Game Design:Striking a Balance Between

Creativity and Planning

Tom SloperKorean Game Developers Conference

November 24, 2003

2

© 2004 Tom Sloper

• May not be published or reprinted without the express written permission of the author.

3

Two Competing Philosophies

• Game is fully designed in advance, to facilitate planning (“Philosophy A”)

• “We’ll make it up as we go along,” in order to permit maximum flexibility and fun (“Philosophy B”)

4

Philosophy A:Fully Designed in Advance

• Pros: Facilitates planning

TimeMoneyPersonnel

Facilitates licensor approvals Saves time & money in the long run

5

Philosophy A:Fully Designed in Advance

• CONS:• Costs money (?)

• Takes time (?)

• Limits the vision (?)

• Reduces flexibility (?)

• I don’t know – what ARE the cons?

6

Philosophy B:The Open-Ended Approach

• PROS: Lets you explore, “follow the fun” Some great games have been made using

this approach Umm...

You don’t have to spend the time writing all that paper that nobody will read anyway

You get to just focus on the fun instead of all that boring planning (?)

7

Philosophy B:The Open-Ended Approach

• CONS: You can’t say when it will be finished You can’t say how much it will cost You can’t prove that it will be more fun than if

you had used the planned method If the game is based on a licensed property,

there may be problems with the licensor If the game is for a console, there may be

problems with the platform holder

8

Philosophy J – Japan

• A close relative of Philosophy B.• What the Japanese call “Game Designers”

are actually graphic artists...• Game designers are called “planners,”

but... There are no detailed design documents The Japanese way: design by

consensus• Makes for difficulty in advance planning

9

Examples of Philosophy AWar Stories

• Die Hard (NES)

• Shanghai Banri No Choujou (PS1, 3DO)

• Shanghai Great Moments (PC/Mac)

• Blast Chamber (PS1)

• Shanghai Dynasty (PC/Mac)

• Shanghai Second Dynasty (PC/Mac)

10

Example of Philosophy B

• The original Grand Theft Auto game

• The development team started by building a world, putting in fun abilities, then crafted a game within it. They “followed the fun,” without a clear vision of the final game.

• Later games in the GTA series, though, show the hallmarks of having been made according to Philosophy A.

11

Examples of Philosophy JWar Stories

• Aliens vs. Predator(SNES) Just a 4- or 5-page design “outline” Actual game differed from initial approved

design direction Significant licensor problems

• Aliens vs. Predator (Game Boy)

12

Striking The Balance

• These are 2 philosophies, not 3 (Philosophy J is essentially a sibling of Philosophy B)

• These two philosophies are not mutually exclusive

• It’s possible to combine the best aspects of both

• (It’s also possible to combine the worst aspects of both)

13

John LennonDwight D. Eisenhower

Lee Marvin

• These three very different men had something to say on this topic

• They were all right

• Their words show us the way

14

John Lennon

“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”

• Meaning: Inevitably, something bad will always happen to the plan.

• This does NOT mean you shouldn’t make a plan in the first place!

15

Dwight D. Eisenhower

“The plan is nothing. Planning is everything.”

• Meaning: something will happen and the plan will have to change.

• But because you have established a strong practice of planning, you can readily make a new plan.

16

Lee Marvin(in the movie “The Dirty Dozen”)

“Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.”

• Meaning: MAKE A PLAN.

• But then stuff will happen.

• So then you just MAKE A NEW PLAN.

17

The Point Is...

• No matter how thoroughly you write your design...

• The game will always turn out differently from the initial design.

• But does that mean you should not write a thorough design?

18

NO!• Just because life will happen while you’re

busy making other plans, that does not mean you shouldn’t plan.

• In The Dirty Dozen, Lee Marvin has his men memorize the plan.

• And he trained his team in how to plan.• The act of planning makes it easier to

make new plans. So you can...• Improvise, adapt, and overcome.

19

Both Philosophies Have Their Uses

• Sometimes it’s best to use Philosophy A

• Sometimes it’s best to use Philosophy B

• How can you tell when this is one of those times?

20

When to Use Philosophy A

• When you have a boss or client who wants to see a detailed plan, or...

• When you have a limited budget, or...

• When you have a deadline to meet, or...

• When the game is based on a licensed property, or...

• When it’s a console game

21

When to Use Philosophy B

• When money is no object, and...

• When you have all the time in the world, and...

• When you’re working on a new original concept in untested territory

22

But Most of the Time...

It’s best to use aspects of BOTH philosophies.

23

Striking The Balance

• Remember the words of the three wise men: Lennon, Eisenhower, & Marvin

• Make a detailed plan (Philosophy A)

• Get consensus on the plan (Philosophy J)

• As events occur or ideas come up (Lennon), call in your generals (Eisenhower) and modify the plan (Marvin) (Philosophy B)

24

A Final Thought• An ancient American proverb says that there are

three things desired from every project -- that the project be:

Fast, Cheap Good

• The proverb goes on to say that you can only have two of those things -- not all three.

• As you make your plan, be clear on which two are most important to you.

25

I Lied!

That wasn’t the final thought.

THIS is...

“All rules are made to be broken.

Even this one.”

Think about it! (^_^)

26

Thank You For Listening

• Questions?

• Discussion?

• Got more examples of those different philosophies?