Re: Design assistance for space game

From: "under.heaven" <under.heaven@ntlworld.com>

Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 15:28:05 +0000

Carol Mulholland wrote...
> Um, one thing that's a good idea is to do a bit of market research - try
> the best games that are already running. Not to copy their ideas or to
> steal their players, but to give some idea of what to aim for.

Probably good advice, though I must admit I'm in two minds on
that issue.  When designing a new game, it seems to me that there
are two main approaches:

1) Design a game for you and your mates.  Put in the game what
*you* think is a good idea.  If *you* like the game and want to
play it, then there are almost certainly other people who would
like it too.  Maybe the game will take off and go ballistic, and
maybe it won't, but in this case you're designing for the fun of
it, right?

2) Try to create the Next Big Thing that attracts as many players
as possible.  In this case you *must* do market research and get
to know your market as well as possible -- the same as in any
business.  You will either need to do something that nobody else
does, or do the same as other people but do it better in some
way.  (I'm sure you know that already!)  It is worth examining
your motivation for this approach too: it is likely either for
the money or the egoboo.  Either is an acceptable motivation, but
don't expect to get quick (or, indeed, any) success on either
count.

I'd personally advise anyone to create a game that *they* want to
run first and foremost, and maybe fame and fortune will follow
later.  History is replete with games that were created with a
thought for option 2, and which eventually crashed and burned due
to the designer losing interest on finding out that there is a
lot of work for very little return.  (And yes, I count some of my
own past games in that category.)

Sorry to have rambled -- just my 0.02 euro.

Rob

References

Re: Design assistance for space game
agramen7@cs.com (Agramen7)
Mon, 26 Nov 2001 16:20:46 +0000
Re: Design assistance for space game
Carol Mulholland <Carol@flagship-uk.demon.co.uk>
Tue, 27 Nov 2001 09:29:11 +0000
Re: Design assistance for space game
Carol Mulholland <Carol@flagship-uk.demon.co.uk>
Mon, 26 Nov 2001 09:37:42 +0000

Referenced By

Re: Design assistance for space game
agramen7@cs.com (Agramen7)
Mon, 26 Nov 2001 16:20:46 +0000
Re: Design assistance for space game
Carol Mulholland <Carol@flagship-uk.demon.co.uk>
Tue, 27 Nov 2001 09:29:11 +0000
Re: Design assistance for space game
Carol Mulholland <Carol@flagship-uk.demon.co.uk>
Mon, 26 Nov 2001 09:37:42 +0000