Video Game Design

Lesson 1

Game Designer

Person involved in the development of a video game

Usually works on a part of the game as part of a teamSoundBackgroundsAnimationCharacter Development

RoomWhere you place game objects to

create a screenStart w/ blank screen then add:

A background Images Objects text

Other types in 2-d game making softwareMapsLevelsFrames

RoomAfter the scene is complete:

Program interaction & animations

When players move from room to room:Transition

Visual effect between rooms So the player is not faced with

abrupt change in display

Room Backgrounds

Background can be:A solid colorImage that you create in another

program such as:Microsoft PowerPointAdobe IllustratorAdobe Photoshop

Images2-Demensional Images

Have only Height & Width No Depth or thickness

X & Y coordinates on a grid

Images2-D Images used in a game are

called:Sprites

Adding any image into Game MakerHas to be uploaded as a Sprite

Cannot add programming to a spriteImages used as objects

Objects

Can receive programming and be placed in a room

1st programming an object receives is which sprite to displayEx. create a ball object program it

to display a ball spriteEach time you place an object in the

roomYou create an instance for that object

in the game

Instance

Is an exact copy of an object in the game

For Example:Creating a brick wall

Have have to create several instances of a brick object

Objects2 types of Objects

Active can be interacted w/ during the gameplayBall, wall, characters

Background can’t be interacted w/ gameplayClouds

2 other classifications of objectsAnimated programmed to move

around the screenStatic does not move during

gameplay

Programming ObjectsUse a programming or event-

editor screen not in the roomFollows a logic design process

Makes it easy to interpret an IF / THEN statementAlmost all game interactions

follow IF / THEN logicEx. IF a ball object hits a wall

object, THEN the ball object bounces

Programming Objects

Event editor breaks down the logic statement into: Condition events

Describes hat must exist IF = What is involved

Actions Events Describes what occurs if the condition

event is met THEN = action (What Happens)

IF / THEN Statement

IF a ball object hits a wall object, THEN the ball object bounces

Condition Event:IF the ball object hits the wall object

Action Event:THEN the ball object bounces

Vocabulary

Event Any condition within a game that will cause

something to happen

Action What happens to an object after the event

occurs

Sample Logic Statement

Do I have ice creamCheck the Freezer

Yes

Eat it StopNo

Go to store & buy ice creamPut Ice cream in the Freezer

Start

VocabularySounds can be added as:

Background music Part of the action

Sound effects or Sound FXSmall pieces of sound used in

programmingMost Commonly used:

MP3WAVMIDI

Vocabulary

MusicLong sound fileMay be as long as a complete

songSample

Short sound fileMay be as short as 1 second

Game ProgrammingProgrammers can create games using:

Game-design softwareIn a computer programming language

Ex. Java, C++, Visual BasicObject-Oriented Software

Allows a visual programming interfaceProgrammer can the game objects & drag

& drop programming commands in a programming language

Programming Language

It is a written language that a computer can understand Similar to verbal language like:

English or SpanishCoding

The process a programmer uses to record the words & symbols that the computer can understand

The result is called CodeLines of code are assembled to form a script

Programming Language

Script List of computer commandsCompiling

Process of changing computers or scripts into a file that can run on a computer

Takes your script or object-oriented programming & rewrites it as an executable file

Executable FileProgram file that tells the computer

exactly what it is supposed to do or execute

Programming Language

User Interface (IU) How the player (USER) connects (INTERACTS WITH)

the game Examples:

Mouse & Keyboard Game controllers Guitar controller Accelerometer

Detects how the player is tilting or shaking an iPhone The game is programmed to receive some input from

the player (user) & connect those actions to the action in the game (interface)