作者：Farshid Palad

你已做好自己的工作，投入大把精力进行集体讨论。你已发现许多下款游戏的绝佳构思。或者也许它们尚不够有趣，但至少你从中收集到许多一致想法。

brainstorming from brainwads.net

你问自己：“我该选择哪个想法？”当你在各种想法中摇摆不定，怀疑自己，企图寻找“完美构思”时，这些构思开始失去魅力，丧失色彩，没过多久它们就变成你脑中的各层次灰色。

本文旨在帮你克服设计杰出游戏过程中的此种羁绊。

只选一个

首先最重要的是，只瞄准一个构思，然后专心致志。无论构思多么粗糙都没关系。开始着手你所选择的游戏构思，将所有资源都投入其中。我们所有人都存在某些人性优点，这令我们能在全心投入时更清楚把握整体构思。

这个优点使我们能够观察一致想法存在的缺陷，或发现其中突出特点，投身其中，将其变成完美构思。但首先你需进行决定，“是的，我将要把这个构思转化成最终设计。”

你全身心投入，挑选某构思？很好。然后你将构思转化成游戏，或正在进行当中。

我想告诉你，你还没有完工，在设计游戏，努力将其变成杰出作品过程中你需问自己6个问题。

第一：直觉

问题：游戏感觉不错？

这是游戏设计中最基本、最个人化的步骤。你要相信你的直觉，询问自己哪些内容“感觉不错”，哪些一般。若游戏感觉不错，直接进入下个步骤，若非如此，退后一点，查看更大整体构思。修复缺陷，确保其给人不错感觉，然后继续前进。

第二：用户

问题：潜在用户是否享受游戏？

你基于潜在用户设计游戏。你可以根据性别、年龄、偏好游戏类型（游戏邦注：如RPG和FPS）或他们最喜欢的平台和掌机设备挑选用户。不论谁是潜在用户，你需将他们铭记于心，设计他们喜欢的游戏。

第三：体验内容

问题：这是否是制作完善、精心设计的游戏？

若游戏能够给玩家创造优质体验，运用游戏设计4大要素，设定有力主题，那么这就是个杰出设计。

第四：商业性

问题：游戏是否畅销？

游戏设计和开发属于商业活动。游戏开发和其他热门产品开发业务一样，或者至少在最初营销活动后，你会获得一些忠实用户，他们会帮你进行口头传播。因此在这个环节中你需问自己许多问题。

游戏是否具有吸引力？游戏内容是否不言自明？其是否凭借包装设计吸引潜在用户（游戏邦注：或通过iOS开发商的图标设计）？从始至终制作这款游戏需要多少成本？这个项目是否有利可图？

第五：编码

问题：是否能够将这个构思转化成完结游戏？

你的构思只是个构思，在未转化成游戏前它还不是游戏。你需要保持现实态度，查看其中局限和挑战。你还要确保自己能在必要时候进行灵活调整。若功能非常耗时，很难制作，问自己：“是否值得投入这些资源和精力？”若有需要，你应合理调整自身技能，进行开发游戏，或者寻找适当合作伙伴，协助你开发内容。

第六：游戏测试

可以说游戏设计最重要的一步是游戏测试。你可以想象游戏如何结束，但若没有亲身体验你便无法确定。观看玩家体验游戏是另一回事。

你须尽可能确保游戏具有可玩性。因为游戏测试会让你对游戏设计产生新看法，从而出现全新调整。新调整能够让游戏由一般变得杰出，只有进行游戏测试，我们才能够发现需要调整的地方。

你应在测试游戏的同时需研究游戏玩家，同时问问自己：玩家是否享受游戏？（本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译，如需转载请联系：游戏邦）

6 Key Questions To Help Turn An Idea Into A Great Game

By Farshid Palad

You have done your homework and dedicated a large amount of energy to brainstorming. You have come across a number of wonderful ideas for your next game. Or maybe even they are not wonderful, but at least you gathered a number of mediocre ideas. (Psst, if you don’t even have those then you better read 5 brainstorming hacks to becoming more creative.)

You ask your self “Which idea should I go with?” And while you are dancing around the ideas and doubting your self, looking for the “perfect idea”, they start to lose their appeal, they lose their color and after a while they simply become different shades of grey within your imagination.

Fear not, I am here to help you overcome this little hiccup in your path of designing a great game.

Just Pick One

First and foremost, just pick an idea and commit. No matter how sloppy or unfinished the idea maybe, it shouldn’t matter. Start working on that one idea that you have chosen and fully dedicate all your resources to that single idea. There exists within all of us certain humanistic traits, that allow us to see a clearer picture when we commit ourselves.

This trait empowers us to take the mediocre idea, see the flaws within it, or realize its great features, and to work on it and turn it into the perfect idea. But first you need to take the step and make the decision, “Yes, I am going to turn this idea into a finished design.”

You jumped in with both feet and picked an idea? Good. And you turned your idea into a game or are in the process of doing so.

I am here to tell you that you are not done and you need to ask your self 6 key questions while designing your game to have a great/hit game on your hand at the end of the development cycle.

Number 1: Instinct

Question: Does my game feel right?

The most basic and yet the most personal step in game design. You need to trust your gut and ask what “feels right” and what doesn’t. If it does feel right, move on right to the next step, if not, step back a little and look at the bigger picture. Fix the flaws, make it feel right and move on.

Number 2: Audience

Question: Will the intended audience enjoy this game?

You have designed your game with an intended audience in mind. That audience might have been selected based on their gender, age, their preferred game generes (RPG? FPS? etc.) or their favorite platform and console. Whoever is your intended audience you need to keep that in your mind at all times and design a game they will enjoy.

Number 3: The Experience

Question: Is this a well developed and designed game?

It was previously explained that your game is a great design when it manages to create essential experiences for the player by using the 4 elements of game design and having a very strong theme.

Number 4: Business

Question: Will this game sell?

Game design and development is a business. And just like any other business you have to create a product that is sought-after or at least after your initial marketing campaign you gain a loyal fan base that will do the word-of-mouth marketing for you (Psst, you can add me to your fan base on Twitter). Therefore, there are many questions that you need to ask your self in this step.

Is my game appealing? Is it self-explanatory? Does it attract the intended audience by its box design (or icon design for the iOS developers)? How much would it cost to produce the game from start to finish? Would it be profitable and …

Number 5: The Code

Question: Is it possible to turn this idea into a finished game?

Your idea, is just an idea and is not a game until it is developed into the game. You need to be realistic and look at the constraints and challenges that exists. You also need to be flexible to make adjustments as necessarily. If a feature is very time-consuming and difficult to produce, ask yourself “Is it really worth the resources and the energy?” If needed, you should look into fine-tuning your skills to develop the game or find the right partner(s) to help you out in the development process.

Number 6: Playtesting

Arguably the most important step of any game design is the playtesting. You can imagine how a game will play out, but you wouldn’t be sure until you actually play the game. And it is a complete different thing when you watch your audience play the game.

You must strive to get your game to a playable state as soon as possible. Because the playtesting stage allows for a new series of insight into the game design that will lead to a series of changes. A series of changes that are much needed to turn your “eh” game into a great game and they only become visible when the playtesting takes place.

Then, study your audience while they playtest your game and ask your self …

Does the player enjoy playing the game?（Source：farshidpalad）