The Game Rules
The Game Rules
We haven’t talked much about the game rules of WARTILE yet, even though that is key.
Personally I am torn in the value of a game design document, since gameplay iterations happens so fast that the documentation is obsolete before the ink is even dry (or document saved).
On the other hand, writing the rules and systems down on “paper” force you to mentally process every possible situation and hold mechanics up against each other.
This step is very healthy and any programmer on the team would appreciate designers doing that exercise before requesting a system.
Of course, it is a fine balance since blueprint in unreal 4, enable designers to make in-game iterations so fast, that test levels can become the Game design documentation.
A Game design document also helped us understand the size and complexity of the game, and reminded us to keep it simple and doable.