Building Game Ideas: A Guide for Game Designers

30 December, 2024
Building Game Ideas: A Guide for Game Designers

Today, the gaming industry is experiencing rapid growth, attracting a large number of talented individuals to create and develop new titles. One of the most crucial elements in crafting compelling games is building strong game ideas. Typically, game designers maintain a list of unique game ideas. Whether for current projects, creative practice, or preparation for future endeavors, this list plays a vital role in their career journey. To systematically and effectively organize your game ideas, consider these fundamental guidelines.

Steps to Develop Game Ideas

Game designers can utilize various tools to build a quality idea list, such as Google Sheets, Google Docs, or traditional methods like notebooks. The key is to organize the ideas systematically, making them easily accessible when needed. Here’s a basic three-step process to help you achieve this.

Step 1: The Basic Formula

To form a basic game idea, you can start with the following simple formula:

Game Idea = Short Description + Genre + Setting + Context

Where:

  • Short Description: A word or phrase describing the primary emotion of the game.
  • Genre: Defines the game type, such as Casual, RPG, MMO, etc.
  • Setting: The environment where the game elements will take place.
  • Context: The world you want to build.

The goal is to define the game idea concisely, within approximately 10 seconds.

Step 2: Expanding the Idea

After establishing the basic parameters, develop the idea into a more detailed structure using an Idea Framework:

  • Goal: The main objective the game aims for. For example: How to win, achieve the highest score, etc.
  • World: Detailed description of the game’s space and storyline.
  • Elements: All components, such as characters, enemies, currency, etc.
  • Mechanics: How these elements interact with each other according to specific rules.

Building an Idea Framework provides a clearer view of how the game will operate, similar to creating a Game Design Document.

Step 3: Creating a Game Prototype

Once a general structure is formed, the next step is to create a Game Prototype to test the feasibility of the idea. If you have solid knowledge and programming skills, you can create a test version with simple graphics. However, if you are new to programming, you can start with a paper prototype, focusing on gameplay to assess whether the idea is as engaging as you expect.

The Value of Game Ideas

On forums and social media, many people share their game ideas to seek collaboration or investment. However, a good idea is not enough. To attract investors, you need to present the idea clearly and demonstrate its feasibility through a prototype.

The real value of an idea lies in the ability to execute it. This includes product development, marketing, and operation. Many people have excellent game ideas, but only a few can successfully turn those ideas into real products. For example, Elon Musk has the ambition to send humans to Mars, and he has acted upon this with concrete actions, not just speeches about the idea.

Conclusion

Ideas are the foundation for development in all fields, not just game design. However, systematizing and realizing those ideas methodically increases their value and feasibility. For candidates in the game design field, presenting a clear and detailed Game Idea will make you stand out to potential employers. By building a game idea list using the process above, you not only prepare a rich resource for yourself but also create better opportunities to assert yourself in this competitive industry.

At SAVA META, we consistently create opportunities for our team to develop game ideas, with the ultimate goal of creating engaging games for the gaming community. With a creative working environment and a team of leading experts in the industry, you can have the opportunity to become one of the most professional game developers, realizing your game ideas in the VR game field.

SAVA META is currently establishing itself as a leading developer in Metaverse platform solutions, with cutting-edge virtual reality (VR) technology and a dedicated game studio specializing in mobile casual games. SAVA’s core mission is to deliver unprecedented entertainment experiences to the gaming community through innovative projects, thereby not only enhancing entertainment value but also creating new connections in the virtual space.

Join SAVA META on this promising journey, where you can contribute not only to your own development but also to the overall growth of the company and the global gaming community.

*See our current job openings at: https://savameta.com/c-careers