Skip to Content
 

Working with iterations and managing them

6 replies [Last post]
Sat, 04/23/2016 - 19:14
Darkehorse
Darkehorse's picture
Offline
Joined: 07/21/2008

Does anyone have a good method for quickly handing iterations for game mechanisms? To clarify,I'm trying to rapidly mock up possible ways to accomplish a specific mechanism, but based upon previous decisions in the iteration, i need to be able to think through how each decision alters that mechanism.
For example, If i used a bag pull, versus a die roll, versus a card draw, how can I quickly split off each iteration and see how it works out. I'm not sure if I'm making myself clear but I believe someone probably has encountered this issue and found a viable solution. I don't want to have to create a new page or document each time I alter the idea for the mechanism.

-Darke

Top
Sat, 04/23/2016 - 19:25
#1
Tedthebug
Tedthebug's picture
Offline
Joined: 01/17/2016
Have you tried mindmaps?

I find mind maps useful tools when trying to design digital games (that's what I'm studying) as they get more complicated than where I'm currently at in my attempt to design board games.

I have one on my iPad which I find is great for when I'm travelling & get an idea or something but unfortunately it doesn't have a PC version. I do know that there are some out there that have a PC & tablet version that integrates the 2.

Using mind maps would let you have branches for each of those options & you can create cross linkages where needed so you can visually see how it all links to get her & work out stuff like "if I change this I can see it will have a flow on effect over here, & that then flows onto there......."

Top
Sat, 04/23/2016 - 20:27
#2
Darkehorse
Darkehorse's picture
Offline
Joined: 07/21/2008
Mindmap

Ted,

I have used mind maps in the past but I hadn't really considered them. I can't envision how it would work. Do you know of any examples? Perhaps a video tutorial (can even be for video games) where I can see how it used in 'real life'?
-Darke

Top
Sat, 04/23/2016 - 22:51
#3
Tedthebug
Tedthebug's picture
Offline
Joined: 01/17/2016
I don't know any specifically

But I will see if I can find some that I knocked out when I had a brain spasm & got myself tied in knots with all the possibilities & flow on effects.

Edit: I can't work out how to add a off as an attachment

Top
Sat, 04/23/2016 - 22:56
#4
questccg
questccg's picture
Offline
Joined: 04/16/2011
Dropbox or other such service

Tedthebug wrote:
Edit: I can't work out how to add a off as an attachment

You typically need a "website" or shared storage (like Dropbox) and provide an HTML Link to the document in question.

You cannot STORE the document on BGDF, unless it's a PDF and you are the author of the original topic.

So you need a way to LINK it to another website (like Dropbox, your own website, etc.)

Top
Sat, 04/23/2016 - 23:23
#5
Tedthebug
Tedthebug's picture
Offline
Joined: 01/17/2016
Thanks, I'll get it done shortly

Just need to email it to myself, upload it to google drive, then go to my PC to get the link

Top
Sun, 04/24/2016 - 02:20
#6
Tedthebug
Tedthebug's picture
Offline
Joined: 01/17/2016
Sample Mind Map

I really hope this works & is readable.

Believe it or not this is after the preliminary cleanup. What I do is brain dump & link everything as it comes into my head. I then move branches &/or individual items around & if necessary create new entries. In this case it started with making a game about senses & was one big mess but as I refined some concepts I moved them out into their own potential game.

The way I envision this for boardgames is that each node would be a specific rule with the potential outcomes linked as well as any flow on effects sub linked. When you wanted to change a rule or effect you can follow the sub nodes & see what other things would potentially be affected.

I could be wrong, but I find I can use it like this. I also know others that can't use mind maps at all as they are more into bullet points rather than visual linkages.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1FU8UEZRBsURjFZbGpadE8yZHM/view?usp=sh...

Top
Syndicate content


forum | by Dr. Radut