Pre-Planning for Incremental Game Development
This article outlines the pre-planning process for creating an incremental game. We'll cover idea generation, gameplay considerations, user interface (UI) design, and number balancing, all crucial steps before diving into the actual programming.
Idea Generation and Game Concept
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Start with an Idea: Every game begins with an idea. Spend time fleshing it out.
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Expandability and Engagement: Consider how expandable your idea is and whether it will keep the player engaged long-term. Would the players want to keep coming back to the game.
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Borrow, Don't Clone: Feel free to borrow mechanics from other incremental games, but avoid creating a direct clone of popular titles like Clicker Heroes or Cookie Clicker.
Gameplay Style and Target Audience
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Idle vs. Active Gameplay: Decide whether your game will be more idle-focused, active-focused, or a blend of both. A mix allows players to progress passively while also offering faster progression through active play.
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Target Audience: Determine who your game is directed towards. A hardcore incremental game with intricate mechanics appeals to a different audience than a more casual game with a classic incremental approach.
Gameplay Loop and Motivation
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Repetitive Gameplay: Avoid a repetitive gameplay loop where players are simply buying the same things repeatedly, just at faster speeds. This can quickly lead to player boredom.
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Goal Setting: Provide players with clear goals and something to strive for. A lack of unlockables or objectives will discourage continued play.
Core Mechanics Example
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Polynomial Growth System: Consider implementing a growth system. One approach could be to utilize three columns of production: one for the main currency, one for a currency to buy more production tiers, and a final column that influences the flow of time within the game.
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Time Flow Mechanic: As an interesting twist, the last column can be made to control how fast time flows in the game. This creates an engaging dynamic where the rate of time passage evolves throughout the game.
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Prestige System: Instead of a basic percentage increase based on a prestige currency, consider implementing a shop where players can spend the prestige currency on various upgrades and bonuses.
UI and Visual Mockup
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UI Mockup: Create a rough mockup of your UI to visualize the placement of elements and the overall design. This can be done on paper or using digital tools.
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User Experience (UX) Considerations: Think about the user experience. Minimize the number of clicks required for frequent actions and ensure that critical information is easily visible.
Color Scheme
- Color Selection: Choose a color scheme that is visually appealing but not too bright, to avoid eye strain. Darker color schemes are often preferred by incremental game players.
Number Balancing
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Two Approaches: There are two ways to go about this: carefully calculate growth curves, or simply experimenting with numbers and adjusting them based on feel.
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Cost vs. Production: Ensure that costs always grow faster than production to create a sense of progression.
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Unlocks and Upgrades: When the game slows down, introduce new unlocks and upgrades to speed things up again and maintain player engagement.
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