Developing a game is like constructing a sandwich because you have to build it layer by layer.
Type
First, decide what kind of sandwich you want to make. Is it a grilled cheese, PBJ (peanut butter and jelly), BLT (bacon, lettuce, tomato), or something else? The type of sandwich influences the ingredients you need and how they get put together. In game development, it’s like choosing the genre and core mechanics. Is your game a platformer, RPG, FPS, or something else? The mechanic influences the gameplay and what makes it “fun.”
Sauce
Next, you add the toppings, garnishes, and sauces. This depends on your previous decision because while you could add mayo to a BLT, it doesn’t make sense to add it to a PBJ. The simpler the sandwich, the more you can style it. This step enhances the flavor of the sandwich. In game terms, this is the “polish.” What kind of aesthetic fits the genre and core mechanics? If you’re making a dungeon crawler, you could make the tone dark. If it’s a dating simulator, then the art and music might be bubbly and cute.
Layer
Ultimately, each layer builds on top of the previous one. So it’s crucial that you figure out the genre and core mechanics before you finalize the art and polish. Because if you play the game and discover that it’s not fun, then you can pivot before it becomes more costly later on. Also, adding features incrementally is more agile. Your team and product manager will thank you for breaking the work into slices, which makes it easier to deliver in milestones. This allows you to build in phases like a prototype first (during ideation) and then an MVP and version 1, 2, etc. This enables you to predict more accurately when your game will be done.
Conclusion
The beauty of creating games is that you can break the rules at times. Who says you can’t make a cute dungeon crawler or a dark dating sim? Let your creative juices flow. So what are you waiting for, go forth and build that delectable sandwich!