posts.
And also, read articles about puzzle theory, design, etc etc etc.. I have loads of them bookmarked somewhere, they're not too hard to find through google and on adventure game websites. Maybe later I'll make a list. There is one which you must read, though: http://www.adventuregamers.com/display.php?id=142 .
There are 9 parts so far, and still counting. A few other articles on the same site aswell.

P.s. edit- I notcied someone else mentioned Rise of the Hidden Sun, too, heh (it's in the articles I linked to). It took me a long time to write this, on and off, so I didn't read older replies.
Anyway, I wanted to stress what Kinoko siad about lists: You need lists! Lists are your friends! They keep you organized and up to date, and are useful in teams too. I like to have lists for all the artwork needed, including animations, character, items, objects, backgrounds, GUIs, icons, and any extra art (like a starting menu and the logo for the company(sometimes) and game). Then all the music, all characters, locations, puzzles, etc..
And nothing beats a 'to do' list. Man, I love striking things out on the list, and adding new ones gradually.

[Radiant]

I agree that you should create a working version as soon as possible and then keep improving on it. Of course you should have a certain goal in mind with all these improvements. Most of my past games aren't adventures, but for an AGS game I would use a lot of temporary rooms that are mostly white so that at least the game can be tested. And bugfixed. And tested again. Repeat ad nauseam.

But I suppose it's easier with a team. I wouldn't want to tackle an AGS game solo (but that's also considering my rather poor artistic skills). Seems to me however that most people want to make a game on their own and then get stuck way before the halfway point, and give up on it. Maybe they should all put their graphics and scripts so far on a site (similar to juncSource) so that other people can see and learn. Just a thought.