A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Flow Chart for Your Indie Game Development

Created by eneaslari 9/8/2024

gamedev unity developer

Creating a flow chart for a game involves mapping out the structure, sequences, and decision points within the game. Here's a detailed guide on how to create a flow chart, along with some tools you can use:

Steps to Create a Flow Chart for a Game

  1. Define the Scope and Objectives:

    • Scope: What is the overall goal of your game? For example, is it a puzzle game, an adventure game, or a racing game?
    • Objectives: What do players need to achieve? For instance, in an adventure game, the objective might be to rescue a character or find a hidden treasure.

    Example: If you're making an adventure game, your objective could be "The player must rescue the princess from the castle."

  2. Identify Key Components:

    • Break down your game into smaller parts. These parts are like the chapters of a book.
    • Examples of components: Levels, missions, puzzles, or battles.

    Example: In your adventure game, components might include:

    • Level 1: The Forest
    • Level 2: The Village
    • Level 3: The Castle
    • Boss Fight: Dragon Battle
  3. Establish the Flow:

    • Decide the starting point and ending point of your game.
    • Think about the sequence of events. What happens first, second, third, and so on?

    Example:

    • Start: Player begins in the forest.
    • Event 1: Player finds a map.
    • Event 2: Player uses the map to find the village.
    • Event 3: In the village, the player gets a key to the castle.
    • End: Player rescues the princess in the castle.
  4. Add Decision Points:

    • Think about choices the player can make. These are points where the game can go in different directions based on the player's actions.
    • Decision points can affect the storyline or the gameplay.

    Example:

    • Decision Point 1: In the forest, does the player follow the path or explore the cave?
      • Path: Leads to a peaceful village.
      • Cave: Leads to a battle with goblins.
  5. Map Out Interactions:

    • Show how different parts of your game interact. For example, how solving a puzzle might open a door.

    Example:

    • Interaction: In the village, solving a riddle from an elder gives the player a magic sword.
    • Interaction: Using the magic sword helps the player defeat the dragon in the castle.
  6. Include Conditions and Loops:

    • Conditions: Specific requirements that must be met for something to happen.
    • Loops: Repeated actions or events until a condition is met.

    Example:

    • Condition: The player needs the key from the village to enter the castle.
    • Loop: If the player fails the dragon battle, they return to the start of the castle level to try again.
  7. Review and Refine:

    • Look over your flow chart to ensure it covers all parts of your game and makes sense.
    • Make improvements for clarity and completeness.

    Example:

    • Review: Check if all levels, decisions, and interactions are included.
    • Refine: Add any missing details or correct any mistakes.
  8. Add Details and Annotations:

    • Add notes or labels to explain parts of your flow chart.
    • Use different shapes or colors to make the chart easy to understand.

    Example:

    • Annotations: Add a note saying "Solve the riddle to get the magic sword."
    • Colors: Use blue for levels, red for decision points, and green for interactions.

Example of a Simple Flow Chart

Here's a simplified flow chart for an adventure game:

  1. Start Screen

    • Start Game
    • Load Game
    • Settings
  2. Level 1: The Forest

    • Event: Find a Map
    • Decision Point: Follow Path or Explore Cave
      • Path: Leads to Village
      • Cave: Leads to Goblin Battle
  3. Level 2: The Village

    • Event: Meet the Elder
    • Interaction: Solve Riddle to Get Magic Sword
    • Event: Receive Key to Castle
  4. Level 3: The Castle

    • Condition: Use Key to Enter
    • Boss Fight: Dragon Battle
      • If Win: Rescue Princess
      • If Lose: Retry Castle Level
  5. End Game

    • Rescue Princess: Victory Screen
    • Exit Game

Tools for Creating Flow Charts

  1. Lucidchart: Easy to use online tool with templates.
  2. Microsoft Visio: Professional tool, part of Microsoft Office.
  3. Draw.io (diagrams.net): Free, web-based, with offline options.
  4. Miro: Collaborative online whiteboard.
  5. Creately: Visual collaboration tool with flow chart support.
  6. Coggle: Simple mind mapping and flow chart tool.
  7. ConceptDraw DIAGRAM: Professional diagramming tool.
  8. InVision: Prototyping and flow charting tool for UI/UX.

By following these steps and using these tools, you can create a clear and detailed flow chart to help guide the development of your game.

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