Grid format game design
(Grid Based Game Design)
By William Anderson, February 2001
Translation: Room3rd @ Hotmail.com, 2005.04
Have you ever thought about designing a game like Abe's Oddysee, Out of this World, Flashback, Blackthorn or Heart Of Darkness? If this is this, then sit down, let me go together in the wonderful world of the grid game design (GBD).
As the complarge program design requires rigorous design experience to programmakers, the raster game design is also the same. (Each part) is very close, once the error is not forgiven. Despite this, the GBD contains many advantages. : GBD HAS MANY Advantages over Free Flowing Design That Can Give Greater Depth To Just About Any story-driven product. Any Story Driven Product
What is GBD?
Grid Based Design, GBD is just a confirmation system that confirms the game role, non-player role, and other elements in the game, placed, and movement in a predefined screen or 3D lattice. This design form has been experienced for many years, and many famous 2D and 3D games. I guess this situation will continue because the player's interaction is tight, and this ability of the grid design is not to ignore.
Although GBD is increasingly used in 3D game design, I will only introduce 2D game design in order to learn from 2D game design. Most technologies are the same, and this paper can be applied to your own 3D project by simple extension.
But before the introduction, I should first explain how I learned GBD. My learning experience can be very good to learn other design and extend GBD make it better.
Earlier in the 1990s, I was awarded as a senior designer for Virgin Games, requiring me to convert a game called Out of this world to the possibility of SEGA new CD system. This game is very good but it is too short, it is not worth making CD, but as a newcomer for Virgin games, I need to prove that the game is really too short, so the problem is coming out: "How to prove the length of the game in the product, especially the original Does the author not commented? "
Four words: reverse design!
So I used a long weekend, recorded the video of my customs clearance, plotted the raster paper, I watched the corner of the game to fall, and draw the color story of the design. Then, I proved how short it to everyone, and I learned a new design form, and I also help the original ambition to understand this game where it needs to be expanded.
For many years, more and more similar games have emerged, including the contributions made by myself using GBD -Abe's ODDYSEE, and each has added more techniques to the system.
The entire design system starts with a simple screen grid template, as shown below:
In the above grid system, the game operation screen is divided into 17 horizontal and 5 horizontal planes, as shown in the figure. With this simple graph, the navigation element required by the player is defined in the space of the grid system.
Based on this raster system, game role, non-player role, and all objects in other games are positioned and based on the grid. In this way, no matter any point in the game, designers, programmers, and artists can control players.
Why is this important?
To make a role look like living in its true world, you must be able to interact with that environment, mutual influence, just like our actual life. Attacking an animation in Free Flowing Action Games without raster, it is difficult to achieve, it is difficult to implement, but if you use the grid system, you will always know when players, What location interacts with any role in the background or environment. There may be one day 3D code and space to make real-time mechanisms, but not now.
How to calculate your own raster system?
Step 1: What kind of screen X / Y resolution is your product you need. These values are critical to calculating your grid size.
STEP 2: The best size of the player role with the artist. Millions remember: There are some gaps between art and games, you have to make a weigh. For example, if the role is too small, there can be more things on the screen, but will also be at the expense of many details and player characteristics. But if it is too big, there is less flexibility when the screen is operated, and it will also harvest more art and animation details.
(When discussing topics with the art team, don't show your diamond legs and eagle claws, of course don't go to teeth :))
STEP 3: You can now calculate the number of landscapes:
Formula: Gridx = (screen width) / (player foot width)
Remember: The width of the player's role is not the same as the above example, but you make a door, a lifting rack, and other guiding devices in keeping the offset.
Step 4: Finally, it is determined the grid size of Y, you can predefine or skip the height of climbing through test definitions. In the note example you can see the height of three jumps, each to the next bit.
Again, remember to leave a buffer space under the screen.
Some views may consider the need to solve the status bars and natural screen truncation (SCREEN CUT-OFF) space issues. Also, as a basic design rule, the player jumping in most platforms makes the head as the screen, which looks very uncomfortable.
Mastering this information, I believe you can formulate your own paper template, just like I am above.
How to arrange your own GBD map?
Just like the Free Flowing Game Play map design, you only need to put down each block in the square (or up or down) in the square.
I like to first arrange my idea on the notepad and then design to calculate various details before the grid. This saves a lot of time when it is finished, and the final design copy is clearer.
Note: If you are designing a game that can't scroll, it is best not to turn it to the other, because (after the screen), the player can't see why they are in a confusion.
The Grid Paper recommended by the recommended map is 8x8 square inches.
For single screen, I like to use a 6x6 square inch design to display more details.
What is the best way to convert these designs to a product?
With the design of basic information and hand, there are two ways to convert to the product: the classic TILE design or pre-rendered design.
I personally compare the pre-rendered method, the background production is more effective than you feel, let alone new game system can handle load time and space, which is more than the original Snes / Genesis.
However, if you are implementing, your handle game, Tiled method is a better choice.
Don't pay too much attention to the way used, this will not affect your Paper design, after all, they will be arranged in a way.
Finally, make your design to the game, I have used many different ways, but it should still be determined by yourself for you.
For pre-rendered backgrounds: 1: It is more convenient to create basic shape templates using art procedures to reflect all design elements in the map.
2: Draw each screen using the basic shapes designed;
3: Putting each screen data to the art processing package in a certain format so that the Art Working Group performs art processing.
4: Convert the final screen into your format in the same way, and join the game.
Other elements such as contours and walls may also be needed, and these elements need to be generated regardless of the steps that use, and run in this basic art.
"Never give the unparalleled test level to the art processing group!"
In unnecessary version revisions, this will waste a lot of time and money, and make you in the opposite side of the artwork.
Once you are intoxicated in the game, you can only go to step 5.
5: Copy the map and distribute it to the creator to confirm that it contains any, all, large and small aspects.
At this time, the artist can draw the final background with your basic shape.
Don't worry if it is a 3D SGI or drawn background, the artist allows you to load it into the screen as a layer, and just get the best results!
For the background of the layered background (for tiled backgrounds):
1: Like pre-drawn systems, no matter what tool or art process, you need to create your basic shape template;
2: Use the same Tile Editor as the artist to arrange each screen.
3: Perform it in step 4-5 in pre-drawn.
Background developments do the end, don't pay attention to not assume artists to know your thoughts. If anything on the paper is not clear, it is most likely that art realm errors. If you need it, you work together with them every day and let them know before the level design is completed, and then their work is how important. They also need fair treatment in their work! And often they can make some great ideas, thereby enhancing the playability of the game.
Now, allocate game system design such as Screen-to-Screen conversion, LIFTS and lift usage will emerge. If you need me to extend some topics, please send an email to MagicBydzn@hotmail.com.
Bio
William Anderson is currently President of Eagle Claw, Inc. a Game Development and Consulting Company. He has been designing Interactive Entertainment products for over 20 years. Just a few of his notable accomplishments include Senior Designer on Maximo for the Sony Playstation 2, Senior Designer on the multiple award winning game Aladdin for the Sega Genesis, Designer of Cool Spot and Global Gladiators. He was also responsible for the original gameplay design for Abe's Oddysee for the Sony Playstation. You can contact Mr. Anderson at MagicByDzn@Hotmail.com.
