6 replies to this topic

[RATED-RKOFRANKLIN]

This guide is a basic guide for your everyday needs.

1. Always Back Up Your Data! I've been a victim of computer crashes. Losing all of my game data wasn't fun. No one wants to start all over again. It's a lot of hard work. When you're finish working on your project for the day make a backup. Put the backup on an external hard drive or flash drive.


2. Keep your purchase records. When you're buying a new game development program always save the receipt. You may have to re-install it on a new computer. You will always have your activation code with no worries.


3. Always test play your games. We all make mistakes. Sometimes we make major mistakes. To avoid potential players complaining about errors always test play your game. Make sure all events are working correctly. Avoid glitches and crashes.


4. Get test players.Again we're not perfect. We may still overlook an error. Ask your friends to test play your games. They may notice errors you missed.

5. Defeat Your Game! You don't want to make a game unbeatable. That's no fun! If you can't beat your own game then you have a BIG problem. You made the game and should know the enemies' strengths and weaknesses. Your game needs a reason degree of difficulty. It will take a while to balance the game's difficulty. Go the database to look for any noticeable errors and design flaws. Once you have defeated the game let your test players try to beat it. If they are able to beat within reasonable difficulty then you're good to go.

Edited by RATED-RKOFRANKLIN, 18 June 2012 - 09:49 PM.

[Emmych]

[mod]Approved, but please make sure to tag this within the next 48 hours. Merci beaucoup, and have a lovely day~![/mod]

[SolarGale]

All very good tips here, having also had a previous experience with the first point you highlighted, I also consider it a must!

[Genii Benedict]

I have one that I am LIVING as I go...

ALWAYS record the sources for any resources you are using, as well as links and screenshots to their content threads. You want to be able to credit your resources ("Music by ... , Sprites and Tiles by ...") and you always want to have a record of whether they permitted their use in non-commercial and/or commercial products. If you decide, somewhere along the line, that your project is worthy of a commercial endeavour, you would hate to have to rework any resources if they were not properly attributed to their sources, or if they were not permitted in a commercial venture.

Hey look, even a newbie can provide constructive feedback!

[slaQ]

Absolutely good tips, but to call this a basic game development guide... More like a 'how to use common sense' guide.

Not tryin to offend you, but there's a bit more to even basic game development. Maybe name it a bit differently. And it's a bit short in general to call it a guide imo.

[Genii Benedict]

Maybe name it a bit differently. And it's a bit short in general to call it a guide imo.

How about the "Ongoing, perpetually updated, forum user-driven, game development guide"? Throw in a "two-point-oh" for good measure.

[Reynard Frost]

You forgot a few things. *Cough* http://forums.rpgmak...lopment-advice/