Day 1 - Pen & Paper
What i worked on ?
When i make a game, i always take a moment drawing & writing what come in my mind. It can be characters, environment, game mechanics, moodboard, ... . (I will scan them when i will have access to the scanner)
Once i have sufficient elements, i start wondering what experience i want the player to have when playing the game. I use the things i put on the paper before in order to keep some coherence during the design process. This end with a set of high-level rule i need to keep in mind. For this project, there are the rules :
- The player must be particularly afraid of the danger of the life in space.
- The player must feel that he is not the average bounty hunter.
- The exploration must be a great part of the game and provide something to the player.
- The player must feel free to choose the way he'll progress through the game.
Those high-level rules should be observed as mush as it can. However, some constraints exist. The game is due in less than one month, i have a lot of things to do apart from this project & i'm alone.
With those rules in mind, the game design can be defined. Ever single rule can be present in different part of the game. For example, we can make the player feel he's not the average bounty by the visual identity, the gameplay, the sound design, ... .
What's now ?
The next step is one of the most important, establish a solid core gameplay. I have one technique i use for every game jam since not too long ago. I make a small prototype with shapes. If i enjoy playing with it, then the core gameplay is, at least, correct. This will be the work for the next few days.
I will try to make a post each day in order to allow you to follow the progression. If you have any question, don't hesitate ^^
See ya and merry Xmas !!