Ultimate Game Design : Building game worlds

Building Game Worlds
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U L T I M A T E G A M E D E S I G N
NH: Misconception 1: “I like to play games, so it’s a no-brainer that I’ll like to make games.” This
is a misconception for one simple reason. Creating games is fun and it’s entertainment, while making
games is work and it’s a job. That doesn’t mean a person can’t love the job, but it does mean that
there will be times when a game developer has to work on something that is unappealing or painful
but simply has to be done as part of shipping the game.
Misconception 2: “I can only be happy making the types of games I like to play.” Most people are
pretty picky about the types of games they play. In fact, an average gamer probably would really like
only less than 10 percent of the games on the market chosen at random. But each game has its
appealing elements that its creators can take pride in, and every well-done game will appeal to
someone. So an aspiring developer should go in with an attitude of “what can I learn?” and worry
about making the perfect game at a later, more experienced point in his or her career.
Misconception 3: “I know good game design when I see it, therefore I’m a designer.” Pointing out
when a game design is weak or doesn’t work is a valuable skill in game development. But it is only the
beginning of being a good designer. While suggesting solutions is the natural next step to identifying
problems, not everyone can consistently take this step.
TM: What misconceptions do you think people inside the game industry have about working in
game development?
NH: Misconception 1: “I’m too experienced to be working on tasks of type X.” Elitism is
unfortunately all too common among game developers. In many cases, people refuse to work on
tedious work, considering it beneath them. But while a more junior or less qualified employee may
be able to carry out a particular task that is given, someone with pride in their work will still be
willing to do a great job and in a timely manner.
Misconception 2: “I work long hours, so I shouldn’t have to play by any rules of conventional
professionalism.” It’s true, game developers often work long hours, as deadlines are all too frequent.
But game making should still be a professional environment, where individuals make their best
attempt to adhere to a schedule and a plan, to respect and support their co-workers, and to be
dependable to the rest of the team. When an individual pulls an all-nighter and then disappears for
the next two days for recovery despite the rest of the team, it is not the best way to ship a game.
TM: What is the best way to build your gaming intuition?
NH: Different individuals have a different level of aptitude for this. However, people can continue
to refine it and enhance it in two ways. The first and most obvious is to play many games. Knowing
how other games work is a great way of becoming ingrained with this type of knowledge. The second
just comes from experience at developing games. Occasional setbacks and failures are great tools for
educating a person about what is “right” in a game and what is not.
TM: Any “nameless” development stories you’d like to share?
NH: I can’t think of any!
TM: Can you share some insights with us about your own path to becoming a leading-edge developer?
NH: One of the key lessons I’ve learned in being a game developer is that team building is perhaps the
most important aspect to creating good games. Teams dominated by individuals as dictators—no matter
how strong—rarely produce the same quality of game as teams that are universally collaborative and
supportive. Team sizes have continued to grow over the last decade, and this trend isn’t necessarily going to
stop anytime soon. I believe that the game development companies that will most dominate in the years to
come are those that can come to grips with how such team members should interact with each other.