Video games need better accessibility
2024-01-31
What GDPR means for gaming
2024-03-04Making an educational video game is both an art and a science. How can you infuse the game with both entertainment value and educational substance without compromising the integrity of the subject matter at hand?
Because there’s no easy answer to that question, having a process that empowers you to experiment and refine the game is key.
Our game design process
Game design is a multistep process that brings together multiple disciplines: art, design, coding, sound design, writing, and quality assurance. The best game experiences arise from the alchemy of mixing each of these elements together.
This process is split into various stages. Developing a game is similar to building a house: we start with the concept, and a visual idea of what we want our final product to look like. Next, we create the foundation; a bare-bones version of the game that shows the basic functions of the game and animations. Once that foundation is laid and secured through numerous iterations of testing, we start to integrate design and the finishing touches.
Here’s a breakdown of how we do things at Play Curious
Concept
The first step to creating a game is deciding what the game is going to be about. In our case, we choose our topics in two ways:
- According to our clients and their specific topic of choice
- By identifying trending or emerging topics in the public that we can assist in teaching
Once we decide on the topic of our game, we start working on the concept. We brainstorm different ideas for the type of game that could best relay the core message pertaining to the subject at hand. This part is more liberal in approach, as anything can be a source of inspiration - it’s a matter of how you transform your inspirations into actionable gameplay ideas.
When making CRISPR Crunch, we initially hit on it being a tower defense game. However, after playing around with the concept, and getting inspired by a pattern-matching game we came across, we ended up shifting gears to the tile-matching concept that we ended up releasing.
An early prototype version of CRISPR Crunch as a tower defense game
After we settle on a concept, we begin drafting up the art of the game to get a feel of what it will look like. This is helpful to all manners of development as it sets a common, consolidated goal for everyone to work towards. In this stage, we would look at what is being used and what’s successful in the market, and draw inspiration from other titles.
An early sketch of Edenred Boat Quest
The educational aspects of a project play a key role in this point in the process. During this stage, we identify the key messages of the game, and what we want players to take away from it. We also have to work on how we will communicate them through the design & gameplay.
To make a game enjoyable, it needs to be fun and engaging - and that can sometimes come to the detriment of its educational value. Our biggest challenge in this job is to create a concept that can serve both interests. Ideally, the educational and the gameplay aspects build upon and strengthen each other. When this isn’t possible, we strive to reach a middle ground whereby we can have a game that keeps people playing without sacrificing the integrity of the topic we are trying to teach.
Development
We build a prototype of the game, which serves to illustrate the basic gameplay and concept of the game. These are often relatively barren in terms of visual design, as their purpose is to make a functional game that can be tested and improved upon.
An early prototype version of Edenred Boat Quest
Creating the design
We often create moodboards: a collection of visual elements that illustrate the aesthetic and visual identity we are seeking to create in a way words simply can’t. This allows us to refine and consolidate the artistic direction of the game. Afterwards, the visual elements are developed (characters, environments, structures…etc.).
A character design moodboard for one of our upcoming releases of 2024
Play testing
After we finish our first build, we run several rounds of testing, whereby we get players to try out the game. This is essential for the development of any video game, as it helps us identify bugs and other issues affecting gameplay and the overall experience of the player.
Once these issues are identified, we work to debug and improve them. This process is repeated as many times as possible - within the constraints of time and resources allocated to development - until the game is running smoothly.
Building the UI
Once the core game is developed, we will move on to create the user interface (UI). That is, all the functional elements that allow players to interact with the game (menus, buttons, icons…etc.).
Although this part sounds easy. It actually can be quite time-consuming. It’s important that players can quickly grasp an interface, that the interface gives the correct feedback at the right time, and that the interface is well adapted to the device. For example, mobile interfaces are often very different from their desktop counterparts, and designing for both device types at once requires.
Final designs
Once the functional graphic elements are done, the foundation of our game is built and we only need to lay the finishing. At this stage, we finish developing the final designs of our game and begin integrating them therein. Sound design, which includes creating all the sounds and effects one can hear in a game, is also part of this final stage.
Graphic assets for Edenred Boat Quest
Final reviews
With the final designs of the game completed, we integrate them into the game. Then, the final build is tested and debugged to make sure everything is running smoothly.
Once the final build of the game is all systems go, we either deliver it to our client, or publish it ourselves - depending on the original intent of the game.
Conclusion
Creating an educational game is a long, complex, and rewarding process. It is our privilege to utilize art and our craft at the service of education and help make education more accessible, however big or small a scale.
If you are interested in creating your own educational game, or if you have any suggestion in mind for a topic you’d like to see gamified, you can let us know by sending us an email or using our contact form!
