Addressing Obstacles Through Innovation
In the world of game development, one individual has found a unique and effective approach to tackling complex design issues: creating smaller games. This strategy, which involves isolating and solving problems within larger games, has proven to be beneficial for several reasons.
The individual, who does not have experience in designing games but does have some knowledge about product development and exploring ideas cheaply, was inspired to create a space trader themed card game called Oceans Of Space. This smaller game was built upon a standard pack of playing cards and served as a means to explore and learn about progression systems, specifically for the Gaslands system.
Oceans Of Space introduced a mechanic that required payment for repairing hull points, a concept that the individual later adopted in the Gaslands system. In the Gaslands system, players are now required to pay for repairing lost hull points on their vehicles at the cost of 5 points for 1 can of gasoline. This "repair" rule was designed to simulate the slowing down and less controlled state of cars due to permanent persistence damage.
The teams in the Gaslands system had previously been found to have too much disposable income, and the individual made adjustments to make money feel tighter. This adjustment, along with the introduction of the repair rule, has added a layer of realism and challenge to the game.
One of the advantages of smaller games in problem isolation is the focus on core mechanics. By creating a smaller game, developers can concentrate on specific problems without the complexity of a full game, making it easier to test and refine these mechanics. Oceans Of Space, for example, allowed the individual to explore the random generation of shop items, which they realized is a good example of the "variable reward" heuristic.
Another advantage is reduced complexity. Smaller games have fewer variables, making it easier to identify and address specific problems. This approach reduces the complexity of debugging and testing compared to a larger, more complex game.
Cost and time efficiency are also significant benefits. Developing a smaller game requires less resources than a full-scale game, saving time and money by solving critical issues early on, avoiding costly reworks later in development.
Rapid prototyping is another advantage of smaller games. They facilitate quick testing of ideas, gathering feedback, and iterating on designs, helping to validate assumptions about gameplay and mechanics before integrating them into a larger project.
The individual found the experience of using a smaller game project to involve a larger one to be satisfying and a potential solution for design problems. They discovered that this method could be a potential new book title, suggesting "Designing around the problem."
This strategic approach in game development can be seen in Nintendo's emphasis on shorter development cycles, where they focus on smaller, more manageable projects or components within larger games. By adopting this principle, Nintendo aims to streamline development and ensure that critical issues are addressed efficiently.
In conclusion, designing smaller games to isolate and solve problems within larger games is an effective strategy for game development. It allows for focused development, reduced complexity, and cost-effective prototyping, ultimately contributing to more efficient and successful game development processes. The individual invites playtesters to sign up and join them on this exciting journey of game development and problem-solving.
- In an attempt to bring realism and challenge into his new post-apocalyptic wargame, Gaslands, the individual drew inspiration from a smaller game he created, Oceans Of Space, implementing mechanics like the hull point repair system, which they later found to add a layer of complexity and expense to the game.
- To validate assumptions about gameplay and mechanics before integrating them into larger projects, the individual found the process of designing smaller games inefficient for isolating problems and refining mechanics, and proposed the idea of wargame developers adopting a comparable strategy for effective and cost-efficient problem-solving, named "Designing around the problem."
