How do I even get started?!

The first step for your own prototype should be to sketch out a rough plan for the beginning and end of the game, the story, game mechanics and some basic functions that should be included. A prototype should always be understood as such - it is only a first, rough version. Nothing has to be finalised and adopted. Especially with simple engines like Bitsy, it is relatively unproblematic to start from scratch. It may be worth saving this for complex graphical assets or longer code.

If you don't have any concrete ideas yet, it helps to look at games on itch.io, for example. This gives you a better idea of what is possible with Bitsy and which elements of a story can be presented in which way (playfully, textually, visually...). Brainstorming in groups is also very helpful. By exchanging ideas, you can support each other in bringing a prototype to life or further developing an existing one. Ideally, other people (e.g. with different ideas and skills) can also be found in group scenarios who can help to enrich your own project. 

With a handful of inspiration from itch.io, an outline for your own project and possibly a topic or work assignment, you can get to work. 

A few basic rules should help you to approach the production of a game more effectively:

•Games have to be played! You can't just tell stories through text, sound and visual elements. Try to ask yourself how you can convey certain elements of a story through interactivity.

•Be curious! Ask yourself how the games you play were created. The more you understand engines and the more you create games, the more obvious this train of thought becomes. With Bitsy in particular, it is a good idea to download and view the HTML file where possible.

•Less is more! Especially at the beginning, you should not build too many and too complex games. The complexity can increase as soon as the basics are easy to grasp.

•Be patient! It takes time to really understand how to turn ideas into code, or how to recognise and fix bugs in the game logic.

•Learn as you go! Search for tutorials yourself, or look at other people's game files. Knowing how to search for solutions to problems is just as important as solving the problems.

•Test! Test your game regularly to find bugs. It is even better to have others test your game who are not familiar with its functions or process. External testers often find bugs or problems that you can't see yourself.

•Be aware of the limitations of the respective engine! Bitsy can only do certain things well (especially without hacks etc.) and is not suitable for everything. It's the same with every engine.

•Every engine has its own peculiarities, problems and advantages! Bitsy is more characterised by its ability to create captivating stories within its limitations, even with little graphic complexity.

•See the limitations more as a challenge! "How can I break down the complexity of my idea into the peculiarities of the engine?" Restrictions also encourage creative thinking. Game design and coding are always a solution-orientated, creative activity!

•Dare to use other tools! For example, you can use AI to get inspiration for characters or parts of the story. It is also a good idea to experiment with hacks for Bitsy. This teaches you how to work with programmes in depth and gives you a better understanding of how several tools flow into the creation of a game and work together.

•Game design is iterative! You design a prototype as a basic framework. Then you play, test and improve it and add new aspects. Then you test and adapt again until you end up with a product that feels finished. Or use existing code as the basic framework for a new project.

•Document! Keep track of which functions you have built in and how the story is told. This makes it easier to keep an overview.

 •Copyright! If you use other people's assets, state who they are from and under which licence you are using them.