Game Designing https://logicsimplified.com/newgames Fri, 10 Jan 2025 09:06:01 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.1.1 https://logicsimplified.com/newgames/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/favicon.ico Game Designing https://logicsimplified.com/newgames 32 32 Level Design: Crafting Engaging Environments for Your Game https://logicsimplified.com/newgames/level-design-crafting-engaging-environments-for-your-game/ Tue, 24 Sep 2024 04:54:53 +0000 https://logicsimplified.com/newgames/?p=9555 ]]>

Let’s begin by understanding the concept of levels in a video game. What drives a video game, and what factors control its engagement?

We know progress means advancing towards a goal through different levels. In a game, new motives, challenges, and concepts are added to the game world, while ensuring they increase the degree of difficulty at every level. Every game clearly states a goal and completion of every level brings the player closer to achieving it. This sense of putting a player's abilities to use against a difficult situation in a game (challenge), and rewarding their potential for every challenge they overcome and every progress they make in the game (achievement), makes a player want to play.

What is Level Design?

Level design is a part of video game design that focuses specifically on designing game levels (an area or stage a player must complete before moving on to the next one) while keeping in mind the architecture, layout, video game mechanics, and pace to keep the players invested in the game. It is about creating a visually appealing environment while ensuring the player’s experience is engaging and immersive. Even so, different types of video game-level designs, such as shooter-level design, platformer-level design, puzzle-level design, multiplayer-level design, etc. require a unique approach. The two most common approaches to game level design are room design and world design. 

Room Design is usually designing a small sequence while being extremely strategic about crafting the entry, exit, traps, and challenges so that the players move around in an expected and controlled manner. 

World Design is about creating realistic spaces by relying on general systems and reusing pre-made elements.  This approach is usually integrated into games with lots of space and lets players drive the narrative of the game.

Process of Level Designing and Game Development

1. Pre-production phase

It includes conceptualizing ideas and creating a design document (blueprint) that defines the game mechanics, structure, objectives, and more. A game design document plays a crucial role in collating data from studying the players’ preferences, demographics, etc, and planning and creating a game that keeps them hooked.

2. Prototyping 

This stage involves prototyping different ideas including level layout design, character design, gameplay elements and mechanics, and other core concepts, before finalizing them for the cemented stage of the game production process.

3. Game Environment Design

Game engines like Unity offer intuitive tools that are used to create spatial layouts with intricate details and dynamic lighting systems. The assets and textures add to the visual appeal while the intricate details like the hills, mountains, roads, and the sprawling landscape guide the player’s movement and focus in a game. 

4. Level Building

Level Building is the phase of the process where stages, maps, and missions of the game are created, keeping in mind interactive situations or events that challenge the player and keep them engaged.

5. Scripting

Level designers use scripting tools to program certain game behaviors and rules in a level. Objectives, triggers, gates, and game objects are the most common visual scripting examples that allow video game developers to create dynamic interactions between the player, NPCs, and the environment. 

6. Polishing and Optimization

This stage is where every big and small detail, from gameplay mechanics to visual aesthetics, is refined and fine-tuned for a seamless experience without any technical distractions.

7. Playtesting

Playtesting involves testing a game with real players to assess its design, functionality, and entertainment value. It is a crucial aspect of game development that can help in pinpointing and resolving issues, enhancing the overall quality of the game and increasing your chances of success.

Looking for experts in game logic and development?

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Principles of Level Design 

The practice of planning and building maps, stages, and missions is extremely important in a video game. A well-crafted environment with interactive events in the game environment at different points challenges the players at many levels, keeps them engaged, and enhances the overall playing experience. The design principles that every video game level designer follows while creating game levels are listed below.

1. Know your target audience and understand their preferences and expectations.

Different players have different requirements and once you decide on your target audience, you can accordingly design the levels that match their play styles.

2. Establish a gameplay loop for your game.

Defining a core gameplay loop at the beginning of the designing process helps designers create a primary flow for their game and further design levels in sync with the loop. This allows players to set certain expectations, enhancing their experience and avoiding elements that may confuse or distract them. 

3. Make use of visual language and cues in a game.

Integration of visual language and cues cards in game levels help communicate with the players, narrate the story, and guide the players in a game by providing important information. They help the players understand the storyline, rules and goals of the game.

4. Create the right balance of challenge and reward throughout the game. 

Challenge and reward are two elements that influence the motivation, engagement, and satisfaction of a player. A balance between the two ensures that the player feels motivated when progression is at a low, engaged throughout the game, and satisfied at the end of every level.  

5. Define the gameplay mechanics.

Game mechanics include the rules, elements, systems, and processes that compose a game which means the player's objectives, rewards, character interactions, level design, and more. All details, from the jump of a main character to a bullet fired in the direction of an enemy, are examples of game mechanics. These are core components of any game and define how the game works and what actions lead to progress or failure. 

6. Define clear progression goals

It is important to strategically use level design to enhance the player experience and create a sense of progression. Integrating new challenges, rewarding players, and increasing complexity helps create a sense of progression in players which keeps them invested in the game.

In every successful game, we score with player experience! Logic Simplified is a leading game development company in India with expert-level designers for creating engaging and successful games. Our portfolio includes multiple genres of games like board games, strategy games, shooter games and card games. Get in touch with us at enquiry@logicsimplified.com or call us to book your free consultation.

Call us for expert advise on game development services
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Importance of playtesting in game design https://logicsimplified.com/newgames/importance-of-playtesting-in-game-design/ Mon, 14 Aug 2023 07:57:39 +0000 https://logicsimplified.com/newgames/?p=8267 ]]> The game development process is a complex and challenging process involving ongoing iteration and improvement in order to develop an exciting and captivating final product. One vital approach used during game development is playtesting. It is one of the best ways to improve the game quality by focusing on real player behaviour and learning what players really think about particular aspects of your game. Designers use this method to test different game versions frequently to find faults and provide input for improvements. So, what is playtesting and how is it an essential part of game development? Let’s find out. 

What is a playtest?

A playtest is a method to see what works in terms of gameplay mechanics. Game designers observe players testing games and the user experience in real time. They play an unfinished version of the game to identify issues like bugs, glitches and unclear objectives.       

Importance of playtesting in game design 

Playtesting is an essential part of game development because you have nothing more than a concept without it. It helps developers identify and fix gameplay issues, enhance user experience, and ensure that the final product is high quality. Game app developers can learn much about how players will respond to the game’s mechanics, controls, level design and other elements through playtesting. Based on this information, adjustments and refinements are made in order to improve the player’s overall experience. 

Playtesting in game design also helps designers give vital insights into what players enjoy and find frustrating about the game and what difficulties they might face while playing. These insights can help to fine-tune numerous game elements like flow, pacing, UI, difficulty balance, etc. 

Furthermore, playtesting can provide essential information on player behaviour, allowing to build games that are entertaining as well as profitable.

Different types of playtesting in game design

Gross playtesting

This type of testing consists of a group of testers who test the most basic functioning model of the gaming app. Here, the testers look out for the basic flaws in the game. The design team tests the game to check the gameplay and ensure it is smooth.

In-house playtesting

An in-house team or contract gamers of the company undertake this type of testing. They go through each part of the gameplay to make sure that the game runs efficiently and is exciting enough to attract a large number of players. 

Blind playtesting

During blind playtesting in game design, users who have never played the game before are asked to provide feedback. Many problems can be discovered during user testing that might otherwise go unnoticed by professionals.  

Final playtesting

The final playtesting method is conducted just prior to the launch of the game. On the basis of the suggestions of the testers, the focus is more on the aesthetic of the game instead of the game’s basic gameplay or level design. 

Playtesting in a game design is an integral part of game development that should never be overlooked. However, hiring a top game development company like Logic Simplified to handle the entire game development process is the optimal choice you can make. Not only do we have a talented team of testers, but also a team of game designers for hire, developers, and artists with hands-on experience in designing and building various games in different genres. From pre-production to the game's launch and even post-game launch, we will take care of all the game development services for you. To know more about us, contact us or drop us an email at enquiry@logicsimplified.com.

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Game art vs game design: What is the difference? https://logicsimplified.com/newgames/game-art-vs-game-design-what-is-the-difference/ Tue, 08 Aug 2023 08:01:24 +0000 https://logicsimplified.com/newgames/?p=8220 ]]>

Video game development is a collaborative process that involves various people with specialized skills. The two most critical roles in this process are game artists and designers. Though both roles are essential, they have distinct responsibilities and roles. 

Since most of us are unaware of the process of creating a game, we usually confuse game design and game art as being the same. Understanding the difference between the two is vital if you are an aspiring game developer, a passionate gamer, or you are considering hiring a game development company to develop an immersive video game. In this blog, we will discuss the difference between game art vs game design and how each plays a unique role in game development. 

Who is a Game Artist?

The game artist develops the visual components of the game, which involve the characters, props, background, environment, and other visual elements. They bring life to the game by developing 2D and 3D models of game elements using tools like Unity, 3Ds Max, and more. They work closely with game designers as well as developers to build a well-designed and visually attractive game. Video game artists specialize in a wide range of digital art forms, such as 2D modeling, animation, concept art and texturing. 

Let’s take the popular example of Candy Crush Saga, a level-based puzzle game. It had art elements like beautiful and vibrant backgrounds, shiny candy pieces, and little creatures that made it more fun for gamers.

The Role of Game Artists

Concept artist

The game concept artist creates the initial visual concepts of the game (characters, environments, props, vehicles and other visual elements) in accordance with GDD. They set the style and mood of the work, giving life to an abstract idea.

Character artist

The character artist shapes the characters through the creation of visual elements like facial expressions, weapons, and clothing through the use of sculpture, rigging and editing. They collaborate with creative and technical teams to enhance the game’s visual appearance and maintain a uniform character design.

Visual effects (VFX) artist

By incorporating visual elements and effects into the game, VFX enhances the player’s gaming experience. They create animations for things that are neither objects nor characters. Fire, water, and smoke are some examples of visual effects you may have seen in games. It is mainly used in combat and RPG games and can be divided into environment effects (lightning) and gameplay effects (gun, fire).

Environment artist

An environment artist creates a fantasy game world by adding buildings, landscapes, colorful backgrounds and props that match the game design. Their primary responsibility is to develop realistic and aesthetically pleasing environments for gamers to explore. They work with level designers, game designers, and art directors to ensure the atmosphere complements the game’s overall vision and gameplay.

UI/UX artist

A UI/UX artist creates the visual aspects of a game’s user interface, menus, icons and other interactive components. They must develop a user-friendly and visually appealing interface so players can navigate the interface with ease.

Who is a Game Designer?

A game designer designs the overall concept of a game. They conceptualize game plots, storylines, character interactions, levels and environments, and other creative aspects. They are involved in every stage of game development, from basic ideas and designs to testing and release. Game designers must work closely with other development team members, like developers and artists, to guarantee that the video game mechanics and elements work together smoothly. Technical factors like compatibility, system requirements and performance optimization are also considered.

Let’s take the example of Candy Crush again. The game mechanics involve matching three or more candies of the same color to smash them. The game starts with simple gameplay, but the difficulty increases as you move up the levels. Similarly, the powerups in the game are designed to entice and motivate gamers to continue playing. 

The Roles of a Game Designer

Creative

Being creative is one of the primary roles of a game designer. They come up with ways to present the game plot, work out the script and plan the game levels. Game designers must ensure that the artists comprehend the style and mood of the game correctly and provide appropriate visual content. Also, they must be creative and design innovative gameplay features that will set their games apart from the competition.  

Technical

In addition to being creative, a game designer must also be technically proficient. They must be familiar with game engine capabilities and the technical limitations of the assigned platforms. They must possess a comprehensive knowledge of prototyping, testing, programming, and development techniques to craft a seamless gaming experience. Moreover, they should also be familiar with UI design and utilizing software to create a visually attractive and intuitive game.

What is the difference between game art vs game design?

Although game art and design are entirely different, they are inextricably linked. The former is responsible for creating high-quality game artwork, like characters, environments, textures, animation, 2D/3D models and UI design. Game designers work on concepts, systems, player progression, balancing and level design.

Game art and game design play an integral role in developing immersive and captivating experiences, yet these two require various skill levels and expertise. Video game artists must be highly creative, technically skilled and artistic in painting, drawing, animation, 3D, and modeling. On the other hand, game designers must possess strong analytical skills and the ability to solve complex problems. They should also strongly understand game mechanics, user experience and psychology. 

By now, you would have understood the difference between game art vs game design. And you may also have a basic idea of the various roles of game art and design. 

To sum it up, while game art vs game design plays an essential role in the game development process, they work differently from beginning to end. Even though they are distinct from one another, they are both vital processes in game creation that go hand in hand with one another. The designers at Logic Simplified are expert professionals with experience in designing and developing games for different genres. Our team of professional game designers and developers work together to build visually appealing and captivating games. To know more about us, contact us or drop us an email at enquiry@logicsimplified.com.

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The Basic Fundamentals of Game Design https://logicsimplified.com/newgames/the-basic-fundamentals-of-game-design/ Wed, 02 Aug 2023 06:55:48 +0000 https://logicsimplified.com/newgames/?p=8216 ]]>

Have you ever designed a game? If yes, then what game design fundamentals do you prioritize in your own designs?

No idea?

Don’t worry; we’ll help you.

Game design is incredibly complex and fascinating, with countless nuances and techniques to master.

In their book, the authors of “Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals,” Katie Salen and Eric Zimmerman, underline the significance of design by stating that the design constitutes 50% of “game design”.

And if you're a fan of games like Minecraft, Fortnite, or Call of Duty, you might be interested in learning more about game design fundamentals. Understanding the fundamentals is crucial whether you're making games for fun or hoping to start a career in the industry.

In this article, we'll explore some key building blocks of game design fundamentals. We will cover everything from crafting intuitive and engaging game mechanics to creating immersive storylines and themes to prioritizing user interface and experience. Whether you're interested in designing platformers, first-person shooters, or role-playing games, these game design fundamentals are applicable to any genre.

Game Mechanics

Video game mechanics are the foundation of any game and dictate how players interact with the game world. They should be intuitive and easy to understand but also deep and engaging enough to keep players coming back for more.

They are the rules and systems that govern how the game works, including things like movement, combat, and interaction with the game world.

Here are a few examples of game mechanics to help you understand them better:

1. Movement mechanics - This includes how a player can move within the game world, such as running, jumping, or flying.
2. Combat mechanics - These rules govern how players engage in battles or fights within the game, such as turn-based combat, real-time combat, or using special abilities like counter-attacking. 
3. Exploration mechanics - These mechanics encourage players to explore and discover the game world, uncovering secrets or hidden items.

When designing game mechanics, it's important to keep the player experience in mind. Your mechanics should be intuitive, easy to understand and deep and engaging enough to keep players returning for more. The key is to create mechanics that are intuitive, engaging, and fit well with the overall theme and style of the game.

Story and Theme

While game mechanics are the backbone of any game, they're not the only important factor. A game's story and theme are just as critical as they provide context and motivation for players to engage with the game world.

Whether creating a deep, complex narrative or a lighthearted, whimsical story, it's important to keep your players engaged and invested in your game's world and characters.

UI/UX in Game Design

User interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) are two critical aspects of game design that are often overlooked.

A well-designed UI can make or break a game, as it determines how players interact with the game world. Similarly, a good UX design ensures that players have a smooth and enjoyable experience while playing your game.

Let’s understand the importance of UI/UX in game design fundamentals with these two examples,

When a player first starts a game, they typically have to navigate through menus to start playing. If the menus are confusing or difficult to navigate, it can be frustrating and turn the player off from playing the game”.

And, “Sometimes players need additional information about what's happening in the game world. For example, if a player picks up a new item or encounters a new enemy, the UI can provide information about what the item does or how to defeat the enemy”.

So, whether you're designing a console game or a mobile app, it's essential to prioritize UI and UX to ensure your players stay engaged and interested.

Level Design

Level design is the process of creating the game world itself, including the layout, environment, and obstacles players will encounter.

Good level design is crucial for creating engaging and challenging gameplay, as well as for keeping players immersed in the game world. So, if you're designing a platformer, an open-world game, or a first-person shooter, effective level design is key to keeping your players engaged and invested in the game.

Art and Sound Design

Finally, art and sound design are critical components of game design that often go overlooked. The visual and auditory aspects of a game are just as important as the mechanics and story, as they help create a cohesive and immersive experience for players.

For example, if you're playing a space-themed game and you shoot an asteroid, the art and sound design can make a huge difference in how satisfying that action feels. If the asteroid shudders violently, explodes with a loud sound effect, and fragments scatter in all directions, the game has effectively communicated the outcome of your action. (Salen & Zimmerman, 2003, #)

On the other hand, if there's no visual or auditory feedback, the action may feel unsatisfying or even meaningless. In this way, art and sound design can greatly contribute to the overall immersion and enjoyment of a game.

So next time you're designing pixel art, 3D models, or realistic environments, then it's essential to prioritize art and sound design to create a truly engaging and memorable game.

Conclusion

Game design is a vast and complex field, with countless techniques and best practices to master. However, by understanding these basic game design fundamentals, you'll be well on your way to creating engaging, immersive, and memorable games. Whether you're just starting out or have been designing games for years, it's essential to prioritize these fundamentals to create the best possible player experience. Logic Simplified, the top game development company in Dehradun, has an experienced team of game designers for hire that use the best game development engines for clients to build thrilling, entertaining and engaging games. To know more about us, contact us or drop us an email at enquiry@logicsimplified.com.

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Key UI & UX Game Design Trends to Focus on in 2024 https://logicsimplified.com/newgames/key-ui-ux-game-design-trends-to-focus-in-2021/ Tue, 20 Apr 2021 06:33:55 +0000 https://logicsimplified.com/newgames/?p=6239 ]]>

A well-constructed user interface can increase the conversion rate of your website or applications by up to 200% and a better UX design can achieve conversion rates of up to 400%. (Forrester)

There are numerous video games on the web, many of which users download and play regularly. Which is why gaming companies are working hard on the user interface of game applications and other aspects like branding, design, usability, and function. Game development companies understand the importance of the user interface. Over and above that, there is an imperative need for such companies to offer users a visually attractive, exciting and convenient-to-use application that gives them a good experience and makes them want to stay.

Even so, the UX and UI trends keep reshaping every year and something new and exciting changes the whole UI and UX design game. Let’s get deep into the dynamics that will rule the UI and UX design in 2024 and maybe beyond.

Integration of AI in UI Design

The implementation of Artificial intelligence in designing user interfaces allows the inclusion of valuable insights, streamlined design processes, and improved user experiences. AI is capable of breaking down massive quantities of data to offer insights into user behavior and preferences. These insights can then be leveraged by designers to make informed decisions about design improvements, layout changes, and feature enhancements.

Moreover, AI personalizes user experiences by analyzing user history, learning their patterns and behaviors, and adapting to their preferences. AI-powered tools such as chatbots and text analysis can also automate certain aspects of user research and usability testing. These tools can collect user feedback, heatmaps, and eye-tracking data to identify user areas of interest, as well as analyze behavioral patterns such as scrolling trends, click patterns, and session duration to identify design strengths and weaknesses.

AR and VR implementation into art and design

Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality have paved their way into art and design just like they have in other industries. This means life-like experiences for the users! AR and VR promote human interaction by encouraging better communication among players. Game app developers are now able to design real-time games and enhance players’ experience manifold.

You may also read: AR-powered Games: The Next Generation of Video Games for Immersive Gaming Experience

Adaptive User Interfaces

Adaptive UI uses AI algorithms and data analytics to adjust its interface in real-time based on the user's behavior, preferences, and context. By doing so, Adaptive UI enhances the user experience by delivering the most relevant content to each user. This approach marks a significant shift in design philosophy, as it prioritizes personalized and context-sensitive interactions. For game designers, adopting Adaptive UI can significantly improve user-friendliness, user engagement, and overall satisfaction.

Neumorphism

Neumorphism is a modern design trend that combines the best of skeuomorphism and flat design, creating a unique interface that is both realistic and minimalist. It provides users with a visually appealing and user-friendly interface that is intuitive to use. The technique of Neumorphism involves using subtle shadows and highlights to create a 3D effect that adds an extra layer of realism to mobile app design. This style of design offers a soft, almost tactile experience that makes digital interactions more comfortable, especially during long periods of use.

Dark Mode And Color Schemes

UI and UX design have seen a rise in popularity when it comes to dark mode and color schemes. Dark mode has gained a lot of attention due to its many advantages. It's easier on the eyes, especially in low-light settings, as it reduces the amount of bright light that screens emit. Dark backgrounds with lighter text can enhance readability and focus, making content stand out more effectively. When it comes to OLED screens, dark mode can conserve battery power because individual pixels are turned off when displaying black, resulting in lower power use.

Microinteractions and Animations

Microinteractions and animations enhance player engagement and enjoyment by providing dynamism and responsiveness that contribute to a more immersive gaming experience. Players receive immediate feedback from microinteractions, which notify them that their actions have been recognized by the game. This feedback is crucial for keeping players informed and engaged, whether it involves confirming a button press, acknowledging a completed action, or indicating progress. With the increase in mobile gaming, where touch gestures and small screens are prevalent, microinteractions and animations are particularly important for creating intuitive and responsive interfaces that function seamlessly on touchscreen devices.

Developments in voice user interface

According to the new market research report "Speech and Voice Recognition Market by Technology (Speech and Voice Recognition), Vertical (Automotive, Consumer, Government, Enterprise, Healthcare, BFSI), Deployment (On-Cloud & On-Premises/Embedded), and Geography - Global Forecast to 2025", the market is expected to grow from USD 7.5 billion in 2018 to USD 24.9 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 18.72%. (Marketsandmarkets)

Big tech and gaming companies are investing heavily in voice interfaces. Interaction with voice user interfaces like Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Siri are taking over the design space like never before. Moreover, UI and UX designs are adopting VUIs which is showing another aspect of design that is voice interface and not visual interface this time. Voice interface works with context and not actual design, which enables voice interaction between players and the game with or without a visual component. This is coming forward as a great medium to improve gamers' experiences with the help of Artificial Intelligence, Natural Language Processing, speech-to-text, and text-to-speech. 

Adoption of Minimalistic & Functional Designs

Minimalistic UI has been trending for some time now. Overcrowded designs with too much information most of the time become overwhelming for gamers and that is the reason game designers are starting to avoid complexity and indulge in simplicity. To keep it minimalistic, designers are limiting the number of colours and elements being used, trying different proportions and compositions, and focusing on functionality rather than decorative components—this new trend works by keeping gradients lighter and illustrations specific for that minimalistic display.

The expedited digital environments of UI and UX design trends are growing into new dynamics. And, every designer needs to stay updated with relevant information and the latest gaming trends. The incursion of mass data and digital media gives out massive amounts of information and it is up to the designers and developers to leverage that data to its full potential so that it helps them make a great user interface. A user interface is capable of impressing the users in the first few seconds of its encounter as it is this aspect that decides whether the user stays on your website or leaves.

Logic Simplified has the finest, most creative Game Concept Artists, 2D and 3D Game Designers and User Experience (UX) Designers. Hire game designers who are proficient in every facet of game design, including the mobile game UX design concepts and trends that shape the future of game design. For more information, email at enquiry@logicsimplified.com 

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Things to consider when outsourcing game design & development https://logicsimplified.com/newgames/things-to-consider-when-outsourcing-game-design-development/ Tue, 13 Apr 2021 05:44:17 +0000 https://logicsimplified.com/newgames/?p=6236 ]]> Today, there are about 2.5 billion gamers in the world and that number is expected to continue to rise. In terms of revenue, the gaming industry generated $35.4 billion in 2019, and about 2.3 billion gamers were waiting for new experiences in the same year. 

(Source: Neit)

An introduction to the gaming market

The gaming market is growing by leaps and bounds every year. And with that, the number of companies and developers are turning to external providers for their game development services. They say there are increased chances of coming across unique ideas, content, and skills that could be used in their favour. Time after time, there are new platforms being introduced and the technologies are evolving and reshaping industries and the world. This is not just changing the way people work but giving them new possibilities and strategies to work. And, to stay in the market, it is absolutely necessary to keep up with the emerging technologies and the new platform releases. Nevertheless, with all the other jobs going on, it becomes difficult for companies to keep up with the changing trends in the gaming market that helps them produce fun games and deliver high-quality content for the people.

Meanwhile, the option of hiring a game development team that has the skills, the expertise, and the knowledge to create a game to its best potential is what anyone would want. Though the process of hiring could be onerous if one doesn’t know how to get what he/she is looking for. The process requires planning, implementation, and execution.

A company that provides the services of game design and development are aware of the know-how that goes into creating a good game. And, a good game development company will provide you with the right team size (programmers, graphic and instructional designers, a content writer, illustrator, animator, voice actor, and a few quality assurance testers) that are required for a particular game with the appropriate skills to meet the demands of the game. Outsourcing game development on the other hand comes with a lot many advantages. It helps companies grow by taking advantage of the expertise that comes from hiring the right people for the job. Advantages:

    • Cost-effective 
    • Time-effective
    • Reduced overheads
    • Staffing flexibility
  • Risk management

Hire a game development team that triumphs

The process of developing a video game involves coding, programming, designing, sound effects, engineering, and testing. And, it is the game developer who turns a game design into an actual game. Hence, it is important to know the difference between video game design and game development. The design focuses on the game’s look and feel like the latter centers around the development process. Let’s get down to the attributes to consider when outsourcing game design and development.      

1. When a company is outsourcing, it is actually assigning a specific business process (here, game design and development) to another company that specializes in it. And, there are several roles that are a part of the development process. A computer programmer with the knowledge of HTML5, Javascript and CSS, a designer with creativity and knowledge of game art and CSS, a sound engineer, and a quality assurance analyst who does the testing and debugging. These are the main roles that are important to the process.

2. The quality that a game developer agency provides matters the most. Reviewing the previous work of the agency or their portfolio, if they have one, is what will help you in knowing about the kind of work they have done for their clients, what are their capabilities to deliver what you expect, how successful the work has been. You can also ask them about the challenges they have faced during the process and how they tend to overcome them. Good game development uses a strong game development portfolio to showcase their excellent work to their clients.

You may also read: Why outsource game development to Indian developers?

3. Now to work on your game development project, it is necessary that the agency has the essential resources to bring out the best of the idea. And by resources, I just don’t mean the machines, softwares, developmental platforms, technologies but also the people and their technical capabilities. Also after the first test-run, there might be some changes and modifications that need to be made as per the result. That means the agency must have the infrastructure that supports making these changes for the improvement of the game.

4. The team of game designers and developers must also have the potential to cope with the bugs and errors by debugging and beta testing to give an end result that is polished and acceptable. Ensuring the quality of the game at every step is significant. And, every member should test the game on their level and report bugs, if they find any but other than that one person should actively be responsible for playing the game, and finding bugs. 

5. Data protection and privacy is a concern that must arise when outsourcing a job. You need to make sure that the agency is professional and so not compromise with the client’s trust. To ensure data protection and privacy, mention a contract that includes the company’s policies and security guidelines.

6. Good communication is a skill and most people fail to understand the importance of this. It is important for the game development team to understand your vision, be clear on the project requirements and the deliverables. To achieve that the company should be in frequent contact with the agency and with someone who can understand and communicate efficiently. Also, they should schedule stand-up meetings with the team to get regular updates on what’s happening and if there are any challenges being faced.

7. An agency that understands and values timely delivery of projects and that there should be no gap between what is expected and what is delivered. So, all the details, features, outlooks, deliverables, and the timeframes should be documented and given to the development team by you and you need to ensure that you choose someone who is capable of delivering the requirements. 

8. A company that follows agile development methodology and breaks the prerequisites into sprints so that you are aware of the entire development process and the progress that is happening every way.

9. Reputation of the game development company is also one thing that has to be taken into account. And, to understand that, their work history should be looked into, their previous work experience with their clients, reading the reviews and other client’s testimonials will speak tons of their reputation.

The Closing

At Logic Simplified, the game development team of proficient designers, developers, producers, artists, sound engineers, and testers provides game design and development services with their skills and expertise and assure high-level quality work and testing along with quick turnaround time. Their individual passion for their work makes them produce games that are entertaining and impart an immersive experience to the gamers.

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Power of AI & machine learning in game design & development https://logicsimplified.com/newgames/power-of-ai-machine-learning-in-game-design-development/ Tue, 16 Mar 2021 06:08:22 +0000 https://logicsimplified.com/newgames/?p=6217 ]]> The machine learning algorithms are reshaping every industry with its unimaginable ways. Its potential impact over the human race and its world is monumental and hence it is obviously a prevalent topic of discussion nowadays in tech. As far as the gaming world is concerned, machine learning development has still a long way to go. 

The video gaming industry is overwhelmingly huge and shows no signs of slowing down. While there were almost two billion video gamers across the world in 2015, this figure is expected to rise to over 3.24 billion gamers by 2023. (Source: GAMEFID) With the mentioned statistic, it is quite evident that there is a large population that is dependent on the peculiar industry for their source of entertainment.

It was in 1952 when Arthur Samuel created a computer program that could learn from itself, and it is since then that the propensity for a machine learning game model has been to learn and improve from its experience without any human assistance. In recent years, machine learning in video games has boomed to a higher tier of triumph. And, the humongous data produced everyday and the improvements in the GPU processing speed are the major reasons for the growth of this technology.

Other than that, altogether there is a lot that together makes the game designing and development process multifaceted and tedious. The game environments, the storyline, the plots involved, the game characters, their features, and so forth. Over the time, the game development process has evolved and so has the technologies that contribute to making it an intelligent development process. Through video gaming and machine learning, game app developers have been creating softwares that work like humans do and develop virtual worlds on their own from scratch without any human support.   

From our very own traditional games to today’s modern strategic games, artificial intelligence has been used in video games since a long time now. And, it’s subset, Machine learning has made a huge difference in how video games are developed. Not just that, but the gaming experience of the user is also not like it used to be. It has evolved with machine learning algorithms. Machine learning based games learn from the player’s behaviour and howsoever react and respond accordingly. Also, the content, storyline, characters, challenges have transformed the game’s look and feel entirely.

With machine learning, it is just not about crafting games that are intriguing, propelling, and immersive but the idea behind the amalgamation is to bring intelligence and astuteness into softwares, and the virtual world of gaming. There are several issues that a machine learning model addresses and it brings methods and strategies on the table for advancement. It has become of great value to game designers and developers if they know how to make the most of it. It would not be wrong to say that Data is driving the industries today and other technologies especially machine learning that primarily runs on data in making the most of it. Whether it is working with behaviour trees to manipulate non-player characters or developing ML programs that are capable of beating humans at their own games. These innovations and systems are improving game environments, assets, and behaviours in all kinds of games, be it strategy games, shooting games, or even racing games. They are making games better, smarter, and interactive.

As of 2019, the market worth of the gaming industry was close to 150 Billion dollars. With the introduction of technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality, the numbers are set to cross more than 250 billion by 2021-2022.

Source: Insidebigdata

Data-driven game design and development

Data analytics and algorithms allow developers to make informed design and development decisions. These data driven techniques are used to study gamer’s behaviour at different levels. As it is, Design involves creativity but along with that when AI in games provides data-driven design rules, this takes designing to another magnitude. The data that is put to use reflects what players expect and that evidently works in favour of any digital game by serving the purposes of learning and assessment. Understanding data and embedding it to the game development process impacts the overall enjoyment of the players and the qualities and efficiency of the game. 

They say “The more the merrier” and the phrase can be very aptly put for data. The more the data is provided to a machine learning model, the more it learns and gets better and improved. Thus, Data can never be enough and is used itself to generate more data which is collected, processed, and used to produce results that caters to gamer’s concerns and expectations. 

The design of a game impacts the performance of the player and their engagement. Data oriented games operate and are optimized on the input data provided which is then transformed into output in a productive way. Plenty of data is available that is used to provide an excellent design that is smart and constructive. Once the design is out, the response and feedback by the users is collected by the machine learning model and considered to make improvements and produce a final design that provides an improved experience. Not to mention, artificial intelligence and machine learning are leveraged so that reinforced outcomes are produced with data-driven game designing.

For the most part, Machine learning in game development endows the gaming business with real-world experiences. ML algorithms that run on data can be used to enrich a gamer’s experience by creating a virtual environment where characters don’t just exist but perform actions and behave in a certain manner that they are expected of. All the abundant data and information is used to design and develop characters that are realistic and natural. And, hence ML algorithms are trained with organized data that comes from humans to build systems and models that will outsmart humans itself. With time, the in-game characters are evolving as they learn more with time and with the more data that is provided to them. And moreover, the games are changing with the responses that come from the players and the observations that a machine learning model makes by itself.

All things considered, there are numerous AI game companies that are at the vanguard of bringing to the world some advances and breakthroughs for the expansion of the gaming industry. One such company is Logic Simplified, an Artificial intelligence development company in Dehradun. We boast a team of skilled programmers and game designers and use cutting-edge technologies to craft unique, immersive and fun games. They work on creating algorithms with predictive analysis to identify and understand the language and behaviour of characters, the whole purpose being to design an accommodating and friendly gaming environment for the players. And, a game that is exemplary in every measure.

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UX Design – From Concept to Complete Game https://logicsimplified.com/newgames/ux-design-from-concept-to-complete-game/ Wed, 03 Mar 2021 12:00:31 +0000 https://logicsimplified.com/newgames/?p=6195 ]]> Random conversation of a UX designer with a lady

This is the question that often comes up when I tell people what I do for a living. And if I try to explain what my job is really about, I often see them scratching their head, and I end up cutting it short.

UX designer replying to the lady about his profession

However, the reality of what I do is much more complicated and requires a better and more in-depth explanation. That is why I wrote this article about UX (user experience) design.

To fully understand a UX design process, it is imperative to begin with a definition of the user experience. 

Today, user experience is everything. Anything one does must be optimized to develop an excellent digital understanding. User experience refers to the emotions and behaviour that are evoked in the consumer while using the service or product. 

Coming back to UX design, “UX” or “user experience”, is how a user feels when they use a certain product or service. A method of designing physical and digital products while keeping the target audience in mind. It involves a spectrum of feelings like senses, emotions, and physical interaction. This term was introduced by Donald Norman, who said:

I invented the term because I thought human interface and usability were too narrow. I wanted to cover all the aspects of the person’s experience with the system including industrial design, graphics, the interface, the physical interaction, and the manual.

Why Must One Invest in User Experience Design?

It is very easy to fall into the trap of thinking that design is only about how the products look. But the truth is, the design is much more than that. Here is a quote from Steve Jobs that represents the importance of the design perfectly:

Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.

The aim of UX design not only shows and promotes your product, but it has also become a vital component of creating and increasing customer confidence. The best product that does not deliver an engaging user experience may affect a company’s ability to achieve its business objectives. 

User experience design is crucial because its main goal is to meet the needs of the customers and provide them with an experience that is meaningful and builds loyalty. Furthermore, by providing a positive experience in the product, you can direct users through your product in a way that realizes your most critical business objectives.

You can also read about: User psychology in UX design

Step-by-Step Guide to User-Experience Design

To start a new design project may seem challenging. Some may have a vague idea in their head that they believe to be a good one, but after some time, they might realize that it would have been much simpler and possibly less messy if they followed in a specific direction. Having a proven process of UX design concepts can save a lot of your energy, time, and money. Of course, now the question occurs: how do we do it? Well, there are some techniques that we follow, and they work really well. So, we decided to share with you in this article. Let’s begin:

1. Research: 

The research is the main step to design the user experience. A UX designer must research, discuss, and understand the product domain, competition, and marketplace. Our team of UX designers starts by collecting details from our clients, conducting surveys, etc. Below are some of the most widely used research methods in UX:

Clients interview: One of the most critical steps in UX design is already done before the product team starts creating anything. Our UX design team begins their research by collecting information from our clients, i.e. preferences, genre, goal, desires, mindset, etc. Doing so helps the team to learn its context for existence. Also, the research allows them to know what they need and what they want. We start with questions and interviews with our clients to gain insight into their business goals. 

This phase is the process of UX design which helps in providing ideas and materials from which you can start to sketch and design your ideas. Since UX is a user-based approach, you are not likely to get any answers out of the clients. In the end, they will be the one who will determine the goals, whereas user research will help in providing solutions to reach those objectives. 

Q&A on gaming project objectives, requirements and outcomes

User Interviews: A user interview is a detailed one-on-one interaction between an interviewer and participants from the target customer. It is designed to find out the user’s fundamental needs and requirements when using the product. This approach is particularly useful when the target group is new or unfamiliar to the team.

Survey: A survey is a questionnaire consisting of a set of particular questions sent over the internet to a sample of your ideal customer, usually through a form. The format, as well as the length of the digital survey, may vary from project to project. Regardless of the design or length of the form, the information is collected in a database that is checked at a future stage by the UX designer or the UX design team. 

Focus groups: In this, multiple interviewees are involved at the same time. This makes it possible for the researchers to collect as different views as possible. They talk about their impressions, emotions, and frustrations with a product. This typically works better to collect quantitative response rather than qualitative.

2. Analyzing the results: User personas and user journey mapping 

Gather and examine the results you obtained during the initial phases. You can use two methods for this purpose:

User personas: A user personas describe your target audience that can include the following data: gender, age, profession, goals, behaviours, needs, etc. All the design decisions revolve around the user personas. 

User journey mapping: User journey mapping shows step by step how the user will interact with the service or product. This mapping offers a guide that shows the sequence of interactions that a user takes from a landing page to the other parts of the site. 

Basic flow and user journey to analyze the gaming project results

3. Designing

Once the user’s needs, wants, and expectations from a service or product are clear, product designers move to the design stage. At this point, the product team starts working on multiple activities, from building the IA (information architecture) to the actual UI design. A successful design process is both collaborative (all team players involved in product creation need to be actively involved) and interactive. The stages that include in the design process are:

Sketching: The simplest and quickest way to visualize the UX design ideas is through sketching. It is an essential part of the design process. Sketching is very helpful at brainstorming sessions because it helps the team imagine a wide variety of design solutions before choosing which one to go with. We usually create three or four different versions and always show everything to the client. Even the sketches also help them understand the progression of the process and also our style of thinking.  

Creating wireframes: Now comes the most exciting side. There is nothing better than something that gives everyone a first visual experience of the product. Creating a wireframes presents the blueprint for each page. It is a visual guide with the basic structure of the future page, including the main elements and how they fit together. 

A wireframing is known to be the product’s backbone and is all about the final product’s complete look. The wireframes focus on the position of the content, buttons, images, and other visual features on the page. Apart from this, it also gives a clear picture of how the user will navigate through and between the pages on the site as they progress towards their ultimate goal.

Wireframes for gaming projects to give first visual experience of the product

Prototypes: Although wireframes are mainly about the framework and visual design (the look), prototypes are about the real experience, i.e. the look and feel of the product. A prototype enables the UX researchers to analyze and find any flaws, mistakes, or discrepancies in the overall design as well as experience before the development team translates it to the final version. The most significant benefit of creating a wireframe is that it provides you with an advanced phase of the product for review with the clients.

You may also read: Mobile Game Development Process

4. Testing:  

At this stage, you have reached a point where your assets are ready to ship. This means it’s time to implement. Pass everything to the development team who will build a high fidelity version of the user experience. Once it is delivered, there are many ways you can make sure that the product is flawless (or even close to it):

User testing: Much like the usability testing, this includes observing the target group using the actual program. 

Beta launch: Beta launch is a release of the product to a limited number of individuals with the aim of identifying bugs and fixing them up before the product is launched to the public.  

Internal testing: When the product is used by the product development team and evaluates each aspect of it.

Testing the final product to evaluate all aspects of game

5. Implementation and Launch: 

Once done with the testing, the approved prototype will eventually be transformed into a final product for UAT testing before an official launch. Therefore, the work of the UX researcher does not stop here. Research activities continue to:

    •  Recognize the improvement area through user testing.
    •  Track the industry trends and benchmarks against the competitors.
    • Suggest new features to be introduced with user recommendations in mind.

You cannot create a product that your intended group will love without having a game UX design process. A UX design process will help achieve product-market fit quicker and increase your conversion and have a positive effect on your brand image. Having said that, Logic Simplified is a game development company that has hands-on experience of designing and creating various genres of video games and mobile apps. We have a team of game concept designers that are innovative, highly productive, and provide full-scale design and development services. Hire game designers from us and have a highly creative game design at extremely competitive costs. For any query related to game development services, please contact us here or write to us at enquiry@logicsimplified.com

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UX: The importance of understanding the psychology of the user https://logicsimplified.com/newgames/ux-the-importance-of-understanding-the-psychology-of-the-user/ Tue, 23 Feb 2021 07:09:22 +0000 https://logicsimplified.com/newgames/?p=6166 ]]> Users interact with and experience products and services and a company must understand the interaction and influence that users lay over the success or failure of a product in the market. All too often, business owners and product developers ignore the importance of understanding UX psychology and customer’s “unpredictable” needs. In spite of everything, for products, services and the businesses to maintain, improve and survive, it is crucial for them to be able to understand people’s emotions, behaviors and motivations and use that to create a better UX. Using psychology helps developers create seamless end user experience and the rules mentioned below will get you to create some booming UX design. UX being a vast subject in itself, it will take more than just one article to cover everything, but for this article, let’s take a look at 7 psychology laws and principles and see how they are used and affect UX. Let’s begin:

Jakob’s Law

Jakob Nielsen of the Nielsen Norman Group came up with one of the many rules of UX design psychology that says that most users do not like changes and appreciate familiar experiences every time they visit a game, website or an application. Thus, it is important to create a balance between newness and creativity. Artistic designers look for reinvention and ways to make their user interface stand out from the rest but this zeal is not appreciated and accepted by many users. And, it is said most internet users like to read and absorb information in a similar fashion.

Hick-Hyman Law

The Hick’s Law states that the time taken to decide increases logarithmically by increasing the number of choices. In other words, when the number of choices increases, the decision time taken also increases. For UX that means if you are giving a user too many choices or options that might not work well for your brand. Instead of bringing engagement, it might confuse them and annoy them as too many options makes it hard for a user to make a decision.

Hick-Hyman Law for increased number of choices

Image source: https://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/Hicks-law

The Gestalt Principle of visual perception

In German, Gestalt means to form or shape. The principle came into being based on the finding that the human brain has this great ability to fill spaces, find shapes & patterns, and simplify complex designs and structures. It subconsciously arranges parts into whole structures to better understand the surrounding. The principle is guided by laws of Proximity, Similarity, Continuation, Closure, and Figure/Ground that have individual uses in UX that improve functionality and bring clarity in the user interface.

The Gestalt Principle of visual perception

Image source: https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/gestalt-principles

Miller’s Law 

Miller’s Law is all about keeping it simple. George A. Miller is a psychology professor at Princeton who wrote a popular paper “The magical number seven, plus or minus two: some limits on our capacity for processing information”. In his article, he proposed a law that stated “humans can effectively process no more than seven units, or chunks, of information, plus or minus two pieces of information, at any given time.” This law lays attention on the working memory rather than on the long-term memory which means the things that can be proactively nabbed by humans in a moment. When applied to UX design, the law says to keep it simple because more than seven elements on a single page might force the user to forget the rest which might not work in favour of the brand.

George A. Miller Law

Image source: https://userinterfacedesign.ch/millers-law/ 

The Color Psychology

Colors play an influential role on a human mind and thus understanding colors and the psychology behind it is important to create a color palette that works well for the brand and their designs. Businesses nowadays have specific colors associated with their brand which they call brand colors. To choose the right colors for your brand, it is absolutely important to know their meaning and significance and how their shades affect them. Human’s emotions are connected with colors and they are not just a part of art but they also involve science. There are ways in which colors are perceived by the viewer. They are associated with a feeling or mood and that’s not it. These emotions and perception impact a design, gingerly. In a way, they are not just looked at but are thought about, understood, felt, and influences user experience. 

The Von Restorff Effect or the isolation effect

They say our brains group similar objects and basis this prediction this rule states that one different element from the others stands out from the rest unlike in the case of similar objects that are paired together. Applying this effect into UX designing will get users to remember certain elements over the others. This can be done by highlighting most elements and leaving a few unhighlighted so that the unhighlighted elements grab maximum attention. For instance, when you are reading a paragraph you are more likely to remember the words that are in bold or italics rather than the ones in regular font.

The Von Restorff Effect or the isolation effect

Image source: https://blog.42courses.com/home/behavioural/the-von-restorff-effect 

Mental Models

A human brain works in mysterious ways. This approach is based on how an individual’s thought process works in the real world. Well, there are expectations that every user has when they first land on a website, download an app, or play a game. Those expectations and basic knowledge in the head regarding the same are what you can call a mental model of how the user interfaces will work. The customers refer to these mental models in their head so that every time they undergo a new experience, it takes them less time to figure out everything from the scratch. When we relate this psychological trend to UX design, the mental models that a user creates in his brain lets them act in the most obvious manner. And, it is a UX designer's job to come up with a UX strategy to understand the user’s mental models and work around that making the user experience engaging and intuitive.

Brands and technologies perpetually update the mental models. To understand this better, a great example to go with this would be the right and left swipe on tinder that are associated with certain outcomes. Reversing the outcomes with the right and left swiping in any case would just confuse the users. To provide a lucid and smooth experience, the UX developers must comply with the commonly understood drill.

The above mentioned psychological trends are simple ways to provide a meaningful and relevant user’s experience but other than that, it is also crucial for a company to understand the user experience design psychology, in all. Social, behavioral, and cognitive psychology plays an important role in UX. One might have to put oneself in the user’s shoes to get a better understanding of the same. They say without psychology, a great design isn’t great. A design impacts the viewer’s mind in ways we are unaware of. Games, websites and applications have become complex as technologies have become more advanced. Thus, for a UX analyst it becomes absolutely essential to understand the user’s feelings, thoughts, and actions. 

Having said that, Logic Simplified is a game design and development company that has user experience design professionals and game designers for hire who understand user psychology and implement solutions to create a win-win for both the client and the business. We start with the understanding that UX is one of the most important mobile game developer qualities and thereon, build and offer impeccable game design services at highly competitive costs. To know more, drop in your queries at enquiry@logicsimplified.com

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How Designers Start Game Development? https://logicsimplified.com/newgames/how-designers-start-game-development/ Tue, 16 Feb 2021 05:27:22 +0000 https://logicsimplified.com/newgames/?p=6158 ]]> Designing a game sounds like a perfect dream job; getting paid to live in your own imagination and thinking about different worlds that other people will experience with excitement. Of course, implementing those ideas into a final product is not as easy as one-two-three. There is a tremendous amount of hard work behind it.

In the following article, I am going to talk about how it takes to develop a game from scratch and the challenges faced by the designers through the development process.

A video game designer starts its development process with a game idea. A plan is prepared by a team of game designers, who address crucial information like target audience, storyline, time frame and budgets. 

When the designers devise the theme and how the game will be played, this process involves planning and determining the game’s elements - its setting, storyline, rules, characters, vehicles, terrains, building, environment, interface design and different modes of play. Then comes the step when the designer works with the development team to produce the art assets and computer code to enable the game to be played.

In designing a game, there are several kinds of game concept designers each having a different role in developing a game. These different roles are necessary to fill every detail of the game and make the finished product as smooth as possible. By dividing up the task, the games can be completed faster that too, with high degrees of performance. While every development company is different, following are the most common examples of specialised positions that a game designer can embrace.

Level designer: Level designers are the ones who create exciting and fun levels. They place the enemies, props, objects, etc. through each level of the game. It is the job of the level designer to create levels, missions, or stages. If you ever jumped around a corner when a monster nailed you, and you found a specific advantageous spot to shoot from, know that somewhere it is the level designer who planned that experience for you. They do their best to assure that each situation is fun to play.

Game Artists: Game artists consist of concept artists, 3D modellers, animators, and FX artists. Generally, they develop concept art, 2D elements, give colour, action, and life to the game. Although the concept artists are active in creating the first look, they might be involved in the later stage of the game development process in order to add new features into the game.

Art Direction: Art direction refers to the project’s overall style. They play a pivotal role in each stage of the gaming projects, from constructing concepts to managing production. They work with 2D/3D artists, modellers, animators, etc. in order to coordinate all visual images that will be used in the game. The game designers who are in charge of the direction makes sure that every art asset looks like it belongs to the world of video games. They make sure that all the artwork matches the theme and nothing feels distracted.  

Programming: Every video game builds on code that brings the game to life. Programmers are also further divided into categories because comprehensive coding is needed for each part of the video game production. The game programmers could be liable for anything from controlling the speed at which the character runs and how high or low they jump, how often the enemies will appear and when, and how they will respond when attacked. So, they introduce the game mechanics, build the user interface, add graphics and music, whilst designing the required algorithms that help in run the game smoothly.

Character and story writing: In recent years, the cinematic games where the story takes centre stage have become popular. Often games require a team of writers to complete the thousands of sentences necessary on a video game project. And video games without detailed stories have lots of writing. Good gameplay and storytelling now go hand in hand. They are now considered a vital ingredient for creating a highly immersive and engaging game. Each object that the gamer experiences has a lengthy description that adds to the lore. They are also writers who specialise in creating characters through the course of the story. To keep the players engaged with the tale, these roles are extremely essential.  

Sound designers: One of the hallmarks of good video game design is audio. Games become boring and end up losing all their impact without sound. So, sound designers record sound effects that render the on-screen actions more credible. They begin their work by studying the story, collecting as much information as possible about any music or sounds it calls for. Sound designers create atmospheres, sound effects, sonic textures, and cinematic atmospheres that create the story’s naturalistic and abstract environments, along with the user’s emotional and dramatic relation with the performance.

Animators: Finally, a team of animators capture the motion and reaction of every character or object in the game world. They can work with both 2D/3D artists and bring life and dynamism to the static object or characters. Animators add emotion, personality, and realism to the game. As the sequence is captured, animators are the charge of the movements, and they will use specialized software to put elements of the animation together. Maya, Blender, 3ds Max, Cinema 4D, Flash, Photoshop are some of the most sought after skills in animation design

Making of the game from scratch

The game development is the process of designing the mobile or video game from scratch to actual game - a process where the whole team of designers, artists, programmers, etc. are involved in the process. 

Concept development: The designer starts development of the game with a story. The game concept designers, with their creative imagination, develop a story that is entertaining and well-paced. They discuss the ideas to the rest of the team working on the game. Planning the concept of the game is more than just a vague story idea. It includes gameplay, layout, characters, maps, storylines, scenarios, and other details. It is important to have a detailed explanation of these concepts. For instance, designers have to decide what weapons or special powers the character will have and how quickly the character powers will grow as the game progresses. They must be detail-oriented to come up with ideas at this stage.

The designers write all the information related to the game in a document known as Game Design Document (GDD). It is like a blueprint, and the team and the designers can follow during the course of the game development. Everything from the game mechanics, the story of the game, characters, timeline, sketches, etc. are included.

You may also read: Difference between game design & development.

Design and prototyping: This is the stage where the designer’s crazy ideas become a bit more refined. Through all their thoughts, they start weeding, determining which ones are feasible, which ones are not suitable for their target audience, and so on. The team often starts with paper designs to test theories. Prototyping is rough, it’s messy and totally raw. A prototype is a raw test that checks the user experience, gameplay, functionality, art direction, etc. The designers get a rough idea of whether the particular game idea will work or not. The goal is to get a prototype up and test the ideas whether they are actually working and if the game is as fun as they hoped.

Development: This is the stage when the ball starts to roll. In the mobile development process, the designer's idea no longer remains the idea but starts taking the shape of the actual game. At this point, different teams within the game development will be engaged, i.e. developers, artists, and the testers.

The team of designers will have to work closely with all these various teams to ensure that the idea they have in their mind is brought to life just how they want it. For this, the team of developers are ready to tackle the whole project from scratch. This is where the developers will start integrating it into the game engine, working on the actual models that will be used in the game. 

Now comes the team of artists. There will be many creative elements that the art team will have to take care of when creating a game. This involves the user-interface of the game, environment designs, character designs, modelling, animations, and much more, depending on the type of the game. The art team creates all these in an art style related to the game's main idea and the design built around it. 

Testing: Testing is the most important step in the game development process. It helps to make sure that the game is running smoothly and efficiently. Every feature as well as a mechanic in the game, gets tested for quality control. Testing can also help in raising issues that are related to player’s engagement, glitches or bugs. The quality assurance (QA) team plays the game numerous times, writes up detailed bug reports, and takes note if there are any crashes. This is a long but important phase, as gamers are less likely to play games filled with errors or bugs, even if it is for free.  

Marketing: Towards the end of the game development process, the marketing process begins on as many relevant portals as possible. One can either create a website for the game or can promote using social media in order to advertise it. Users get to enjoy the fruits of the thousands of hours that went into creating the game! 

Challenges a Game Designer Faces in Game Development

Following are the game design challenges that usually occur from time to time and emerge in the game development process:

Unique concepts: To come up with an exceptional idea is an initial challenge. It might seem an easy job, but actually, it is the most difficult task. Presently, there are various games available and thinking out of the box is quite challenging. This is because the current gaming ideas influence the thinking process again and again, which therefore prevents the designers from thinking new and coming up with unique ideas.

Avoid feature creep: It is often seen that the designers begin with a concept in mind that is the core of the game. But sometimes they end up creating a complex game that does not really fulfil its motive and gets lost with other various features and functionalities. In order to avoid this problem, a designer needs to have a blueprint of the game development project. This will help them to keep creeping in the right direction.

User retention: Apart from the challenge of attracting a user it is equally an essential challenge to retain the users as long as possible to meet the sales requirements. This is tricky and honestly, the aspect that makes the designers the dominator ones in the gaming space. To overcome this, the approach that works is by adding a uniqueness aspect in the game. Simultaneously it is also imperative that the games should be simple and easy enough so that it can reach almost every average user and hit the kind of traffic they want to reach. 

Not keeping GDD up to date: As the designer moves forward with the development process, the game design is expected to undergo a number of changes. Some things might change, whereas many things will drastically change. Many designers make the mistake of not updating their GDD on the basis of the changes made. This becomes a problem once they move forward in the development process. So, no matter what the changes are, it is crucial to keep the document up to date. 

We at Logic Simplified have an expert team of developers highly skilled in various technological skill sets like Unity 3D, Cocos 2D & 3D, Cocos2D-X, and so on. Our team is well updated with the latest technology to give wings to your vision and use our artistry to develop a product from which you can get complete satisfaction. If you are planning to make a video game or a mobile gaming app, you can hire game designer from us and we will keep you fully covered! We ensure to support you right from the planning phase to the stage where the game is developed by our competent developers and provide continuous support as well. For any query related to game development services, please contact us here or write to us at enquiry@logicsimplified.com

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