Game Design
8 Steps to a Perfect Webgame
Man second from left is sure he’s heard of this “game” thing before.
After having worked on a few web games for some major corporations, I believe I have enough experience with the process to open its inner workings to those who might want to make their own. This is from a corporate point of view, but if a corporation can do it, anyone can.
The Process
1- Corporation notices that this “web game” thing is starting to catch on with “the target demographic.”
2- Corporation hires a design company- not necessarily a game design company- to build said game.
3- Design company assigns a “team” who then begins a series of “brainstorming sessions.”
4- Design company submits the fruit of these brainstorming sessions- a full storyboard- to corporation.
5- Corporation sits on said storyboards for two weeks, then reports back that minor changes have been requested, including but not limited to changing the entire basis of the game. The design company will never know this, but the majority of the changes were suggested by Bill in Accounting, a project manager named Cindy, and the husband of someone in marketing. None of them, it is important to note, have ever played a game in his or her life.
6- Steps 3 through 5 are repeated until the original idea has been transformed into a fine grey mush.
7- Game is released.
8- Game flops. Executives at corporation think “well, games aren’t as popular as we thought.”
Tags: Game Design Discussion
6 comments for “8 Steps to a Perfect Webgame”
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Foundation Actionscript 3.0 Animation: Making Things Move!
Just… awesome…
It made me LOL out loud. The sad part is, it’s true. On a related note, just because you’ve played video games all your life doesn’t mean you know how to make them.
A good point. For evidence, just spend a few hours sifting through the dregs of Newgrounds.
Quite amusing
I’m pretty sure this is a fitting template for a lot of projects where design meets Johnny Corporate.
This is so funny and sad because it is so true… even of not so big corporations… and even non-profits too! Great projects always include great clients! The trick is finding them, building that trust and developing the relationship and keeping them long term!
This is surprisingly similar to the process of producing interactive courseware on US govt contracts…
I’ve heard government contracts in general are a nightmare… except for maybe the money.