game soup

2024-05-16

There are many ways to design a game. One way that works for me is to think about the constraints of the project like the ingredients of a kind of soup. To describe such a soup, I might say:

The soup will include five carrots of varying sizes, miso, chicken broth, and mushrooms. From there, I'll experiment with herbs and spices to taste.

I can describe a game project in a similar way:

The game will include five levels of varying sizes, a magical spear, talking trees, and a calming soundtrack. From there, I'll experiment with a floating potion shop and a day-night cycle to taste.

The idea is that there is a set of things I want to include in the game no matter what, and another set of things I believe may blend in well. The things in these sets can be more literal (five levels) or more abstract (a calming soundtrack). My task is to build the game around the first set, and also work in the second. Once the project is underway, I might change the things in either set, but I will try to make less changes to the first than the second.

I won't worry much about what kind of game I'm creating, as long as all the things in it feel right and seem to be working well. Just like a good soup!

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