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Concept B - Core Concepts v. Core Mechanics Any single game can have its components split into four categories. We're going to talk about the other two later, but the main ones define the very core of the game. The Core Concept and the Core Mechanic will define your game, and be your significant focuses for most of preproduction. Core Mechanics The Core Mechanic is, for most us designers, the big element that we spend hours, weeks, months, years refining, and will not stop until it's perfect. The Core Mechanic is the element that makes the game fun for the player. It's a repeated action that the player MUST rely on to complete the game. Unlike any other mechanic, if you removed this single one, there would be no way for the player to finish the game. Core Mechanics, believe it or not, are mostly developed from much more basic, mechanic-only forms of games. While this is not always the case, the idea is that the board game or physical game can be used to test and produce a prototype of your game which you can test to see if it works and if it's fun, before even touching code. Here's some examples of how gameplay core mechanics have evolved: DOTA/WoW/LoL etc: The Core Mechanic is Movement. You must be able to move around and progress to the end of each environment. This has evolved from Chess. Super Smash Bros. Brawl: The Core Mechanic is Fighting. You must be able to attack players to finish each level. This has evolved from Martial Arts. Ratchet & Clank 3: The Core Mechanic is Gunplay. You must be able to shoot enemies to finish each level. This has evolved from Paintball/Laser Tag. One interesting note to make; consider what the core element of Counter-Strike is. It's also Gunplay. Now, compare how Ratchet and Counter-Strike both turned out. Separate games with highly different gameplay and aesthetics. With that in mind, you can see that, it's fairly safe to discuss your Core Mechanic in public, since it would require significant luck for somebody to accurately understand how you want to use your mechanic. One thing you should consider when deciding on a Core Mechanic, is that the more human that Core Mechanic is, the more fun it will likely be for the player. Our examples above were all fairly human things; moving, fighting, and using tools. Unfortunately, one Mechanic a game does not make. In order to make the game interesting, you need to add variable to the Core Mechanic to alter the effect. Furthermore, other mechanics (known as Variable Mechanics, which we discuss later), all build off the Core Mechanic. Everything is intertwined and works together to build an experience for the player. The sad fact of life is that, while the Core Mechanic is designed to KEEP players playing the game over long courses of time, players will hardly recognise this Core Mechanic, and may suggest that anything else is what keeps them around. We call the Core Mechanic a DESIGN ATTRACTION; something that entices game designers and other developers, and for players is the below-the-surface entertainment factor. Core Concept It's an unsung rule in Game Design that you have 15 minutes to hook a player. Marketing will insist that you have something to entice players. For your game, the Core Concept is the lure that will bring you the audience. We call this our PLAYER ATTRACTION. Your Core Concept is whatever brings players to bring your game. It may be the story. It may be the audio. It may be the graphics. It may even be something you don't make yourself, such as controversy. It's an intriguing idea, and therefore it can take a lot of work to make it interesting. The Core Concept is highly subject, and it's usually related to the zeitgeist (not the Jews) of the time. For example, up until recently, Zombies had a massive pop-culture rebirth, and a significant number of movies and games were created around Zombies. People want to read/watch/play what they're emotionally attached to, so remember to think about the historical, cultural and technical contexts of the time before making your Core Concept.

Yeah, while these two have been trying to make the most irritating game in the history of RTSs, someone forgot that this is a different game. If the minecraft influence is taken into account, the game would not work with the same kind of mechanics. Instead of "Build up base, eat all the walls, finish the objective" kind of gameplay, we might get something like having and managing multiple bases. Really we have no idea what Stewie is planning so the nitpicking arguments is more amusing than useful at this point.

Welcome to JimbobJeffers’ Campaign Mod. This ‘mod’ is an overhaul of the original campaign in LEGO Stunt Rally, replacing all of the tracks with custom tracks of my own design. If you would like a greater challenge in the game, or just something different, then this mod is for you. All of the tracks in this mod were created with the in-game track creator, as – I assume – the creators did (or at least they used exactly the same parts and limitations as are available in the creator). Additionally, they follow the same development as the original campaign, using only parts available to the player, in addition to a new part that is unlocked after completing the track. Each level gets progressively harder and larger, and often requires the use of all arrow keys rather than standard pressing/releasing of the up arrow. I have put a lot of time and effort into making this mod, and I very much hope you enjoy playing it. For maximum reward, backup and remove your current save game (if you have one), so that you can play the game from the beginning.* Download JimbobJeffers' Campaign Mod Installation Instructions - Backup the ‘CampaignTracks’ folder in your LEGO Stunt Rally install directory. - Unzip the downloaded ‘JJ’s Campaign Mod’ file. - Copy the .trk files inside and paste them into the ‘CampaignTracks’ folder, replacing the files it contains. - Run LEGO Stunt Rally. *I assume the save game can be modified, having a brief skim-read of >this topic, but if not a second installation of the game should work (and indeed would probably be better).

Ok, here's how this is gonna work: Whenever I finish a new AI racer reskin, I'm gonna add a new entry to this topic. This way, you'll be able to download characters you want seperately and I don't have to make a new thread every time I finish a character. I'm making these based on the theme list from JimbobJeffer's Theme Overhaul mod, but I may still be taking requests for custom AI racers. Just send me a PM or post a reply, telling me who you would like to see made into an AI opponent. OGEL DEWEY CHEATUM BRAINS DASH JUSTICE M-TRON ASTRONAUT MINERVA McGONAGALL ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- INSTALLATION: Just put all the files from the zip into your GAMEDATA/common folder. Also, since this mod replaces existing files, please make sure to create a backup in advance! Oh, and if you encounter any problems or bugs, please let me know, so I may fix them. CREDITS Creator - car colour schemes and Minifig texture for Dewey Cheatum Fushigisaur - Decals and Minifig textures for Ogel and McGonagall, Minifig texture for Dash Rendar JimbobJeffers - Minifig textures for Brains RobExplorien - Minifig textures for the M-Tron Astronaut. Willa_to_McGoonagall.zip

WARNING: This is a WIP. I'll add to it as I go along. For now, I've done a little bit but it's still a long way to go. I look forward to your comments and hearing anything you want to add. A lot of this will be based on what I learn from my own Game Design lessons, Gamasutra, Extra Credits, the portfolios of highly respected Game Designers and far more places. Game Design is potentially the most important aspect of the entire development process. Hell, it has its own section called "Pre-Development" and then some. Yes, content creation, QA and other sections of the design time are important, but the idea is that, if you want to be successful and make a kick-ass game, you're going to need to plan and plan and plan out everything before hand. Game Design, for me, is the essential knowledge, tools and theories that should define how a professional and non-professional Game Designer works and what they aspire to. Depending on studio and personal interpretation, Game Designers are the multi-tasking grunt force of any development studio, and their tasks can range right from leadership, to story, art, music, level production and far onwards. Basically, Design is so many things, it'd be better to make a list of what's not considered design. When we design games, regardless of what position you hold, there are some fundamental concepts we all must consider, especially in a new age of design where we are further trying to integrate the three waring fronts of story, gameplay and graphics/art style. Having these kinds of things in your head, will always help massively. Concept A - The Core Elements of a Game Day One, Lesson One of Game Design is this. The distinction between a game and simple entertainment is that a game has some very core elements that must always be present for any medium to be considered a game. A game has elements that give the player constant motivation to want to continue. Video games share the same elements that make up board games, card games, sports and any other type of game; the only difference being the use of technology to control, present output and take input from the player. Without these elements, we are no longer making a game and are instead making an experience. While an experience can be life-changing, fun, unique and many other things, it does not share the same level of re-playability, learning and engagement that a game does. Games are all about teaching our players to play, and watching them master the game and become proud of what they have achieved. An experience does not have the same impact. There are two categories of these crucial elements; Objective and Subjective. Objective Elements are those which are crucial to any game being considered a 'game'. Without objective elements, these experiences fail to teach players or give them the space necessary to interact and blend in with the mechanics. Subjective Elements are like spices; we use them to enhance the experience and give even more motivation and fulfillment to the player, but they are not necessary for a game to be considered a game. Objective: 1) Goals and Objectives - The game must present a clear winning condition, and must offer subsequent tasks that must be completed in order to achieve the winning condition. Multiple objectives means there is more gameplay and challenge, and thus increases the play length. Objectives can sometimes be a natural part of the gameplay. 2) Rules - The player of a game must never be allowed to completely break the game by doing whatever they want. There must always be limitations which block the player from just finishing the game instantly. Rules may also add challenge naturally or may allow for clever players to exploit loopholes in the rules, and increase the fun the player has. Some rules may need to have exceptions as dictated by the gameplay scenarios. 3) Obstacles (Including Failure States) - The main means of creating challenge is to introduce certain obstacles which the player has to overcome in order to proceed through the game. There are many forms, and the goal is to ensure there are multiple types of obstacles, so that the gameplay is always refreshing and never becomes boring. Failure Statues are the idea that the player's progress needs to be impeded in some form for failing the game in some way, including losing or dying. Punishment may be in more forms than just a simple game-over, such as implications for the story or removing player rewards. The idea is that player should feel encouraged to learn from their mistake and improve, and with practice from replaying eventually master the game. 4) Boundaries - There needs to be a defined play field for all players. Players must not be allowed to break out and exceed the limits of the game world. One may define that the entire universe is the play field, but this still counts as an acceptable limit. Subjective: 1) Engagement - How the player actually engages with the game, and what kind of experience, feelings, emotions and lessons they take away from it after they finish playing. 2) Visual - How the game looks, or doesn't look. 3) Audio - How the game sounds, or doesn't sound. 4) Player Input - How the player actually interacts with the world. 5) World Output - How the world responds to the player and notifies the player back. The concepts themselves should be simple enough to understand and apply. Remember these, and you will have the power to turn any form of interactive entertainment into an actual game, and a fun one at that. Misc - Some General Wisdom I leave this section for my own thoughts and anything I've heard from other game designers which should help you on your journey. - The game should never feel so hard so to make you frustrated and quit. It should be at level where you feel as though if you had done that one thing slightly better, you would have succeeded, because that creates proper challenge and tension. - Ken Levine has stated (in better words) when asked "When did you become a Creative Director", he said something to the effect of "I just started calling myself a Creative Director and kept on making things."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KtYwWsVKU4 I.... I.... Can we even do any of this? Cutscenes? Both Ogel and TeeVee are Presdent Business? Special item tiles? Is this real life?

I doubt the server will require resetting/relaunching from a backup, they wouldn't just delete thousands of members' files. I'm sure it'll all be fine soon enough.

More progress on the Tower, it's really climbing up there. Also DM Made a Valentines day skin.

Lhikan* Anyway, nice job! The eyes seem a bit small, but that might be just me. I like the shading in the gold- it looks very good.

I've been pretty much ignoring the back-and-forth between aidenpons and McJiblets, I don't think all of aiden's ideas are stupid but they're not all good either, and that's all I have to say. Anyway, like the doctor said, we don't know what kind of game this will be yet. We are not really assuming it will be like the first game, rather, the only thing we can do at this point is say what needs to be improved about the first game so the new can hopefully be better.

That spaceship... Wow, the popping out of the wings (like Buzz Lightyear), that... that sold it for me. I'm getting one. LEGO's producing quite a few sets this year that, for the first time in a long time, I actually really want to buy. I've bought maybe two or three new sets in the past several years, all the rest are the good oldies. But now, LEGO's actually interesting me again. Dang, and I thought my wallet was safe.

I made somthing you might enjoy