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[baconman]

Maybe it's a good thing that design is the last subforum to get a "frustrated/grumpy/etc" thread (or very close to it). But there is a LOT of frustration that circulates OUTSIDE of the design aspects; because more often than not, a good game designer is mediocre-at-best at everything else involved, the art, the programming, the sound/music... and sometimes nothing is more frustrating for a grand-vision title than "mediocre-to-bad everything else."

So go on! Let it out. What's giving you trouble?

[Theophilus]

Writing a design document... It's probably better that I'm taking the time to do this but I just want to get in the game!

[JasonPickering]

having cool ideas, but don't work mechanic wise.

[thewojnartist]

having cool ideas, but don't work mechanic wise.

ditto. I also HATE when you have to rework the entire system due to a little lack of attention to detail early on.

[rivon]

I have some great ideas but they require too much art/good art that I'm not really capable of and I want to make my first game alone.
I really try to think up ideas like World of Goo, Knytt Stories, Angry Birds, Gish etc. which have some well-defined simple mechanic around which the whole game is built. And it doesn't need fuckloads of art.

Does anyone have such idea which they would let me steal? :D

[thewojnartist]

I have some great ideas but they require too much art/good art that I'm not really capable of and I want to make my first game alone.
I really try to think up ideas like World of Goo, Knytt Stories, Angry Birds, Gish etc. which have some well-defined simple mechanic around which the whole game is built. And it doesn't need fuckloads of art.

Does anyone have such idea which they would let me steal? :D

Let me check my list

Edit: I have one that is like A Boy and His Blob, except with dogs (i.e. a wiener dog stretches out to build a bridge, an Alaskan Husky pushes large things, etc.) there doesn't have to be that many dogs or a variety of areas.

P.S. I also hate when there's too much art. Even if I'm good at it, it takes too long and I can't animate that good. I even changed the art style of a game I'm working on to be more simplistic so there is less work.

[gimymblert]

Management game, I can't design without a goal structure very well, adding busywork is not designing, it's hiding incompetence.

[fraxcell]

Trying to make an NES style platformer that combines Mega Man style levels with a Metroidvania persistant world, but I have no idea where to start, level design wise. Should I map out the entire world? Just start with level and build it up from there? Start at the beginning or the middle or the end?

Not to mention I can't think of any original powerups for Metroidvania style progression.

[thewojnartist]

Management game, I can't design without a goal structure very well, adding busywork is not designing, it's hiding incompetence.

I think that the basic structure for a management game is having numerous end goals, then intertwining the paths to those goals. I wouldn't know though, I haven't designed any management games.

[SundownKid]

Trying to make an NES style platformer that combines Mega Man style levels with a Metroidvania persistant world, but I have no idea where to start, level design wise. Should I map out the entire world? Just start with level and build it up from there? Start at the beginning or the middle or the end?

Not to mention I can't think of any original powerups for Metroidvania style progression.

I think a good way to do it is to get a building and make different parts of the building  the different levels. But, instead of Dracula's castle, you could make it a factory where the game takes place so that the different levels could involve robots. For example, the loading dock, or the assembly line, or whatever. You don't even have to have that many powerups if you use security door clearance instead.

[Zack Bell]

I have some great ideas but they require too much art/good art that I'm not really capable of and I want to make my first game alone.
I really try to think up ideas like World of Goo, Knytt Stories, Angry Birds, Gish etc. which have some well-defined simple mechanic around which the whole game is built. And it doesn't need fuckloads of art.

Does anyone have such idea which they would let me steal? :D

Let me check my list

Edit: I have one that is like A Boy and His Blob, except with dogs (i.e. a wiener dog stretches out to build a bridge, an Alaskan Husky pushes large things, etc.) there doesn't have to be that many dogs or a variety of areas.

P.S. I also hate when there's too much art. Even if I'm good at it, it takes too long and I can't animate that good. I even changed the art style of a game I'm working on to be more simplistic so there is less work.

I really like that game idea, man

EDIT: I'd play it...

Also, I'm jumping on the "art sucks" train...

[gimymblert]

Oh, and if I wasn't making west indies game I would have made 10 game with usual tropes manipulation. Too bad I can't let a challenge past beyond myself 

[baconman]

Trying to make an NES style platformer that combines Mega Man style levels with a Metroidvania persistant world, but I have no idea where to start, level design wise. Should I map out the entire world? Just start with level and build it up from there? Start at the beginning or the middle or the end?

Not to mention I can't think of any original powerups for Metroidvania style progression.

First off, you always start off with two main things: physics and the powers. After that, you design your map and obstacles accordingly; perhaps some "obstacles" have more than one solution to them. Then you do the setting/graphical design and sound to be fitting and consistent. At least, that's my recommended course of action.

Also, power-ups don't have to be unique, even some of the popular Metroidvania games here use simple stuff like double jumps and shot variations. All that needs some uniqueness about it is how you make them useful. As far as MegaMan influence goes, I'd suggest you also consider some of the popular stage gimmicks in your level design, as well. From a Metroidvania perspective, THAT is what will make it stand out more than anything.

Does anyone have such idea which they would let me steal? :D

Take your pick. Although they may suffer the same setback as yours...

[fraxcell]

Thanks for the feedback!

First off, you always start off with two main things: physics and the powers. After that, you design your map and obstacles accordingly; perhaps some "obstacles" have more than one solution to them. Then you do the setting/graphical design and sound to be fitting and consistent. At least, that's my recommended course of action.

Also, power-ups don't have to be unique, even some of the popular Metroidvania games here use simple stuff like double jumps and shot variations. All that needs some uniqueness about it is how you make them useful. As far as MegaMan influence goes, I'd suggest you also consider some of the popular stage gimmicks in your level design, as well. From a Metroidvania perspective, THAT is what will make it stand out more than anything.

That gives me some good ideas, thanks.

I think a good way to do it is to get a building and make different parts of the building  the different levels. But, instead of Dracula's castle, you could make it a factory where the game takes place so that the different levels could involve robots. For example, the loading dock, or the assembly line, or whatever. You don't even have to have that many powerups if you use security door clearance instead.

Mm, I was thinking about security style doors, but rather than keycards or whatever they would require certain weapons to destroy them.

[HyperEXTurbo]

I can't find a good team or partner that'll stick with me. frustrating indeed.

I really dislike Game Maker, and I don't wanna make another game with RPG Maker VX, but it's my only option for now if I want to make another game solo.

[Dabind]

having cool ideas, but don't work mechanic wise.

ditto. I also HATE when you have to rework the entire system due to a little lack of attention to detail early on.

Or when it works perfectly fine until you try to implement something new, then the whole thing goes to hell.

[s0]

don't design games, MAKE games

[Brayzen]

Coming up with (what you consider) a killer idea, having it visualised, written out, drawn up, conceptualised, even dreamt about. You've got the programming skills, the vision, the ability to create "decent" artwork...

... and you haven't written one line of code, and know it'll take thousands of more. And the dreams wash away...

[RyanHuggins]

Waiting on art is probably one of the more frustrating things for me. Designing the game is fun, programming the game is fun, I can essentially do art at an above average level, but waiting on someone else to do art is something irritating, though we have good communication, so it's not the worst. The biggest thing is probably learning a new language/learning to code period. Being new to coding, it was horrible when you ran into your first serious bugs D:. HUD coding is also the most tedious thing I've done in awhile. xD

[iffi]

I have ideas but lack the motivation to turn them into reality. I like to think I'm decent at coding, but I find it to be such a pain that thinking about it makes me lose whatever motivation I have.