Top three design recommendations

[simulacra]

I am very curious to know... what are your top three design recommendations? Reply with your own. General or specific. Brief or verbose.

Mine are:

1. Decide what kind of story you want to tell and stick to it. Let that story influence everything you do: graphics, sounds, GUIs etc.

2. Think out of the box. Don't do a (probably not as good as the original) copy of your favorite game. Drop genres. Do something new. Get inspired by books, movies or wierd people on the subway.

3. Have someone correct your language. Everyone always makes embarrasing speling mistakes.

[Mr Jake]

3. Have someone correct your language. Everyone always makes embarrasing speling mistakes.

I normally do pretty much that. But I think I try and think of a game ID like to play.

[DanClarke]

1. Put the plot and design of your game before how it looks, too many people get hung up on graphics, where 90% of a great game is the story and how it plays.

2. Try to think like a gamer, sit back and put yourself in their perspective when creating puzzles or deciding how to explain plots etc.

3. Take influence from whatever you can (books, films, music, games. etc)

These are just three i thought of quickly, im sure i could think of a list but i cant be assed writing it lol.

[Hollister Man]

3: Think of new innovations, but don't make it hard to adapt to (5DaSs interface did this to me)

2: While everyone wants to have a good storyline, don't accept less than your best for the graphics.  Not THE best, just YOUR best.  The effort will show.

1: Let your story influence people in the game.  The hero should change noticably, as should main characters.

Zeroth: Don't let NPCs repeat themselves endlessly!  Give them something to say, or ignore you.