What to Include in Your Video

Game Design Project Videos should address questions that viewers are likely to have. For example, if you say that you have an adventure game, what kind of role does the player have? Do they choose the role? What do the different roles mean in terms of the game play? How do they advance their character? How do they win? How could they lose? Who did (or is doing) what for the project?

For the project update video:
Show us what your game would look like as a board/table-top game, with a person providing the feedback that the computer would give (like the Dungeon Master in a game of Dungeons and Dragons).

For the final project video:
Show us your game.

The following list contains many common kinds of questions. You do not necessarily need to address these if the answer is obvious. For example, if you have a card game where each player takes a turn, talking about the physics engine used is likely not needed.

• What sort of physics does your game use (e.g. projectiles influenced by gravity)?
• What are the rules?
• What game mechanics are there?
• What input and output do you have?
• Do you use sound? Where did it come from?
• Is it a perfect information game?
• Is it asymmetric?
• What are the victory, loss, and termination conditions?
• Can the player(s) save the game?
• How many players? How do they enter input? (i.e. do they share a keyboard? Did you make a networking game?)
• What animations do you use, and how? Who created it?
• What art do you use, and how? Who created it?
• Is there an opening screen? A closing screen? Who made it?
• Is there a playing (main) screen? Who made it?
• Do you use any specialized hardware/software? if so, what?
• Is there a story to the game?
• Is there a game world?
• What is the game economy like? This is found in the book, however, a quick definition is that it's the ways things enter (source) and leave (sink) the game. For example, in Breath of the Wild, the player can find and collect ingredients, which can be eaten raw (for health), used in cooking (to eat later for more health), or sold to a merchant. Some merchants sell arrows, which the player can use against monsters.
• What items are in your game? How does the player get them? How are they replenished? Can the player trade items? Can the player convert items into something else?

Make sure to include plenty of details. When we watch your video, we should learn how the game works.

• Use the video format wisely. It should not be a talk-over PowerPoint presentation.
• For the project update video, do not expect us to know or remember any previous project-related assignments. (For the final project video, do not expect us to remember your update video.) Your video should contain all the information that we need.
• The video should stand on its own; if someone who doesn't know your project sees it, they should understand your game.
• Be specific.
• Make sure your part is highlighted.
• We won't know what you did until you tell us. If you created something for the project, make sure to let us know. If you do not, we may assume it was created by someone else.
• Provide credit where it is due. Name and thank the people who helped make your project a success.
• Limit the words on the screen, especially if you read them out loud.
• Show us images, not just text.
• Edit the video to make sure it does not have flaws (such as inconsistent sound).
• For the project update video, include a mock-up of the game. For the final project video, include a demo of the game.