Your game-making procedures?

[stuh505]

I am finding it very difficult to work on such a large game, there is so much work to do. 

I had tried just jumping into it, but I ended up with my sprite numbers getting very disorganized...my room nubmers getting confusing, my room transitions then became a pain to program since there was no logical progression...and as I worked, I wanted to change things about the plot and the art...

I keep starting over, and struggling with the process.

From those of you who have completed big projects, what procedures did you use that worked out well?

Now, my backgrounds take a long time to make...but I'm afraid that once I draw them, and test the game out, I'll want to be changing things around with the plot andstuff and then I might need the backgrounds to change.

So now I'm thinking maybe I should just make the whole game using quickly sketched graphics, playtest it, make sure it is fun, then go back and draw all the backgrounds well...

Can you game makers share some advice on good practices?  Ways for organizing sprites, methods of attacking the project, etc?

[Rui 'Trovatore' Pires]

What worked for me was doing it as the game required. First the intro, then the first playable room. If the player can, say, return and do action X after having done action Y elsewhere, DON'T program action X until you've programmed action Y. Don't make rooms until you've given the player a means to go there, whether it be walking off screen or taking a boat. Don't make INV items until the player can take them. Tackle everything chronologically. That'll help you keep track.

But of course, I was remaking, and all the graphics AND the story were already available to me. Still, I think you should have the game completed -in your head- even BEFORE you switch AGS on. Ditto for graphics. And then adjust as necessary with AGS, but hopefully only very mild adjustments will be necessary.

[aussie]

One think that works for me is to make the game in small "modules", dealing with each puzzle as a mini-game.

[BorisZ]

I think that it is individual, just as writing songs or novels for example. But one thing is certain: you have to make (your own) rules and follow them.