作者：Farshid Palad

制作游戏是困难的，制作优秀游戏更难，而制作优秀且有趣的游戏更是难上加难。但作为独立开发者，我们的做法是无视上述论断，骄傲地对外宣称我们的游戏将成为古往今来最优秀的游戏。

游戏设计有4个要素：故事、机制、美学和技术。或许你希望马上就能够开始进行设计。你迫不及待地让艺术师绘制图像，让程序员编写代码，设计游戏关卡和制作角色动画。经过数个月后，你便能够获得可以体验的游戏版本。

诚然，这是种游戏开发方法，也是种风险颇大的方法。假如经过6到8个月后，你得到可以体验的游戏，却发现游戏机制很无趣。游戏引擎无法适当地处理图像，动画制作不精良，你会发现整款游戏必须从头开始重新制作。我建议你采取另一种被职业设计师广泛接受的方式方法。

risk-analysis(from how-to-write-business-plan.com)

风险分析

不要等到6个月后获得可体验版本时才发现错误。要先与你的团队成员和同事坐下来进行风险分析。事实上，这种分析相当简单。

你和团队需要列举出所有可能损害到游戏的东西。我已经总结了几种可能出现的风险以及它们与游戏开发项目的联系。

此外，在下文中你还能看到如何解决各种风险的方法。和生活中的各种事情相同，如果存在问题的话，最好能够在早期解决，避免产生更大的麻烦。

风险1：趣味性

在这个风险的阐述中，我将以《愤怒的小鸟》为例，因为所有人都对这款游戏的功能和游戏设计很熟悉。

问题：假如玩家不像我们料想的那样觉得炮弹发射物理机制很有趣，那怎么办呢？

解决方案：正如你所看到的那样，这是个很重要的风险，因为它可能会导致游戏的失败。但是，这个风险的解决方案很简单。让程序员为你设计出游戏的简化版本，只需要有抽象的形状和物体，无需动画。这可以在1周的时间内完成，最多耗费2周时间，这样你就可以亲自体验炮弹发射物理机制。

当然，如果你的预算吃紧，你可能会想“不可能让玩家去体验这种只有抽象物体的游戏简化版，这样做完全是浪费资源。”相信我，就长远利益来看，这样做会让你节省大笔资金。你可以通过这个简化版来寻找游戏机制中存在的问题，这样你就有机会修改，让游戏变得更加有趣。

风险2：游戏引擎

问题：假如游戏引擎无法支持所有的图像和动画，那怎么办呢？或者说，代码中可能存在影响游戏流畅度的漏洞。

这是诸多优秀项目中普遍存在的问题。结果就是，玩家无法体验到我们努力为其创造的重要体验。

解决方案：如果你等到游戏的所有美术工作和最终版本都完成后才测试游戏，那么你可能会发现自己正面临极为糟糕的问题。为什么呢？因为你必须让美术人员重新制作所有内容，使游戏美术效果不会对游戏的流畅表现产生影响。

你应当尽早制作出游戏原型。这个原型展示的是游戏各个时刻在屏幕上呈现的物体和图像的大致数量。制作原型的目标在于，检验游戏引擎能否恰当处理。如果可以的话固然很好，但是如果不行，最好马上做出改变，而不是等到6个月后的游戏完成之时。

风险3：关卡设计

这个风险的阐述将以典型的RPG游戏为例。

问题：现在，我们已经有了14个不同的城镇和26个地下城。我们没有足够的时间来制作带有不同艺术风格、房屋、内部构造、NPC和敌人的地图。

解决方案：首先，让美术人员先设计出1个房屋齐全的城镇地图、1个包含所有敌人及NPC的地下城。如果所耗费的时间超过期望值，马上改变设计，减少城镇、地下城、房屋和NPC等内容的数量。

此外，你可以仿效目前许多RPG开发者的做法，带着重用性的意识来设计NPC、敌人、房屋和内部构造。对已经设计出的东西进行些许调整和修改，将其变成新的城镇和地下城。

风险4：角色

问题：假如玩家不喜欢我们设计的角色、敌人和地图，那怎么办呢？

解决方案：不幸的是，我们无法通过制作原型来解决这个问题。那要怎么办呢？让美术人员就城镇、角色和其他你担心的东西设计原图。获得原图后，将它们展示给你的目标用户，并记录他们对这些原图的反应。

你是否注意到，许多游戏在发布之前会在网络上发布原图。这不仅可以帮你消除游戏开发风险，而且对营销也有很大的帮助。

结论

这些只是示例而已，在真正的游戏开发过程中，你会遇到更多的风险。你需要做的是，尽早与团队商讨应对这些风险的解决方案。

游戏邦注：本文发稿于2011年7月30日，所涉时间、事件和数据均以此为准。（本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译，拒绝任何不保留版权的转载，如需转载请联系：游戏邦）

Overcoming The Risks of Game Development

Farshid Palad

Making games is hard. Making good games is tough. But making great, fun, games is damn near impossible. That is the hard truth that all the experienced game designers would tell you and it is our job as independent developers to just ignore them while proudly claiming our game to-be, the greatest game of all time.

Now, just to humour these “experienced” game designers, let’s take a moment and analyze the game development process using the 4 Element of Game Design. You have chosen a Story for your game, the Mechanics, the Aesthetics and the Technology.

Now you are eager to get started. You can’t wait to get your artist to draw up the graphics and your programmers to jam out the all-night coding sessions, designing the levels and animating your characters. You will wait for months before you get a version on your hand that is playable.

Sure, that is one approach to game development, a very risky one at the very least. But what happens after 6-8 months when you get a playable copy and find out the game mechanics are no fun at all. The game engine can not handle the graphics, the animation is choppy and you just found out you have to remake, from scratch, your whole game.

I suggest taking a different route, a route taken by all the pros.

FYI: This is going to be a long post but it is damn well worth it.

Risk Analysis

Don’t wait till you get a playable copy 6 months down the road. Sit down with your team and colleagues and do a Risk Analysis. Don’t be afraid by the name. It is actually pretty simple.

You and your team will simply create a list of all the things that might and/or would jeopardize your game. I have included a number of risks as example and how they relate to your game development projects.

Additionally, you will find sample ideas on how to combat each risk. Same with everything in life, if there is a problem, it is best to be solved early on or else it will lead to big disasters.

Risk #1: Fun?

For this example I have chosen ‘Angry Birds’ because I wanted a game where everyone would be familiar with its features and game design.

Problem: What if the whole cannon physics mechanism is not as fun for the player as we think it to be?

Solution: This is very important risk, as you can see, it can make or break your game. But it has a very simple solution to it. Have your programmer code a simple version of the game for you, perhaps with abstract shapes and objects, no animation is needed. This can be done in a week or two max, and you will get to experience the cannon physics mechanism first hand.

Of course if you are on a tight budget, you might say “Hey, dude, a game copy with abstract objects that will never reach the hands of the player is a complete waste.” Well, trust me, in the long run, you will save a bundle. You would have found the problem(s) with the game mechanics with this copy, and you get the chance to make it right and make your game fun.

Risk #2: The Game Engine

Problem: What if the game engine will not be able to support all the graphics and animation? Or you could have leakage somewhere within the code that will really put a strain on the playability.

This is actually a pretty common problem that arises with a lot of game projects. The result? The player will not be sucked into the game experience and those essential experiences that we strive to create for our players will not be created.

Solution: If you wait till the final versions of your game, when all the artworks are done, to test your game, you are in a disastrous position. Guess what? You have to ask your artist to redo all the work so it doesn’t put a strain on the game performance.

You should get a prototype of your game in your hands as soon as possible. This prototype does nothing except it includes the approximate number of objects and graphics that would be present at any given moment on the screen. This is done to see if your game engine can handle it. If it does, great, if not, it is better to find out now than six months down the road.

Again this prototype is not playable and is thrown away. Is it a waste? You be the judge.

Risk #3: The Level Design

For this example, imagine your typical RPG.

Problem: Currently, we want to have 14 different towns with 26 dungeons. Creating all the maps with different artworks, houses, interiors, NPCs and enemies might take more time than we have available.

Solution: First of all, have your artist design one map first, with all the bells and the whistles. And a dungeon with all the enemies and the NPCs. If it takes longer than you had hoped or can afford. Change your design immediately, reduce the number of towns, dungeons, houses, NPCs and etc.

Additionally, you can do, what a lot of current RPGs developers do, design NPCs, enemies, houses and interiors with reusability in mind. Just take your design, make tiny little adjustments and use them again in new towns and dungeons.

Risk #4: The Characters

Problem: What if the player does not enjoy the characters we have designed? What about the enemies and the maps?

Solution: For this one, unfortunately, we can not create a prototype. What can we do instead? Have your artist(s) create concept arts of your towns, characters and whatever else on your list that worries you. Once you have the artworks in place, show them to your targeted audience and record their reactions.

Have you noticed all the concept arts that pop up all over the internet prior to a release of a game? Not only it will help you in eliminating your game development risk but it will also aid a lot in your marketing campaign.

Conclusion

These examples were just that, examples. In reality your game will have a much longer list of risks. And it is your job to sit down with your team and find a solution to combat these early on. (Source: Farshid Palad)