chapt 2 storyboarding techniques

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Chapter 2

Game Design and Storyboardingmrbash.com| stencyl development

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Lesson Objectives• Describe the game design

process.Game Design

• Explain the technique of storyboarding

Storyboarding/ Wire framing

• List the tools available for storyboarding.Tools

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Game Genre First and foremost when designing a game is to look at its genre.

A genre is basically a game category.

Critical factor in game design process.

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Game Genres

Action Adventure

Role Playing

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Exercise 3 - Activity Time

Spend 10 min on this activity in your groups.

Brainstorm on as many mobile game genres

and pen it on the worksheet provided.

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Game Design ElementsAreas of game designs for game designers to consider,

1. Narrative design

2. Character design

3. Level/Environment design

4. Gameplay and mechanics design

5. User interface design

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Narrative DesignNarrative design determines the plot of the game.

Questions to be asked for example,

1. Is there a mission to save the world from destruction?

2. Is there a dungeon to escape from evil monsters?

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Character DesignFollowing considerations are made when designing the characters.

1. Main player?

2. NPC (Non-Player Characters) ?

3. Sidekicks?

4. Villains?

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Level/Environment DesignLevel and environment design determines the scene for a player.

Areas of consideration

1. Background

2. Lighting

3. Weather

4. Map

5. Props

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Game Play and MechanicsGame play and mechanics determines how the game works.

Areas of consideration

1. Challenges

2. Activities

3. Rewards

4. Progression

5. Game rules

6. Skills

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User Interface DesignUser interface design determines how the appearance of a game.

Areas of consideration

1. Control (input) design.

2. Output devices

3. Viewpoint

4. Heads up Display (HUD)

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Exercise 4 - Activity Time

Spend 30 min on this activity in your groups.

Pick any game and describe its game elements

on the worksheet provided.

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FlowchartsFlowcharts are used for the following reasons

1. Show the correct sequence of events in a game.

2. Clearly illustrates the behaviours/functions in a game.

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Flowchart Symbols

Start/Stop Process/Action

Decision/Question

Arrows that show the flow of control.

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Flowchart Process

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Exercise 5 - Activity Time

Spend 20 min on this activity in your groups.

Complete the flowchart using the components

provided on the worksheet provided.

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Storyboarding/Wire framing

“Storyboards are graphic organizers in the form of illustrations or images displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualizing a motion picture, animation, motion graphic or interactive media sequence.” – Wikipedia

“A storyboard is a series of panels that depict key scenes, actions, visuals, and annotations that define the highlights of a user experience.” – MIT user experience design assignment

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Storyboarding

The storyboard technique was borrowed from the motion picture industry.

Each sheet is brought to life with just enough detail and means the same thing to all viewers.

Gallery effect shows the whole overview of concept design.

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Storyboarding

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Storyboarding

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Storyboarding/Wire framing

Refer to “Run and Jump” Storyboarding example

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Software Tools(Standalone)

Adobe InDesign

XCode 4 Storyboard

Adobe Fireworks

Axure RP

Balsamiq Mockups

ConceptDraw

Diagram Designer

Enterprise Architect

FlairBuilder

OmniGraffle

OpenOffice Draw

Pencil Project

Microsoft Visio

Microsoft Sketchflow

WireframeSketcher

iRise Pro Studio

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Software Tools(Online)

fluidIA

Gliffy

iPLOTZ

Lovely Charts

Lucid Chart

MockFlow

Mockingbird

Mockup Builder

Pidoco

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Pencil Project

Pencil Project is a no-cost, open source tool. This allows for it to have an excellent value for cost ratio.

Pencil Project has limited documentation and support which contributes to its “rough on the edges” feel. In addition, it has a several issues that have made it difficult to work with.

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Pencil Project

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Exercise 6 - Activity Time

Spend 60 min on this activity in your groups.

Replicate the “Run and Jump” storyboard

using Pencil Project on the worksheet provided.

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Questions?