- 1). Determine your level of commitment. Casual game makers (designing and testing games in your spare time, for example) might do better with game design software while more committed designers will want a design kit similar to those offered by XGameStation (see Resources).
- 2). Lay the foundations. Tell a story with your game. This is considered the "hook" that interests game players--games as simple as Pac-Man still had a kind of story (to survive the maze, eat everything, and avoid the ghosts). Start with a brainstorm, and flesh out the main points of the game on paper first, much like writing the script to a playable movie.
- 3). Download software or purchase the kit. DMOZ has a vast list of open-source game design software that can allow you to program your own video game in a manner you prefer. For more hard-core game designers, include your own custom hardware, such as the kit offered by XGameStation mentioned earlier. Kits are more complex, but offer more chance for specialization of engine, graphics and game elements.
- 4). Program in stages. No game is perfect straight out of the programmer's head, and the slightest error in coding or programming can mess up an otherwise great game. Program bits and pieces at a time, and test-play them thoroughly to be sure that all the elements of graphics, sound, game mechanics, game physics and dialogue are acting the way they should.
As each piece is tested and passes inspection, add more elements. This way, if something goes wrong, you know where to look, and the problem is manageable. - 5). Enlist an outsider. Much like solving a puzzle, having a fresh set of eyes look at your game can help you find flaws, problems, or other issues that might hamper the enjoyment of your game. This additional perspective (or perspectives) may also contribute ideas of their own to make the game better.
- 6). Ask for help. If you get stuck, or an element of your game is giving you headaches, take advantage of the customer support or user forums of the software or kit manufacturer. For example, XGameStation not only has an FAQ page, but also a separate support page where you can email your problem to the kit designers 24 hours a day and receive a fairly quick response.
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