Team Collaboration & Game Design

Tiffany-Morrigan Henebury 543 words 3 minutes Games video-games gamedev collaboration design miro

The Plan; The Stakes and Their Holders!

I have been working with Godot for some time. I have developed software professionally - ( whatever that means these days! ). I like making video games; I like getting the "user-feedback" and understanding what that feedback means, to me, a "gamer". I like iterating on features and building something tangible. I like seeing the result of hard work.

I, like many humans, have friends. One of these friends also makes software professionally. In their freetime, they too have been making video games with Godot.

We shall join forces.

Setting Stage

We need to design something, and a place to smash ideas into one another, and we need a tool for this. The option I know is a Miro board.

First a bluesky of what we want - then we filter it down into something tangible and actionable. Working towards a GDD - a Game Design Document.

What of scope?

We should provide some constraints, lest we go wild with glee and abandon.

Personal & Business; the Waters Salt and Fresh

At least, that's how I usually like to keep them...

When two friends come together on a project, it can go in many directions, both joyous, and fractious. My friend is dear to me - I greatly value their friendship. We test the waters. What are we like as a team? What are our goals today? Where do we wish to go?

  • Set boundaries; we are good friends, we don't need to define them again, but it's best to do so
  • Goals: What do we both want out of this?
  • Constraints: What are our limits, personal and professional? Do we have binding time constraints that must be followed?

Perhaps we create the new Runescape - a game we both love! Wouldn't that be fun?! Well, of course. For at least a while ( perhaps longer ). I prefer caution. I remain open to the idea of some great-game, and I am willing for my friend to argue for it; I shall listen with open ear and mind. My friend is experienced, knowledgable and wise; in engineering, in dungeon-mastering, and within their heart. I shall listen.

How to decide? Well, let us decide together.

I outlay some ideas to discuss scope and constraint:

  • Scope: Star Citizen <-> Pong
  • Project Timescale: 1 hour <-> Years
  • "Seriousness": playful sandbox, fewer promises than 0 <-> Games Incorporated on date x, release schedule, profit required by date y, etc
  • Commitment Time per Week: 1hr <-> 20 hrs
  • Tools: ( Open Questions: Engine, Language, Testing, Repo, CICD )
  • Open Source <-> Private
  • Project Tracking: None <-> Full
  • Communication: Tools and Pairing Percentage

Game Design Bluesky

I have created a simple freeform outcome, as below. In general, this is an open creative space, following the outset earlier defined: collaboration process, scope, constraint. Within those bounds, pure ideation.

Outcome

Something like, but not constrained by:

  • Project code name
  • Gameplay
  • Game mechanics
  • Assets

Salt Over Shoulder

A new project then sets asail! ( I've been watching many sailing videos, and am using 'set asail' frequently to mean adventure and storm and sun and hunger and all the World entails! )

I am excited for what comes, be it small as the mouse or grand as the oak.

Wish us luck.