2. Do YOU want to design it
BUT get someone else to
do the art and coding?
3. Do YOU have the money
to pay for the art and
coding?
4. Most skilled designers already have
a full plate of projects
and might only give advice…
unless they are
truly inspired by your idea.
5. If you are truly PASSIONATE
about your game idea,
you can get it done!
6. What are you willing to do?
● Designer: Idea person
● Builder: coder, scripter,
rapid prototyper
● Artist: 2D/3D, spriter,
modeler
7. Designer - Idea Person
● How clear is your idea? Make a storyboard, a compelling 30 second
pitch, a 10 slide Presentation… Flowcharts, GUI layout, Dialog trees...
● How original is your idea? It’s like ___ only cooler! It’s a cross
between ___ and ___ with ___!
● Do you have funding to pay your coder and artist? Unless you
have someone seriously in LOVE with your idea, you’d better be ready
and able to pay them if you want regular art goals met.
● Does it have to be 3D? You’d better be a 3D modeler or be willing to
pay one!
● What platform/style is needed? PC/Mac/Linux, Mobile, Browser
(ALL), card, board, Multiplayer/LAN/P2P/FB, Visual Novel, Adventure,
Side-scrolling, RPG, RTS...
If you take the time to consider and apply the above, you
dramatically increase the odds of a team or investor taking you
seriously!
10. BEaBuilder?
● Modder?
○ Lot’s of games come with level design tools. You might become
famous in a specific community!
● Coder?
○ C++, C#, Python, Ruby, Javascript, Blitz Basic, Lua. Lot’s of great
tutorials are available. We’d be happy to point you to them!
● Rapid prototyping - easy or no scripting?
○ Why waste time re-inventing the wheel?!
Fusion, Game Maker, Construct 2, RPG Maker, Stencyl, Adventure
Maker, UNITY3D. The best way to attract investors is with a working
prototype!
11. Builder - coder/scripter
rapid prototyping suggestions by game type
What kind of game will you be making?
● RPG?
○ Engine 001, RPG Maker VX Ace
● Mobile App?
○ AppInventor, Construct 2, Stencyl, Arisgames
● Board/Card Game?
○ TheGameCrafter
● Visual Novel?
○ Novelty, Renpy
● Arcade, Action, Puzzle, Shooter?
○ Fusion, Game Maker, Construct 2, Stencyl
12. ● Pixel art tutorials
● Photos with cartoon filters
● Character sprite generators
● Blender 3D modeler
○ on your own
Find Art
Alternatives?
15. Many Idea People feel they need to keep their
idea secret, only to learn later that someone
else had a similar idea and made it happen!
More and more, designers are putting their ideas
on the internet as a kind of copyright proof.
Or they are so passionate about their idea that
they don’t mind if someone else
can make it happen!
300 mechanics
16. Here is an average sample cross section of game
projects I have been involved in making
Psychiatrist … Slots … 3D
Random Dungeon RPG …
Project Wet Land Use Simulator
… Probeware … OTEC …
MMStorm … y=mx+battleship!
… LCHS mAPP … Mars Ho! …
Periodimon … BallZ …
MYSTRY
...Dadnasium
COMPLETED FAILED
● Aquaria
● BOSGCS
● Machina
● dunEklipse
● What Eyes Can’t See
● ZOL
● Musica
17. Of the COMPLETED projects I
● 8 - I did it all - design, coding and art
● 4 - I did coding & design and paid for the art
● 2 - I did coding and paid for art & design
● 1 - I did design and a student that was passionate about
the project did the rest
This taught me that paying someone for their work
not only motivates them but shows you care.
18. The projects that FAILED
● All 7 were 3D
● All 7 failed as a result of the 3D modeler
○ None were paid
○ 3 graduated before the project finished
○ 1 modeler was hit by hurricane Katrina
● 5 of the 7 , I was the coder and was constantly waiting for
the modeler and designer to complete their assigned work in
a timely fashion
This taught me 3D artists are difficult to train
and need to be paid
