Planning game structures

[ildu]

This question is directed to people who have completed a game or have fully planned a game

I'm in the stage of development for my game, where I need to plan the structure of my story and interactions within it. I have the locations down, and I'm trying to plan basically the whole gameplay from the beginning to the end. I've started with a plan and I'm at the very beginning of it. However, I'm stuck as I don't know if some events/objects/characters are final yet. So far I have a rough intro script done and a few lines for picking up objects.

How do you people go about planning events and interactions? Just to clarify, I'm talking about what happens first, what the player should pick up or use for some event to become available.

To further clarify (as I'm finding this extremely difficult to explain) here's a model of the plan I'm talking about:

//Game starts
//Cutscene
Policeman is talking to player
//Gameplay
Player picks up cassette tape
Player picks up piece of chalk
Player gives cassette and chalk to policeman
-> A new area becomes available on the map.
Player leaves area
//Cutscene
Player drives to new area
//Gameplay
Player talks to woman
...etc.

[InCreator]

So.. you're asking about formatting the plan?
I'd suggest MS Word (or any else better-than-notepad word processor will do)

Write down whole script like you showed off here, but:

* number lines of action.
* separatel color the keywords - i.e. inventory items, important characters/dialogs, etc
* you may also color the line numbers so it's easier to keep control over them

Coloring inventory items for example, helps to check if they are used atleast once, and where they are and are they aquired for the moment of usage
Also, it helps to keep sections working so you can easily check that there's no dead ends.

At least, I do so, and result is something like this:


Docks area
1. Player searches garbage can and finds fish.
2. Player talks to bum and asks for scarf.
3. Bum trades scarf for fish
stuff: scarf,fish

Downtown
1. Player talks to Punk, punk wants back his scarf, which bum stole
2. Player gives scarf back to Punk
....

etc.
It's most likely not the best way, but I find it better than no script at all.
Also, a puzzle scheme would work for you, especially if using non-linear puzzles (example from my Estonian AGS Beginners tutorial):

The car is stuck in mud
Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  I
Player goes into forest for help
Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  I
Ã,  Sees a hunter
Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  I
Hunter has a gun, but wants cash for it
Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã, IÃ,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  I
Player finds a spadeÃ,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã, Player wanders around
Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã, IÃ,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  I
Player digs out a treasureÃ,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Player finds a club
Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã, IÃ,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  I
Player gives it to hunterÃ,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã, Player beats hunter with a club
Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  IÃ,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã, I
Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Hunter gives a gun
Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã, I
Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  etc

[ildu]

Color coding...Now that's a good idea. And I guess I could number the action lines as well.

By the question I was also kind of asking how you might go about creating a detailed structure from a rough story, but I got a pretty good idea after I read Josh Roberts' Adventure Architect columns.

Thanks.

[Haddas]

My current structure is more like a story, with a walkthrough...

Some outtakes...

...away from player. Infront of the TV is a green couch. To the left is an opening leading into Foce's kitchen. The kitchen is the same colours as the living-room, only the wall and
floor has tiles.There is a refridgerator and a counter in the kitchen, which has a sink put into it. There is also an oven and cupboards...

[PUZZLE]
* You are hungry
* You need the fridge open
...

* Take food
* Use food on self
    OR
* Use food with frying pan
            (extra points)
[/PUZZLE]

The lady looks like she has bad eyesight. Very thick glasses, gray hair and round cheeks. She looks like she's in a generally bad mood.

Foce: Excuse me, could I have that map over there?            //Dialogue needs work
Lady: Certainly not!
Foce: Any particular reason? Is it valuable or something?


etc...

[Babar]

Puzzles and story are not the only thing you have to plan. Remember to include all the animations required for that screen. You could use colour codes for them too. Also, the important objects in the room.

Writing down your entire game script may seem like a good idea, but it doesn't seem to work for me . I spend hours making a huge interconnected script: footnotes, cross-referrences, etc., and I am all really proud of it, but then I seem burned out, and don't feel like working on the game at all. That is why I have tens of written scripts, but no fully completed game. Not saying it'll be the same for you.