Book Image

Practical Game Design

By : Adam Kramarzewski, Ennio De Nucci
Book Image

Practical Game Design

By: Adam Kramarzewski, Ennio De Nucci

Overview of this book

If you are looking for an up-to-date and highly applicable guide to game design, then you have come to the right place! Immerse yourself in the fundamentals of game design with this book, written by two highly experienced industry professionals to share their profound insights as well as give valuable advice on creating games across genres and development platforms. Practical Game Design covers the basics of game design one piece at a time. Starting with learning how to conceptualize a game idea and present it to the development team, you will gradually move on to devising a design plan for the whole project and adapting solutions from other games. You will also discover how to produce original game mechanics without relying on existing reference material, and test and eliminate anticipated design risks. You will then design elements that compose the playtime of a game, followed by making game mechanics, content, and interface accessible to all players. You will also find out how to simultaneously ensure that the gameplay mechanics and content are working as intended. As the book reaches its final chapters, you will learn to wrap up a game ahead of its release date, work through the different challenges of designing free-to-play games, and understand how to significantly improve their quality through iteration, polishing and playtesting.
Table of Contents (22 chapters)
Title Page
Copyright and Credits
Packt Upsell
Contributors
Preface
Index

Polish


What is polish?

This is another concept that many developers have tried to nail with a formal definition. As you know by now, we don't like formal definitions, so be warned that the notion of what polish is might vary from developer to developer, but most importantly from game to game! To polish a game, basically, means to raise the standard of its quality.

Why and how would you polish a pair of shoes or a plank of wood?

You don't change the shoes or the shape of the plank. Polishing a pair of walking boots won’t turn them into a pair of patent leather formal shoes to go with your tuxedo. The goal of polishing is to smoothen the game and the experience. To tweak its values and refine its details until it really feels great and immediately pleasing on an aesthetic and gameplay level.

The (in)famous scenario where the game designer finally plays the Alpha of the game and comes up with a brilliant idea to make things even better...usually is not polishing. It is the dreaded wouldn't be cool...