THE ART OF GAME DESIGN
Like any Movie a game can take ages to make. But you are the editor, you decide what too keep and what too cut. It will be frustrating, but keep at it and you will have a masterpiece.
Let us start by comparing movies. For example the Indiana Jones movies. While the temple of doom was crap no one can say that they were not good movies. They combined the story writing on George Lucus (Star Wars) with the direction of Stephen Spielberg (E.T etc) what made these movies good, was that they were different from what has been seen before, therefore they were original. As was Star Wars, Forest Gump, and 12 monkeys. And even that silly pig Babe.
You should now see that a good game is an Original Game. Therefore most movie sequals are not as good as the idea has already been used. The same goes for most Games.
The first step to design a game is to have an idea that is somewhat original. that is different to what is currently available.
Originalitly in some\all aspects of the game - eg Story Line
Just as an example i would like to bring to your attention the game Sim City \ 2000. If someone would try to bring a city simulater out now it would do poorly, because there is alreadly one. Sim City is also a good example of an orginal game. No one had ever thought of a simulated city before, but it is an enjoyable game because it is different. When you design a game try to be as original as that. Theme Park is another good example. as is Civilization which in all its glory is a clone of a previous game called empire.
Be carefull not to make your story to big, or hard people will loose interest.
Your Story line should contain all charecters and items in it also so when it comes to designing the level you should know where you want everything.
Your storyline will, and should be changed as you are making the game you will have new and better idea's as you go along.
Look at other games and see what they have done, you cant copy them but you can use some of there idea's.
Be different an idea may seem corny but it just may work.
Level Design\Mission Structure and Charecter Interaction.(atmosphere)
Fine so you've written your story, good but your not writing a novel. Now you must fit everything into a level \ levels or design your missions. This part is more of an art than a science and can take a while. You will be constantly changing and tweaking pieces. While writing the storyline you would have pictures in your head of what you wanted the game to look like draw these so you dont forget. Even if your not an artist it will help you concentrate. Look at other games to see how there levels were designed for example Doom is purely based on level design, there is no storyline to it apart from a nice story that says that the armies of hell have invaded earth. "groovy" now what makes Doom so good is the fact that while the 1st Person Perspective idea had been used in Wolf 3d and Ultima, it was put to use in Doom in a more graphical matter and enjoyable format. Wolf 3d had a crappy looking chain gun. Doom has more guns better graphics and better level design. Look at Wolfs level design, and you will see that it is all flat and boring. Look at Doom and you can see that there is staircases, and higher levels, light shading etc. It all adds up to some pretty impresive structures (even more so in Quake) Doom also has a sense of atmosphere in it, which makes up for it's lack of "real" charecter interaction. By real i mean apart from blowing up badies. Atmosphere makes up a real part of a game it make the person feel like there inside it. Doom Excels in this department, While Ultima excels in charecter interaction. It depends on what sort of game you are designing.
Now to mission structure. i would like to bring WC3 and Xwing up for this disscussion if you look into WC3's mission structure you will see that it is basically blowing up other ships in every mission. Kill the ships and you succeed the mission. Sure there are a few defensive ones but not many. Look at Xwing and you will see a wide variety of missions. That is why i found Xwing to be a better game than the Glitzy Wing Commander 3. You may not knowit, but Xwing does have charecter interaction. For example you can tell your Wingmen what to attack\defend certain objects in the game. This is charecter interaction and can keep the player happier. WC3 also has this form of Charecter Interaction, but it's main source of interaction is on the victory talking to other Wingmen etc. WC3 has an advanced story line. Xwing has a story line but it is tiny compared to WC3's. Your missions should be by your taste. If you enojoy it then it is likely that other people will to. Try not to clone other missions, game players dont like clones to much and dont take them seriously.
The rest of the game will involve programming sorry but there's not much i can help you with here. Im no graphical artist and all i know is a little Basic and C++ but hey! im learning. And rember graphics dont make a game but they do help!
Little Jisty Thingamajigs
All games have things that make em better im gonna tell whats good and whats crap.
Xwing ---- The medals and promotions that you can get just make players keep on playing to get them. Mind you when you died in Xwing you lost all your promotions and that really pissed me off, so if your making a game, make a replay mission option when you die so you dont annoy the players. I gave up and left Xwing when that happend.
WC3 ---- The kill board, its always good to have a kill board so you know how crap you are.
Need for Speed ---- The Enjoyment, i always wanted to drive that bloomin Viper, and it feels like a truck okay so this game is a clone of Test Drive. Well that had crappy graphics, so there just plain fun really brmmm brmmm.
Need for Speed ---- The best times board, this is a must you always like going to a friends house and beet his best time in the need for speed. All games should have high scores tables please. So you can see your friend cry. Heh Heh Heh.
System Shock ---- More atmosphere than the earth itself in this game, and superb SVGA graphics, (if you got a pentium 133mhz or higher) oh yes and the weapons and the interaction, Cor Blimey is this game perfect? Oh dear the've gone and ruined it all with a crappy cyber space thingy. Origin we dont use 386's any more! anyways this cyberspace thingy would probably work on me 286.
Doom\Doom 2 ---- The Entrails. Blood and guts all the way. Rott has more but Dooms better than any crappy other clone of it. Mind you Dark Forces was'nt bad was it.
These things are in a lot off games, but thats because people like them, id use em if it suits you.
Try to write a game that you think people would enjoy. example gratia US Navy Fighters, everyone wants to fly a bloomin f-14 and if this is the closest you're get then they will buy it. Xwing is a good example too it brings flying an Xwing to reality and it sends the imagination running wild. Imagination is the key Connection between the gamer and the designer.
Some games you can copy without it being clonish. C&C, Warcraft 2 are Dune Clones. But they differ from Dune so Much.
So if you were going to write a game like Dune you would not have it medieval times or close future. Bingo you'd have it far Future like the year 3000. And Aliens have Invaded and conquerd earth, and you must direct your armies against them. Youd have intersteller planes. and yadda yadda yadda yadda yadda yadda
That is an idea for a game, a small one but it is still an idea and a damn good one at that, maybe ill just write it and send it off. Ill be a millionare in seconds. (that is not an idea that is a dream)
Getting Started in Game Development by Ben Sawyer
(note the above link is exellent and will provide you with much more information on develepment)
Example of a Game Design Script
Writing game Introductions (intro's)
Matthew White 3rd January 1997 (further updation to come)
Comments, and if you have something to add ill put it here (might just write your name down too!)
(This page is incomplete)