Instead of intro

Hello my name is Andrii Goncharuk, but you can call me Andy, I'm a game designer working in Ubisoft, and to be honest... I feel a little bit guilty right now...
I got a feedback about my articles from a person close to me that I don't share enough of actual advices on game design or management. Ouch...

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One of the main reasons why I don't share much of actual advices because, I don't want to project myself onto people and limiting their knowledge only to what I know. Usually I try to provide all resources and direction for people to develop their own skills by themselves. But for this one occasion I decided, ok I can make a list of advices.
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Alignment

Before we start we need to align on some terms. I’m not claiming that this terms are correct, it’s my personal view on things. Let’s take a look on who is a game designer or a designer in general and what is a good design. I need to say also that if you strongly disagree on my terms.Then I think, advices below, won't be any good for you.

Designer is an engineer in all ways, the only difference is the field of application of skills.

Here is qualities of engineers and you will get the point:

Engineers talk in blueprints not in vague broad descriptions.
When someone ask engineer to build a machine to fly he(she) is not saying it’s impossible.
Engineer will start asking questions like:

And after getting proper answers he(she) can give a plan or several plans how to handle this problem.

Same way designers should think, it’s not about: "OMG I have seen a cool idea let’s add this to our project!", it’s what problem should we solve, how and for what reasons, what resources we have etc.

And when I say problem to solve I mean all sort of problems in broad term, creating a cool looking memorable transformation animation for character is a problem to solve, but this problem should be outlined beforehand and not just be taken from granted.

I believe that if something was not outlined in list of problems, and after that was not solved by design, it’s a problem on step where you need to outline all problems that you need to solve, not implementation problem.

Good engineer same as good designer should be creative in a way of how can he manage and find solutions to given problems, not bring “cool” ideas that will create even more problems.

Good engineer/designer also need to be able to communicate his ideas properly, and handle all documentation. 

Ok now when we finished with designer part, it’s time to tackle next question, what is a good design and how distinguish good design from bad design?

Design that solve all outlined beforehand problems and not creating any critical new ones that cannot be solved - is a good design.

When I saying problems that needs to be solved I mean all range from design problems to marketing like: audience growth, convey particular philosophical idea, be aligned with narrative style and story and visual style, generate as most revenue as possible, get recognition, test certain mechanic, use only resources that team poses now, etc. When design being created it should take in account as many parameters as it could just like any other linear programming algorithm (Google “Linear programming” it’s not about programming code, good system design is exactly like Linear programming, to be precise simplex method).

There is a notion that good design should have some a r t i s t i c value, the more vague elements we add into design the more problems we will have afterwards. Good design is one that works, period.

Design that have space to be updated/modified to face new problems that will be found in future - example of perfect design.

There is no silver bullet and each design pattern or approach or known technique should be adjusted to given situation so there is no good designs by themselves. It should fit.

Usually when we talk about games we can outline next things that should be taken in account, design should: 

Ok, since we have sorted out basic things, now we can proceed to actual advices that I learned the hard way during my work in the industry.

Number 1
What to consider when you work on a new feature

First step: Focus on problems that this feature should solve and aim to deliver. Try to outline full list of problems that this feature should handle or solve, try it several times, adjust this list according to production terms if needed. Don’t forget that feature should not always solve all problems, it’s a question of balance. 

Second step: Check what additional benefits this feature could create, when you have several features pick one that create more benefits. Sometimes feature can create some additional problems that can be covered by other small features but generate a lot of benefit, this is a case when you need to carefully consider benefits and check rate of investments.

Third step: Make sure feature is interconnected with other features as well as with lore, narration, pacing, player progression, main idea, core pillars etc… There is no any good for game, from feature that make no sense and added as useless appendix (not saying that appendix are useless, it’s actually important for immune system especially in early years...).

Fourth step: Profit.

Number 2
Oh no! We need to cut things! How to handle that.

Don’t panic.
Cutting as important as adding stuff, it helps to keep everything trim and aligned, just like any evolutionary process it will help make product as whole stronger(usually).

But all this just broad vague terms, how to handle it actually?

My proposition: Points system and points of support of core pillars of the project. 

Give points to each element or feature, based on production time, fun factor, alignment to pillars and core, how feature is interconnected with other elements and how many other features will affect cutting this one.

First to cut features are those: