2013-03-16, 09:53 AM
Some very good points here! I like this thread! :)
Here's some more:
Is your game actually fun to play? When you sit there and have thought out how the game will play, or have actually created it to the level of 'playable'(though graphics and the likes might not be anywhere near ready yet), ask yourself: "Is this fun to play?" Because if it's not, people won't bother playing it. The gameplay is incredibly important, and having a great story or nice graphics won't help much if the player finds the gameplay itself boring. So make sure it's not! Fine tune the parts that don't feel quite right, add in more elements if there's too little to actually do, or subtract if there's too much, and add variation.
Get a second opinion! Or several second opinions, for that matter! Feedback from others is invaluable to making a good game! Have someone play test your game and give you feedback. Have them be honest with you. And don't excuse anything that is being criticized! Instead, consider the input you've gotten, and do some changes to the game based on that.
Some hypothetical examples of feedback:
"It was a bit too much of just jumping around." - You need to make the gameplay more interesting somehow! Add in something that actually makes the player want to "just jump around," or change the gameplay so that that's not all you do!
"Uh, didn't that character go into the burning building earlier and die? How come she's still alive?" - You might want to check certain parts of your story to make sure things are logical and clear to the player.
"That thing looks so out of place in this game!" Consistent art style! Very important! Things that looks completely out of place can break player immersion.
"Yeah, I was looking for secrets on this wall here, and now my character's stuck in it!" Whoops, seems like you've got a bug! Get it fixed!
And when you think the game is finished, have it play tested again! And you'll want to have some new testers as well as the old ones, if possible. And though there will always be something to criticize in any game, your game is not finished if there are many things people criticize, or if several testers point out the same thing. Back to work!
And I just want to reiterate one of the things John wrote: Have realistic goals! You won't make the next WoW, Halo, Mass Effect, Baldur's Gate, etc. the first time around! Start with something nice and easy, like for example a side scroller or a puzzler. (And trust me, these games can also be quite fun to make!)
Here's some more:
Is your game actually fun to play? When you sit there and have thought out how the game will play, or have actually created it to the level of 'playable'(though graphics and the likes might not be anywhere near ready yet), ask yourself: "Is this fun to play?" Because if it's not, people won't bother playing it. The gameplay is incredibly important, and having a great story or nice graphics won't help much if the player finds the gameplay itself boring. So make sure it's not! Fine tune the parts that don't feel quite right, add in more elements if there's too little to actually do, or subtract if there's too much, and add variation.
Get a second opinion! Or several second opinions, for that matter! Feedback from others is invaluable to making a good game! Have someone play test your game and give you feedback. Have them be honest with you. And don't excuse anything that is being criticized! Instead, consider the input you've gotten, and do some changes to the game based on that.
Some hypothetical examples of feedback:
"It was a bit too much of just jumping around." - You need to make the gameplay more interesting somehow! Add in something that actually makes the player want to "just jump around," or change the gameplay so that that's not all you do!
"Uh, didn't that character go into the burning building earlier and die? How come she's still alive?" - You might want to check certain parts of your story to make sure things are logical and clear to the player.
"That thing looks so out of place in this game!" Consistent art style! Very important! Things that looks completely out of place can break player immersion.
"Yeah, I was looking for secrets on this wall here, and now my character's stuck in it!" Whoops, seems like you've got a bug! Get it fixed!
And when you think the game is finished, have it play tested again! And you'll want to have some new testers as well as the old ones, if possible. And though there will always be something to criticize in any game, your game is not finished if there are many things people criticize, or if several testers point out the same thing. Back to work!
And I just want to reiterate one of the things John wrote: Have realistic goals! You won't make the next WoW, Halo, Mass Effect, Baldur's Gate, etc. the first time around! Start with something nice and easy, like for example a side scroller or a puzzler. (And trust me, these games can also be quite fun to make!)