I need a favor to ask of you good people. It's quite simple actually; if you read a 'so-called' complete game tutorial, what would you expect it to include? As in, the information it contained, like how to gather ideas or drawing your own graphics. I anticipate your answers.

-Claudia

<Jens emerges from the darkness of the books he's studying>

It really depends on the idea. In my opinion, it's pointless to create a overall-game-creation tutorial. You should focus on a point and then develop that. I'll be more precise:
you could create a writing / plot / character backgrounds tutorial; then, make a separate one for graphics & drawing; then, maybe, one for the game flow, cutscenes and battles...
and finally, when everything is complete, just mingle them together and come out with a complete tutorial
I'd focus on a main aspect and then expand it.
Work on a first issue, complete it, create the second tutorial and then link them in a new document

Anyway, as regards the main points, I'd suggest:

1. Plot writing techniques;
2. Character Development (psyche and appearance);
3. Game Flow (not too dense, not too loose);
4. Designing the world (how to draw your environment), with a paragraph on the colour/tone choice;
5. Drawing your characters;
6. Finishing touches (refine the plot and the overall game);
7. Game mechanics (battle systems / multiple endings / growth / grinding /levels...)
8. The importance of an editor (you are the game maker, but not the best tester - I always gather the idea of at least another person before making a certain scene. You can call it... creative discussion)

I return to my study on the Instrumentation Amplifier *sigh* I really miss this forum but I have to focus on my degree a bit more...

<Jens disappears again smiling and crying at the same time>

Well Jens, you truly do surprise me when you pop in like that. Me and you are in the same situation, I have to write a research paper, but thankfully it is going to be on a subject and topic of my own choice. And as for the answer to my question, thank you, they've helped more than you know. *DC has a plan up her sleeve, a brilliant one, too*

I wonder....is it a.....Demented plan? Mwaha....mwahaha...mwahahahahahaha!

: Dr evil pose:

Also, if you are writing an overall guide to game making, I would get the opinions of people who are 'experts' in a particular area, people who's opinions you highly respect. You can use them as 'quotes' in the guide. Not only does this lend credibility but it allows you to see things from a perspective you may not have gone with yourself.

Not everyone makes games in the same way, and a guide should really try to help as many people as possible. That's my opinion on it anyways.

Oh, one more question: what maker is this comprehensive guide going to be for? Or is it just general game design?

Well, the plan of the tutorial isn't really Demented alone, but my trying to write a 30,000 word story is. My mommy and daddy always tell me to aim high.

And I can't release too much information on it, but it will be a guide to making games but RPG games specifically. And it really isn't so much a guide as it is a booster, like pushing a person forward it will help with getting over procrastinating. The tutorial will probably be updated as something brilliant can't be done in one night. All I can say is that I appreciate the help I'm getting from the team. Without them I wouldn't be writing this thing since I myself, have succumbed to procrastination before.

These aren't really what I expect, but most of these are things that I find a lot of people might struggle with;
like I wouldn't be sure what I'd do if people hated my game, haha... and I remember I used to be paranoid of variables.

- how to use variables and switches
- how to undo/ fix errors or mistakes
- Guides and tips to making pixel art (ex. rpgmakerVX works by a 32^ pixel grid)

- What to do when you don't know how to do something or need help
- how to market your game
- suggestions on what skills you should focus on for what kind of game
(ex.: Platformer, battle mechanics + art; rpg, story + character development)
- what to do when your game isn't well-received
- how to take criticsm

Thank Rune your input is greatly appreciated. *virtual hug*

Yw. And thank u, Claudia XD \(=D=)/

Meh, another question. What should the chapters in a large tutorial be named, like as in what subjects are the most important to cover?

<from darkness, a rose rises... but that rose has a yellow J printed on it?!>

In my opinion, you should name the chapters after the main point of the tutorials (e.g. "Plot Writing" / "Character Design" / "Drawing basis" / "Game Flow" / "Scripting" etc.), then add sub-sections ("1.1 The world" / "1.2 Creating a setting" / "1.3 Nations and reigns" // "2.1 Appearance" / "2.2 Psyche") something like that...

BTW, if I misunderstood the question just reply

<Jens comes back to his physics issues...>

Jens to the rescue! Thanks for the reply to the topic, you just helped with a few problems. I'll send you the update.