Arcade Berg aka. "Learning Game Design with Arcade Berg"

An actual Game Design tips

I've recently finished the first version of a GDD for game and I wanted to let you know a secret of successful game design. Not to say that my design is good by default.

You're not the only one with good ideas.

You're not the only one whose oppinion matters.

A Good game designer have an ability to grasp a concept and to see a game as a whole, consider consequences immediately and think many steps ahead. He considers different aspects and looks at everything from several angles. But a Good designer cannot by himself achieve the greatest of results.

The game designer should always talk about the design with other people. If there's a dev-team at hand, talk to them. Listen to what they have to say, their ideas and thoughts. Even if you're the designer, respect them!

But the thing to remember is that you are indeed the designer, the one who can do all those things they can't, so the decision is still yours!

What I've been writing on is something like a "Casual Game" so I've been talking to a casual player; my girlfriend. She doesn't know the first thing about game design, production or cognitive psychology applied to my area. But I still ask her "What do you think about..." and "Which do you prefer of the following...". I haven't let her make a single decision, of course, but her input has made it possible for me to confirm and test some theories, etc.

For example I showed her a symbol I drew and asked, "what do you think this button does" and she instantly knew. Great success.

My point is simply that: Don't be too "proud" and decide not to ask anyone for input and think that'll turn out the best way possible if do you do everything yourself. Just by talking to someone and hearing yourself out loud can help you improve your own ides.