The Litmus Test

From DmWiki

When developing or evaluationg a game, it can be very difficult to decide 'is this fun?'. Without building a prototype and testing it, how does one get a feel for the coherancy of the idea?

A small, beautiful idea

I suggest taking a leaf out of game design writups, and trying to sum up the essence of the game in two lines. No more, but less if possible. If those two lines do not sound like an interesting and exciting new game then the idea might be better let go. I realise that this may sound far-fetched, but here are some examples:

Dungeon Keeper 

Be evil and build a dungeon.

Sims 

Create, grow, build and destroy little people and their neighbourhoods.

Black and White 

Be god. Own a pet large enough to destroy civilizations.

Roller Coaster Tycoon 

Build a theme park. Wipe up vomit.

Startopia 

Run a space-station.

Grand Theft Auto

Be a gangster. Steal BMXs

Sonic 

Run around as a supercharged hedgehog, defying gravity and saving the world.

World of Warcraft 

Live, fight and build in a beautiful, massive world full of atmosphere and emotion.

Every one of those sounds like a lot of fun. It's obvious from the beginning that the idea has a lot of potential. As you can see, the popular games have a very clear idea behind them. It is this idea that drives and shapes the overall product, and without it the project will be confused, mis-shapen and lack any focus. Please try the test. Scribble it down. If you're struggling to come up with a short, fun blurb then you seriously need to re-consider the game.

Two lines not enough?

If two lines are not enough, look at whether your game build on a rock of an idea, or many insignificant ideas. If the latter, you need to go back to the drawing board and post-it notes.