The formal elements, are the underlying system and mechanics of the game. Your initial concept might already include some of the formal elements of your game. As you move forward, you will need to fi ll in that system more and more.
Here are some questions to ask yourself:
· What is the confl ict in my game?
· What are the rules and procedures?
· What actions do the players take and when?
· Are there turns? How do they work?
· How many players can play?
· How long does a game take to resolve?
· What is the working title?
· Who is the target audience?
· What platform will this game run on?
· What restrictions or opportunities does that environment have?
The more questions you ask yourself the better. And it is okay if you do not know all the answers at this point in the process. In the beginning, you can only guess, and you won’t know if you are on the right track until you actually play the game and see how it works. But do not let this stop you from conceptualizing the game. You might be working blind at fi rst, but soon the game will begin to take form. To flesh out the game structure, consider the following:
· Define each player’s goal.
· What does a player need to do to win?
· Write down the single most important type of player action in the game.
· Describe how this functions.
· Write down the procedures and rules in outline format.
· Only focus on the most critical rules.
· Leave all other rules until later.
· Map out how a typical turn works. Using a flowchart is the most eff ective way to visualize this.
· Define how many players can play.
· How do these players interact with one another?
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