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Game Design

Chapter 3: Basic Game Flow - The Elements
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It is important to have some sort of framework in mind when trying to develop a game. As a game designer, there is more to it than just the game's mechanics. A proper flow in the game is required.
 
This write up introduces to a basic game flow or structure of a game that may be considered. Throughout this write up, we will also explore how we can use a common tool, such as Microsoft Excel to create a simple prototype using some basic knowledge in Visual Basic scripting. 
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Another aspect of why I like using the Visual Basic Editor is that it allows you to see an overall picture of what you are developing with the UserForm function. As you saw previously, the template of the form is shown to you before it is being run or "compiled" as I like to call it even though it may not be a right term as the Visual Basic Editor is in essence, not a actual game engine.
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We will now begin to add the necessary interactive elements into the various "screens" to better the prototype. Ensure you have the Toolbox option opened. This should have been opened by default when you created the UserForm from the previous part.
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Adding the Elements
The Main Menu
  • Title of the game​ in text (Label)
  • "Start" button (Button)
  • "Options" button (Button)
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On the Toolbox  > Label  > Expand the label box as large as you want and note these settings in the Properties  with the label selected
Again on the Toolbox  > CommandButton > Expand the button as large as you want and note these settings in the Properties  with the button selected and adjust accordingly to how you wish
GameFlow_SetUp_4.png
And with that we have completed our prototype "Main Menu Screen". Using the above steps as a reference, we will now proceed to add the other elements of the other "screens", bearing in mind flow we have planned out when transiting between these "screens" In the end, we will end up with something like this.
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The Game
  • Game​ in text (Label)
  • "Options" button (Button)
  • "Exit" button (Button)
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The Options Menu
  • Options in text (Label)
  • "Back" button (Button)
With the basic design and layout of the "screens" more or less completed, with the right names given. We can now proceed to do a little big of scripting to replicate the flow of our prototype. This is the fun part as you begin to see the prototype taking more of an interactive edge now.
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