UNIT –1

Game Introduction
A game is a structured form of play, typically undertaken for entertainment, fun, or
educational purposes. Games can be physical or mental competitions, often
involving rules, goals, and interaction between players. They can be played alone,
in teams, or online, and can range from simple activities like board games to complex
video games
Games often involve elements of skill, strategy, and chance, and they can help
develop practical skills, serve as a form of exercise, or provide psychological
benefits. Some examples of games include sports, card games, video games, and
puzzles.
What is Game Development?
Simply speaking, Game Development is the overall process of creating a video game.
And if you thought that making a video game is as easy as playing one, well it’s
not!!! There are many components while creating a game such as Story, Characters,
Audio, Art, Lighting, etc. that eventually merge to create a whole new world in a
video game!!! This process of Game Development for commercial games is funded
by a publisher (a rich company!) but independent video games are comparatively
cheaper and smaller so they can be funded by individuals also (That can be you!).

Now there is a common doubt relating to Game Development that only good Game
Players can be good Game Developers. So, let’s address that now.

Is Being a Good Game Player necessary for Game Development?

There are many people who assume that if they are good Game Players then they
will be good in Game Development. Well, don’t make that mistake!!! If you are a
good Game Player then you have some advantage because you already know
something about game stories, players, levels etc. But that’s it! Game Playing and
Game Development are very different fields and the skills you acquire in the former
will not necessarily help you in the latter. For example: If you love movies, that
doesn’t necessarily mean you will be a good movie director!!! So, get into Game
Development only if you are passionate about game programming and really want
to develop a game for fun.

Game Genres
Video games come in an incredible variety of styles and gameplay experiences. Over
the decades, distinct genres have emerged that each offer their own flavors of
interactivity. Game genres help players understand at a glance what kinds of
challenges and experiences a game will offer. In this guide, we’ll explore the most
popular video game genres and their subgenres and highlight some notable examples
of each.
• Adventure
• Action
• Sports
• Simulation
• Platformer
• RPG
• First-person shooter
• Action-adventure
• Fighting
• Real-time strategy
• Racing
• Shooter
• Puzzle
• Casual
• Strategy game
• Massively multiplayer online role-playing
• Stealth
• Party
• Action RPG
• Tactical role-playing
 • Survival
• Battle Royale

Adventure Games
Adventure games emphasize story, exploration, puzzle solving, and inventory
management over action. Players uncover the narrative at their own pace through
point-and-click interfaces or 3D worlds. Puzzles test players’ logic and inventory
management skills.
Popular Subgenres:
Point-and-Click: Puzzle and story-driven games with a point-and-click interface. Ex:
Monkey Island, Grim Fandango
Visual Novels: Text and narrative-focused adventures with minimal gameplay. Ex:
Doki Doki Literature Club, Ace Attorney
Interactive Movie: Limited interaction over video playback. Ex: Late Shift, The
Bunker

Action Games
Action games test and reward players’ reflexes, hand-eye coordination, and reaction
time. The gameplay is fast-paced, with a focus on combat, explosions, and epic
moments. Popular subgenres include shooters, fighting games, hack and slash, and
more.
Popular Subgenres:
Shooters: First and third-person shooting at enemies. Ex: Doom, Gears of War
Fighting Games: Head-to-head battles with combo systems. Ex: Street Fighter,
Mortal Kombat
Hack and Slash: Melee combat against swarms of enemies. Ex: God of War, Dynasty
Warriors

Sports Games
Sports games let players experience their favorite sports virtually on the field and as
a manager. Controls and rules mirror professional sporting events with varying
degrees of realism. Management modes also allow guiding a franchise to
championships. This game genre is always a trend in the video game industry.
Popular Subgenres:
Simulation: Realistic physics and controls aim to capture authentic gameplay. Ex:
FIFA, NBA 2K
Arcade: Simplified pickup and play experiences focusing on fun. Ex: NBA Jam,
NFL Blitz
Management: Build teams through trades, drafts, and training. Ex: Football Manager,
OOTP Baseball
Simulation Games
Simulations replicate real-world activities, from piloting vehicles to running a
business. Some aim for utter realism, while others take the artistic license of game
art services for fun and accessibility. Management, construction, sports, and vehicles
are common subjects.
Popular Subgenres:
Flight Sims: Piloting aircraft in authentic arcade flight models. Ex: Microsoft Flight
Sim, Ace Combat
Business/City: Building and managing businesses, cities, parks, etc. Ex: SimCity,
Restaurant Empire
Vehicle Driving: Driving cars, trucks, and trains in realistic environments. Ex: Euro
Truck Simulator, Forza Horizon
Life Sims: Creating characters and managing daily life. Ex: The Sims, Animal
Crossing

Platformers
Platformers are 2D, side-scrolling games challenging players to run, jump, and climb
through perilous courses. Hazards and enemies must be overcome with precise
timing and dexterity. Platformers dominated early gaming and remain popular today.
Popular Subgenres:
2D Traditional : Side-scrolling obstacle courses. Ex: Super Mario Bros, Sonic the
Hedgehog
Puzzle Platformer: Platforming integrated with puzzle mechanics. Ex: Limbo, Inside
Run and Gun: Shooter elements added to platforming. Ex: Contra, Metal Slug

Role-playing games (RPGs)

RPGs have players customize characters with unique skills, items, and abilities. Rich
stories unfold through exploration, quests, and side activities. Combat blends
strategic party management with action, turn-based, or tactical systems.
Popular Subgenres:
Action RPG: Real-time combat emphasizes player skill. Ex: Diablo, Path of Exile
Japanese RPG: Turn-based systems inspired by classic RPGs. Ex: Final Fantasy,
Dragon Quest
Open World RPG: Exploration of vast 3D worlds with quest freedom. Ex: Skyrim,
The Witcher

First Person Shooters

First-person shooters (FPS) portray gun-based combat from the visual perspective
of the protagonist. Fast reflexes are key for aiming, movement, and weapon
switching in frenetic firefights. FPS games are a pillar of multiplayer gaming today.
Popular Subgenres:
Military FPS: Combat across sprawling maps inspired by real wars. Ex: Call of Duty,
Battlefield
Hero FPS: Sci-fi and fantasy settings with powerful player characters. Ex: Doom,
Overwatch
Immersive sims: Environmental interaction and emergent gameplay. Ex: BioShock,
Dishonored

Action-Adventure Games
Action-adventure games blend combat, action sequences, and exploration with
puzzle solving. Environments encourage exploration and often hide secrets for
inquisitive players. Action-adventure offers a diverse catch-all genre.
Popular Subgenres:
Cinematic Action-Adventure: Heavily scripted, quick time event driven experiences.
Ex: Uncharted, The Last of Us
Action RPG: Roleplaying progression and loot with real-time combat. Ex: Batman:
Arkham Series, Horizon Zero Dawn
Open World Action Adventure: Huge sandbox worlds. Ex: Assassin’s Creed,
Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Fighting Games
Fighting games pit players against each other in close-quarters combat. Players
utilize combos, special moves, spacing, and psychology to outmaneuver the
competition. Fast reactions and deep knowledge of movesets and matchups are
rewarded.
Popular Subgenres:
2D Fighters: Two combatants restricted to a 2D plane. Ex: Street Fighter, Mortal
Kombat
3D Fighters: Fighters battling freely in a 3D arena. Ex: Tekken, Soulcalibur
Platform Fighters: Battles across dynamic stages with platforming. Ex: Super Smash
Bros

Real-Time Strategy (RTS) Games

RTS games task players with gathering resources, building armies, and defeating
opponents in real-time without turns. Balance economic development with troop
management in pitched battles across land, sea, and air.
Popular Subgenres:
Traditional RTS: Base building and unit control. Ex: Starcraft, Command &
Conquer
MOBA: Teams of players, each controlling a single powerful hero. Ex: League of
Legends, Dota 2
Tower Defense: Building defenses to destroy advancing enemy waves. Ex: Plants vs
Zombies, Bloons TD

Racing Games
Racing games allow players to speed through tracks and courses in high-
performance cars, bikes, and other vehicles. Racing ranges from realistic simulations
to off-the-wall arcade experiences. Multiplayer and competitive play features
heavily.
Popular Subgenres:
Simulation: Realistic driving physics and true-to-life handling. Ex: Gran Turismo,
Forza Motorsport
Arcade: Exciting speed and stunts over realism. Ex: Need for Speed, Mario Kart
Futuristic: Future and sci-fi vehicles and settings. Ex: F-Zero, Wipeout

Shooter Games
Shooters encompass any game where shooting weapons take center stage. Unlike
precise FPS games, the shooter label can apply to a wide range of gameplay and
game art styles featuring guns.
Popular Subgenres:
Run and Gun: 2D side-scrolling shooting. Ex: Contra, Metal Slug
Bullet Hell: Frantic dodging of overwhelming bullet patterns. Ex: Touhou Project
Third Person Shooter: Shooting from behind the character. Ex: Gears of War,
Uncharted
Looter Shooter: RPG loot and progression systems. Ex: Borderlands, Destiny

Puzzle Games
Puzzle games challenge players’ logic, pattern recognition, and problem-solving
skills. Completing puzzles and unraveling gameplay mysteries delivers intense
satisfaction. Popular subgenres include physics, hidden objects, and matching
puzzles.
Popular Subgenres:
Physics puzzles: Mechanic and physics-based puzzles. Ex: Portal, Half-Life 2
Matching puzzles: Matching tiles or game pieces. Ex: Candy Crush, Bejeweled
Logic puzzles: Deductive reasoning and critical thinking. Ex: Baba Is You, The
Witness

Casual Games
Casual games feature simple rules and gameplay tailored to mass market appeal.
Players of all backgrounds can easily pick them up and make progress regardless of
skill. Short play sessions cater to mobile lifestyles.
Popular Subgenres:
Match 3: Matching tiles on a grid for points. Ex: Candy Crush, Bejeweled
Hidden Object: Finding lists of objects hidden in busy scenes. Ex: Hidden City,
Hidden Through Time
Hyper Casual: Extremely simple mobile-focused games. Ex: Fruit Ninja, Flappy
Bird

Strategy Games
Strategy games emphasize thoughtful planning, resource management, and grand
decision-making over dexterity or reflexes. They reward analysis, creative problem-
solving, and long-term strategic vision.
Popular Subgenres:
4X: eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, eXterminate. Ex: Civilization, Endless Space
Real-Time Tactics: Real-time skirmishes with small squads. Ex: Company of Heroes,
Tooth and Tail
Grand Strategy: Managing nations on a global scale. Ex: Europa Universalis IV,
Crusader Kings 3

Massively Multiplayer Online RPGs (MMORPGs)

MMORPGs allow thousands of players to simultaneously inhabit expansive open
fantasy worlds together online. Players customize characters and team up to quest,
raid dungeons, and participate in massive PvP battles.
Popular Subgenres:
Fantasy MMORPGs: Swords and sorcery settings. Ex: World of Warcraft, Final
Fantasy XIV
Sandbox MMORPGs: Open-ended gameplay and mechanics. Ex: EVE Online,
Ultima Online
Action Combat: Real-time skill-based battles. Ex: Guild Wars 2, Black Desert
Online

Stealth Games
Stealth games challenge players to avoid detection and use cover to infiltrate
locations and evade enemies. Patiently hiding in shadows and plotting routes makes
one feel like a predator stalking prey.
Popular Subgenres:
Tactical Espionage: Methodically infiltrating bases. Ex: Metal Gear Solid, Splinter
Cell
Immersive Sims: Emergent stealth woven into larger games. Ex: Dishonored, Deus
Ex
Stealth Horror: Eluding supernatural enemies. Ex: Alien Isolation, Amnesia: The
Dark Descent
Party Games
Party games provide casual, social fun for groups to play together in person. They
feature simple, intuitive controls and mechanics that anyone can easily pick up.
Laughing together is often just as important as winning.
Popular Subgenres:
Board & Card Games: Digital adaptations of classic tabletop party games. Ex:
Monopoly, Scrabble
Trivia Games: Fast-paced general knowledge trivia. Ex: You Don’t Know Jack,
Trivia Murder Party
Activity Games: Offbeat mini-games and prompts. Ex: WarioWare, Jackbox Party
Pack

Action RPGs
Action RPGs incorporate real-time combat requiring player skill into RPG leveling
and loot systems. Fighting relies on positioning, dodging, timing, and aim instead of
turn-based menus. Diablo popularized the genre.
Popular Subgenres:
Looter Shooters: FPS and TPS games with RPG gear. Ex: Borderlands, Destiny
Souls likes: Ultra-challenging third-person melee combat. Ex: Dark Souls,
Bloodborne
Isometric: Top-down view for tactical positioning. Ex: Path of Exile, Grim Dawn

Tactical RPGs
Tactical RPGs feature turn-based combat on grids allowing precise control of units.
Careful positioning and strategy are required to overcome challenges. Customization
adds depth when building forces.
Popular Subgenres:
Japanese TRPGs: Anime-style graphics and stories. Ex: Final Fantasy Tactics, Fire
Emblem
Strategy-JRPG Hybrids: Blend of gameplay systems. Ex: XCOM, Mario + Rabbids
Kingdom Battle

Survival Games
Survival games challenge players to navigate harsh environments and scenarios by
managing hunger, thirst, and other needs. Survival mechanics immerse players in
the fundamentals of existence.
Popular Subgenres:
Survival Sandbox: Open worlds to explore. Ex: Minecraft, Valheim
Survival Horror: Surviving and escaping nightmares. Ex: The Forest, The Long Dark
Survival Simulation: Realistic survival mechanics. Ex: SCUM, This War of Mine

Battle Royale Games

Battle royale games pit a large number of players against each other in a last-man-
standing deathmatch. Players scavenge for weapons in a shrinking play zone to
become the final survivor. Fortnite popularized the genre.
Popular Subgenres:
Hero Shooters: Fortnite, Apex Legends
Military Shooters: PUBG, Call of Duty Warzone

Conclusion
Genres help categorize the diverse range of video game experiences that have
emerged over decades. But games frequently blend genres together into new
combinations. The labels serve mainly to give players a general idea of a game’s
strengths that match their tastes. By understanding different genres, players can more
easily discover new games tailored to what they love most. The variety of genres
means everyone can find interactive adventures to lose themselves in.

Key Components of Video Games

6 important components to designs a video game
1. Game world
It’s the game world which enables the gamers to feel like they are in a living and
breathing world while playing the game. A good and best video game design makes
the gamers forget that they are just playing a game. So, it must be like one can play
the game how they choose, and this makes their character feel like they are the real
part of the game. People who are responsible for designing the game world and video
app development are called online game designers, environment designers, creative
directors, concept artists, etc.
2. Game storyline
Generally level designers or the mission designers develop a great storyline for the
dame. These people are involved in creating the narrative, developing characters,
and making choices about the events. The level designers are creative people and
can construct great storylines which will engage the gamers and keep them interested.
3. Characters for video game
The character artists, animators, motion artists are the people who develop a
character for the video games. Character designer coverts a concept to a developed
character. They give a concrete form and personality to the ideas presented by video
game developers. This is one of the major parts of video app development.
4. Music
One of the most important components of a video game is the music. A good music
or sound effect can change the feeling of a video game and influence the mood of
gamers. The music of the video game puts the player in the right frame of mind to
play the game. A boss battle can be made more special and interesting by integrating
appropriate music.
5. Visuals

Visuals are an incredibly important part of game design. Without high-end visuals,
no one would like to play the game. A game with sharp graphics will attract a lot of
gamers to play the game. It enhances the gaming experience.
6. Quality assurance
Game testers are asked to discover the defects, bugs, or glitches with the video game.
This is a critical part of software testing and its quality control. A game tester must
have high technical and critical evaluation skills.

3 Act Play
• Act 1 – Setup
• Act 2 – Confrontation
• Act 3 – Resolution

Act 1 – Setup
• Setup the characters, world and even antagonist.
• Act 1 ends when the inciting incident occurs.
 • This is where the situation changes and the player’s goals for the rest of the
game are
• established

Act 2 – Confrontation
• Known also as rising action.
• This is where we find the protagonist trying to solve the conflict – only to find
themselves in a
• worsening situation.
• A plot point at the end of the 2nd act will start the 3rd act.

Act 3 – Resolution
• This is where the story and subplots are resolved.
• The conflict is solved.
• Questions are answered.
• It leaves the protagonist and other characters with a new sense of who they
really are.

Example: Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2 is an action-adventure game set in a sci-fi universe. Let’s see how it
fits into the three-act structure.
During Act 1, we’re introduced to the protagonist, Gordon Freeman. we’re also:
• We’re introduced to the antagonist, Dr. Breen.
• We’re introduced to the world – a heavily controlled police state.
• Gordon escapes the Combine (the controlling force) and hides away with a
resistance group.
• Inciting Incident: Gordon attempts to teleport to the resistance base but it fails
– he must get there by foot.
During Act 2, Gordon reaches the resistance base and meets up with new members.
During Act 3,
• Gordon and team break into the Citadel and fight their way through.
• They confront and defeat the antagonist.
• If we were to plot out this structure via the image we showed before, it would
look something like:
Midpoint
Midpoints of the story are often used to change the current path of the story and add
increased stakes or tension and can be found in many different storytelling mediums.
Some of the tactics used are:
• Changing the protagonist’s plan
• Showing the protagonist at their lowest point
• Introducing a twist
• Changing the conflict of the story
Using “Half-Life 2” again as a reference point, at the midpoint of the story Gordon
finally reaches the resistance base. However, the base is unexpectedly attacked, and
Gordon is forced alone, and his plans change. This not only changes the course of
the narrative, but also adds new stakes to the board.
In the next lesson, we’ll start exploring storytelling methods.
Transcript
Hey, everyone in this lesson we are going to be going over the Three-Act Structure.
Now in all forms of media we can actually find the three-act structure, all right. Most
commonly seen in movies since it’s a short, around two-hour long story, structuring
it in three different acts is generally the way most movies go. And even games that
are heavily story-focused, also generally follow this trend.
So, first of all, what is the three-act structure? Well, basically the three-act structure
is a model for structuring a story in three separate acts, okay? What are these three
separate acts? Well, you have act one, which is the setup, you have act two, which
is the confrontation, and you have act three, which is the resolution.
Now in most forms of media act two is generally the longest. That normally takes
up most of the movie, I’d say around 70% of the movie. Then set up is probably the
second-longest, and then resolution is normally the shortest, especially in games, the
resolution, or the act three, is generally the shortest as that’s most of the time, you
know, the boss fight or the final confrontation to defeat the enemy of the game.
So, this is what it looks like jotted down. And this red line represents the tension and
the buildup over the story, okay? So, in act one, the setup, this is where, you know,
the player is being introduced to all these various things in the game world. maybe
the antagonist pops up.
And then through act two it rises. So, we have the tension rising right up to the tip,
which is known as the climax. And the climax is where our protagonist and
antagonist meet and the final fight happens, or the confrontation of the story is
resolved. Okay, and then the tension goes down, everything is, you know, wrapped
up and the story ends.
So, let’s look in a bit more detail at what each of these acts do, and how they go into
one another. So, if we’re in act one, how do we then go into act two, and then how
does act two go into act three, okay? So, act one, the setup. So this basically involves
setting up the characters’ world and even the antagonist, okay?
Act one is where you introduce the world to the viewer. You introduce the characters,
you introduce who the protagonist is, who the antagonist is, so that the viewer, or
the player, gets an understanding of where they are in the world and what is
happening. Okay, you want to introduce the conflict of the world. Next, act one ends
when the inciting incident occurs, okay?
Now the inciting incident is basically an event that kick-starts the story, okay? What
is your story and what caused those events to happen? And this is where the situation
changes and the players’ goals for the rest of the game are established, okay?
So, if you think of your story and you think of, okay, what is the story? And basically,
what do we want to tell? What is the conflict? What is the journey we want our
characters to go on? What is the event that causes this? Okay, what is the catalyst
that causes this event, okay? That is your inciting incident. And once the inciting
incident happens normally that is when we kickstart act two, the confrontation.
Now and act two is also known as rising action. So we have the tension, we have the
buildup arising across act two. And this is where we find the protagonist trying to
solve the conflict, okay, the conflict of the game, conflict of the movie. This is where
the protagonist is basically trying to solve the issue that has occurred in the world.
Is there a villain that needs to be taken down? Is there a mystery that needs to be
solved?
This is where we see the protagonists building up to that and trying to solve it. But
most of the time as the protagonist is doing this, it tends to get worse. The situation
tends to get worse. There may be a point in the story where the conflict has changed,
where the tables have turned and it gets worse for both the protagonist and all the
other characters, okay?
And a plot point at the end of the second act will start the third act, okay? A plot
point being something that maybe changes the player’s goals, changes the
protagonist’s goals, changes what their main aim is right now, okay?
And act three, resolution. This is where the story and subplots are resolved, okay?
This is where we wrap everything up. The conflict is solved, questions are answered,
and it leaves the protagonist and other characters with a new sense of who they really
are, okay? So, this is where your character arcs basically come to their conclusion.
And these characters who changed who they were throughout the story finally come
into their final form, all right?
So, we’ve got no idea of act one, the setup, act two, the confrontation, and act three,
the resolution. Now how about we get an actual example of this? And I think a great
example is “Half-Life 2” because if you play for “Half-Life 2” you probably have a
general gist of what the story is. And in fact, “Half-Life 2” follows the three-act
structure. Now, of course, if you haven’t played “Half-Life 2” or you don’t want to
be spoiled then I recommend you probably skip this part as we are going to go over
pretty much the entire story of the game, okay?
So, let’s see how this fits into the three-act structure. In act one, we are introduced
to the protagonist, Gordon Freeman, and we get introduced to the antagonist, Dr.
Breen, okay? And these two things happen quite early on at the very start of the
game. And we then also introduced to the world, okay? We are let out into the open
to explore the city, see the sites, understand what is going on. And we come to the
understanding that this is a heavily controlled police state, okay?
We understand that straightaway from how the game is presenting all this
information to us. And as the story continues, Gordon escapes the Combine, which
are basically the police, and hides away with a resistance group, all right. Now the
inciting incident is that Gordon attempts to teleport to the resistant base, but it fails,
and that means basically he must get there on foot, okay?
Things have changed. The inciting incident has kick-started the story, okay? We
need to get to the resistance base but we have to get there on foot, which is of course
a lot more dangerous and will send us on our journey. And that kick-starts us into
act two.
Now in act two, Gordon goes through the game, he reaches the resistance base and
meets up with new members. Now they are attacked and some of them are taken
away. And Gordon’s objective then is to break into their prison and reunite them.
Now, what is the plot point that changes the game and sends us into act three?
Well, that happens when a member of their team is actually a double agent, and they
teleport away with an important team member. And that means, okay, tables have
turned, we now have an objective that we need to do, which sends us into act three,
where we finally confront the conflict. And basically, Gordon and the team break
into the Citadel and fight their way through, okay, until they confront and defeat the
final antagonist, okay?
So this is a pretty classic three-act structure. We have act one, where we are
introduced to the characters, the world, and we have the inciting incident. So we
have the journey, basically established. Act Two, we are gone for the game. The
conflict is becoming more present, and we then have the plot point which basically
requires the players to rush, requires the protagonist to get to the conflict and face it
as fast as they can.
And that happens in the third act when basically we’re up to the final level, we’re
fighting through the Citadel, and then we come out at the end, defeating the
antagonists. All right, so that is a look at the three-act structure in “Half-Life 2”.
And this is what it looks like on that chart before, okay? We have our two plot points,
the first one being in act one, and the second one being in act two. And also the
general trend of just how the tension rises throughout the game. And then finally,
when the antagonist is defeated, that goes down as we have finished the game.
Okay, now there is one more thing that I think we do need to go over, and that is the
midpoint. And the midpoint is utilized by many movies and storytelling mediums to
do various things, okay? First of all, the midpoint can be used to change the
protagonist’s plan. It can be used to introduce a twist to the story, or it could be used
to change the conflict of the story.
Now, the midpoint, if you watch a lot of movies, and you go to the middle of the
movie, most of the time there will be something that changes the conflict, or changes
the story in a way. So, the characters might need to go about confronting the conflict
in a different way. They may be set back a lot. There may be a twist introduced.
So, I recommend you go and look for a few of your favorite movies, go to the middle
of the movie, and just see what is happening at that time. And how do those events
change the story, okay? Because most of the time, or a lot of the time, you’ll notice
that the midpoint of the movie is very important.
And the same thing goes for “Half-Life 2”, the halfway point of “Half-Life 2” is of
course in the second act when Gordon reaches the resistance base and they are
attacked, and he is forced to go along another path alone, okay, the plan has been
changed. His objective, what he was expecting to do has been changed, the tables
have been turned, and he now needs to go along a different path that is more
dangerous, okay? So that is the midpoint of “Half-Life 2”.
Now as a bit of a challenge I want you to think of a game you’ve recently played or
know of, and make sure it has a storyline, okay. Make sure it’s fairly story-focused.
And I want you to think of these three things. Does the story follow the three-act
structure? What was the inciting incident? And what plot point kick-started the third
act? Okay, so go for that. And thank you for reading.

Game Production pipeline

• Planning
• Pre-production
• Production
• Testing
• Pre-launch
• Launch
• Post-production
Stage 1: Planning
The planning stage of game development consists of two main phases:
Game ideation
Proofing a concept
These two phases ensure that the game development process begins on solid footing,
with a clear understanding of the game's direction and feasibility. By investing time
and effort into thoughtful planning and concept validation, developers can increase
the likelihood of success and minimize risks as the game project progresses.
Game ideation
It may not seem like it, but ideating a video game is one of the hardest parts of game
development, as it will serve as the backbone of the entire game. It’s what sets the
standard for every employee involved with building the game but also gives
publishers a high-level overview of what to expect.
In the planning stage, the most basic questions will need to be answered, like:
What type of video game are we producing?
Will it be 2D or 3D?
What are some of the key features it must have?
Who are its characters?
What gameplay mechanics to include?
When and where does it take place?
Who is our target audience?
Which platform are we building this on?
Proofing a concept
A proof of concept takes all the ideas that have been generated and sees how viable
they are for the gaming studio to produce.
From there, additional questions will need to be answered, like:
What is our estimated cost to develop this game?
Do we have the technological capabilities to build it?
Will we require a new gaming engine?
How big will our team need to be?
Are we hiring external voice actors and writers?
What is our estimated timeframe for launch?
How are we monetizing it? (Loot boxes are probably not the best way)
For studios building a game under the umbrella of a publisher, proofing a game
concept is required before moving forward with pre-production and may even
require a verticle slice. because the publisher will have to approve a timeline, budget,
and marketing strategy.
For independent studios without publisher oversight, there is a bit more flexibility
during this phase. The downside to independent publishing is establishing a
development and marketing budget, although crowdfunding websites like
Kickstarter and Fig come in handy. As a matter of fact, successful games like Pillars
of Eternity and Shovel Knight were crowdfunded entirely.

Stage 2: Pre-production
The next stage of game development, called pre-production, brainstorms how to give
life to the many ideas laid out in the planning phase. This is where writers, artists,
designers, developers, engineers, project leads, and other crucial departments
collaborate on the scope of the video game.
A few examples of this collaboration may look like:
Writers meeting with the project lead to flesh out the story's narrative. Who are the
main characters in this tale? What are their backstories? How does each character
relate to one another? Are there loose ends we’ll need to tie up later?
Engineers meet with writers, letting them know that under the current technological
constraints, we can’t fill that environment with 100 characters, or the game will crash.
Artists meet with designers to ensure visuals, color palettes, and art styles are
consistent and aligned with what was laid out in the planning phase.
Developers meet with engineers to flesh out all the in-game mechanics, physics
engines, and how objects will render on a player’s screen.
Project leads meeting with multiple departments to figure out the “fun factor,” which
you’ll find out later, isn’t easy to pinpoint until the testing stage.
During the pre-production stage, concept artists set the mood for the game by
creating sketches and visual aids, laying the groundwork for future production teams.
At this stage, the team develops a game design document (GDD), acting as a
reference manual to maintain visual and thematic consistency throughout
development.
From here, it’s common for studios to prototype characters, environments, interfaces,
control schemes, and other in-game elements to see how they look, feel, and interact
with one another.

Stage 3: Production
Most of the time, effort, and resources are spent on the game production stage.
During this process:
Character models are designed, rendered, and iterated to look exactly how they
should be in the story.
Audio engine & sound designers work tirelessly to ensure every time your character
steps onto sand, gravel, or cement, it sounds authentic.
Level designers craft environments that are dynamic, immersive, and suitable for
many playstyles.
Voice-over actors read large stacks of scripts, doing take after take to get the right
emotion, timing, and tone.
Developers write thousands of lines of source code to bring each piece of in-game
content to life.
Project leads establish milestones and sprint schedules, ensuring each department
and its team members are held accountable. This is especially important if a
publisher regularly checks in for status updates.
These events and many more could take years of iterating to get right, assuming only
a few changes are made along the way, which is hardly the reality.

Stage 4: Testing
In video game development, it’s not uncommon for entire segments of a game –
months' worth of work – to get scrapped after it's completed. These types of changes
are typically brought up in the testing stage.
Every feature and mechanic in the game needs to be tested for quality assurance and
control. A game that hasn’t been thoroughly tested is a game that’s not even ready
for Alpha release.
Some play testers conduct stress tests by running into walls hundreds if not
thousands of times to “break” the game. Other testers conduct “fun factor” tests to
see if the game is too hard or too easy or complete the entire game to see if it is
satisfying enough. Without a “fun factor,” the game won’t sell many copies.
Here are some things a play tester may point out during this stage:
Are there buggy areas or glitches?
Is everything rendering on the screen?
Can I walk through this wall or a locked environment?
Are there features I can use to exploit the game?
Does my character get permanently stuck in this spot?
Is the character dialogue stale and boring?
After countless hours of testing and iterating, the game should be ready for a late
Alpha or even Beta release, depending on how polished the in-game features are.
This is the first time the public will get their hands on the game.
Stage 5: Pre-launch
The pre-launch stage is a stressful time for gaming studios. Questions of self-doubt
may arise as you wonder how the public will react to your first functional product.
“Will they think our game is fun? Are they going to find new bugs? What sort of
media coverage are we going to get from this?”
But before a formal Beta copy is released, the game will require some marketing.
After all, how else will people learn about it? Publishers almost always expect a hype
video with a mix of cinematics and sample gameplay to drive attention. They may
also schedule a spot at one of the major gaming conventions, like E3 or PAX, for an
exclusive preview of the game.
Independent studios don’t always have the luxury of hefty marketing budgets to
drive attention to their games. Fortunately, crowdfunding and advertising could be
just as fruitful. Sending early-access Beta copies to top online gaming personalities
so they can livestream to their audiences is a common method for independent
studios.
Stage 6: Launch
The months leading up to a game’s anticipated launch date are mostly spent
squashing large backlogs of bugs – some old, some new, found in the testing stage.
For games with many bugs, a studio will create a hierarchy of bugs to squash. This
hierarchy will include “game-crashing” bugs near the top and minor bugs near the
bottom.
In addition to bug fixes, developers will typically polish the game as much as
possible before it launches. Maybe that mountain range can have more depth.
Perhaps the character’s leather straps can be more textured. These types of changes,
though minor, can be important for making a video game more immersive.
When the game is squeaky clean, it’s time to launch and distribute.

Stage 7: Post-Production
Post-launch is one of the most exciting times for any gaming studio. Years of hard
work have finally paid off, and video game sales are (hopefully) pouring in. But even
now, there’s still work to be done.
It’s common for video games to launch with batches of minor bugs. The first few
months during the post-launch stage are typically spent identifying and squashing
these bugs. Gaming studios also rely on players to submit bug reports or speak up
about bugs in online forums. This is all part of post-launch support.
Another part of the post-launch is to provide regular software updates for the game.
These updates range from game-balancing patches to new downloadable content
(DLC) Releasing fresh content is common in today’s gaming industry because it
increases the replay value and appeal of a game. New levels, storylines, and
multiplayer modes are just a few DLC options a gaming studio could explore.

Game Psychology
Game psychology is a fascinating field that delves into the thinking processes of
gamers, their perspectives, and the reasons that make them feel exhilarated while
playing games. It explores various dimensions, including player motivation,
behavioral patterns, and emotional responses. By understanding these facets, game
developers can tailor experiences to specific player demographics and enhance
engagement. Additionally, game theory, which is used for optimal decision-making
in strategic settings, plays a significant role in understanding how players interact
and make choices within games

Target Audience
What is the target audience of a game?
The target audience of a game refers to the specific group of people who are most
likely to play and enjoy the game. Identifying the target audience is crucial for game
developers as it helps them make informed decisions throughout the game’s
development and marketing process.
How do you write a target audience for a game?
To identify your game’s target audience, you can use various criteria such as age,
gender, location, income, education, personality, lifestyle, gaming habits,
preferences, motivations, challenges, or goals. Understanding these factors will help
you create a game that caters to the specific needs and interests of your target
audience.
How do you define game audience?
The game audience refers to the group of players who are most likely to enjoy and
purchase your game. To define your game audience, you need to analyze their
demographics, psychographics, preferences, and motivations. This information can
be gathered through online surveys, interviews, focus groups, or existing data
sources.
Why is target audience important in games?
Understanding your target audience is crucial for success in the gaming industry. By
knowing who your customers are, you can design games that are more relevant and
appealing to them, create marketing campaigns that resonate with them, and
distribute your games through the channels they prefer.
What is the target age for gaming?
According to a survey, the majority of video game players fall into the age group of
18 to 34. However, there is also a significant demographic of gamers who are 65
years and older. This shows that gaming appeals to a wide range of age groups.

Who is the target audience for adventure games?

Adventure games tend to attract players who enjoy immersive storytelling, complex
characters, and challenging puzzles. While adventure games can have a broad target
audience, studies suggest that they are most popular among the age groups of 20-29
and 30-39.
What are the interests of gamers?
Aside from games, gamers have various interests that they pursue. Some popular
interests among gamers include team sports, military hobbies, and gym workouts. It
is also worth noting that gamers are often avid consumers of anime, so it is advisable
to avoid dismissing anime as a form of entertainment for kids.
Who is the target audience? Why?
The target audience refers to the specific group of consumers who are most likely to
be interested in and purchase your product or service. Identifying the target audience
is essential as it allows you to tailor your marketing efforts, craft relevant messages,
and address the needs and preferences of your potential customers.
Who is the main audience of video games?
The main audience of video games encompasses people between the ages of 18 and
34. However, it is important to note that there is also a significant demographic of
gamers who are 55 years and older. Additionally, there is a growing number of
female gamers, with 48% of American gamers being female.
Who is the target audience for mobile games?
Mobile games have a broad target audience that includes different age groups. While
children are often target users of mobile games, their parents also play mobile games.
These games attract a wide range of players, including zoomers, millennials, Gen X,
and even baby boomers.
What are the different types of game audiences?
There are several types of game audiences that game developers can target. These
include:
– Mobile-only gamers who primarily play games on their smartphones or tablets.
– Casual gamers who enjoy playing games for recreation and relaxation.
– E-sporters who are competitive gamers participating in esports tournaments.
– Socializers who play games primarily for social interaction and engagement.
– Cloud gamers who play games through cloud gaming services.
– Influencers who have a large following and actively engage with games and
gaming content.
Why do audiences play video games?
There are various reasons why audiences play video games. One theory suggests that
human behavior is driven by the need for competence, autonomy, and relatedness.
Video games can fulfill these needs by offering engaging gameplay, challenging
tasks, and opportunities for social interaction. Additionally, video games provide a
sense of escapism and allow players to immerse themselves in virtual worlds,
making them a popular form of entertainment.
What is the best way to market a game?
To effectively market a game, developers can employ several strategies. These
include:
1. Reaching out to trending influencers and leveraging their audience.
2. Creating video content to showcase gameplay and attract potential players.
3. Building an online presence through social media channels and blogs.
4. Engaging in cross-promotion with other games or influencers to expand reach.
5. Creating a simple and informative website for the game.
6. Encouraging players to leave reviews and testimonials to build credibility.
What is a target audience example?
An example of a target audience could be “female extreme athletes between the ages
of 18 and 25.” This example shows how specific a target audience can be, based on
demographics and interests. Identifying a specific target audience helps businesses
focus their marketing efforts and tailor their messages accordingly.
What is 1 example of target games?
Sports such as archery, bocce, croquet, golf, and ten pin bowling are examples of
target games. These games require players to aim at a specific target or achieve a
specific goal, making them fun and engaging ways to develop physical skills and
coordination.
What are four 4 keyways to identify a target audience?
To identify a target audience, you can use the following keyways:
1. Create an ideal customer profile by identifying the characteristics of your target
audience.
2. Conduct market

Game elements
Digital games have the potential to create active and engaging learning environments,
supporting problem-solving, and learning through practice. This is true for K12
students as well as seasoned corporate learners. Learners can play, explore,
experiment, as well as learn with game-based learning. However, using games for
learning requires a rethinking of the learning objectives, a new model for ownership
of tasks, complex structures for support of learners, new ways of evaluating learners,
and a host of technological integration issues that must be undertaken. So, how can
one create effective learning games?
There are features included in games that help immerse us in the play experience. If
the game is being designed for commercial purposes, the sole aim is to come up with
game mechanics that are fun and game elements that are intriguing. But when trying
to design effective learning games, game mechanics and game elements that are
utilized must complement the learning goals.
Here are some game mechanics that can be utilized for the design of effective
learning games:
Conflict.
For a game to be interesting, there should be some sort of conflict to present a
challenge for the player to overcome. The challenge could be a physical obstacle,
combat with another player, or a puzzle that has to be solved. There are various types
of conflict that can be built in game-based learning. Designers can incorporate a
conflict that arises with other players, where learners are pitted against one another.
A sense of collaborative learning can also be built in with a challenge that all players
must work together to overcome. Learners can be pitted against the game itself, to
create excitement. Designers can also represent real world conflicts that learners can
learn to deal with, like conflict between quality and time constraints or quality and
budget. This empowers the learners to instill within themselves skills needed in
everyday work life.

Strategy and chance.

Strategy-based games put a lot of control into the players’ hands in the form of
decisions they can make that affect game play or their odds of achieving the goal.
On the other hand, games that are heavily based on chance put the player in a highly
reactive mode where they have little control over the outcome. For best learning
delivery, serious games should combine a bit of both strategy and chance within the
design to make it interesting. Most challenges within the work scenario of corporate
employees are multi-layered. The problem that they encounter within the game can
be based on chance while the solution that they come up with can involve the element
of strategy. The blend of both chance and strategy gives the learners something to
do and also provides required relief.

Aesthetics.
Most seasoned game developers would agree that aesthetics consistently rate as an
area of high appeal. By themselves, aesthetics has the power to pull people into the
game. Visuals are a powerful means of engaging players and helping them immerse
into the game experience. In video games, aesthetics is a huge part of this experience.
With learning games, the temptation can be to cut corners on aesthetics and not
realize the impact this has on the learning value of the game. Even if the emphasis
of aesthetics in educational games is low compared to that of entertainment games,
it is necessary to create a certain amount of visual appeal in learning games as well.
If budgetary restraints do not include the money for a dedicated graphics designer
for the game, online resources can be utilized for inserting suitable aesthetics into
them. Here are a few:
OpenGameArt: Graphics bundles can be downloaded and used in digital games.
Game Templates: Cut-out people and graphics, as well as some “game” templates.

Theme and story.

A theme can add interest and create engagement within a learning game. The theme
can be conveyed with the visuals and with a brief “back story” that is included in the
rules. Often, when themes are introduced within games, there is no accompanying
narrative running through the game. Thematic elements are used to convey the idea
of theme with minimal story. However, an entire story line can also be inserted
within a learning game to make it interesting. Story offers a narrative thread that
pulls through an entire game. Learners find it far easier to remember facts when they
are part of a narrative than simply mugging up facts devoid of any “story” or context
around them. To create a story line for effective learning games, it is important to
keep in mind that a strong story has the 4 elements below. While it does take
considerable effort and a lot of creative thinking to come up with a string story within
a game, it is certainly worth the effort.
Characters.
Plot: Something has to happen for it to be a story.
Tension: Often thought of as conflict.
Resolution.

Rewards.
Rewards are things or keepsakes that players earn through game play. The new wave
in learning games and in gamification of learning is to give players achievements for
accomplishing certain tasks or hitting certain milestones. There is a general trend
towards giving lots of rewards, but game designers have to use them effectively. A
popular strategy is to reward people for completing boring or menial tasks which are
necessary within the game. It is also important to give rewards or points for
performance rather than completion. For example, giving someone a badge for
completing a section may excite learners to hit completion even without
understanding the concepts within the game. However, if the reward is given for
completion of a section to a certain standard of proficiency, it will encourage learners
to perform their very best. Within a game, score is a powerful feedback tool. The
players should understand the ways of accruing points or other incentives well and
this will motivate them to play better as well as learn better.
In conclusion, game mechanics utilized to create effective learning games should
enhance gaming experience and contribute constructively to the learning experience.
Within multiple game elements, deciding the perfect one includes a process of
testing and tweaking – which will undoubtedly lead to the creation of a successful
learning game.

Principles of Game Design

Most of the principles below, except for the first principle of Fidelity, are drawn
from the Boxes and Arrows article, “Using Design Games.” Check it out for more
links and discussion.
1. Fidelity:
Will the team be solving a challenge that is NOT like the current problem? That is,
will the game be just for clarity and learning? Or will the team be solving a challenge
like current challenges, but stripped down and simplified? There’s no hard rule on
this…your mileage may vary. Our feeling is that an abstract or general challenge is
best to loosen a team’s thinking up first, then to approach the challenge sideways,
not directly. The “always, never” game is a great way to come at the principles to
guide a solution to a challenge in a safe and fun way.
2. Objectives:
There needs to be some kind of goal or outcome that people can work towards. The
more concrete and defined these are, the easier it is for people to participate.
However, fuzzy objectives can be more rewarding, since they model real situations
better. Consider more ambiguous objectives for teams that are already gelled and
accept the ideas for design games.
3. Constraints:
There needs to be some limits on what players can or can’t do when achieving those
objectives. Constraints should be relevant, related to each other, and present a
coherent whole.
4. Success Criteria:
There needs to be some way of knowing when the objectives are met. Clear success
criteria help establish expectations and buy-in for game participation. Some games
are more unstructured, with less well-defined criteria. Classic role-playing games
like Dungeons & Dragons don’t have a clear overall objective. That ambiguity can
make such games better able to model some scenarios, but harder to sell inside an
organization because they don’t have a set ending.
5. Reward:
Incentives that reward success can be intrinsic outcomes of the game (good results,
recognition), embedded in the game itself (getting more Monopoly money), or
external recognition or prizes (the winner gets dinner at a nice restaurant). Balancing
rewards between players can be a challenge and needs to be considered when
adopting games.
6. Play:
The most important reward needs to be a sense of fun, encouraging interaction and
intrinsic value for the game. That sense of play can be elusive. Playtesting a design
game in your own team is important to get a sense of what is fun, and what isn’t
before you roll it out with a larger group. Play operates around flow—balance the
challenges of the game with the abilities of the players.
7. Competition:
Sometimes, but not always, design games can involve individuals or teams
competing to achieve those game objectives. While competition can be an easy game
mechanic to introduce, it can also create the wrong dynamic depending on
organizational culture and individual participants. Does competition make things fun,
or turn people into raving lunatics bent on winning at all costs? If it’s the latter, you
might look for more cooperative alternatives, including setting competition against
previous performances, like beating your old record for ideas generated, instead of
against other teams or individuals.

ESRB Ratings
The ratings system for video games is relatively new compared to the ratings systems
used by other entertainment industries -- and so far, it's been a rocky road. The
Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) comes under fire on a regular basis,
most recently with the hidden "Hot Coffee" mini-game in "Grand Theft Auto: San
Andreas." With video game sales topping $7 billion in 2004, the focus on game
ratings will only intensify.
In this article, we'll learn how the ESRB rates games and how they enforce their
ratings. We'll also examine the effects of ratings on game sales and discuss how the
"Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" controversy has affecting the video game industry.
The Entertainment Software Rating Board is a voluntary group that rates the content
of video games, including console (Xbox, PlayStation, et cetera) games and personal
computer games. The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) -- the leading trade
association of the video game industry -- created the ESRB in 1994.
The ESRB does not rate the quality of games, but tries to objectively describe their
content and identify anything that is potentially offensive. Each game is issued a
rating and specific content descriptors such as "Strong Language" or "Edutainment."
A minimum of three game raters are responsible for rating each game. These raters
receive special training, and their identities are kept hidden to preserve the integrity
of the rating process. The ESRB also requires that the raters have no connections to
the game industry.
When a publisher plans to release a game, they submit an application to the ESRB.
Then they send a video of footage from the actual game, including the most extreme
examples of potentially offensive content and overall game play. The raters view
this footage -- they never actually play the game -- and assign it an ESRB rating (for
example, E (Everyone) for a game that is suitable for ages 6 and over).
If the raters all agree, the rating becomes official. If they disagree, additional raters
view the game footage and try to reach a consensus on the rating. The ESRB also
reviews game packaging to make sure it displays the ratings correctly and conforms
to ESRB standards.
This page on the ESRB Web site explains the different ratings and content
descriptors. Additionally, online games that include user-generated content (such as
chat, maps, and skins) carry the notice "Game Experience May Change During
Online Play" to warn consumers that content created by players of the game has not
been rated by the ESRB.
Next, we'll see how voluntary ratings systems like the ESRB differ from legal
controls on media content.
Legal Restrictions
In recent years the video game industry has come under fire from parents and
legislators, largely because of the possible connection between game violence and
real violence committed by children. This controversy has sparked a lot of discussion
around placing legal restrictions on video game content.
The creation of the ESRB was in part an attempt to avoid these legal restrictions by
adopting voluntary, industry-sanctioned controls. This follows several precedents in
other media industries.
The Motion Picture Association of America followed the same course when it
adopted its own ratings system in 1968 (administered by the Classification and
Ratings System, or CARA). In the 1980s, the music industry began voluntarily
placing "Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics" stickers on CDs containing strong or
violent language. In 1954 the publication "Seduction of the Innocent" proclaimed
that comic books were twisting the minds of America's youth. A Congressional
committee investigated, threatened legal control, and the comic book industry
quickly formed the Comics Code Authority. The CCA had a long list of elements
that could not be included in comic books, such as drug use, nudity, negative
portrayals of authority figures, and poor grammar. Since the 1990s, CCA guidelines
have been generally abandoned by major comic publishers. Marvel Comics adopted
its own ratings system in 2001.
Have ESRB ratings actually helped shield the video game industry from laws that
restrict game sales? Not entirely. At the state and county levels, legislators have
proposed and even passed laws that require parental warning labels on certain games
and result in fines or jail time for retailers who sell games to children. These laws
have been repeatedly overturned by the court system, however. The rules defining
which games can't be sold to minors are so hard to decipher that retailers have a
difficult time determining if they're breaking the law. Courts have also concluded
that the laws violate the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. In 2003,
the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that video games are on par with other
forms of literature, including music, books, and television shows, and are therefore
protected by the First Amendment [ref].
Next, we'll see if ratings have any effect on sales.
The Effect of Ratings
The most effective regulator of video A game publisher could circumvent the ESRB
system entirely by releasing a game without submitting it to the rating process. They
could not place a false rating on the game, since the ESRB's rating symbols are
trademarked. The game box would simply have no rating symbol, unless the
publisher decided to place their own rating on it. However, most major retailers
refuse to carry games that don't have official ESRB ratings.
Games that receive an Adults Only rating face a similar problem. But these games
are not usually marketed to the general public, and are rarely distributed through
major retailers. If some stores stop carrying games with M ratings, more publishers
would take notice, and there could be a noticeable effect on the content of future
games. When Congress pressured the film industry to stop marketing R-rated movies
to teens and children, studios went to great lengths to get a PG-13 rating for films
they would otherwise have released with an R because they feared losing an entire
segment of their audience.
In the absence of such drastic measures, it seems that a game's rating has little effect
on overall sales. In 2004, the ESRB rated 1,036 games. Most of them were rated E
or T:
54 percent received an E (Everyone) rating
33 percent received a T (Teen) rating
12 percent received an M (Mature) rating
Less than 1 percent received an AO (Adults Only) rating [ref]
2004 sales figures for video games are very similar -- in fact, games rated M seem
to sell slightly better than other games, when compared to the percentage of games
released:
53 percent of games sold were rated E
30 percent were rated T
18 percent were rated M
The ESA reports that the average game buyer was 39 years old, which indicates that
parents are usually purchasing games for their children. They also state: "Game
players under the age of 18 report that they get their parent's permission 83 percent
of the time before purchasing a computer or video game" [ref].
Next, we'll discuss a recent video game controversy.
game content has been the ESRB itself. According to its Web site, "The ESRB is
empowered to compel corrective actions and impose a wide range of sanctions,
including monetary fines. Corrective actions can include pulling advertising until
ratings information can be corrected, re-stickering packaging with correct ratings
information, recalling the product, and other steps the publisher must take"

Game terminologies
Game design document
A Game Design Document, or GDD for short, is typically a detailed guide that can
be used to keep track of the core themes, styles, features, mechanics and ideas of
your game project.
The main purpose of a game design document is to communicate the details of your
project to either yourself, as you work on your game over time, or to other people,
such as team members, publishers, stakeholders or people who will be playing your
game, as part of a crowdfunding campaign or early access product.
Put simply, it’s the tool that you’ll use to manage and develop the concept of what
your game is, how it’s supposed to work and how it will be built.
Meaning that it can be an extremely important part of your game’s development.
However, there’s no set standard for what a game design document should be, what
it should look like or what it should do.
So why should you even use one?
Should you use a game design document?
Generally speaking, the decision to use a game design document or not depends on
how you like to work.
However, if your project is large, complex or involves multiple people, then you
should probably consider some kind of design document that can help you to
communicate core ideas and information to other people involved with your game.
Even if it’s just you, a GDD can act as a place where the main concepts, ideas,
features and the specific mechanics of your project are written out in detail.
Which can be extremely useful, as the process of writing down and describing part
of your game can force you to decide exactly how it’s going to work.
Put simply, the process of documenting your design can be an important part of the
design process itself.
But how do you write one?
How to write a game design document
So, how do you write a game design document?
How do you decide what should be in it?
And what type of format or structure should you use?
How to decide what should be in your game design document
When you write your game design document, it can help to think about why you
actually need one in the first place.
Otherwise, it can be extremely difficult to know what should be in it, how detailed
it should be or what it should even look like.
For example, do you want a simple overview page that you can use to keep track of
your game’s high-level concepts, or do you want a marketing focussed summary that
you can give to publishers or investors?
Do you want to be able to keep track of your game’s story, lore or items?
Or do you want to be able to show a developer exactly how a feature works or what
a level should look like?
Your design document might do one of these things or it might do all of them but,
what’s important is that you understand what information your design document is
supposed to provide and who it’s going to provide it to.
Knowing that will help you to decide what needs to be included.
For example, a basic one-page game design document can help you to keep track of
high-level concepts and the broad details of your game.
For example…
What to include in a basic game design document
An example structure of a basic game design document might include the core
concept of the game, which is typically a high-level description of what the player
will do, and the game’s design pillars, which are the design goals that every other
decision you make about the game will be compared against.
It might also include a couple of the game’s main mechanics or controls, so that
someone could easily understand what the game is going to be like to play.
You might add any early ideas you have for the game’s visual style, what it might
sound like, or what kind of music might end up being used.
Or, if the narrative of the game is important, this is where you might outline the basic
story.
Or, you could add a rough timeline with some milestones that you’re hoping to hit
during development.
A basic game design document might include:
• Core concept
• Design pillars
• Main features & mechanics
• Target platform & target audience
• Interface & controls
• Basic story
• Visual style
• Music & sound
• Similar games & genres
• Development timeline & major milestones
Which might look something like this:
The point of a basic game design document like this is that it’s simple and easy to
use. As a result, you would typically try to keep it to a single page.
To do that, you may not be able to include all the above points.
Instead, it can help to focus on the most important elements of the game that you
want to get across without worrying too much about the details.
The idea is that a basic one-sheet game design document can be used to quickly
communicate what your game is about in a concise way, and it’s typically what
you’d give to anyone involved in the early stages of your project.
However, while providing a general idea about what the game will be like is, usually,
always useful, if your design document has a more specific purpose, such as for
marketing or as a part of a project pitch, then you may need to also include
marketing-specific information in your GDD.
Marketing & pitch document example structure
A game design document that’s marketing focused might include information that a
potential investor or publisher might want to know before considering your project
for investment.
Exactly how you secure an agreement with a publisher is beyond the scope of this
article and I’m not going to pretend that it’s as simple as only writing a marketing
focused game design document.
However, while the process of building a relationship with a publisher or with an
investor may take more than a simple pitch document, you can still use your GDD
to present the information that someone who’s funding your game may want to know.
MCV – What publishers want from developers
Typically, someone who’s willing to consider funding part of your game’s
development will probably want to be able to understand how much of a risk
investing in that project will be.
As a result, you may want to use your GDD to explain who the product will be for,
how it will make money, how well other games you’ve made have done and
importantly, what level of social interest this project is already getting.
A project that already has a degree of interest from potential customers is likely to
be a more attractive proposition than an untested concept and your GDD can be used
to show that.
For example, you could include:
• Target platform & target audience
• Monetization & price point
• Social engagement & Wishlist adds
• Competition and how the game will compare
• Unique selling points
• New experiences & technologies
• Previous games and their performance
 • Cost breakdown, salaries, assets, tools etc. (what will the game cost to make)
• Future opportunities for the game
• Market analysis
In this scenario, it can help to think of your GDD as more of a project pitch or
business proposal, as that’s pretty much what it’d be. For that reason, it’s generally
a good idea to focus on what you know you can deliver, based on your experience,
your skills and what you’ve managed to do in the past.
However, while the details of your game’s production are going to be important in
a business-focused proposal, if you’re trying to communicate something much less
tangible, such as the feel of a game, what it looks like and sounds like, using your
GDD as a style guide can help you to do that as well.
Design & style focused design document example
You might choose to use your game design document as the place to refine and share
the story and the style of your game.
For example, if you need to keep track of the game’s narrative, keeping a reference
to your game’s characters and how the story will unfold can be useful as you develop
it.
Or, if your game has multiple endings or paths that the player can follow, having a
place to keep track of them can help to avoid confusion later.
Or maybe you want to use the GDD as a kind of concept document, where the
general style and feel of each level is set out but isn’t specifically described.
A style-focussed game design document might include:
• Characters
• Story
• Lore
• World & areas
• Graphics & visuals
• Audio & music
• Sound effects
• Dialogue
Or, for a more practical approach, your design document might explain exactly how
each of the systems, mechanics and features of your game are supposed to work.
Game mechanics & feature design document example
Writing down the details of how something is supposed to work can be extremely
useful, as it gets the idea out of your head and forces you to describe exactly how
it’s supposed to function.
Which, when you’re working with other people, and you want them to build part of
your game in the way you imagined it would be, can be important.
Typically, a game design document that is this detailed would act as a point of
reference for how everything works in the game, what each level should look like,
and which controls the player will use to actually play it.
A mechanics-focused GDD might include:
• The core gameplay loop
• Controls
• The player
• Enemies
• Weapons
• Items
• Systems
• AI
• Controls
• UI & HUD
A large game design document might include all the above.
Which can be useful, as it allows you to keep every detail of your game in a single
location.
However, it’s up to you to decide how long your game design document should be.
How long should a game design document be?
A long, in-depth design document can be useful.
If you’re working on a detailed project and you need a place to keep track of all of
your ideas for new mechanics items and features then writing them down in a single
document seems like a good idea and, if it’s how you like to work, then go for it.
However, this approach can also work against you.
Trying to get started with such a detailed overview of your project is, in most cases,
going to be extremely difficult.
Untested ideas, unless you really know that they’re going to work in the way that
you expect, will often change as soon as you start to build them or as soon as people
try them for the first time.
Which means that writing a long and overly specific document upfront, before
testing and validating your ideas, can be difficult, restrictive or, at the very least, a
waste of time, as much of what you write now may end up changing later.
Instead, it can sometimes be better to use different length design documents at
different stages of your project.
For example, in the early stages of your project, you probably won’t know exactly
how each mechanic is going to work or what everything will look like or what the
name of the level 2 shopkeeper’s dog will be.
And that’s fine…
However, you will probably have a working title, you’ll know what the gameplay or
the story might involve, and you’ll know what your design pillars, the cornerstones
of how your game feels to play, will be.
For that reason, it can often help to start with a simple one-page document and build
on it as your project grows:
Start with a one-page design document that focuses on high-level concepts
Next, write a ten-page design document as the game starts to take shape, that
includes core mechanics & story beats
Lastly, write a full game design document that includes all the game’s content &
detail
Staging your design document to match the phases of your game’s development can
make writing your GDD more efficient.
However, even when it’s split up like this, a long-written document can be difficult
to organize, difficult to manage and difficult to use.
Which is why the format of your design document can make a huge difference to
how helpful it is.
When thinking of a game design document, you might picture a giant 100-page word
file, neatly organized into sections with links to chapters on marketing, mechanics,
characters and the game’s story.
And there are many games that were designed exactly in that way.
However, there are more ways than one to manage the design of your game, and you
may find that some methods work better for you and your project than others.
Game design document formats
There are many different ways to design something, and one method isn’t
necessarily better than another.
However, a design document will usually have a specific purpose, such as to
communicate information, to explain how something is supposed to work or to act
as a design tool itself, where an idea is developed at the time it’s written down.
In which case, the best format for your design document will depend on what you’re
doing with it.
So what are your options?
Written game design documents
When you picture a game design document, you might imagine a written file, such
as a word document or a Google doc, that sets out all your game’s design details in
one, or more, pages.
And while large written design guides have, reportedly, fallen out of fashion in
recent years, there’s a lot to be said for having all your game’s information organized
and stored in a single place.
However,…
While writing down your game’s design can be useful, a written document can only
really be understood in one way, word after word, chapter after chapter.
If your design document is small, this might not be a problem for you,
But, if your GDD includes multiple sections and information, organizing it in a
single file can be tricky and, even with linked section headings, can be difficult to
navigate.
As a result, if you need to manage a large amount of content that’s split across many
different subjects, such as item descriptions, enemy stats, weapon profiles or level
maps, for example, it can sometimes make sense to use a design wiki instead.

Technical Design Document

Technical design documents, or TDDs for short, are often created to establish
detailed plans for new additions or fixes to existing technical problems. They
describe the rigorous thought process that goes into the total design of a feature or a
solution to an issue.
What is a Technical Design Document?
Technical design documents may also be referred to as a blueprint or a blueprint
document. A blueprint document is a piece of writing describing -in depth- a project
or a solution for a technical issue. For instance, if you were creating a website, a
technical design document would contain details about the website's objectives, the
audience it is meant for, the information architecture, the content it should have, and
design choices (such as the color scheme to employ), and the development process.
The importance
A complete blueprint of the final product's appearance may be seen in the technical
design paper, down to the minor details.
It describes the features and operation of the product. Team members will be aware
of their responsibilities and what has to be done to generate a high-quality product
by having a technical design document.
It can act as a guide to help you assimilate the information without becoming too
overwhelmed. It's a fantastic method to stay on track and keep your eyes on the goal.
It can help guide your team members by giving them a template to work from.
It is a great way to make sure your product remains consistent and retains the same
level of quality throughout.
How does it help?
It might be challenging to remember every little detail when creating something new.
A technical design document is a handy paper because of this. Using a technical
design document, you may keep track of all your thoughts and plans so that you don't
forget them when the project is being developed. Making a technical design
document can seem like a big task, but with the appropriate planning, it's not as bad
as it sounds. This blog post will go through all you need to know about writing a
technical design document. To begin, keep reading!
How to write good TDD?
A technical design document should contain a range of information, as we've already
mentioned. However, your industry will determine your document's precise format
and style. Nevertheless, there are a few rules you want to follow when composing
your technical design document.
Goal of the project - The first sentence in your technical design document should
state the project's goal. Software architecture documents are distinct from technical
design documents. What you want to develop and why you want to do it should both
be explained in your technical design paper. If you have a deadline, it's also a good
idea to mention it.
Audience - Who are you providing this solution for? Your intended audience should
be identified in your technical design document so that you may create a solution
that is appropriate for their needs.
Information architecture - What information will be included in the project? How is
that data set structured? This can include details like the data that will be processed,
pages that will be present, the content that will be displayed on pages, and the
navigational methods for that content.
Design choices: What color scheme will you use? Which fonts are you planning to
use? What kind of material are you looking to add? Your technical design document
can include descriptions of each of these choices.
Build procedure - How will the project be built? What equipment will you employ?
Where will the project files be kept? What kind of testing will you undertake? How
will you deploy this solution? Your technical design document can include all of
these specifics.
Things to Include in Your TDD
As we've already mentioned, a technical design document will contain various
information. Technical design documentation varies greatly. However, the following
are all elements of a high-quality technical design document:
Executive summary - An executive summary is a summary that presents the key
points of a document at the beginning. This is an effective method for providing an
overview of the information contained in your technical design paper.
Problem statement - What prompted your decision to start this project? What is the
purpose of this project? Problem statements can be a component of your technical
design document's introduction. This can assist you in maintaining your attention to
the primary demand for the job.
Audience - Who is your target audience, exactly? Why is this project necessary?
What issue does it address? Your technical design document's audience section can
describe the target audience's requirements.
Scope - How big is the project you're working on? What restrictions apply? What is
excluded from the project? The scope section is a fantastic area to describe the
project's constraints.
Information architecture - How are the various portions of your project organized,
and what are they? What kind of material will be presented in the project? This can
include details like the pages that will be present, the content that will be displayed
there, and the navigational methods for that content.
TDDs vary depending on the organization and team. Your TTDs can include extra
details like the objective, description, definitions of key terms, specifications,
constraints, and acceptance criteria, as well as information on the current state (if
applicable), potential solutions, scalability and performance considerations, an
overview of the architecture, and any design decisions you make along the way.
Conclusion
Although it may seem complicated, writing a technical design document is not as
frightening as it looks. Using a technical design document, you may keep track of
all your thoughts and plans so that you don't forget them when the project is being
developed. Additionally, it can save you on the course, mainly if the job is big.
Having a technical design document will aid in maintaining organization. When you
first begin a project, your memory is blank. However, you'll likely forget some
specifics as the project progresses. A technical design document can be quite helpful
in this situation.

Idea Generation techniques

SCAMPER
SCAMPER refers to a series of thought sparkers or provocations which help you to
innovate on an existing product, service or situation by looking through different
lenses. There are seven provocation lenses in the SCAMPER method:
• Substitute
• Combine
• Adapt
• Modify (Also Magnify and Minify)
• Put to another use
• Eliminate
• Rearrange
How to Use SCAMPER
First, take an existing product or service. It could be an existing product, service or
idea which you want to improve, or which could be a great starting point for future
development.
Then, simply go down the list and ask questions regarding each of the seven elements.
Please see our step-by-step guide below.
Apply the questions to values, benefits, services, touch points, product attributes,
pricing, markets and essentially any other related aspect you might be able to think
of that has relevance to your ideation needs.
Look at the answers that you came up with. Do any of the answers stand out as viable
solutions? Could you use any of them to create a new product, or develop an existing
one?
Take the good ideas and explore them further.

Take, for example, McDonald’s founder, Ray Kroc. As he’s already done all the
hard work, it’s now easy for us to identify some of the ideas he used in the
SCAMPER method:
Put to other uses: Selling restaurants and real estate instead of just simply
hamburgers.
Eliminate: Letting customers serve themselves and thereby avoiding the use of
expensive waiters.
Rearrange: Having customers pay before they eat.
Step-by-step Guide
Substitute

Overall, the question to think about here is this: What can I substitute or change in
my product, problem or process? You should think about substituting part(s) of your
product or process for something else.
Guiding questions:
What can I substitute so as to make an improvement?
How can I substitute the place, time, materials or people?
Can I substitute one part for another or change any parts?
Can I replace someone involved?
Can I change the rules?
Should I change the name?
Can I use other ingredients or materials?
Can I use other processes or procedures?
Can I change its shape, color, roughness, sound or smell?
Can I use this idea for other projects?
Can I change my feelings or attitude towards it?
Use these instead of starting with: ‘I can ...’
Combine
The overall question to think about here is: How can I combine two or more parts of
my product, problem, or process so as to achieve a different product, problem, or
process to enhance synergy? Creative thinking involves combining previously
unrelated ideas, products, or services to create something new and innovative.
Guiding questions:
What ideas, materials, features, processes, people, products, or components can I
combine?
Can I combine or merge this or that with other objects?
What can I combine so as to maximize the number of uses?
What can I combine in order to lower the costs of production?
Which materials could I combine?
Where can I build synergy?
Which are the best elements I can bring together so as to achieve a particular result?
Adapt
Overall, the question you need to think about is: What can I adapt in my product,
problem, or process? Think about which parts of the product or process you could
adapt so as to solve your problem.
Guiding questions:
Which part of the product could I change?
Could I change the characteristics of a component?
Can I seek inspiration in other products or processes, but in a different context?
Does history offer any solutions?
Which ideas could I adapt, copy, or borrow from other people’s products?
What processes should I adapt?
Can I adapt to the context or target group?
What can I adapt in this or that way to make this result?
Modify (Also Magnify and Minify)
Overall, the question you need to focus on is this: What can I modify or put emphasis
on in my product, problem, or process? Can I change the item in some way? Can I
change meaning, color, motion, sound, smell, form, or shape? It’s time to magnify
or exaggerate your idea, product, problem, or process—or to minify it. These
questions will give you new insights into which components are the most important
ones. Think about changing part or all the current situation or product. Alternatively,
distort the product in an unusual way.
Guiding questions:
What can I magnify or make larger?
What can I tone down or delete?
Could I exaggerate or overstate buttons, colors, size…?
Could I grow the target group?
What can be made higher, bigger, or stronger?
Can I increase its speed or frequency?
Can I add extra features?
How can I add extra value?
What can you remove or make smaller, condensed, lower, shorter or lighter—or
streamline, split up or understate?
What can I change in this way or that way so as to achieve such and such a result?
Put to Another Use
The overall question to consider here is this: How can I put the thing to other uses?
What are new ways to use the product or service? Can I reach out to other users if I
modify the product? Is there another market for the product? It’s time to work out
how you may be able to put your current product or idea to other uses and purposes.
Guiding questions:
What else can it be used for?
How would a child use it? —an older person?
How would people with different disabilities use it?
Which another target group could benefit from this product?
What other kind of user would need or want my product?
Who or what else may be able to use it?
Can it be used by people other than those it was originally intended for?
Are there new ways to use it in its current shape or form?
Would there be other possible uses if I were to modify the product?
How can I reuse something in a certain way by doing what to it?
Eliminate
Your overall question to consider here is: What can I eliminate or simplify in my
product, design, or service? Think of what might happen if you were to eliminate,
simplify, reduce, or minimise parts of your idea. If you continue to trim your idea,
service, or process—you can gradually narrow your challenge down to that part or
function that is most important.
Guiding questions:
What can I remove without altering its function?
Can I reduce time or components?
What would happen if I removed a component or part of it?
Can I reduce effort?
Can I cut costs?
How can I simplify it?
What’s non-essential or unnecessary?
Can I eliminate the rules?
Can I make it smaller?
Can I split my product into different parts?
I can eliminate what by doing what?
Rearrange
Overall, you must ask yourself this question: How can I change, reorder, or reverse
the product or problem? What would I do if I had to do this process in reverse?
Guiding questions:
What can I rearrange in some way – can I interchange components, the pattern, or
the layout?
Can I change the pace or schedule?
What would I do if part of your problem, product or process worked in reverse?
I can rearrange what in what way such that this happens?
Mind Mapping
Mind mapping is a powerful technique to help you visually develop and organize
ideas and information. Let’s take a look at what mind mapping is and how you can
use it.

What is Mind Mapping?

Mind maps provide a structured way to capture and organize ideas and information.
They help users to understand concepts by breaking them down into their component
parts. The technique is used to develop new ideas, or to break down and better
understand existing information.
Whether developing new ideas or organizing existing information, mind maps help
you see how information fits together. Mind maps provide an expansive and flexible
structure to support your thinking.
Key Characteristics of Mind Maps
Single Central Topic
Unlike other visual diagrams, a mind map is built around a single central topic. All
the information on your map is “anchored” to the same start point. By placing the
main idea at the center, it’s easier for others to understand the core focus of the mind
map.
Expansive Tree Structure

Tree-like branches make up a mind map. They can expand and grow as you develop
your ideas. Each branch shows information organized as topics and subtopics, based
on categorizations and connections identified by the map creator. The result is a
structured hierarchy of information at all levels of the mind map.
Keyword Focused
Keywords, rather than long sentences or blocks of text, make up a mind map. Topics
on a map often include one or two words that best represent an idea or piece of
information. This makes it easier for readers to scan the information presented
without having to read an excessive amount of text.
How does mind mapping help?
Whether you’re mapping by hand or using a mind mapping software tool, there are
three key ways mind mapping helps develop and organize ideas and information:
Simplification
Mind maps help to simplify any information on a page because they are composed
of keywords (rather than long sentences). Distilling knowledge into keywords and
short triggers creates a structured visual summary that is easier and faster to process.
Categorization

A mind map structure helps you to categorize and sub-categorize information in a

way that makes it easier to understand and navigate. Categorization helps our brains
to make sense of complexity. And mind maps provide a hierarchical category
structure that helps us navigate information more easily. It’s like moving around the
aisles in a supermarket to find the particular product we need.
Contextualization

The tree-structure of a mind map means that every piece of information connects to
at least one other piece of information. Connections include a higher level (parent)
topic, and potentially the same level (siblings) topics, or lower-level (child) topics.
Every item has context because of what it is attached to, and what connects to it.
With mind maps, the information doesn’t exist in isolation. You can see how ideas
and information relate to each other more clearly.
Who uses mind mapping?
Mind mapping is used by people in business, education, government, the charity
sector, and at home.
In business, people use mind mapping for project planning, strategic thinking, and
managing meetings. Mind mapping software helps teams to develop their ideas more
collaboratively. Online mapping allows people to build off each other’s ideas and
develop a shared understanding of a situation. It can also break down complex
projects into more manageable parts.
In education, students of all ages use mind maps for note taking, summarizing
subject information, and planning written assignments. Educators are using mind
maps for lesson planning, innovative homework assignments, and group exercises
in the classroom.
Outside of these fields, many individuals use mind maps to help with their
organization and future planning. People often use mind maps to plan their weeks,
their goals, and their careers.

What is mind mapping software?

Some people prefer to mind map by hand using pen and paper, flipcharts,
whiteboards, etc. Others prefer to map using computer software or apps on mobile
devices. These applications provide powerful benefits when mind mapping, as they
overcome the physical limitations of pen and paper.
Additionally, online mapping enables you to build mind maps that can connect with
other information sources such as documents or websites. This can allow you to
develop your mind map on an ongoing basis.
There is mind mapping software that requires installation and can be used without
an internet connection. Other software is based entirely online, so you can access
and work on your maps from any device with an internet connection. Some online
mind mapping tools have the added benefit of enabling real time collaboration with
other people in the same mind map.

Brainstorming
Brainstorming is a creative thinking technique for coming up with new ideas and
solving problems. Teams use this ideation method to encourage new ways of
thinking and collectively generate solutions. Brainstorming encourages free thinking
and allows for all ideas to be voiced without judgment, fostering an open and
innovative environment. This process typically involves a group of people, although
it can be done individually as well.
This guide will help you get the most out of every creative session. When you're
ready to start your next free-thinking exercise, jump into Miro’s brainstorming tool
to generate ideas and turn them into action.
What is the main purpose of brainstorming?
The primary purpose of a brainstorming session is to generate and document many
ideas, no matter how “out there” they might seem. Through this lateral thinking
process, inventive ideas are suggested, which spark creative solutions. By
encouraging everyone to think more freely and not be afraid to share their ideas,
teams can build on each other’s thoughts to find the best possible solution to a
problem. Brainstorming usually takes place in a group setting where people get
together to creatively solve problems and come up with ideas. However, it’s also
useful for individuals who need to explore novel solutions to a problem. Sitting down
by yourself and writing down solutions to potential problems is a great way to
brainstorm individually. Focusing your mind on a defined problem allows you to
think of many creative ways to get to an answer. While brainstorming normally
allows for free-form methods of thinking and doesn’t require many rules, the best
results usually stem from controlled sessions. Posing questions and role-playing
different scenarios during the brainstorming session is a smart way to pull out
unusual ideas and never-before-thought-of solutions.

Benefits of brainstorming
Why is brainstorming such a popular approach to solving problems and generating
ideas? Here are some of its many advantages:
Encourages creativity
Brainstorming sessions are meant to be free of judgment. Everyone involved is
meant to feel safe and confident enough to speak their minds. There will be some
good and some bad ideas, but this doesn’t matter as long as the outcome is one that
can solve the problem. This kind of free-thinking environment, along with a few
essential brainstorming rules, encourages creativity in the workplace.
Fosters collaboration and team building
Brainstorming is not only good for problem-solving. It also allows employees and
team members to understand how the people around them think. It helps the team
get to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses and helps build a more inclusive
and close-knit workforce.
Generates innovative, revolutionary ideas
Brainstorming is the perfect mix between a free-thinking, creative environment and
one that is governed by rules. Being faced with a defined problem or asking
questions like “What do we do in X scenario?” forces everyone in the room to come
up with ideas and solutions. No two people think alike. So, combining the good parts
of everyone’s answers will result in holistic and revolutionary solutions.
Establishes different perspectives
One of the major benefits of brainstorming is that it allows and encourages all
members of the session to freely propose ideas. This type of environment fosters
courage in people who may not usually offer their perspective on a problem.
Garnering a range of different perspectives can lead to a never-before-thought-of
solution.
Introduces many ideas quickly
The beauty of brainstorming is that it encourages teams to come up with many ideas
in a relatively short period of time. Ideas are thrown around, and every train of
thought is documented. Different perspectives give different answers and sifting
through a few good answers in quick succession may lead to the perfect solution in
no time.
Types of brainstorming techniques
There are plenty of creative brainstorming techniques to choose from. Here are some
of the most popular ones:
Reverse brainstorming
In a typical brainstorming session, the group is asked to consider solutions to a
problem. This means that they will spend time thinking about the outcome — the
end goal — rather than the root of the problem — the starting point. Reverse
brainstorming is simply the opposite: teams are asked to ideate on the problem
instead of the solution. This type of brainstorming is done before the start of an
important project, as it helps teams anticipate any future obstacles that might arise.
To help frame this way of thinking, use a Reverse Brainstorming Template to get
the team started.
Random word brainstorming
One of the main goals of a brainstorming session is to come up with new ideas. One
of the best ways to do this is to say the first words that come to mind when a specific
topic or subject is mentioned. Random word brainstorming allows for exactly that.
The team is given a problem, and they need to shout out the first words that they
think of, regardless of what they are. These words are then written down and later
put into interesting combinations to see if they will lead to a usable solution. This
brainstorming method is extremely fast and usually very efficient at solving a
defined problem. The Random Words Brainstorming Template can help get you
started.

Brainstorming may seem to lack constraints, but everyone must observe eight house
rules and have someone acting as facilitator.
Set a time limit – Depending on the problem’s complexity, 15–60 minutes is normal.
Begin with a target problem/brief – Members should approach this sharply defined
question, plan or goal and stay on topic.
Refrain from judgment/criticism – No-one should be negative (including via body
language) about any idea.
Encourage weird and wacky ideas – Further to the ban on killer phrases like “too
expensive”, keep the floodgates open so everyone feels free to blurt out ideas
(provided they’re on topic).
Aim for quantity – Remember, “quantity breeds quality”. The sifting-and-sorting
process comes later.
Build on others’ ideas – It’s a process of association where members expand on
others’ notions and reach new insights, allowing these ideas to trigger their own. Say
“and”—rather than discourage with “but”—to get ideas closer to the problem.
Stay visual – Diagrams and Post-Its help bring ideas to life and help others see things
in different ways.
Allow one conversation at a time – To arrive at concrete results, it’s essential to keep
on track this way and show respect for everyone’s ideas.

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• Blogging
WordPress: Known for its versatility, WordPress offers a wide range of features and
customization options. It’s suitable for various types of blogs and websites. While
WordPress.org is free (though you’ll need separate hosting), WordPress.com
provides a hosted solution with additional features
Wix: If you’re a beginner, Wix is user-friendly and comes with built-in SEO tools.
It’s also e-commerce-ready, making it a great choice for bloggers who want to sell
products or services
Weebly: Weebly combines blogging and e-commerce seamlessly. It’s beginner-
friendly, offers unlimited storage, and has low-cost plans. Plus, it’s suitable for small
businesses.
Drupal: For developers, Drupal is highly flexible and secure. While it requires third-
party web hosting, it’s an excellent choice for those who want complete control over
their blog
Squarespace: As an all-in-one platform, Squarespace provides award-winning
templates, easy usability, and versatility. It’s ideal for creating visually appealing
blogs1.
Content Hub: Designed for marketers, Content Hub offers advanced marketing tools,
personalized pages, and membership features
Medium: If you’re looking for an audience, Medium has a built-in one with over 100
million active readers per month. Writers can also get paid through the platform
• Social media
Social media marketing is the strategic process of promoting a brand, product, or
service through social media platforms. By leveraging these platforms and their tools,
businesses can showcase their offerings and engage with customers on a personal
level. It involves creating high-quality content, interacting with followers, analyzing
results, and running social media advertisements. Whether it’s enhancing brand
visibility, fostering loyalty, or driving sales, social media marketing plays a crucial
role in today’s digital landscape.
• Email marketing
Email marketing is a form of digital marketing that involves sending promotional
messages or newsletters to a list of subscribers via email. The goal is to build
customer relationships, promote products or services, increase brand awareness, and
ultimately drive sales12. It’s a cost-effective strategy that allows personalized
communication with your target audience, making it a powerful tool for businesses.
If you need more convincing, consider this: the first marketing email was sent in
1978 and resulted in $13 million in sales
• Live events
Live event marketing is a powerful strategy that involves creating and hosting
events to connect with customers and promote products or services. These events
can take various forms, such as:
1. Trade shows: Industry-specific events where businesses showcase their
offerings and network with peers.
2. Conferences: Gatherings that bring together experts, thought leaders, and
attendees to discuss relevant topics.
3. Product launches: Events designed to introduce new products or services to
the market.
4. Seminars: Educational sessions where experts share insights and knowledge.
5. Workshops: Interactive sessions that provide hands-on learning experiences.
Live events offer several benefits:
• Direct engagement: They allow businesses to interact directly with
customers, building trust and loyalty.
• Showcasing products: Events provide a platform to demonstrate features,
benefits, and value.
• Lead generation: Live events attract potential customers and generate leads.
• Networking: Businesses can connect with industry peers, partners, and
influencers.
 • Cost-effective reach: Leveraging social media and digital channels extends
the event’s impact beyond physical limitations.

Overview of Unreal Engine 5

Unreal Engine 5 (UE5) is the latest version of Unreal Engine, one of the most
powerful and popular game engines. Unreal contains the following features: Nanite,
Lumen, World Partition system, Meta Sounds, and animations.

How Does Unreal Engine Licensing Work?

Depending on your team size and needs, Unreal Engine 5 offers three license
options:
Standard License: This license type is free to get started and a good option for
creators, publishers, hobbyists, students, and educators.
Enterprise Program: This license is the best match for non-game professionals and
enterprise organizations that need additional support, training, and/or custom
licensing terms.
Custom License: The custom license option is for game developers and studios that
need additional support, training, and/or custom licensing terms.
Introduction to the interface and key features
The Level Editor provides the core level creation functionality for Unreal Editor.
You will use it to create, view, and modify levels. You will modify a level mainly
by placing, transforming, and editing the properties of Actors .
In Unreal Editor, the scenes in which you create your game experience are generally
referred to as Levels. You can think of a level as a 3D environment into which you
place a series of objects and geometry to define the world your players will
experience. Any object that is placed in your world, be it a light, a mesh, or a
character, is an Actor. Technically speaking, an Actor is a programming class used
within the Unreal Engine to define an object that has 3D position, rotation, and scale
data. Think of an Actor as any object that can be placed in your levels.
Creating levels begins by placing items in a map inside Unreal Editor. These items
may be world geometry, decorations in the form of Brushes, Static Meshes, lights,
player starts, weapons, or vehicles. Which items are added when is usually defined
by the particular workflow used by the level design team.
The Default Interface
Since the interface for Unreal Editor is highly customizable, it is possible that what
you see may change from one launch to the next. Below, you can see the default
interface layout.
• Tab Bar and Menu Bar
• Toolbar
• Place Actor / Modes
• Viewports
• Content Browser
• World Outliner
• Details
• Tab Bar
The Level Editor has a tab along the top with the name of the current level. Tabs
from other editor windows may be docked alongside this tab for quick and easy
navigation, like a web browser.

The name of the tab reflects the level currently being edited. This is a pattern
consistent throughout the editor—tabs will be named after the current asset being
edited.
To the right of the Tab Bar is the name of the current project.
Menu Bar
The Menu Bar in the editor should be familiar to anyone who has used Windows
applications previously. It provides access to general tools and commands that are
used when working with levels in the editor.
See the Menu Bar page for descriptions of each menu and its contents.
The Console (` ) is a text field that allows special console commands to be entered
that are recognized by the editor. The text field has an auto-complete feature that
automatically lists all commands matching the characters in the field.
If you are running Source Control, the button on the far right of the menu bar
indicates its status.

B Nam Description
utt e
on

Sour Mouse over the button for connection details. A green

= ce icon can be clicked to log in to your connection. A red
O Cont icon indicates that source control is not in use. Perforce
n rol and Subversion are supported. See Source Control
Stat documentation for details.
= us
Of
f

Toolbar

The Toolbar panel displays a group of commands, providing quick access to

commonly used tools and operations.
See the Toolbar page for descriptions Toolbar items.
Viewport
The Viewport panel is your window into the worlds you create in Unreal Engine.
This panel contains a set of viewports, each of which can be maximized to fill the
entire panel and offer the ability to display the world from one of three orthographic
views (Top, Side, Front) or a perspective view giving you complete control over
what you see and how you see it.
See Viewports for more information on working with viewports.
Details
The Details panel contains information, utilities, and functions for the current
selection in the viewport. It contains transform edit boxes for moving, rotating, and
scaling Actors, displays all the editable properties for the selected Actors, and
provides quick access to additional editing functionality depending on the type of
Actor(s) selected in the viewport. For example, selected Actors can be exported to
FBX and converted to another compatible type. Selection Details allow you to view
the materials used by the selected Actors, if any, and quickly open them for editing.
See the Details page for a more complete overview and guide to using the Details
panel in the Level Editor.
Modes
The Level Editor can be put into different editing modes to enable specialized editing
interfaces and workflows for editing types of Actors or geometry.
To display a selection of modes, in the Level Editor Toolbar, open the Modes
dropdown.

I Mode Short Description

c cut
o
n

Select Shift Activate Select mode to select Actors

+1 in your scene.

Landsc Shift Activate Landscape mode to edit

ape +2 Landscape terrains.

Foliag Shift Activate Foliage mode to paint

e +3 instanced foliage.

Brush Shift Activate Brush Editing mode to

Editin +4 modify Geometry Brushes.
g
 Mesh Shift Activate Mesh Paint mode to paint
Paint +5 vertex colors and textures on Static
Mesh Actors directly in the viewport.

Fractur Shift- Activate Fracture mode to create

e 6 destructible objects and environments.

Modes change the primary behavior of the Level Editor for a specialized task, such
as moving and transforming assets in the world, sculpting landscapes, generating
foliage, creating geometry brushes and volumes, and painting on meshes. Modes
panels contain a selection of tools tailored to the selected editing mode.
The Landscape panel
You can close any panel by clicking the small "X" in the upper-right corner of the
tab. You can also hide any panel by right-clicking on the tab, and then clicking Hide
Tab on the context menu that appears. To reopen a panel that you have closed, click
that panel's name on the Window menu.
World Outliner
The World Outliner panel displays all of the Actors within the scene in a hierarchical
tree view. You can select and modify Actors directly from the World Outliner. Use
the Info dropdown menu to display an additional column that shows Levels, Layers,
or ID Names.
See the World Outliner page for details on using the World Outliner.
Layers
The Layers panel allows you to organize Actors in your Level.
Layers provide the ability to quickly select as well as control visibility of groups of
related Actors. You can use your layers to quickly un-clutter a scene leaving only
the geometry and Actors that you are working with. For example, you might be
working on a building that has multiple levels but is comprised of many modular
parts. By assigning each floor to a layer, you can hide each of the floors you are not
working on making the top view much more manageable.

Basic navigation and viewport controls

There are various controls to enable you to navigate the scene, select and manipulate
Actors, and change display options while working in the viewports.
For the purposes of this document, you should assume the following abbreviations:
Control Abbreviation
Left Mouse Button LMB
Right Mouse Button RMB
Middle Mouse Button MMB
Navigation Controls
There are a variety of ways in which to navigate the Unreal Editor viewports. Some
can be done entirely with the mouse, with the keyboard, or with a variety of
combinations between the two.
Standard
These controls represent the default behavior when clicking and dragging in the
viewports with no other keys or buttons pressed. These are also the only controls
that can be used to navigate the orthographic viewports.
Control Action
Perspective
 Moves the camera forward and backward and rotates left and
LMB + Drag
right.
RMB + Drag Rotates the viewport camera.
LMB + RMB +
Moves up and down.
Drag
Orthographic
(Top, Front, Side)
LMB + Drag Creates a marquee selection box.
RMB + Drag Pans the viewport camera.
LMB + RMB +
Zooms the viewport camera in and out.
Drag
Focusing
Focuses the camera on the selected object. This is essential
F
to make the most out of tumbling the camera.

Creating and managing projects.

Creating a New Project:
When you launch Unreal Engine, the Unreal Project Browser opens automatically.
Here, you can:
Create a new project: Click on the “New Project” button and follow the prompts to
set up your project.
Open an existing project: If you have an existing project, click on the corresponding
project name to open it.
Manage existing projects: You can organize and manage your projects within the
Project Browser.
Project Templates:
Unreal Engine provides templates as starting points for different types of projects.
Templates include premade assets and configurations, such as sample scenes, player
input setups, and more.
You can also convert any existing project into a custom template for reuse.
Custom Templates:
To create a custom template:
Start with an existing project.
Configure it with the desired assets, settings, and configurations.
Save it as a template for future use.
Updating Projects to Unreal Engine 5:
If you’re migrating from Unreal Engine 4 to Unreal Engine 5, follow the Unreal
Engine 5 Migration Guide.
It provides steps and requirements for upgrading your projects.
Remember, Unreal Engine projects hold all the contents of your game or application,
including Blueprints, materials, 3D assets, animations, and more. Feel free to explore
and create amazing experiences!