Thanks to Jeremie Biron for finding and posting (and translating!) these “Tips for Game Designers” I gave in 2004, after the release of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. I’d forgotten all about it until now.

Rereading the advice, I think it stands up well and is more relevant to today’s industry than the 1996 list of tips for designing story-based games I posted last month.

1. Prototype and test key game elements as early as possible.
2. Build the game in incremental steps – Don’t make big design documents.
3. As you go, continue to strengthen what’s strong, and cut what’s weak.
4. Be open to the unexpected – Make the most of emergent properties.
5. Be prepared to sell your project at every stage along the way.
6. It’s harder to sell an original idea than a sequel.
7. Bigger teams and budgets mean bigger pressure to stay on schedule.
8. Don’t invest in an overly grandiose development system.
9. Make sure the player always has a goal (and knows what it is).
10. Give the player clear and constant feedback as to whether he is getting closer to his goal or further away from it.
11. The story should support the game play, not overwhelm it.
12. The moment when the game first becomes playable is the moment of truth. Don’t be surprised if isn’t as much fun as you expected.
13. Sometimes a cheap trick is better than an expensive one.
14. Listen to the voice of criticism – It’s always right (you just have to figure out in what way).
15. Your original vision is not sacred. It’s just a rough draft.
16. Don’t be afraid to consider BIG changes.
17. When you discover what the heart of the game is, protect it to the death.
18. However much you cut, it still won’t be enough.
19. Put your ego aside.
20. Nobody knows what will succeed.