What do you do if the prototyping tools you've been using for your Game Design projects are not working?
Prototyping is an essential part of game design, as it allows you to test your ideas, iterate on them, and find the fun in your game. But what do you do if the tools you've been using for your prototyping projects are not working? Maybe they are outdated, buggy, incompatible, or just not suitable for your needs. In this article, you'll learn some tips on how to deal with this situation and find alternative ways to prototype your game.
The first thing you need to do is to assess your needs and goals for your prototyping project. What are you trying to achieve? What are the core features and mechanics of your game? What are the main challenges and risks you need to address? How much time and resources do you have? Answering these questions will help you narrow down your options and prioritize your tasks.
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Marcelo Vianna
Level Designer
A great strategy is to start by documenting what you intend to accomplish and why your current tools aren't working. Similar to designing anything else, the objective is to clarify both the goal and the issue at hand, enabling you to pursue a viable through iteration.
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The next step is to research other tools that might suit your needs better. There are many different types of prototyping tools, such as paper, digital, physical, or hybrid. Each one has its own advantages and disadvantages, depending on the genre, platform, and scope of your game. You can look for online reviews, tutorials, forums, or blogs that showcase different tools and how they are used by other game designers. You can also ask for recommendations from your peers, mentors, or communities.
Once you have a list of potential tools, you need to experiment with them and compare their results. You can start by creating a simple prototype that demonstrates the basic functionality and gameplay of your game. You can then evaluate how easy, fast, and flexible the tool is, how well it communicates your vision, and how it performs on different devices and platforms. You can also solicit feedback from your target audience, testers, or stakeholders to see how they react to your prototype.
Sometimes, you might not find a perfect tool that meets all your needs. In that case, you need to adapt and improvise with what you have. You can try to combine different tools, use placeholder assets, or simplify your design. You can also use some creative techniques, such as sketching, storyboarding, or role-playing, to convey your ideas and test your assumptions. The key is to focus on the essence of your game and not get bogged down by the limitations of the tools.
The final step is to learn from your experience and improve your skills and knowledge. Prototyping is a continuous process that requires constant iteration and refinement. You should always document your findings, analyze your data, and reflect on your feedback. You should also keep yourself updated on the latest trends, innovations, and best practices in game design and prototyping. By doing so, you will be able to overcome any challenges and create amazing games.
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Rodrigo Padilla
Desarrollador de Videojuegos
Tools help you a lot while developing games, but sometimes it's complicated to find the ones for your specific needs. The first thing to do is review your needs and try to find the root of the problem, is there any other tool that does something similar? Maybe it is not meant to fix the same issue, but at the end of the day, it's a tool that may help you. If you are still lost, you might consider developing your own tools. Be careful since it is a potential rabbit hole that may even take a greater effort than the actual project. Don't reinvent the wheel and stay focused on what's important!
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