Digital Prototyping

Finally, I was able to join the online lecture this morning. Whooo!!!

What is a prototype???

A prototype is the first model, sample or representation of a new idea or product. The main goal of prototypes is to test for flaws and that it works efficiently. There are four areas of digital prototyping.

• Game Mechanics
• Kinesthetics
• Technology
• Aesthetics

In this lecture, the professor explained each of these four areas in detail while giving examples and references to existing games. 

Game Mechanics

Game mechanics represents the formal aspects of the game. This is like the overall core of the game. The professor did mention that having every single aspect of your game is not good. When making prototypes of your game mechanics, you have to keep it simple. Do not go overboard and try to represent everything you plan to include in your game. Focus on one particular question, preferably the core mechanic, and build from there.

Aesthetics

Aesthetics is like the visual or oral dramatic elements of the game. It is basically how things are perceived and its representation. In this prototype, you do not want to have too much art. Although it is good to have some sort of visual representation to communicate with the audience but it does not have to be too extreme. Since it is just a prototype, you can have a little mock up of the game in action-dynamics. Again it does not have to be extraordinary. It can be done using Flash or even stick men drawn on paper. As long as your visual can be seen clearly and understood it should not be a problem for a prototype. 

Examples of prototype aesthetics are:

• Storyboards
• Concept art
• Annimatics
• Interface prototypes
• Audio sketches

Storyboards are very common in movie production but can be useful for game development as well. Interface prototypes is just deciding where you are going to place certain objects in your game. Most of these examples can be done on paper and of course they have to be brought to your team to be discussed. Audio sketches is basically the same as art sketches but they're music. They are drafts of the music you plan to have in your game. Again it does not have to be the full soundtrack but, as long as you have a specific music style in your prototype, it should be fine.

Kinesthetics

Kinesthetics represents the feel of the game. This a reflection of how the game affects the player. When you prototype kinesthetics, you are testing the game in terms of how the controls feel, the responses from the player when something happens in the game, and so on.

Technology

Technology is anything used to create the game. It is all the software needed to make the game work. In prototyping technology, it is not really a smart idea to use the same programming language you are using to create your game as your prototype. Many people in school did that and ended up using the same code from the prototype for the final game project. You have to remember that it is just a prototype. It is good to use a language that differentiates from your programming language from your game. So, if you are using C++ for your final game project, use Java or something simpler that still gets the main game play for your prototype.

If these prototypes are presented well and are tested without any mistakes, then you will not have a problem continuing onto the actual game design and implementation because your prototypes are done with visual clarity as well as can be understood by others.

Control Schemes

When discussing the control schemes think about the actions that occur in the game. You want your controllers to match the actions and bring forth game interaction easily. It is also good not to have too many buttons in your controllers it may confuse the players. Simple controllers work best just like the Wii. it encourages the players to concentrate on the game rather than on the controller. Another thing that was mentioned this morning was to always supply your players with instructions of how to use your controllers. 

Effective Interface Design

Providing players information about how they are progressing in the game is a much needed factor to have in your game. Having the game communicate with your player encourages more player interaction. If the player is losing points then he or she will try harder to stay in the game play as long as possible. You also want to incorporate design metaphors to describe an object based on the player's mental picture. It will give off a bad impression when something is not as it usually is or as we perceive it to be.

As a result, in this lecture we have learned how to properly format a digital prototype. Hopefully we will use the facts described above in our own game with my group this year.