Game Development: 5 Steps to Your First Demo by Mark Brown

Contents:

• Rethinking Game Design
• Thirty-Day Challenge: From Idea to Implementation
• Player Feedback on the Untitled Magnet Game Demo
• Conclusions and Achievements

Reimagining Game Design

During the development of the prototype, game designer Brown decided to significantly change the concept of the main character. The idea of ​​a magnet character was abandoned and replaced with a cute robot that moves on a wheel. The magnet is now used as a puzzle-solving element rather than a central part of the gameplay. These changes created a more interesting and engaging experience for players, as well as diversified the mechanics of interacting with the environment.

In a video published in November 2021, the author of the Game Maker’s Toolkit channel analyzes the impact of abandoning the magnet hero mechanic on the gameplay dynamics. This decision resulted in two important changes to the gameplay.

• The pace of the game changed: now the player had to “babysit” the magnet, dragging it around and returning for it after each obstacle.
• New opportunities for solving unique problems based on the interaction of the robot with the magnet appeared.

As the project developed, initially conceived as a platformer, the emphasis began to shift towards puzzles. However, Brown had doubts about this direction. He had previously created videos about the secrets of creating high-quality puzzles and noticed that even experienced developers don't have a universal recipe for success in this field. He also realized how much time goes into creating each puzzle, requiring careful thought and attention to detail.

Brown adapted his prototype for puzzle games, zooming in on the camera, slowing down the character's actions, and limiting the levels to a single screen. However, one night, he was overcome with panic. He began to doubt the correctness of his decisions and whether he could create an engaging and interesting gaming experience. These experiences pushed him to new ideas and creative solutions, which ultimately led to significant improvements to the game. Brown realized that the key to success lay in careful attention to detail and player interaction, which became the basis for his further development.

The thought of anyone seeing these levels caused anxiety. The game did not live up to my expectations. The puzzles were uninteresting, and the levels felt small and limited. As a result, the project strayed far from the original concept.

Brown set out to create a game focused on speed and precision control. However, the result was a slow and cumbersome game. That same night, he began designing a new level that better suited his preferences for hardcore platformers. This approach allowed him to focus on creating dynamic gameplay and improving control responsiveness, which became key to attracting an audience interested in high-skill gaming demands.

The new level eliminates puzzles—the player simply needs to jump to the top, maneuvering between magnetic beams. It's crucial to throw the magnet at the right moment to activate buttons or pass through platforms. "We're leaving all the old levels behind and moving forward!" Brown declared decisively. This level offers a new approach to gameplay, emphasizing dynamics and precision of action.

The main challenge remained teaching players the basics of gameplay. Brown designed a level that demonstrated the use of a magnetic beam: the player activated the beam, picked up a magnet, and ascended to the second floor. However, a problem arose: the magnet stuck to the upper platform and could not be returned. This required reworking the mechanics to provide players with a better experience and more intuitive controls.

Brown took steps to address this issue by adding several new elements. He installed a button to turn off the magnetic beam, a ladder to climb to the magnet, and a moving cover that blocked access to the magnet. As a result, he realized that he had created a puzzle again.

All attempts to develop a platformer with magnets invariably resulted in puzzles, which forced Brown to make the difficult decision to significantly reduce the number of platforming sections. There are successful examples of puzzle platformers in the gaming industry, such as Braid, Limbo, and Portal, but even these games place the primary emphasis on puzzle solving. As a result, the game's concept was redesigned to better meet player expectations and emphasize engaging challenges, ultimately resulting in a unique gaming experience.

Brown, recognizing the need to focus on puzzles, realized that his internal struggles were part of a larger problem involving numerous unresolved issues that had accumulated since the beginning of development. These issues required attention and a systematic approach to address them in order to move the project forward and achieve its goals.

What happens if you tie a rope to a magnet? Does it affect your gameplay? Can a magnetic field alter the trajectory of a throw? These questions lead to analysis paralysis—a condition where overanalysis makes it impossible to make decisions. Understanding the interactions between magnets and physical objects can help you develop strategies and improve your gameplay skills. Studying these aspects can significantly improve your decision-making and contribute to a better understanding of the game's mechanics.

Brown decided to reach out to Oliver Granlund, a level designer who helped create It Takes Two, to gain insight into the current situation. Granlund shared advice that fundamentally changed Brown's approach to development. This new perspective on the development process opened up new horizons and opportunities for improving the gaming experience.

You have unlimited time, and that's both good and bad. I recommend using the game jam method, asking yourself: "What would I do if I only had a week?" Set a random deadline, for example: "I'll try to finish this in a month." This will help you focus on the main tasks and increase productivity. Setting deadlines forces you to act more purposefully and efficiently, which can lead to better results in the shortest possible time.

Focus on creating a game that aligns with your vision. Start by designing a character who can control a magnet, throw it, and change polarities. Then create five levels using the suggested mechanics. This will allow you to build engaging gameplay and offer players interesting challenges.

Oliver Granlund is one of the key specialists at Hazelight Games. This studio is known for its innovative approaches to creating games that stand out for their unique gameplay and captivating storytelling. Granlund's work at Hazelight Games has contributed to the creation of high-quality projects that have received acclaim from both players and critics. His contributions to game development allow the studio to maintain high standards and remain at the forefront of the video game industry. Known as a minimum viable product (MVP), the approach involves creating a game with a basic set of features to demonstrate the product to an early user. This method allows for valuable feedback and necessary improvements to be made early in development, which contributes to a successful launch and more effectively meets the needs of the target audience. Using an MVP is a key element in game development, allowing developers to test ideas and adapt to market changes. Brown set a goal of creating five levels in 30 working days to present a demo with the core gameplay mechanics. This task involves designing levels that demonstrate key aspects of gameplay and ensure a positive first impression. Creating high-quality content requires careful planning and organization, which allows Brown to effectively manage time and resources. Successful implementation of this project will help attract attention to the game and interest potential players.

Thirty-Day Challenge: From Idea to Implementation

Before starting the project, Mark Brown, the well-known creator of the Game Maker's Toolkit channel, created a detailed action plan. This thirty-day challenge was not only an experiment but also a serious test of his skills and creative potential. This approach to game development allows for a deeper understanding of the creation process and a higher level of craftsmanship, which is important for anyone striving for success in the gaming industry.

• 5 days to finalize the character and implement basic mechanics, including magnets, as Brown noted.
• 5 days to create the first level, to determine its architecture and key mechanics.
• 15 days to design and implement the remaining four levels, with the hope of increasing the speed of work over time.
• 5 days to add meta-elements: the pause screen, saving functions, and polishing the entire game.

From the very beginning, everything developed according to a pre-planned scenario, but Brown soon came to the realization: "Spoiler: I missed something important." This realization came to him only at the end of the challenge, when unexpected difficulties began to appear. It's important to remember that even the best-laid plans can encounter unexpected circumstances, highlighting the importance of flexibility and a willingness to change as you pursue your goals.

In the first five days of work, Brown significantly improved the character's visual characteristics, implementing new animations and sprites for objects, as well as updating the background graphics. He also optimized the code of the Point Effector 2D tool, allowing the magnet to respond more effectively to being pulled to a given point. These changes not only improved the quality of the graphics but also improved the interaction of objects in the game, significantly enriching the gameplay.

The next stage is creating the game's first level. Brown developed the puzzle concept, determined their sequence, and implemented several game mechanics, including electromagnets and traps. After three days of intensive work, a level was ready, filled with exciting puzzles that can interest players and add an element of strategy to the gameplay.

The levels took two days to finalize, during which time they polished the game, added checkpoints, and adjusted the camera. However, Brown encountered several challenges while developing the remaining four levels.

One of the reasons for Brown's difficulty was his inconsistent productivity. Despite his set schedule, he was often distracted by creating level design videos for Metroid: Dread and his 2021 wrap-up videos. This distraction negatively impacted his overall productivity.

While Brown didn't abandon his project, the time allotted for its development gradually dwindled. With each break, returning to work became increasingly difficult. He noted, "Every time I stopped to create a video, I lost my momentum, and it became very difficult to regain it." This experience highlights the importance of consistency in the development process, as even short pauses can negatively impact productivity and creativity.

The minimum viable product (MVP) concept has proven effective, demonstrating significant results. This approach allows for a focus on key features and user needs, which in turn facilitates the rapid testing of ideas and reduces risks in new product development. A challenge based on this methodology yielded tangible results and positively impacted the project's further development.

With a set deadline, Brown was able to overcome analysis paralysis, allowing him to proactively make decisions and create content. He realized his true passion lay in designing single-screen puzzles and developed ideas for improving them. This process not only contributed to his personal development but also positively impacted the quality of the content he created. Setting clear deadlines helps minimize doubts and speed up the creative process, which is an important aspect of successful project development in this field.

Brown created the first version of the demo, refining it in three days. He reduced the number of puzzles from 45 to 14, added music, and fixed major bugs. This improved the gameplay and increased player engagement.

After that, he faced a new challenge: product testing. "I showed the demo to my wife, and her feedback was not very positive." She found a lot of minor bugs and suggested taking the time to fix them and improve the quality.

After finishing the polish, Brown let his father, brother, and nephew play the game, each of whom made important suggestions for improving the gameplay. This interaction with his loved ones allowed him to identify the game’s strengths and weaknesses, and also opened up new avenues for its development. The advice received from his family became the basis for further refinements and optimization of the project, which ultimately increased its quality and appeal to a wider audience.

Brown emphasized that he had not paid enough attention to testing in his original plan, but now realizes its importance. “Showing the game to a limited number of trusted people gives us the opportunity to evaluate how they perceive the product and identify bugs.” Testing in the early stages of development helps improve the quality of the game and increase the chances of success in the market.

At the end of his experience, Brown provided recommendations for the developers to minimize the risk of repeating his mistakes. These tips will help improve the quality of development and increase the efficiency of project work.

• Focus on game development. "You can't take a month off to create a few videos and expect your motivation to stay the same."
• Set aside time for testing. "Give yourself at least five days to distribute the game and collect feedback so you can make any necessary changes."
• Don't overload yourself with content. "The point of an MVP isn't to create a huge amount of content, but to test mechanics within the context of a unified gaming experience."

Player Feedback on the Untitled Magnet Game Demo

In January 2022, a game developed by Mark Brown was released on the Itch.io platform under the working title Untitled Magnet Game. The lack of an official title at launch created additional interest and intrigue among players and critics. This game attracted attention due to its unique gameplay and original approach to magnet manipulation mechanics, which allowed it to quickly gain popularity on the platform.

The blogger who introduced the new game highlighted the diversity of feedback received from players. He collected opinions through the Discord platform, comments on Itch.io and Patreon, and also closely observed gameplay sessions on YouTube via Zoom. This approach allowed him to obtain comprehensive feedback and better understand audience preferences.

The blogger organized the feedback into key categories: controls, interface, design, and gameplay. This structured data became the basis for developing a product improvement program.

Players noted that the character's slow acceleration and inertia when landing cause dissatisfaction. Also, controlling the magnet proved too difficult, and the inability to remap keys created additional difficulties. In response to these comments, Brown decided to fundamentally change the control mechanics to improve gameplay and enhance the user experience.

The blogger noted that many elements of the game can cause confusion for users. For example, some platforms block magnetic effects, while others do not. This creates a lack of predictability in the game mechanics, making it difficult for players to master the game. Improving these aspects can significantly increase the comfort and enjoyment of the gameplay.

Brown concluded that it was important to consider the perspective of a player without knowledge of the game's internal mechanisms and focus on eliminating existing inconsistencies. This will improve the user experience and make the game more accessible to a wider audience.

While the game was initially focused on puzzles, Brown introduced platforming elements. This decision, as player feedback showed, distracted from the main goal - solving logical problems.

Observing players who used platforming to solve puzzles, he concluded that it was more effective to focus solely on the design of puzzles. This will improve gameplay and emphasize intellectual challenges, attracting more players interested in solving complex problems. This approach will provide a unique gaming experience and increase interest in the project.

In the demo, some levels were either too easy or too difficult. However, there were also some that truly delighted players when they figured out the right solution. These levels add an element of satisfaction and help enhance the gameplay, making it more engaging and interactive.

Brown emphasizes: "It's an amazing feeling, and I strive to convey that to players again and again."

Brown noted that some levels of the game are overloaded with elements, which leads to their confusion. He came to the conclusion that the lack of mechanics forces players to use an excessive number of aids, which creates a feeling of sloppy gameplay. Optimizing levels and simplifying mechanics can significantly improve the perception of the game and increase its appeal to users.

Brown noted that there are moments in the game when players have to wait a long time for blocks to take the required positions. This significantly impairs the gameplay, especially for those who like to experiment and explore the game's possibilities. Improving the speed at which blocks move can significantly improve the quality of interaction with the game and make it more engaging.

After release In the demo, Brown identified a number of exploits and bugs that allowed players to complete levels without having to solve puzzles. This required careful analysis and changes to improve the gameplay experience.

Brown emphasizes the importance of finding meaningful solutions to the game rather than relying on bugs and errors. While alternative methods may be tempting, they do not contribute to fair gameplay. Players should strive to improve their skills and find legitimate ways to overcome difficulties.

Players do not perceive magnets as a key element of gameplay, which was a surprising finding. Brown emphasized that this represents a significant flaw for a game in which magnetism plays a fundamental role.

The game has many disjointed elements, which negatively impacts the overall experience. The magnet mechanic lacks the necessary depth and variety, which limits gameplay and reduces its appeal. Improving these aspects can significantly increase player interest and make gameplay more immersive.

Brown intends to update the magnet's design, adding unique features and character. This will make it easier for players to remember and distinguish it from others. The design improvements will be aimed at creating a more memorable and attractive image, which can contribute to better interaction with players.

Conclusions and Achievements

User feedback plays a key role in the development of Brown's project. The project team actively uses feedback to improve the gameplay, which has become an important source of inspiration. Constant interaction with players allows Brown not only to adapt to their needs but also to implement new features, which contributes to the quality of the game and user satisfaction.

The feedback allowed me to clearly define the next steps in development. I realized what works effectively, what needs improvement, and where I should focus my efforts. Seeing people enjoying my game gave me additional motivation to keep working. Negative feedback pointed out areas that needed improvement, which was also a valuable lesson for me.

With a clear roadmap developed by Brown, he developed a clear sense of the direction the game should take. This was made possible through collaboration with others, which was a significant change from the isolated approach he had previously taken. Teamwork allowed him to gain new ideas and perspectives, which significantly improved his gameplay strategy and results.

Brown received congratulations from Oliver Granlund, who invited him to participate in the 30-day challenge. Brown was also nominated for a Unity Award for Best Developer Journal, confirming his active involvement in development and his commitment to professional growth in the industry. Participation in the challenge and nomination for the prestigious award highlight his achievements and contribution to game development.

Brown has promised to create a video on the basics of Unity if GMTK wins the award. In the spring of 2022, he fulfilled this promise by releasing his Unity tutorial. This tutorial has become a valuable resource for aspiring developers looking to master the basics of this popular gaming platform.

Since then, the developer diaries have been updated with new updates covering recent releases. In the third part of our series, we'll take a closer look at how Brown used player feedback to improve subsequent versions of Untitled Magnet Game. This will provide a deeper understanding of the development process and how the game adapts to audience expectations.

Don't miss the opportunity to check out the other articles in our series. Each one offers unique insights and helpful tips on the topic, helping you deepen your knowledge and broaden your horizons. Stay tuned for updates to stay up to date with important content.

• Part 1. How to Master a Game Engine on Your Own
• Part 3. How to Create a Platformer Character
• Part 4. How to Develop Engaging Puzzles