Let me share some real stuff..My game design ideas... Part1

Let me get to the point ...
My AIEEE exams are over and I've got a month of time to waste. It wasn't good enough, but it wasn't that bad too. So, I've decided to learn this UNITY game creation software which I've long yearned to do. Thus i can spend my time fruitfully without running out of what to do. That's all great, but let me share some previous game and game programming related ideas.{History: I started Gamemaker about  a year ago, and now I'm quite proficient at it, though i never really wanted to learn the 3d part, not because it is hard, but because it is totally undeveloped and there are no future plans from yoyogames to make it more better. All this lies behind my decision to learn a continuously developed 3D game creation software like UNITY.}
All my ideas here are based on 2D games as I've never worked with 3D graphics.
Okay enough foreplay, lets get on to the real stuff.
So this is my idea to add a whole funky dimension to a game 'cause everyone can make a game but it needs to appeal to the players.
And visuals are a huge part of that.
Statistically, it is seen that some really great ideas have failed on the grounds of crappy graphics and half-assed work in visual effects. So read on to make your game stand out....

  1. Make it dark... so Let there be light !!!

You need to give a whole dark grim look to the game and for that you need light.
Ironic, huh? And as complex as that sounds, it's pretty easy. But you might have to read the rest of the post for that.
So you think I just self contradicted myself in the first line there right?? Not at all!!!

No one would like to wander in your game thinking oh-shit-someone-forgot-to-turn-on-the-lights!

A game should be a masterpiece of art; as with every form of art it is very important to know where to start and where to stop.

See you can control the darkness only by light.

But the million-dollar question is where to place those lights? And of course, how intense should it be?

Actually there is no definite answer to this question. (Actually, it totally depends on the situation.)

Look at it like an strategy game; you choose a strategy and you fine-tune it until it reaches perfection.

Here is a helpful checklist that you might want to read—

          1. Place lights where it’s absolutely necessary:

See we are very imaginative beings.  The mind finds things more invigorating when it is unclear. Like it immediately piques your interest when you see the shape of something in the dark corner and you want to check it out. Even though you have passed the same corner countless times and never looked back at it. The darkness is what makes it mysterious, hence more interesting.

       2. Control intensity and range of light:

Place soft (low-intensity) lights. Preferably with long range. Don’t make it bright enough to jar the eye of the player. Make it blend. Make it natural and subtle.

Also it would provide the player with a longer LOS(line-of-sight).

       3. Use the shadows wisely:

In a black and white world, use both equally.

Place lights so it would illuminate some specific areas and/or objects.

Let the shadow swallow the rest.

Like say, there is a broken platform which is not illuminated in any way. Place lights below it that the platforms above the broken are lighted. This way you let the player know in a subtle manner that he’s going to fall unless he’s careful enough.

This way you make the player analyse the situation, intrigue him with options and generally make him more interested in the game.

      4. Brainstorm, brainstorm and last but not the least brainstorm some more:

So I have noticed that the whole grunge, punk-ish feel has been a part of a number of AAA titles.

But maybe the world hasn’t seen enough of it.

Which gives you the opportunity to come up with new, innovative, dare I say ‘cool’ ideas.

Let me help you get started by telling my own ideas:

A.   Use dim spotlights instead of lamps!

This works very well with platformers where the light comes from above. It will get blocked in certain places by upper platforms, leading you to new paths which you would not generally notice.

Let the light lead you!!!

B.   Throw in some bright colours:

Introduce some glowing platforms.

Or maybe you could illuminate the exit in cheerful colours and maybe also show an ‘easy’ path to it which will ultimately mislead the player.

Use sudden bright cheerful in-your-face  colours to break the monotony of the world and punch the player smack-dab in the face. But DON’t overdo it.

  .

N.B: Most of my ideas are derived from platform games but history has shown that great games have always gone past the barriers of a single genre and there is a plethora of games out there that have mix-n-matched different genres. For example look at Max Payne 2.So even though this is based on platform games, makers of other genre can also find this helpful.