Creating a simple game...Not so easy

WhySoCREATIVE

Do any of you have this problem when designing a game?
I first got into GameSalad few days ago and I am now addicted.

Since I have no experience whatsoever, I decided to create a relative SIMPLE game.
Now that I have an idea of how the game will go I created it in a day. Then ideas started to flow and now the game is getting more and more complicated with levelling system and other elements!

Do you guys have these problems when developing a game? Constantly adding features to it?

wpaten

Yep. It's called feature creep. :-) Happens to my projects all the time.

The thing for me that has helped is I have to figure out the level of effort for anything "extra" that I am thinking of adding and weigh that against the overall value it will give to the finished product. Some things might seem like a great idea but if it adds an additional month of production time then it's not really feasible.

WhySoCREATIVE

@wpaten Thanks for the suggestion about the value and time needed!
I guess from a 1 day app it turned into something close to a 1 month app now!

The mechanics are all complete with the rules all set. Just need the artwork created....Do you create your own artwork?

Jigglebox

I just started my first game on GS as well and I'm currently running into the problem of trying to add too much. I'm actually trying to develop a game directed towards my girlfriend. Since she isn't a hard core gamer but simply plays a lot of iOS apps. I keep having to ask her about something added to the game to see if it would make it more fun or just complicate the simplicity of it.

my main advice is just this i suppose; Make sure that what ever you add to the game, it makes it more fun. If you start out with a simple idea that more people will enjoy then try and perfect those small things before adding anything else. I find that my gf won't play games I really enjoy because she gets bored with how complex they become.

Also a one day app? I started my small project a week ago and am still working on the mechanics... I have all my artwork done just am having some major issue with getting the mechanics right. I do my own art.

The_Gamesalad_Guru

Eventually developing a game like this will lead to bloated code but it is a great way to learn but not develop a game for release. It takes months even up to a year to learn GS and how to build efficient integrated code. Best advice when learning is to just enjoy learning and exploring your ideas without worrying about making a game for release. Once you gain sufficent knowledge you can design a game from the beginning with the knowledge how to properly structure things. A veteran game developer will design and flow chart their game and map out the code before one line of logic is ever written.

WhySoCREATIVE

@Jigglebox yes I was going to make an app just for fun to see how GS works. Then all these ideas came in and I began to add elements making the game more "fun".

I wonder how many people have broke even with their initial investment of GS pro and Appstore developers account...

Jigglebox

@WhySoCREATIVE that's a good question. I do plan on putting my game up on the app store, however I don't want to spend the money on PRO until I see how many people play it and see if I can break even...

By the way, not sure if you were looking into a co-creation type of deal but if you'd like to throw around some ideas for co-creation I would be more than willing to jump into it with you. Two heads are always better than one and see as how we are both fairly new to the engine, it would be a good way to advance. Let me know what you think on the idea, I'm looking for someone to work with on some small projects and perhaps continue on after that if things go well.

P.S.
I'm not sure if planning to co-create is against the rules so forgive me if it is... =/ hope not. Haha