Designing GEARS OF WAR: Iteration Wins

Speakers: Cliff Bleszinski

Track: Game Design

Format: Lecture

Experience Level: All

Description: Bleszinski begins by outlining core philosophies and rules behind the development of the product.

The first main area to be discussed is the ratio of traditional to fantastic and how it was applied to the creation of the GEARS universe, a place that players found contemporary yet unique at the same time.

The second is the lead driven cabal design process. Bleszinski discusses how the development of the project was filled with a system of checks and balances, leads pushing and pulling to get the best results within a reasonable time.

The third is about how iterative design was applied to features such as the "Allmove" button, cover clarity, and overall pacing. Step by step Bleszinski will provide examples from GEARS OF WAR in which iteration yielded the best possible results.

Idea Takeaway: Developers will learn from the mistakes that Bleszinski and the GEARS team made in order to come to the correct conclusions about fun and game features. This includes learning to use iterative techniques to sort through what design elements work and those that do not. They will have a better understanding about how to craft and leverage a team design cabal while building a compelling universe.

Intended Audience: This course is intended for game designers, producers, and leads. Anyone interested in figuring out how to iterate and make a fun game (while under a tight schedule) should attend.