When you design a game, which do you do first?

[Reives]

Something to watch out for is that sometimes, all the planning and brainstorming may lead to a spiral of adjustments and perfecting-process and you never actually get to the "doing" part; so it's important to remember that you have to actually start at one point. Often, certain ideas and realizations don't come until you are actually working on the canvas.

Adequate planning is essential of course, needless to say. But too much may lead to vaporization.

 

[Sol_Fury]

Yeah, I'm sort of hitting that point right now on my side. It's all planned, beyond planned in fact, and I should be well into the "doing", but I'm still finding things to plan through and work out.

About time I called time on that and just get on with it, I think.

 

[Armor King 108]

First thing I do, is draw characters. Mostly the playable characters. Then, I think of a setting. After that, I start brainstorming ideas for a story I want to put these characters in. Now, I start really working on the characters, redesigning some of them, creating their personalities and fighting styles, thinking of their backstories and how they interact...

...and then I usually hit a bump and start a new idea. It's really bothersome. I have a hard time sticking with one idea. I really want to make an RPG with this program I've been using for years, but...

At least my CURRENT idea shows more promise than most of my others. It's zany-ness really goes with the kind of game I want to make, I think I may have found the one. Or maybe not.

 

[nikki]

I cant say ive been doing this rmxp thing for long, but Ive worked on other projects before. I like to focus on building places first. Of course, I stop and do other things from time to time when the building gets boring. For me, having the gameworld mostly complete gives me a good foundation upon which to add the other stuff,

 

[Rin]

I am not good with systems, but they are usually the first thing I think about (after characters, general story theme). In my opinion, if you don't think about systems/gameplay before you start getting deep into story writing, you run the risk of ending up with a movie/novel, not a game.

 

[Speedpaws]

@ Rin: I would disagree with that completely. It depends on the game, and the type of game the person wants to design. The story is more important than the systems. I would play a game with a good story any day of the systems it uses. I don't think you run the risk of getting a Movie/Novel.

But then I have to ask, do you mean Movie/Novel in length? Or an RPG movie like Domain or Quintessence?

Either way, if someone's goal is to have an RMXP project that you just watch, they will make it that way. If they want it to be a game, they can make the story and game play without systems with no risk to making it a movie or novel. The risk would be that they have to go back and spend a lot of time incorporating the system they realized they wanted.

 

[Flickayy]

I normally design a small part of the story..then do a few mapps... an well finish the story.. :smile:

 

[SolstICE]

I start by hitting new project button. all design starts from there

but its probably also why most of my games suck

 

[LostPetal]

Light a few candles and listen to barry white. Gets me into the mood.

 

[Unka Josh]

I start with the concept and story. I tweaked a combat system that I like, and I just re-use it, so that part isn't an issue.

Although it does slow up parts of my story writing, because I wind up needing to customize animation graphics and create new battlers all the time... and I suck as a pixel artist.

 

[CheesieUnion]

Now I'm busy with my first game. I begon expirimentating with RMXP and adding some scripts. I like the things I had and that was the basic for my game. Now I'm still looking for a story (someone interessed?).

 

[Cruelty]

well, i don't deal with standard rpg elements, so the first thing i actually do is sit down with a notebook and map out all of the mechanics, balance everything out, design what each screen should basically look like, and jot down how all these things can be achieved with savvy eventing.

i then work on it for a week or so, and then abandon it, while convincing myself that i'll come back to it eventually

 

[006]

I will do the theme first, then do gameplay mechanics, then characters, then story, then graphics before I work on it with RPG maker.

 

[Zakkeh]

First i work out the story, than i get the Graphics And Music I Need, and start mapping, Adding events and scripts as i ge to that part.

 

[Speedpaws]

Ha. For me, I do the story and mapping before I do anything else. Then I look for music that matches the scene/map. It makes things easier that way for me, so I don't spend hours searching for music I don't need. However, sometimes I come accross a song and I have an idea where I could use it before I even make the map, but I think looking for music last is the best thing. Well, maybe not LAST, but after you make the maps anyway.

 

[Fusty]

I start with a very basic story and think up the rest while I'm making the game.
Then I search for the scripts I want to use and make sure they work.
And when the game reaches the third or fourth city, I think of a better story and start a new project...

 

[Durastik]

well, i don't deal with standard rpg elements, so the first thing i actually do is sit down with a notebook and map out all of the mechanics, balance everything out, design what each screen should basically look like, and jot down how all these things can be achieved with savvy eventing.

i then work on it for a week or so, and then abandon it, while convincing myself that i'll come back to it eventually

That's pretty much what I do. Except usually I start eventing then have to crack out my little black book (yes, I don't get laid enough to need it for girls), and scribble out ideas for eventing it.

Ironically, i've ended up forgetting most of the stories attached to the systems i've made, kinda sucks. So I think next time i'll actually write the story down.

 

[everxsnow]

When I first played with RPG Maker like 6 years ago or so I went back and forth. Working on the visuals/game while working on the system just jumping from one to the other.

This time around since I'm not sure how the systems work (not that I had a good idea back when I first used RPG Maker years ago. Lets just say there was alot of copy/pasting) I am building the graphics and then I'll get the systems worked out. So for now I'm just animating custom sprites and drawing character/monster designs, etc, etc...

 

[Cryranos]

First I get the bare-bones plot in my head and down on paper. Then I decide if I want the story to be character-driven or plot-driven. Once I've decided, I can flesh out the story a little, and add the characters.

I usually use the same music in all of my projects (considering none have been released and none are my original work, It's not a big deal), and I add that giant chunk of lossy compression audio at this point.

Now I open the editor and put the database together (except for enemies and troops). Next I make the maps, in the order that the story goes, and add everything as I go. When I make a dungeon or hostile area, I make the enemies.

I find this one of the most obvious, if not one of the more complicated, ways to go.