What do you do if you need to apply logical reasoning in game development?

In this logical reasoning, one could be required to develop a set of rules to develop some questions, like how a certain specific interaction, or combat, spellcasting, etc, needs to be presented. There could be multiple things, but ask yourself and think from a gamer's perspective what problem exists and what needs to be addressed.

For logical problem-solving, break down complex mechanics into smaller questions (combat = damage calculation, turn order, win/lose). Define variables and their relationships (moves taken impacting puzzle solvability). Anticipate edge cases (players exploiting glitches) and design fail-safes (teleporting back, fixing collision). Utilize flowcharts or decision trees to visualize the logic (e.g., branching narratives).

In most cases you can get right to the core of something by asking very pointed questions before and during development. 1. "What problem are we trying to solve by doing this?" Big companies get so lost in all the nonsense that they forget the why of things and just start on a path and aren't even sure why. 2. Always ask, "Why does the player care about this?" If the answer isn't obvious to you all then it's likely they wont care. 3. "Why would a player want to do that 1000 more times?" 4. Fail quickly. Implement your ideas and test them. Do you get the expected results. If no... repeat until you have clear answers/results.

At the start of any project, you'll have a set of truths and a set of unanswered questions. The best way to identify the problem early on is knowing which is which. You'll want to focus on the unanswered questions and in ways of getting answers as fast as possible. Your scope and next steps will come from that.

Carefully analyze the situation to pinpoint any issues or challenges that may arise during the development process. Whether it's a bug in the code, a design flaw, or a gameplay imbalance, it's essential to identify the root cause of the problem before attempting to solve it. Take the time to gather information, review existing documentation, and consult with team members to gain a comprehensive understanding of the issue.

In this exploration journey, as a problem solver, you need to dig deeper by researching a lot, find out what are the challenges and problems that need to be addressed, and based on that, you could brainstorm and think to experiment to develop it with different possibilities.

Research & Brainstorm Freely: Explore solutions from existing games, media, and even real-world logic. Utilize mind maps or flowcharts to visualize diverse approaches before critical evaluation.

Research and identify references. Different products can be references for different things. You may have a visual reference, a progression reference, a core gameplay reference, "product package" reference etc. But don't overdo it! If you have too many main references things can get confusing real quick.

Explore different approaches and techniques that have been successful in addressing similar problems. Brainstorm with team members to generate creative ideas and perspectives, leveraging the diverse skills and experiences of the team. Consider all possible angles and solutions, weighing the pros and cons of each before making a decision.

Logical Evaluation Matrix: Create a matrix to compare solutions based on weighted criteria (feasibility, complexity, etc.) and assign scores using a defined scale (e.g., 1-5). Prioritize solutions with the highest overall score while considering potential errors through logic checks and simulations.

Apply logical reasoning to each potential solution; either this will be really fun and balanced to develop or not, or from a technical perspective, either its feasible to develop or not. So, you need to check each criterion and pick the best solutions that meet all requirements.

After conducting research and brainstorming potential approaches, carefully evaluate each option based on its feasibility, effectiveness, and alignment with project goals. Consider factors such as resource requirements, development time, and potential impact on gameplay experience. Collaborate with team members to gather insights and perspectives, and weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each solution. Ultimately, select the solution that best addresses the identified problem while considering the overall project constraints and objectives.

Test your solutions as early as you can and as independently as you can. Create a "target demo" with a scope of a maximum of a couple weeks and try it out. You may have a visual target demo, a mechanical one, an inputs/controls one and many others. Ideally, set metrics or aspects in which you're looking to review your demo on and go from there.

Begin by translating the selected solution into code or design changes, ensuring that it aligns with the project's requirements and specifications. Thoroughly test the implementation to identify any bugs, errors, or unexpected behaviors that may arise. Utilize debugging tools, automated tests, and playtesting to validate the functionality and effectiveness of the solution. Iterate on the implementation as needed based on the feedback and results obtained during testing.

Implementing creative logic design in game development involves embedding logical puzzles in narratives, crafting dynamic AI behaviors, and utilizing procedural generation for coherent content. Introduce emergent gameplay scenarios, logic-based mechanics, and community-driven content creation. Augmented reality integration and collaborative problem-solving mechanics further enhance player engagement. By integrating these approaches, developers create immersive and intellectually stimulating gaming experiences.

Once you've put your solution into action, it's time to double-check everything. Test it thoroughly to make sure it's doing what it's supposed to do. Gather feedback from testing sessions and take note of any areas that could be improved. Then, tweak your solution to make it even better, whether that's fixing bugs or making things run smoother.

Don't forget to jot down what you've done! Keep track of the changes you've made and any important details you've learned along the way. This documentation will be super helpful in the future if you need to revisit your work or share it with others. Also, be sure to let your team know about any updates or changes you've made so everyone stays in the loop. Communication is key!

Go back through your system and rename variables, functions, classes, etc to ensure those names make sense and are easily readable. Make sure constants are assigned to a variable and you don't have any "magic numbers". If this is a huge system, use a diagram to capture the functioning of the system. Comment out any logic that wouldn't be evident by reading the code. You might also want to add comments to prefabs and objects. Documentation can also happen outside the dev environment. You can use a tool that exports the documentation using scripts provided to it.

One thing I have found useful when thinking of gameplay systems is to mimic the mechanics using a real-world system. If you are working on a farming game and designing the crop growing system; there are 2 approaches you can take. You can grow the crop every day by X% or grow the crop Y% every tick. Model the system that closely resembles real life, in this case, the second approach. In general, this will give you more flexibility down the road. If you were to introduce a sunlight or disease system, the "real-life" approach would be more extendible.