Design Lessons: What I Learned Last Week
I am a Top Down Designer. Meaning I approach designs with:
- High concept
- Vision
- Overall story
- Characters
- Etc.
Need to balance it out with Bottom Up approach:
- Input
- Moves
- Challenges
- Mechanics
- Scoring
- Etc.
Benefits of a Top Down Approach: The designer has a clear idea of what the game is, what it should accomplish and who it’s for. Throughout development of a project, it’s maintaining a clear line of sight on the vision that keeps everything on track.
Drawbacks of a Top Down Approach:
Without the mechanics to compliment the vision there is only a nice idea and eventually the design stalls when descriptions of how it’s all supposed to work are lacking.
Bottom line: Top down approach works if the designer(s) can follow through and describe everything from vision to function. Moreover, there is a more focused approach because everyone on the team will know precisely where they are going and what is expected.
Benefits of a Bottom Up Approach: Regardless of concept or nuance, the designer has a firm handle on what the intended platform is, how the game will function and what systems it will use. Furthermore, the mechanics are often much easier to apply to a variety of concepts with very little alteration required. This is ideal for tight deadlines and last minute changes that can dramatically alter a concept.
Drawbacks of a Bottom Up Approach: Being able to apply systems to any concept is a definite plus but without a firm grasp on the overall vision the project is left wide open to interpretation. Without clear direction a team will stall as everyone will attempt to develop in different directions.
Bottom line: By designing using this method, the designer will be hard pressed to defend a vision when the focus is on the systems and not the idea.
