You’re trying to make a game with your team. What’s the best way to choose the right design tools?

1 Assess your goals

Before you start looking for design tools, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve with your game. What genre, platform, and audience are you targeting? What are the core features and mechanics of your game? How do you want to present your game visually and audibly? How long and complex do you want your game to be? These questions will help you define the scope and style of your game, and narrow down your options for design tools accordingly.

2 Research your options

Once you have a general vision of your game, you need to research what design tools are available and suitable for your project. You can start by browsing online forums, blogs, podcasts, and videos that showcase different design tools and their pros and cons. You can also ask for recommendations and feedback from other game developers, especially those who have worked on similar games or genres. You can also try out some free or demo versions of design tools to get a feel for how they work and what they can do.

3 Compare your choices

After you have gathered some information and experience with different design tools, you need to compare them and weigh their advantages and disadvantages. You can use a simple table or spreadsheet to list the features, functions, costs, and requirements of each design tool, and see how they match with your goals and resources. You can also consider factors such as ease of use, compatibility, support, and updates. You can then rank your choices based on how well they fit your needs and preferences.

4 Consult your team

Choosing the right design tools is not only a personal decision, but also a team decision. You need to consult your team members and make sure they are on board with your choices. You need to discuss how the design tools will affect your workflow, communication, and collaboration. You need to ensure that everyone has access to the design tools, and that they are comfortable and confident with using them. You also need to be open to feedback and suggestions from your team, and be willing to compromise or adjust if needed.

5 Test your tools

Finally, you need to test your design tools and see how they perform in practice. You need to use them to create prototypes, mockups, and demos of your game, and evaluate how they meet your expectations and standards. You need to identify any issues, bugs, or limitations that might arise from using the design tools, and find ways to solve or avoid them. You also need to gather feedback from your team, testers, or players, and see how they react to your game and its design. You can then refine or revise your design tools accordingly.