[POLL] HOW MUCH “PLANNING” OR “PREPPING” DO YOU DO BEFORE STARTING YOUR GAME(S)?

To be honest, when I first start of my project I've no story, no characters, nothing at all, I just wanted to make a short story. After I learned the proper use of VXA in 2-3 days, so I made my first map, character and a little story about what happened to main hero. Well, it was awful, I don't even have a cutscene or a villain, just a little dialogue. Days after days ideas came out of nowhere, so I improvise my game in that way. Now I've a planned route, a to do list, end game materials and etc. I'll vote "Planning???" ^.^

I think that planning for a developer like me is totally vital, think that if i create a dungeon, but i dont need or like it in the future, i have to erase it entire and create a new or patch the game and keep the dungeon but with a great quality.

In a game design document, thinking about the dungeon take some seconds. And thats for all.

I have centuries of pages writed about this. In general i tend to do something practical, but not alot, i also have to say that the designing phase can be done in moment and place, only in memory or using a pen to write down ideas and apply them to design document when you go to home. Of course i use maps, and i create a full walkthrought of the game, and a script too. It helps a lot.

I also create some things, but not a lot. I have to say that i changued this when i comed to the concept of prototyping. A prototype is a totally temporal version of the game where you can approach to the true concept using a lot of patches and try how all the ideas. Its short, of course. Now i work at the same rate in prototyping things and trying ideas and designing. Note that after releasing the first public version of the prototype i will remake the document desing to make it more depth and long.

But anyway i have a second prototype, and corrected of the 1, to make the same, but these come after the first is maked and thats the hardest thing in the game, you dont have to research that lot of things.

Im going to release the prototype of my actual game in a few time and im implementing all the ideas and concepts to it to try them. Note that prototyping isnt to start the game without thinking also, is use the project to think as you plan too and test that, advance it and show to people the more concept ideas.

I would say, that it's not 'how much should I plan?' be the question, but how much in the specifics should I plan.

(this is my opinion...)

Story is the first thing to think about, unless you are going for a game that will amaze with graphics and game-play (fighter, racing, war, etc.)

Basically, just what you want to begin, transpire, and finish. Burt wakes up, drinks coffee, realizes the world isn't that appealing today, and goes back to bed (as an example).

Then you will want to plot your chapters (or levels) into sub sections, then with following the general overview formula, do the chapters, then that should suffice for now.

Do some sketches for your characters, a few areas, the main focal points of the game, maybe listen to some music you like, find something that fits the mood, or would sound epic in a video game. Go through the story overviews and fit the music to those points (for an idea for a score.).

Then, after that... meh, do it.

So I say, I personally would plan nearly everything Semi-finished in theory before starting, but only if I was progressive and productive in doing it. You can plan the best game of all time, but it comes to nothing if you don't do it.

And so it also comes to designing (the actual creation process) it doesn't matter if you are a code wizard, if you don't have things set (more or less) you will deviate through your masterpiece, and it will look like a smirk instead of a Mona Lisa.

That's my two cents, I know that things that are planned (realisticly) tend to work out better (carpentry, manufacturing, film production, novels... etc.).

-Seth

I do quite a lot of planning before I start on my games, which means Character development, heavy thinking on what role my character plays. (Including while sitting through a boring history class haha!)I also plan what to do to make my game different and stand out by what type of battle system and other things.

That's basically it.

I plan every aspect of my game, I try not to let a single thought that isn't planned be put into the game unless I add it to my planning.

I think not planning a game is good because it makes it easier to add twists having a more adaptable plot. It allows you to change your ideas as you go along. What happens with me is that I do a relative plan. I get a relative base for my story such as what its all about, the main protagonist and his goal etc. I design the game to fit that plan but have it prone to change.

Every section of my game is done in tasks. I'll design a specific area for a specific purpose with specific cut-scenes in hand. I think planning is a good thing but I plan ahead only like 2-3 hours in progress for my games rather than the whole thing. This allows me to add extras if new ideas come to light and even plot twists. Planning is essential, it gives me a sense of direction as to what tasks need doing next. For example designing the next town for someone like me where the player is supposed to head next and will have to play through for 3 hours to continue the plot would go something like this in my planning schedule:
-Design Town Map
-Design All Interiors For Town
-Create NPC's with relevant dialogue for story, history of town or status
-Create Cut-scenes that occur in Town
-Add Quests on specific NPC's
-Jokingly set dude to block path until relavent quests complete.
-Add extras and yadadada

All these would be main tasks but would be broken up into sub tasks as I proceed with the development. For example:
-Design All Interiors For Town
-House1
-House2
-House3
-House4
-House5
-Inn
-Merchant/Equipment Shops
-Possible Magic House

Also, interconnection for example a lot of the development process by task will be bound to each other. For example in House 3 we could have a cut scene maybe someone the player has to speak to. The player might need to get some rest as soon as he arrives e.g rainy night arrival, thus the Inn sequence first before access to the rest. It all depends on the relevancy of the context. This allows you to get many tasks done at the same time. Planning is effective as you know what to do next rather than being stuck in a loop on what else to put in your game.

The game I'm working on is actually the first where I've had most of it planned before I started making it. Unlike my other ones where I've had a burst of inspiration and then suddenly run out of steam and abandon it not long afterwards.

This one I've actually had the ideas worked out for about 4 years or so before I decided to do something with them.

-General to Specific Plot
-Characters (so they don't end up being flat)
-Any code features I want (like deciding the entire game will be menu-based choices, or that I want battles to take place by touch events)

After that, I usually just make temporary "this week I wanna work on" which I either finish or scrap.

Not much more to a game, in terms of planning.

That said, the "this week I wanna work on" plan is crucial, because it keeps you active on the project (even if you chuck that plan and work on another).

In terms of planning towns, I think it's better to draw the outside of the town, and then inside houses later. If you ditch some of them, just make them into locked doors or abandoned due to plague or something.

author=thatbennyguy
Pardon if I'm being offensive, but it seems like a lot of the people that plan every little detail of their game before starting have never finished projects :P

*ahem*
http://rpgmaker.net/users/kentona/games/

author=bulmabriefs144
Lol, but those don't really count. :)

I beg to differ. Hero's Realm took 3 years to make, and Hellion took a long time too. Also, Generica was almost completely mapped out before I even opened RM2k3.