How to Build a Game (part 1/5)

Whether you are are an aspiring video game developer, a board game designer, or a tabletop RPG designer, the first question is often the hardest to answer. Where do you start? The options are overwhelming, and can cripple you as you sift through the possibilities. There are some development tools available to game designers that will help you narrow it down, such as the video game design program, Unity. As you explore Unity, you’ll see templates available for a variety of different video game genres. First Person Shooter, RTS, or RPG? 2D platformer, or 3D space shooter? The designers of the Unity program know that the first step you need to take in any type of game design is to decide what type of game you want to make. Deciding on parameters is a crucial step, because having limitations will keep you focused. Endless options are the enemy of the creative mind, though it might seem counterintuitive to suggest this. Think of it this way: if you were told to write a music composition and were given every note to use, you’ll immediately want to narrow things down a little and make some decisions. Should it be in a major key, a minor, or something else? What type of meter do you want to use? What style do you want to write in? Game designers need to make the same types of decisions before starting in order to begin producing something cohesive.