Being Unqiue for Dummies
Might be common sense or just an opinion, here is my thoughts on something that I feel games lack in the indie community.
Game Development has been on a steady uprising especially within the indie community. If you are reading this, you are most likely interested in the creation of a game regardless of your position on a development team. With engines like Unreal, Cry, and even NetGore, most of the preliminary checks, balances and most basic features are added to give you, as the user a good head start towards making a pristine game. One small factor that is overlooked by many developers is the lack of "difference" or being unique. What do I mean when I say "being unique"? Well its simple, what does your project do that none or most others do not? How many games successfully incorporate a decent living simulation like the Sims franchise? To sum it up, not many and that's because the Sims contains such a sophisticated AI with unique traits never before seen in other games. What game do you think Life Simulation fans are going to play?
Lets observe a popular RPG Engine, RPG Maker. I'm sure you have all heard of it. This engine is one of the most popular amongst indie RPG developer groups. RPG Maker has so much room for customization and third party scripting, yet how many games made with this engine actually use these tools to set their project apart from others? I'm pretty sure its safe to say that a large majority of RPG Maker games are very similar in looks, game-play and feel. What these games lack difference and customization.
There are MANY games out on the market nowadays, free or not. So as a consumer, what pulls you into making decisions about what games to play? games that stand out, stand out for a reason and its usually because they offer a feature that is not found in other games. Remember, when I say "feature" it could be anything, amazing graphics, an awesome game-play feature, a great online community, or a combination of few or many.
So while you are in the process of developing a game you must realize how competitive this industry is. In fact, competing in the actually industry is a few steps away from where you probably are as of now. So study/observe your competitors in your fellow community as well as others. There are many different people, all with different tastes in games. You would be surprised to know how many people actually enjoy playing low budget indie games like the ones produced out of communities similar to this one. The easiest way to attract new players and obtaining a fan base is making your game stand out amongst the rest.
Lets pretend you were not on a production team what so ever, you just want to play a free, small indie game. I would go to google and that's where the searching begins (you can try this yourself). Take a look at all of the games out there at this current level. Choose one. I guarantee you that you will be looking for the best looking game amongst the ones that your query resulted you with. That's the game that you need to do better then. What can you do to set your game apart from it? Do not just go and copy everything because some of the features might not be friendly to the kind of game you're developing. Your mainly looking for what games like this do NOT have. That's how you make your attack. That's how you attract people and that's how you give players a "unique experience". If you can successfully do this, then you have made it to the next step.
Thanks for reading,
-Jeff Sventora
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Currently Doing:
-Tinkering with NetGore
-Working on an old game of mine (VB6)
I don't mind cash shops (and don't think really anyone does) as long as it doesn't give much benefit. But the second I see any mention of any item being able to be purchased with real money that gives an advantage over those who don't pay, I won't bother with that game anymore. I don't care if its the sweetest game ever and the item is just a small booster - screw that game.
I completely agree with your statement Shinsetu, however when I said good graphics I didn't necessarily mean that ALONE would be an automatic buy-in. Elder Scrolls IV for example, was a beautiful game when it landed in everyone's hands, but it landed in everyone's hands because of the amazing game-play capabilities. Everything you listed IS a step in the direction I was referring to, I wrote this on a broad spectrum and you did a good job of narrowing down some fine details.
As far as the cash shops, I have to disagree with Spodi on this one lol. I mean really it all comes down to who is willing to buy items from the shop, regardless I think if the game is free with the option to buy premium items there should be no issues. But games like Tibia do a horrible job of opening up to "non-premium" players and I could understand not wanting to play a game that instills jealousy of players that actually pay money (even though I played for 3 years straight x.x, not something I'm proud of).
-Jeff Sventora
______________________________________
Currently Doing:
-Tinkering with NetGore
-Working on an old game of mine (VB6)
Games that have cash shops for premium items isn't so bad when they are obtainable for non-paying players.
I actually like obtaining cash shop items from playershops and such. It makes it more rare.
Games that only allow certain features for paying players is another thing though. Some mmos only allow mounts for paying players and also certain abilities are pay only. One game only allow paying players to craft. It doesn't seem right.
Yeah some developers have an awkward marketing strategy. Some I could never understand, while others I could comprehend and appreciate. One game I really enjoy spending cash on is Rohan. The entire game is free but the Item Mall is awesome. It also has a Exchange Market where you can sell currency, items or even Characters for the same points you use to buy premium items. So really you don't even need money, i think its a flawless system.
-Jeff Sventora
______________________________________
Currently Doing:
-Tinkering with NetGore
-Working on an old game of mine (VB6)
It depends. Sometimes it makes it even worse because you can buy an item for just a little real money, or pay a ton of in-game money. Those who buy those items then end up insanely rich while those who don't pay end up spending all of their in-game money for these items.
I have no problem against cash shops, I just only want to see stuff that serves no actual major benefit (like items that are just for show) or opens up aspects of the game that are not important to the game itself.
Should have been more specific this is exactly what I was referring to.
as for buying cash shop items from player shops might as well just allow buying money in the game with money from RL its the same thing.
All of those things is actually what has caused me the hardship of actually releasing a game... Don't have the right people to work on it not enough time and definitely not enough funding to do the things with it I would like... however I'm hoping to change all of that in a year or so from now. mainly because if all goes according to plan I will have the time and money for it.
@Shinsetsu: A game design document or something written done would be a major step in the right direction, just in case you don't have one.
Boy do I wish I could show you all the design documents I have made for the game I want to make... I have rewritten the story about 25 different times in a course of a month, I rewrote the time periods several times, I am constantly changing my mind of 3d to 2d back to 3d, constantly changing how I want the battle flow to go, whether I want it real time action, a battle system like the final fantasies, or if I want to do something new, I have constantly changed my mind on how I want the leveling system to work, and I have several ideas for features of which I have never seen in any other mmo... only problem is I am indecisive of what I want to do with it.
The things I want to do will take a long time to do... and of course I dont have that time right now... and I wont til I change my current employment status...
Not sure about you, however in my opinion a true gamer doesnt look for a game because of its "graphics", how pretty it is, or mainly all th different feature. I play games for the story, that is what games where originally designed for. Entertainment and to get someones story out to the community. I've always been like this since i first played Final Fantasy 2(US Version).
In my opinion what games lack now is:
1. A good lasting Story(there is no more twists in most games now, you start the game they show you the bad guy, and you kill him the end.)
2. Content, most games you play now you can hit the max level going to about 10 different area
3. Control over their communities. (refering mainly to the amount of spam bots that appear on a game)
4. Events(not auto generated events either, I mean actual hardcore tournament events with an actual prices, fame in a game, a reason to want to become the best)
5. Customization(Every game there is a set build every1 can make that makes them the strongest in the game set items have become a thing of the past because of this.)
6. To many cash shops selling stat boosting items.(What fun is a game when someone else can spend 20 - 40$ and have better gear then you?)
If you want to make a game that is truly worth playing and will have a good community you take care of these things.