A featured documentary film about Indie Games (Independent Games) and their developers. With the emerges of mobile and console games, many developers go into the trend of making indie games.
Game Design
It won't be an exaggeration to think that a 'Good' game has to be like a pretty girl - she must be beautiful and eloquent; she must have sweet and attractive voice; she must be intelligent, kind and interesting. Similarly, a good game must be well designed and developed for 3 fundamental aspects of the game: visual effects, sound effects and finally game logic. A good game should have attractive UI (user interface) and game elements to create the pleasant UX (user experience). In addition, it should have supporting sound effects to reinforce the UX. And finally, a good game should be hard enough to challenge the players and easy enough to let them continue playing. In fact, it is a real challenge to perfectly combine all these aspects of the game so that the players don't feel bored or tired of playing the game.
Like in regular software development, game development must follow the design guide line to meet the standard of the good game. Similar to software specification document, game design document (GDD) serves as a blue-print as to how to develop a good game. Normally, a generic game design document includes as follows:
Although it is a generic game design document, it provides enough information for every aspects of game development. With the emergence of mobile apps markets (especially IPhone and Andriod) , it has become very possible for developers to make Indie Games (Independent Games) which do not require as many resources and efforts as big titled games.
Like in regular software development, game development must follow the design guide line to meet the standard of the good game. Similar to software specification document, game design document (GDD) serves as a blue-print as to how to develop a good game. Normally, a generic game design document includes as follows:
1. Title Page
1.1. Game Name – Perhaps also add a subtitle or high concept sentence.
1.2. Copyright Information
1.3. Version Number, author, date
2. Table of Contents – Make sure this includes all the subsections to make finding material. If practical, hyper linking the document will help here.
3. Design History – This is a change listing quickly describing each major version and changes.
4. Section I - Game Overview
4.1. Game Concept
4.2. Feature Set
4.3. Genre
4.4. Target Audience
4.5. Game Flow Summary – How does the player move through the game. Both through framing interface and the game itself.
4.6. Look and Feel – What is the basic look and feel of the game? What is the visual style?
4.7. Project Scope – A summary of the scope of the game.
4.7.1. Number of locations
4.7.2. Number of levels
4.7.3. Number of NPC’s
4.7.4. Number of weapons
4.7.5. Etc.
5. Section II - Gameplay and Mechanics
5.1. Gameplay
5.1.1. Game Progression
5.1.2. Mission/challenge Structure
5.1.3. Puzzle Structure
5.1.4. Objectives – What are the objectives of the game?
5.1.5. Play Flow – How does the game flow for the game player
5.2. Mechanics – What are the rules to the game, both implicit and explicit. This is the model of the universe that the game works under. Think of it as a simulation of a world, how do all the pieces interact? This actually can be a very large section.
5.2.1. Physics – How does the physical universe work?
5.2.2. Movement
5.2.2.1.General Movement
5.2.2.2.Other Movement
5.2.3. Objects
5.2.3.1.Picking Up Objects
5.2.3.2.Moving Objects
5.2.4. Actions
5.2.4.1.Switches and Buttons
5.2.4.2.Picking Up, Carrying and Dropping
5.2.4.3.Talking
5.2.4.4.Reading
5.2.5. Combat – If there is combat or even conflict, how is this specifically modeled?
5.2.6. Economy – What is the economy of the game? How does it work?
5.3. Screen Flow
5.3.1. Screen Flow Chart – A graphical description of how each screen is related to every other
5.3.2. Screen Descriptions – What is the purpose of each screen?
5.3.2.1.Main Menu Screen
5.3.2.2.Options Screen
5.3.2.3.Etc.
5.4. Game Options – What are the options and how do they affect game play and mechanics?
5.5. Replaying and Saving
5.6. Cheats and Easter Eggs
6. Section III – Story, Setting and Character
6.1. Story and Narrative - Specific details like scripts and cut scenes may not be in this document but be in the Story Bible.
6.1.1. Back story
6.1.2. Plot Elements
6.1.3. Game Progression
6.1.4. License Considerations
6.1.5. Cut Scenes
6.1.5.1.Cut scene #1
6.1.5.1.1. Actors
6.1.5.1.2. Description
6.1.5.1.3. Storyboard
6.1.5.1.4. Script
6.1.5.2.Cut scene #2
6.1.5.3.etc.
6.2. Game World
6.2.1. General look and feel of world
6.2.2. Area #1
6.2.2.1.General Description
6.2.2.2.Physical Characteristics
6.2.2.3.Levels that use area
6.2.2.4.Connections to other areas
6.2.3. Area #2
6.2.3.1.etc.
6.3. Characters
6.3.1. Character #1
6.3.1.1.Back story
6.3.1.2.Personality
6.3.1.3.Look
6.3.1.3.1. Physical characteristics
6.3.1.3.2. Animations
6.3.1.4.Special Abilities
6.3.1.5.Relevance to game story
6.3.1.6.Relationship to other characters
6.3.1.7.Statistics
6.3.2. Character #2
6.3.3. etc.
7. Section IV – Levels
7.1. Level #1
7.1.1. Synopsis
7.1.2. Introductory Material (Cut scene? Mission briefing?)
7.1.3. Objectives
7.1.4. Physical Description
7.1.5. Map
7.1.6. Critical Path
7.1.7. Encounters
7.1.8. Level Walkthrough
7.1.9. Closing Material
7.2. Level #2
7.3. etc.
7.4. Training Level
8. Section V - Interface
8.1. Visual System
8.1.1. HUD - What controls
8.1.2. Menus
8.1.3. Rendering System
8.1.4. Camera
8.1.5. Lighting Models
8.2. Control System – How does the game player control the game? What are the specific commands?
8.3. Audio
8.4. Music
8.5. Sound Effects
8.6. Help System
9. Section VI - Artificial Intelligence
9.1. Opponent AI – The active opponent that plays against the game player and therefore requires strategic decision making (example, Civilization or Chess, how is it to be designed?
9.2. Enemy AI – Villains and Monsters
9.3. Non-combat Characters
9.4. Friendly Characters
9.5. Support AI
9.5.1. Player and Collision Detection
9.5.2. Pathfinding
10. Section VII – Technical – This may be abbreviated with most in the Technical Bible.
10.1. Target Hardware
10.2. Development hardware and software
10.3. Development procedures and standards
10.4. Game Engine
10.5. Network
10.6. Scripting Language
10.7. etc.
11. Section VIII – Game Art - This may be abbreviated with most of the content in an Art Bible.
11.1. Concept Art
11.2. Style Guides
11.3. Characters
11.4. Environments
11.5. Equipment
11.6. Cut scenes
11.7. Miscellaneous
12. Section IX - Secondary Software
12.1. Editor
12.2. Installer
12.3. Update software
13. Section X - Management
13.1. Detailed Schedule
13.2. Budget
13.3. Risk Analysis
13.4. Localization Plan
13.5. Test Plan
14. Appendices
14.1. Asset List
14.1.1. Art
14.1.1.1. Model and Texture List
14.1.1.2. Animation List
14.1.1.3. Effects List
14.1.1.4. Interface Art List
14.1.1.5. Cut scene List
14.1.2. Sound
14.1.2.1. Environmental Sounds
14.1.2.2. Weapon Sounds
14.1.2.3. Interface Sounds
14.1.3. Music
14.1.3.1. Ambient
14.1.3.2. “Action”
14.1.3.3. Victory
14.1.3.4. Defeat
14.1.4. Voice
14.1.4.1. Actor #1 lines
14.1.4.2. Actor #2 lines
14.1.4.3. Etc.
Although it is a generic game design document, it provides enough information for every aspects of game development. With the emergence of mobile apps markets (especially IPhone and Andriod) , it has become very possible for developers to make Indie Games (Independent Games) which do not require as many resources and efforts as big titled games.
Age of Wulin
The first game developed by a Chinese Game Company, Snail Game (http://www.snailgame.net/cn/index.html), to be published outside of China. Really impressive 3D artworks, graphics, story-line and out of the box game play. Unlike many other Mmorpg games, it doesn't have class system; rather it employs skill improvement through quests, combats and professions.
There are some documentaries, regarding the development of the game. It is really interesting and exciting to see how they have designed and developed the game by taking risks and making difficult choices.
It will be released in 2012 as a free-to-play MMORPG by EU game publisher gpotato, http://en.wulin.gpotato.eu/mini/. Yes, I can't wait to play this awesome game... :D
Steve Job's Legacy: Design Your Own Life By Nilofer Merchant
I bumped into this article on pulse. I love it so much that I wrote it as the original. Enjoy!!!
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While there are many things worth celebrating of Steve Job's life, the greatest gift Steve gave us is a way to design our own lives.
Steve Jobs was known for being a design god who sweated experience, and pixels and, well everything. "Design", he once said, "is a funny word. Some people think design means how it looks. But, of course, if you dig deeper, it's how it really works. You have to grok what it is all about."
In our society, thinking for ourselves is not highly valued. Our education model was designed with 19th century more than the 21st century in mind. It reinforces fitting in and suppresses much of the natural creativity we start with. That's how we go from drawing and acting and make-believe to PowerPoint. If we allow creativity at all, it is limited to arts and sports. "Real work" has us looking like a Dilbert character. Between the pressures of our teachers, parents, and ultimately co-workers, we often give up any search for personal meaning as we aim to belong to a tribe. After a while, we may not even believe we have something unique to offer. Rather than figure out what we are each about, far too many of us live within the boxes others define.
But when we define ourselves by what others want, we are trying to kiss a moving butt. To live in a box defined by someone else is to deny our uniqueness. Each of us is standing in a spot no one else occupies. That unique perspective is born of our accumulated experience, perspective, and our vision. When we deny these things, we deny that which only we can bring to the situation, our onlyness. And that is surely not the way the world is made better.
I'm reminded of the ad copy Steve initiated when he returned to Apple:
But he knows that his journey was to apply what only he could - from his meticulous design methodology, to re imaging computing, to building a different type of company. He realized - and showed us - that our real job is not to conform to what others think. Instead, we need to recognize that our life's goal is to find our own unique way in the world, to find the way we move from being kiss-ass to being kick-ass.
That is the fundamental gift of Steve Jobs. His insane greatness was to find his own journey and to live his life this way. He didn't worry about being weird; he only wanted to be himself.
I have been in love with Apple products since my first Apple II, which I practically bought with quarters and nickles earned in small increments. I grew up picking apricots on the property where Apple buildings now stand. I worked at Apple during the dark days, as alumni refer to the years between Steve Jobs' departure and then his much-needed return. He was competitive, sure but mostly against himself. And that, too, is a lesson for us. It has been an honor to use his products, and it was an honor to work at his company. But the greatest honor has been to emulate what he showed us by his life. That each of us must find our own path. The unmarked path.
So I ask you to join me in honoring Steve's greatness not by trying to be Steve, but by trying to be your greatest self.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For me, it is actually an inspirational speech and love it so much. Here is the movie called "Pirate of Silicon Valley" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0168122/) about the rivalry between Steve and Bill, who both changed the era of computing so much.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
While there are many things worth celebrating of Steve Job's life, the greatest gift Steve gave us is a way to design our own lives.
Steve Jobs was known for being a design god who sweated experience, and pixels and, well everything. "Design", he once said, "is a funny word. Some people think design means how it looks. But, of course, if you dig deeper, it's how it really works. You have to grok what it is all about."
In our society, thinking for ourselves is not highly valued. Our education model was designed with 19th century more than the 21st century in mind. It reinforces fitting in and suppresses much of the natural creativity we start with. That's how we go from drawing and acting and make-believe to PowerPoint. If we allow creativity at all, it is limited to arts and sports. "Real work" has us looking like a Dilbert character. Between the pressures of our teachers, parents, and ultimately co-workers, we often give up any search for personal meaning as we aim to belong to a tribe. After a while, we may not even believe we have something unique to offer. Rather than figure out what we are each about, far too many of us live within the boxes others define.
But when we define ourselves by what others want, we are trying to kiss a moving butt. To live in a box defined by someone else is to deny our uniqueness. Each of us is standing in a spot no one else occupies. That unique perspective is born of our accumulated experience, perspective, and our vision. When we deny these things, we deny that which only we can bring to the situation, our onlyness. And that is surely not the way the world is made better.
I'm reminded of the ad copy Steve initiated when he returned to Apple:
Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They are not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify, or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do. (Apple Inc.)The problem with being a rebel, a misfit, a troublemaker is that masses will not be cheering on you on. Rosa Parks might be a heroine today, but at that time she lost her job. Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr both had huge dissension within their own communities. It took Jobs years to come up with a turnaround strategy that showed what Apple could do. People forget the years between 1996-2001 where much of the market called him more insane, than insanely great.
But he knows that his journey was to apply what only he could - from his meticulous design methodology, to re imaging computing, to building a different type of company. He realized - and showed us - that our real job is not to conform to what others think. Instead, we need to recognize that our life's goal is to find our own unique way in the world, to find the way we move from being kiss-ass to being kick-ass.
That is the fundamental gift of Steve Jobs. His insane greatness was to find his own journey and to live his life this way. He didn't worry about being weird; he only wanted to be himself.
I have been in love with Apple products since my first Apple II, which I practically bought with quarters and nickles earned in small increments. I grew up picking apricots on the property where Apple buildings now stand. I worked at Apple during the dark days, as alumni refer to the years between Steve Jobs' departure and then his much-needed return. He was competitive, sure but mostly against himself. And that, too, is a lesson for us. It has been an honor to use his products, and it was an honor to work at his company. But the greatest honor has been to emulate what he showed us by his life. That each of us must find our own path. The unmarked path.
So I ask you to join me in honoring Steve's greatness not by trying to be Steve, but by trying to be your greatest self.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For me, it is actually an inspirational speech and love it so much. Here is the movie called "Pirate of Silicon Valley" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0168122/) about the rivalry between Steve and Bill, who both changed the era of computing so much.
Data Mapping Tables in ERD
Suppose we have a hundreds of tables in the database, and the database is highly normalized and it has hundreds of relationships among the tables. In order for a developer to look for the tables, columns and relationships between tables would be really tedious in such a case. I came up with an idea that it would be nice if there is auto-data mapping program. It is not perfect, but it is still helpful to extent.
Data Mapping Between Tables in ERD
Data Mapping Between Tables in ERD
Design Patterns
It has been a while since I last wrote. Only recently did I start to realize that design patterns are important for a program (software) to be fully utilizable or reusable.
What makes a difference between a good and bad software is the design patterns, I believe. I have been planning on buying a book about Design Patterns from Gang Of Four, but never have a chance to put it into action yet :) (Still, I am saving money.) I do know that this book will help me a lot. I also recommend others to buy this book if you are a .Net developer.
Things will be busy, but I will try to write as soon as I can find some free time. Blogging has become part of my life; yes, sometimes I think I can't do without it :)
What makes a difference between a good and bad software is the design patterns, I believe. I have been planning on buying a book about Design Patterns from Gang Of Four, but never have a chance to put it into action yet :) (Still, I am saving money.) I do know that this book will help me a lot. I also recommend others to buy this book if you are a .Net developer.
Things will be busy, but I will try to write as soon as I can find some free time. Blogging has become part of my life; yes, sometimes I think I can't do without it :)
