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Re: Shadowlego7's Ultimate Guide to Game Development

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shadowlego7 is not online. shadowlego7
Joined: 03 Mar 2007
Total Posts: 2278
21 Mar 2012 05:36 PM
Hello and welcome to Shadowlego7's Guide to Game Development. This will teach you all you need to know about making a great game.


TABLE OF CONTENTS
------------------------

1. Starting Out
2. Before Doing Anything
3. Originality
4. The Importance of Decals
5. Building a World
6. Programming
7. Finishing Touches
8. The Testing Stage
9. Advertising
10. What Next?
------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Starting Out
-----------------

One of the most important parts of making a game is choosing a genre that you think you can work with the best. This is the first step. A genre is a type of something. The ROBLOX game genres in the configuration section of your place are: Town and City, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Ninja, Scary, Pirate, Adventure, Sports, Funny, Wild West, War, Skatepark, and Tutorial. When making an actual game, it’s best to use these genres: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Ninja, Scary, Pirate, Adventure, Wild West, and War. These genres typically make the best games. Now, there are two types of genres. Game genres and type genres. What you just saw were game genres, but there are also types of games. Puzzle, Point & Click, Fighting, Roleplaying Game (RPG), Roleplay (RP), and other types of games. Some genres are more difficult to make than others. For instance, a puzzle or point & click game involves lots of fancy scripting and building. Roleplaying, however, means you only need to build a medium-sized game with lots of secret passages and let imagination do the rest. Some players like one type of a game more than another. In order to make really good games, you have to have some really good building and scripting skills. You can learn scripting at wiki.roblox.com.

A storyline, or plot, usually only works in the Adventure, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Ninja, Wild West, War, or Pirate genres. Storylines don’t work in any other genre not similar to the previous. A storyline/plot is the predetermined events that happens in the game. In a book, people don’t just write without knowing what the plot is beforehand. Games are the same way. NEVER start making a game without knowing the entire plot before working.

What makes up a good storyline?

First, a solid question or statement, series of questions or statements, or a background story at the beginning of a game often poses as the proper momentum for players to keep playing. Players don’t want to play a game that doesn’t have a storyline that keeps on moving forward. Players want a game that has an interesting storyline, but you also have to be careful to make it original, or else it’s just boring.

Second, you need plot twists. Every good story has a dramatic plot twist, and good Adventure, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Medieval, Ninja, or Pirate games should be the same way. A plot twist is when something goes very unexpected. Something the player wasn’t expecting to happen. For instance, Bob and Joe are best friends. It turns out that Joe is a spy for the enemy. You get the point.

Third, a good ending. There is nothing worse than getting to the end of a game and learning that you wasted all of your time when the game ends by someone saying: “Cheesecake!” Make it dramatic. Make it count. Work it all up to one big dramatic bang, or the player will get disappointed and leave, and never play your games again.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Before Doing Anything
----------------------------

Before you do anything at all, you have to plan your maps out on paper, or else run into flaws later, which will slow down your development. I reccomend a normal notebook for this, or you can use graph paper. You don't even have to be a good drawer to plan your game's maps out so long as you can understand your own drawings when you look back on it later.

But the maps aren't the only important part. You should also draw the GUI's (Graphical User Interfaces) out on paper as well. Not only is it fun to do, but you also know what the GUI should look like before attempting to make it.

A game logo is nice to have. If you're not good at making logos, and don't want to pay ROBUX for one from a fellow player, then type "Graphic Art Generator" on Google, and you should find an easy way to make logos on one of those websites.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. Originality
---------------

This is probably the most critical part about making a good game. Nobody wants to play a game that uses the same storyline as something else. That's just boring. Or a game that has the exact same gameplay and a slightly different storyline. So you have to be creative with your work.

For instance, war games are already overused as is, but if you wanted to make a war game, you'd have to add something incredibly unique to the gameplay. Be creative. That's what ROBLOX is about.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. The Importance of Decals

Decals are images that you can place on things or even in GUIs. They are very, VERY important because it gives mental images that the game player couldn't see with his imagination.

"Woah, look at those shadow bars on that mystical doorway!"

"Eh... what shadow bars?"

That's the reply you'll get if you try to pretend that there are "shadow bars" on a doorway when there isn't a decal that depicts shadow bars on it. Just saying.

Anyway, let's just say it adds to the gameplay experience and it makes the game seem less bland.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. Building a World
---------------------

Now we're to a part that you'll actually enjoy. To build a world, you not only have to be creative and original with it, but you also have to be a decent builder.

In my eyes, there are two ways to build. Modern building, and classical building. Modern building would be with CFraming (Coordinate Framing), and lots of Materials, Textures, etc. Classical building would be with no CFraming, very few, if any, Materials and Textures, and you should use the usual Studs, Inlets, etc., etc.

An example of classical building would be in my Shadowlego game.
An example of Modern building would be in many of Lance7's games.

When building your place, you have to remember that players usually only see a little of what you make, and the rest is hidden, which is nice. Hidden places are very fun. Make sure that there are no major gaps between blocks that are supposed to be touching eachother. That makes it look very ugly.

Also, symmetry is important. If you have a place that doesn't really require symmetry, then it's fine, but if something is supposed to be symmetric, you have to make careful mathematic calculations to make sure that they are perfectly even, or critics like me will be dissapointed at the lack of care you gave towards it.

While I'm on the subject, basic math is important in building with skill. I won't go into details, but I just thought I'd let you know.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

6. Programming
------------------

Scripting is also important. Buggy scripting is a fun killer in games. If there are any bugs at all in your scripting, players will be mad. I know from experience. That's why you have to make sure that your scripts are completely debugged before advertising your place, because then it's likely that those people won't go to try your place again.

That's all I'm going to say about programming because it's a HUGE subject, but if you don't know how to script ROBLOX Lua, go to the ROBLOX Wiki: wiki.roblox.com.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

7. Finishing Touches
-----------------------

After you have made your game, you have to add your own personal touch to it. No game is complete without your own personal touch. Don't hesitate to add Easter Eggs (secret things within your game), and a joke or two.

Be sure to debug everything, make sure everything is put together right, and then just add a few more details to the building if needed.

An Intro GUI is also fun, and so is Music if scripted properly. Feel free to add whatever you like that won't ruin it for players. Players' opinions are important, so make sure that you listen to them. Don't get frustrated with criticism, whatever you do. That's just how the cookie crumbles.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

8. The Testing Stage
-----------------------

This part is easy. Just invite forumers or your friends to test the place for you to see if everything is working properly. If not, fix it. If it 'aint broke, don't fix it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

9. Advertising
----------------

If you've called up enough people to test your games and you call a lot of forum parties there, then you should have a decent amount of tickets to advertise.

Make sure you have a good picture to advertise with, and also make sure that it actually goes with the game you're advertising, or else people will be mad.

Always spend more than 100 tickets each time to advertise, or you risk your ad not being seen at all.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

10. What Next?
------------------

Now you can either spend the tickets you have from people visiting your game for personal items, or you can spend it to advertise your game some more.

And then you can work on another game!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks for reading. ~ Shadowlego7
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shadowlego7 is not online. shadowlego7
Joined: 03 Mar 2007
Total Posts: 2278
21 Mar 2012 05:39 PM
Note: Don't use Comments of places/items to advertise your place, and don't spam either. That will just make people hate you.

Free Models are also not advised, as they make your game lag, and game players hate lag. Thank you.
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SilverGames is not online. SilverGames
Joined: 28 May 2011
Total Posts: 936
21 Mar 2012 05:50 PM
Coolstorybro
I already copied this down in Notepad. It sure will help. :)
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shadowlego7 is not online. shadowlego7
Joined: 03 Mar 2007
Total Posts: 2278
21 Mar 2012 05:58 PM
One more thing: What you call the game is important too. A creative name gives you a better chance for a visit. Also, a cool place thumbnail.
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shadowlego7 is not online. shadowlego7
Joined: 03 Mar 2007
Total Posts: 2278
21 Mar 2012 06:20 PM
Lol. SilverGames copied this thread and made his own with the exact same stuff but put his name on it. What a failure.
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DrDooomBringer is not online. DrDooomBringer
Joined: 12 Dec 2011
Total Posts: 2356
21 Mar 2012 07:10 PM
Lol. Nice thread btw.
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shadowlego7 is not online. shadowlego7
Joined: 03 Mar 2007
Total Posts: 2278
21 Mar 2012 09:49 PM
Bump.
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shadowlego7 is not online. shadowlego7
Joined: 03 Mar 2007
Total Posts: 2278
22 Mar 2012 02:55 PM
Y u no post, all you readers!
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Kirbykid02 is not online. Kirbykid02
Joined: 18 May 2009
Total Posts: 2671
22 Mar 2012 03:01 PM
I saw a thread just like this.....Exactly the same...
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shadowlego7 is not online. shadowlego7
Joined: 03 Mar 2007
Total Posts: 2278
22 Mar 2012 03:06 PM
I know. SilverGames copied mine.
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shadowlego7 is not online. shadowlego7
Joined: 03 Mar 2007
Total Posts: 2278
23 Mar 2012 02:16 PM
Whoosh.
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Azelka is not online. Azelka
Joined: 18 Apr 2011
Total Posts: 130
24 Mar 2012 10:37 AM
Bump.
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shadowlego7 is not online. shadowlego7
Joined: 03 Mar 2007
Total Posts: 2278
24 Mar 2012 10:27 PM
=/
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ninjasheep is not online. ninjasheep
Joined: 26 Apr 2008
Total Posts: 11934
31 Mar 2012 11:14 AM
Very well put, as always. Bump.
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wowzee is not online. wowzee
Joined: 02 Apr 2010
Total Posts: 22692
31 Mar 2012 12:08 PM
Great guide!
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jode6543 is not online. jode6543
Joined: 16 Jun 2009
Total Posts: 5363
31 Mar 2012 01:20 PM
Nice. :D
I'm tracking this.
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shadowlego7 is not online. shadowlego7
Joined: 03 Mar 2007
Total Posts: 2278
03 Apr 2012 01:56 PM
Bumping is magic.
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shadowlego7 is not online. shadowlego7
Joined: 03 Mar 2007
Total Posts: 2278
08 Apr 2012 11:16 PM
My little bump. I used to wonder what bumping could be... until you shared it's bump magic with me! My little bump!
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badboy392 is not online. badboy392
Joined: 02 Feb 2009
Total Posts: 13117
09 Apr 2012 12:15 PM
Question.

Im a good builder, but bad scripter.

So im guessing a RPG might be the best for me?

~ class
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Ictis is not online. Ictis
Joined: 01 Sep 2011
Total Posts: 1216
09 Apr 2012 04:28 PM
After reading this I immediate made a place that got half a million views in a minute!


Thanks, Taqdagger!
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shadowlego7 is not online. shadowlego7
Joined: 03 Mar 2007
Total Posts: 2278
09 Apr 2012 04:34 PM
What d'ya know, someone actually remembers my old name.
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KillerDollAlex is not online. KillerDollAlex
Joined: 15 Nov 2010
Total Posts: 4215
09 Apr 2012 05:11 PM
Someone Copied : http://www.roblox.com/Forum/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=65335186

Anyway It's good.
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tommyfun is not online. tommyfun
Joined: 04 Jan 2011
Total Posts: 1404
09 Apr 2012 05:27 PM
epic, you should make 1 for bases
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shadowlego7 is not online. shadowlego7
Joined: 03 Mar 2007
Total Posts: 2278
10 Apr 2012 04:35 PM
Bump
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shadowlego7 is not online. shadowlego7
Joined: 03 Mar 2007
Total Posts: 2278
06 Jun 2012 02:24 PM
=3
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