Most game projects fail because of Game Direction mistakes.

The game idea has not been validated, the team doesn’t have a clear goal, and decision-making is based on intuition. Defining a solid Game Direction is the first thing you should do in any game project. You can instantly check if your game idea is worth it and have a clear decision-making tool for the whole Pre-Production.

This week, I’ll show you the 4 common mistakes Game Designers make and how to avoid them.

Underestimating the importance of Game Direction means not caring about your game.

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To craft a solid Game Direction, you want to avoid:

• Ignoring The Game Direction
• Adding Concrete Game Elements
• Keep It Just For The Leads
• Putting The Game Above The Game Direction

Without further ado, let’s jump right in.

#1: Ignoring The Game Direction

Game Design doesn’t start with designing the game.

The first common issue is that people simply ignore Game Direction. So what do they do?

They jump straight to designing the game and implementing things. The problem with this approach is that you’re ahead of yourself with something you don’t know what it is yet.

The process of building a Game Direction has 2 main benefits (among others):

• Evaluating your game idea
• Creating a mental environment for decision-making

These aspects are the foundation of a proper Game Design process for any game.

And keep in mind that rushing the Game Direction is not so different from ignoring it, so make sure to do it the right way.

I get the feeling of wasted time and the urge to get shit done in-engine. But they are the symptoms of a flawed creative process you must fix.

If you only do, you can be good, but if you do while knowing what you’re doing, you can be great.

#2: Adding Concrete Game Elements

Your Game Direction doesn’t talk about your game.

During the Concept Phase, you have no idea what your game actually is. You think you have it in your mind until someone asks you to show it in detail.

At that point, you don’t need to define a specific game, but you need a Game Direction. A Game Direction doesn’t contain any specific game element (no levels, setting, characters, mechanics, etc.) It’s called Game Direction and not “Game Content” or whatever. You don’t want to lock yourself into a specific game at that point. It’s way too early, and it will definitely change. Adding game elements to the Game Direction will cease to be the decision-making tool you need because it will tell you what to do instead of where to go.

You need to define the limits of the environment in which you will design your game to generate a Target Game Experience.

And this is exactly what a Game Direction is about.

#3 Keep It Just For The Leads

Game Direction awareness is the most valuable team asset.

Game Development is not an "assembly-line-like process" where people craft the game without knowing where the whole team is headed. It simply won't work.

So, the Game Direction is not something only the Leads/Directors have to consider. It's a valuable tool for all team members, so everyone needs to be aware of it. This highlights, even more, the concept that "The Game Direction doesn't contain game elements". This way, any team member can contribute to improving the game by adding a personal perspective.

They won't just follow orders; they will have purpose and explore. And for this very reason, the size of the team doesn't matter.

Every game project needs a Game Direction, and every team member needs to be aware of it.

#4 Putting The Game Above The Game Direction

You design the game for a reason, which is not the game itself.

The Game Designer’s goal is not to design the game. It seems odd, but it’s not.

Especially when you consider The 3 Laws of Player Experience. If you, instead, see the game as your final goal, you expose yourself to serious issues. The major one is that you consider your game and Game Direction equally modifiable. However, as we’ve seen, changing the Game Direction is something you should never do.

You risk falling into an endless cycle of change where both game and Game Direction chase each other in a never-ending “adaptation loop”. Instead, acknowledging that you want to design a meaningful experience and craft a game that generates it makes you understand your agency and limits.

Getting started with this awareness makes you focus only on what matters.

How you define your Game Direction influences both where you go and how you get there.

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Key Takeaways:

• Game Design doesn’t start with designing the game.
• Your Game Direction doesn’t talk about your game.
• Game Direction awareness is the most valuable team asset.
• You design the game for a reason, which is not the game itself.