Game Design and Prototyping
Turn an idea into an interactive experience with clear mechanics and a considered player journey.
- Game design
- Prototyping
- UI mockups
- Art direction
Overview
This is a design and prototyping service. The work is the thinking a game needs before production: what the player does, why it stays interesting, how a level is shaped, and how it all looks and feels.
The output is documentation and a playable prototype you can test an idea with, not a finished and published game. Full game production is confirmed with our engineering team against your specific requirements before anything is committed.
Problems this solves
- The idea exists but nothing is written down to build or pitch from
- Mechanics have never been tested with a real player
- The art and interface direction is undecided
- There is no scope document to quote production against
Who this service suits
- Studios and founders validating a concept before funding production
- Brands exploring a game or interactive campaign
- Teams that need a design document before hiring developers
- Educational and training products with game-style interaction
Features and deliverables
Design
- Game concept development
- Core mechanics and progression design
- Game design documentation
- Level and scenario outlines
Look and feel
- Art direction and visual references
- UI and HUD mockups
- Motion direction for interface and feedback
- Sound direction and audio references
Validation
- Playable prototypes, where supported and confirmed for the project
- Player flow and onboarding design
- Review sessions against the design goals
Technologies we use
The final stack is chosen per project, based on scope, budget, who will maintain the site and what it needs to connect to. Not every technology listed is used on every project.
Design output
- Game design documentation
- The written specification a development team builds and quotes from.
- UI and HUD mockups
- Screen designs showing what the player sees and controls.
Prototyping
- HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript
- Used for browser-playable prototypes that test a mechanic quickly.
- React.js
- Used where a prototype needs more interface structure than a single page.
How a project runs
The same stages apply to every project. Which of them are included, and how long each takes, is set out in your proposal.
- 01
Requirement Discussion
We go through what you need, who it is for and which features matter most, so the scope is built on your actual priorities.
- 02
Scope and Proposal
You receive a written proposal setting out the deliverables, assumptions, timeline and cost before any work begins.
- 03
UI/UX and Planning
Structure, screens and user journeys are designed and agreed, along with the technical approach for the build.
- 04
Development
The approved scope is built in stages, with the work shared as it progresses rather than only at the end.
- 05
Testing and Quality Assurance
Functionality, responsiveness, performance and content are checked across devices and common browsers.
- 06
Client Review
You review the build against the agreed scope and raise changes, which are handled before deployment.
- 07
Deployment and Handover
The project goes live on your hosting or platform account, with access, credentials and a walkthrough handed over.
- 08
Post-Launch Support
Where support is included in the agreement, the covered period and scope are stated in the proposal.
Timeline
A delivery estimate is given in the written proposal, once the scope is agreed. Estimates are not delivery guarantees: the date moves with the scope and with how quickly reviews and content come back.
What affects the timeline
- The depth of mechanics and the number of levels in scope
- Whether a playable prototype is included
- Art direction rounds and approval turnaround
- How defined the concept is at the start
How pricing works
This service is quoted per project. Tell us what you need and we will come back with a written proposal covering scope, deliverables, timeline and cost.
A project quotation is separate from the monthly care plans, which cover ongoing changes after launch.
Add-ons and what is not included
Optional add-ons
Quoted separately, on top of the agreed scope.
- Additional level or scenario design
- Extended art direction and asset production
- Pitch deck and investor material
- Full game production, subject to engineering confirmation
Third-party costs and exclusions
Paid directly to the provider, or outside the project scope.
- Full game production and publishing, unless separately agreed
- Game engine, store and platform licence fees
- Paid asset, font and audio licences
- GST, where applicable, is charged additionally
Start a project enquiry
Let’s talk about your
Game Design project.
Game Design is already selected below. Send a few details and we will come back with next steps and a written proposal — you don’t need a technical brief to start.
- What you want to build or improve
- The tools or systems you already use
- Your timeline and budget, if known