Video game design prototyping . This covered techniques and approaches

1. Game Prototyping 101
NASSCOM Gaming Forum- Pune Meetup
April 13 , 2013
Rudrasen Sitoleh
Founder, CEO
7 Levels Studios
We make casual games for self-help,personal and
spiritual growth.

2. Agenda
● What is a game prototype?
● Code Vs Content prototypes
● When to use Content prototypes?
● When do I prototype in code?
● What prototypes are not.
● What to accomplish with prototypes
● Questions

3. What is a game prototype?
● A piece of code or art built quickly in a cheap
manner that answers a specific question about
your game.
● Ensure that our creative ideas actually work in
the manner we envision them.
● Usually made during the preproduction stage.
● Reduce risks and narrow down on the fun.
● Above all to make better games.

4. Code Vs Content
prototype
Code Content
Interactive Static
functional emotional
Game code, Scripts Artwork,
storyboards ,
drawings

5. When to use
content prototype?
● You are at a conceptual level and open to
multiple approaches
● Want to capture the central idea
● What to play with many inputs and suggestions
● Feeback can be taken visually via mockups,
screens and artwork.

6. When do I prototype in code?
● You have isolated a key mechanic and you
need to test it.
● You understand the problem and have a mental
model of the game.
● You can only know via actual interaction and
play-testing with others.
● “Only spend code where you need to develop
understanding; throw content at the rest.”

7. What prototypes are not
● Robust or Elegant or Optimized
● Intricate or detailed or polished
● Multifaceted (solution to multiple questions)
● Not a demo or vertical slice

8. What to accomplish
● Decompose your game idea into various pieces
● Get a clear understanding of what you are
building via one or more prototypes
● Answer specific questions i.e.
Are able to setup a falsifiable experiment?
● Fail early and in a cheap manner
● Establish clarity and direction in your game
team as to what you are building.

9. Questions?

10. Questions?