"How to Prototype a Game in Under 7 Days" from Gamasutra

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Written by the folks behind Experimental Gameplay, this article explains how one person can churn out working game prototypes in just seven days.

Perfect for anybody who wants to build games fast -- or churn out a first draft of anything quickly. (250 pages, 12 chapters in 6 months? Easy!)

Here's a summary:

Setup: Rapid is a State of Mind

  • Embrace the Possibility of Failure - it Encourages Creative Risk Taking
  • Enforce Short Development Cycles (More Time != More Quality)
  • Constrain Creativity to Make You Want it Even More
  • Gather a Kickass Team and an Objective Advisor – Mindset is as Important as Talent
  • Develop in Parallel for Maximum Splatter

Design: Creativity and the Myth of Brainstorming

  • Formal Brainstorming Has a 0% Success Rate
  • Gather Concept Art and Music to Create an Emotional Target
  • Simulate in Your Head – Pre-Prototype the Prototype

Development: Nobody Knows How You Made it, and Nobody Cares

  • Build the Toy First
  • If You Can Get Away With it, Fake it
  • Cut Your Losses and "Learn When to Shoot Your Baby in the Crib"
  • Heavy Theming Will Not Salvage Bad Design (or "You Can't Polish a Turd")
  • But Overall Aesthetic Matters! Apply a Healthy Spread of Art, Sound, and Music
  • Nobody Cares About Your Great Engineering

General Gameplay: Sensual Lessons in Juicy Fun

  • Complexity is Not Necessary for Fun
  • Create a Sense of Ownership to Keep 'em Crawling Back for More
  • "Experimental" Does Not Mean "Complex"
  • Build Toward a Well Defined Goal
  • Make it Juicy!
But read the whole thing, you'll be glad you did: http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20051026/gabler_01.shtml

David Barnes

David Barnes

Packt Publishing's elearning product manager.

Email me: davidb@packtpub.com.

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