As a game designer, it’s important to be aware of common pitfalls and mistakes that can hinder the success of your projects. By avoiding these mistakes, you can increase your chances of creating successful and enjoyable games that players will love. Here are the top 10 mistakes game designers should avoid:
Huge Project without Portfolio
Starting with a large, ambitious project without a portfolio of smaller, completed games can be risky. It’s important to build a portfolio of completed projects to showcase your skills and capabilities before tackling a larger project. A portfolio can also help you demonstrate your ability to complete projects and can be used to attract funding or partners for larger projects.
Hide the Idea
It’s important to share your game ideas and get feedback from others, whether it’s through playtesting or seeking input from industry professionals. Hiding your ideas can limit the potential for improvement and growth. Sharing your ideas with others can help you get valuable feedback and insights, leading to a stronger and more successful game.
Not Using the Cloud
One mistake that game designers should avoid is not using the cloud for storage and collaboration. Local storage can be problematic because it is limited in capacity and can be prone to data loss or corruption due to hardware issues or other unexpected events. The cloud, on the other hand, provides virtually unlimited storage capacity and is more reliable and secure.
Create Unfinished Projects
It’s important to see a game through to completion rather than abandoning it halfway through development. Players will be disappointed if they invest time and money into a game that is never fully finished. It’s better to set realistic goals and priorities and to focus on completing a smaller number of projects rather than taking on too much and leaving projects unfinished.
Only Make Games by Yourself
Collaborating with others can bring fresh perspectives and ideas to the table and can lead to a better final product. It’s important to consider teaming up with others, whether it’s through hiring employees or partnering with other developers. Working alone can limit your creativity and the potential of your game.
Not Saving Money for Advertisement
Marketing and advertising are crucial for getting the word out about your game and attracting players. Failing to allocate sufficient resources for these efforts can hinder the success of your game. It’s important to budget for marketing and advertising from the outset and to allocate a sufficient portion of your budget to these efforts.
Focus on Technology
While technology is an important aspect of game development, it should not be the main focus. It’s important to strike a balance and ensure that the gameplay and overall experience are the primary focus. Focusing too much on technology can lead to a game that is impressive from a technical standpoint but lacking in terms of gameplay and enjoyment.
Quit Your Job Without Guarantees
Game design can be a risky and uncertain career path, and it’s important to have a solid plan in place before quitting your day job to pursue it full-time. This includes having some level of financial security and guarantees, such as contracts or funding, to ensure that you can sustain yourself while working on your game.
Don’t Prototype
Prototyping is an essential step in the game design process that allows you to test and iterate on your ideas before investing a lot of time and resources into development. Skipping this step can lead to costly mistakes and a less polished final product. Prototyping can also help you identify and address potential issues early on, saving time and effort in the long run.
No Meaningful Differential
One common mistake game designers make is failing to ensure that their game has a unique selling point or differential. Without a meaningful differential, it will be difficult to stand out in a crowded market and attract players. It’s important to carefully consider what makes your game different and how you can use that to your advantage.
Avoiding these common mistakes can help game designers create successful and enjoyable games.
It’s important to carefully consider the unique selling points of your game, to prototype and test your ideas, to plan for financial security and marketing efforts, to collaborate with others, to complete projects, to utilize the cloud, to seek feedback on your ideas, and to build a portfolio of completed projects.
By following these best practices, game designers can increase their chances of success and create games that players will love.
Source:
Introduction to Game Design Theory by John Haste