8 replies to this topic

[slrvertigo]

I've decided to create a horror video game, but I'm unsure what to do next.
I have a game engine chosen, i understand C++ but im unsure what to do next. I can model and script to a degree so please point me in the right direction

[Nerd_Skywalker]

Game design document!

[phresnel]

Read an introduction on game development!

[kvakvs]

Google for "example game design document".
The first one from Runaway Studios is fine.

By the time you finish writing it, you will be pretty sure what to do next, who to hire, what story and content to create, when to start coding, and what.

[martine4161]

If you have good command in c++ then try to find out the example game format in c++ in google. And based on that start the work. But before that understand the method of the starting the game.

[fireside]

If this is a single project, I would just get started using the engine, going through tutorials, loading and experimenting with models, etc. It's very common to pick too large of a project to start, so you should weigh that up considerably. It almost sounds like you haven't written a game yet, so it would be better to start with a simpler game like asteroids and get a feel for everything like moving objects around, making a menu, making levels, collision detection and interaction, particle engine use, etc, etc. Once you've written a small game, a larger game is just an expanded version of everything, so you will have a much better idea of how to design it and what you are actually capable of completing. Once you move into character type games, you have to probably consider AI and path finding before designing your game, so there is a lot to learn before you need to worry about something like a design document. That's a much more high level type of thing and isn't really necessary unless you are in a team as far as I'm concerned. You can just as easily work off an outline if you are a single developer. A survival horror would probably be done by a team, so you would have to take that into account, probably changing to smaller worlds with other type of game play because modeling large worlds is too much for one person; or finding a team to work with, but teams can be a major headache if they are not commercial.

[alphadog]

Bucking the initial trend with fireside: Forget the game design document, start building your game. Get to know how to build a game by making those mistakes early and fast. If you've never designed a game, your first shot will likely be abandoned as your refine your skills. And, it's not a negative thing; there's nothing wrong with that at all.

BDUF (Big Design Up Front) is debatable, and it is really only potentially useful for large teams and/or large productions.

For an individual, or a small indie team, build up your docs as you go along. Start a wiki where you document all decisions.

[kvakvs]

When a person has no idea what he's going to make, the courage will fade long before anything playable is produced.
Also design document can be just a notepad TXT file, having 5-10 lines of ideas. Looking at it more ideas will come.

[alphadog]

kvakvs said:

When a person has no idea what he's going to make, the courage will fade long before anything playable is produced.

(no GDD upfront != no ideas) & (no GDD upfront != no documentation at any time)

And, I think most people can keep "5-10 lines of specification" in their head instead of Notepad, while learning game development. (If not, get out of the game now before you hurt yourself. )

When it gets to be "100+ lines combined in your head and your colleague's head", a real-time wiki would be my first step.