What do you start with when making a new game?

[OktoberLove]

I’m just curious to see other people’s artistic process. Personally I start with a feeling and then I make an original song that captures said feeling. After that everything falls into place around that song: cutscenes, characters, stories, maps and of course more songs.

 

[Willibab]

The World/Worldbuilding....I have thousands of years of history and a giant world map. Lore for the magic system, religions and a map of the political situation. Is that unusual since its not on the list? or is that considered story? I havent planned what the events of the game is gonna be yet, only roughly around which time period it will be placed

Currently working on art and planning mechanics.

 

[Kes]

Just a heads up - there are several threads in this section on that question. You might want to search them out as they contain a lot of advice, coming from slightly different angles depending on the precise question asked.

 

[Frostorm]

For me it's...math lol. I usually design my combat system first, and try to get it as close to perfect as I can before even starting the other parts. This would include coming up w/ all the spells/skills and class related stuff in the game while balancing/fine tuning as best I can. Lots of battle tests running w/ temporary graphics and such. Probably not the answer you're looking for tho. XD

 

[cthulhusquid]

I usually start with the story, but move on to the mechanics first because I don't plan the story all at once. That usually happens as I'm making the game.

 

[Storyteller-Hero]

I don't think you should have characters and story separated. They're kind of joined at the hip.

 

[Finnuval]

I start by building the world and as I do I Also do some art, find music , etc.

Story is something I find as I build my world, samee for characters. Sometimes the story appear first, Sometimes only partially and other times its the characters who show their faces before the story.
Mechanics come along the way too.

But their simply isn't a right or wrong way of doing it. Only what works for you. Trying to do it in anyway thhat doesnt fit you will end in failure no matter how much ppl have succes with it xD

 

[HumanNinjaToo]

I start with mechanics, mostly the battle mechanics that would hopefully make the game stand out from other RM games. But I hear that having a clear story board first will actually get you across the finish line, probably why I haven't ever finished a game...

 

[rue669]

I'll draft the themes, story, setting, and characters first.

From there, I draw out the gameplay mechanics for they are connected to the story I'm telling.

 

[TheoAllen]

Start with "what kind of experience I want to give to the players"

 

[BENI_MARU]

The narrative always takes the drivers seat. It dictates audio direction, art style, and inspires mechanics.

 

[RachelCantFocus]

For most of my games I'll draw, a random character that I end up really liking and then I will start to write a back story for them and then it's all downhill from there.

 

[fluffymonster]

I'm between characters and art, honestly, though I also like to think about story, too.
It's hard since my main project is something I've been working on for a while and it's characters and story have somewhat evolved, though I like to map out everything beforehand and that's somewhat related to art. I also like to design characters, too, before I get too far in.

 

[RachelCantFocus]

I'm between characters and art, honestly, though I also like to think about story, too.
It's hard since my main project is something I've been working on for a while and it's characters and story have somewhat evolved, though I like to map out everything beforehand and that's somewhat related to art. I also like to design characters, too, before I get too far in.

I find for me at least the way the character looks usually affects how I want to write there character.

 

[fluffymonster]

I find for me at least the way the character looks usually affects how I want to write there character.

Mmm... I've somewhat had like a dimension going for a while now. I can't even remember what started the ball. I know (while making games) if something goes wrong with the map or the art, I get the strong urge to scrap it, so I would say the map is very import to telling the story (as in what I can do with it or if I can create something satisfactory to the style of the artwork). Story certainly is secondary, after art. If I can't create the world (or the people in it), I'm stumped. If something goes wrong with the story, I'm stumped. But in those cases, I usually just go back to the drawing board.

 

[Shikamon]

I usually start with a basic storyline, characters, and mechanics around it later.

 

[Kupotepo]

I prefer to start with battle system and plugins testing. You will know clearly if it is work or break.
Story and Worldbuilding is more like creative writing class and feeling the balance out. One people say great and another said terrible. It is dependent if you like art or math like when you were at the school kind of thing.
@Willibab, I support your thinking actually. A bad support for a building will make the building collapse later. Worldbuilding is actually built for long-term continous of the story or next story.
For any of us who like one universe finished forever and I can use the reference again and again.

 

[ravenhood]

I start with working on database right away, config actors, classes, enemies

 

[h0tWalker]

I prefer to start with a world map, so i guess thats Lore / Story
Paint the world that my characters will inhabit, based around the world and obstacles mechanics are born. Thus, making the story a great base to build up my cast and mechanics ^w^

 

[ADMtn]

Skeletal ideas for mechanics first, then abstract pieces of story to justify the mechanics, then art... and then everything. We'll see. Haven't finished my first project yet. Haha.