Ever struggled to pick which game to build? Never fear, the humble Concept Funnel is here! A vetting process to get you your best possible game 🚀
Originally based on practices used by big companies like EA, SuperCell, and Blizzard, the Concept Validation Funnel is a simple framework we’ve honed over 3 years at the Indie Game Academy
The process is simple: ideas go to the top, and one amazing game comes out to the bottom. Let’s talk through the steps!
1️⃣ Define
In the Define step, we reduce the infinite possible games we could make to a box for us to ideate inside of. This actually helps creativity (think Game Jams) and we do so by defining 3-5 high-level objectives for the game and identifying any major constraints we might have.
2️⃣ Ideate
Now that you’ve defined your creative box, it’s time to actually brainstorm! Work together as a team in multiple brainstorming sessions to come up with 20-50 possible concepts that would fit your objectives and constraints. Give this some space and time! 💭
3️⃣ Filter
Once you have 20-50 possible concepts, it’s time to murder the weak ones! Use simple filtering techniques, defined as any process that allows you to quickly eliminate weaker concepts WITHOUT fully prototyping them, to cut your way down to a top 5-10. You can score concepts in important categories, send out surveys, put up fake ads, whatever it takes to get to that top 10!
4️⃣ Prototype
Ahh! The best part! From your top ten list, pick the few you think are truly strongest, and build out representative versions of them. The most accurate way to do this is in-engine, but you can prototype much faster on paper or even just via auditory input and output. The important thing is to prototype at least 2 concepts, and more like 3-5 so that a strong prototype clearly stands out from the rest. ✨
5️⃣ Choose
It’s time to pick! You should already have data from playtesting your prototypes, scoring concepts, and surveying your audience. But you might do some final comparisons. At the Delve Bros, my own little hobby game studio, we actually held a formal debate of our top 3 concepts! Whatever it takes, pick your top game, and get to the building!
6️⃣? Repeat
If none of your games feel like a clear winner, do NOT build them. Games are too risky to commit to a mediocre concept. Return to higher up on the funnel and trickle back down until you are confident you have a winner on your hands. 🧠
And that’s it! An easy-to-follow vetting process to help you and your team choose your next hit game.
What do you think? Would you use this yourself? How do you pick your projects?
Tag somebody who might be interested, and REPOST to spread the love! 💜
