[GD-Design] Action game and 'sandboxes'

[Awen L. <ali...@ed...>]

Hello to you all out there,

It's a technician inquiry:

I'm presently working on a platform game, a-la-Jack&Dexter: has any of you
succeeded with quickly prototyping such a kind of concept and game rules,
without waiting for the loud technical artillery ?
I remember a conference where Peter Molyneux explained that he worked on a
very old-almost-2D version of its (Populous ?) engine as a sandbox to build
'Black&White'. The benefits and feasibility is ok for a Rts game. It's more
blurry with action game, where quick interactivity and adrenalin punches
seem to rule.
Anyway, are you (designers) living well with untested unclear unsure arcade
game situations until 'it's done' in the game ('glp. ok, it fells horrible
to play, but i have many other marvelous idea, let's throw this away & let's
do it in another manner' -> hainous glance from technicians) ???
Or do you force yourself to sandbox these marvelous ideas ? And How ?

Thank you for reading me,

Awen