A guide to making a decent game

[Lethn]

Thought I'd try and make something original and creative in order to get some ranting off my chest, feel free to add anything you think I've left out:

Step 1: Don't create your game under a publisher

Step 2: Don't create CD protection that causes more problems for the legitimate user than the pirates your trying to stop

Step 3: Don't bitch about hardware requirements or possibilities until you actually try to MAKE the feature you want to implement

Step 4: Create a storyline that's not a rip off of a popular franchise or completely predictable and boring

Step 5: Do the above again except add some different ending options beyond good ending and bad ending

Step 6: For fuck's sake don't make the game repetitive it's annoying

Step 7: For fuck's sake don't make the game repetitive it's annoying

Step 8: For fuck's sake don't make the game repetitive it's annoying

Step 9: Respect your damn player base and listen to them but tell them to shut the fuck up if they whine about a change or fix that might actually be good for the game

Step 10: Never use the 'grind' or 'level' word in the design process

Step 11: Combat can't be predicted through over simplified stats

Step 12: Don't kill off the global multiplayer server of a popular game just because it's old

[Xinnro]

Great Guide!!!

You must be an awesome developer. Could you direct me to some of the games you created with this wisdom?

I'd love to play them.

[Lethn]

Shame >_> I'm still working on a portfolio to actually get IN the industry right now lol.

This was an attempt at humour and irony by the way.

[Killuminati]

Great Guide!!!

You must be an awesome developer. Could you direct me to some of the games you created with this wisdom?

I'd love to play them.

I think he's starting his resume give him a break.

[Ungraylessness]

Step 13: Never take a feature out of the game because it could be used to annoy other players. (Bungie)

I'm of course referring to the warthog's horn that will only blair for ten seconds before it breaks. What the fuck bungie? I should be able to honk as long as I want to fucking honk. ~ Edit

[Xinnro]

Shame >_> I'm still working on a portfolio to actually get IN the industry right now lol.

I'm just being a jackass :) You actually have a lot of valid points.

I look forward to playing your future games.

[Greyfang]

Step 14: You cannot design a game that everyone will enjoy. You can, however, design a game that almost everyone will hate.

[korosec]

step 15: all expansions must be free .

[jordanleroux]

Step 16: There must be no expansions

[Bunkah]

Step 17: Monthly rate over 30$.. this will eliminate all kids under 18 who can't afford hardcore games. (no need to get it rated M)

[Tiarilir]

step 15: all expansions must be free .

That's gay. Patches has to be free, but expansions no.

[GlacierFreeze]

Step 9: Respect your damn player base and listen to them but tell them to shut the fuck up if they whine about a change or fix that might actually be good for the game

Tasos did that and he hurt many a vagina with his last update. lol

[Ungraylessness]

Tasos did that and he hurt many a vagina with his last update ever. lol

fixed

[Surface]

Step 17: Monthly rate over 30$.. this will eliminate all kids under 18 who can't afford hardcore games. (no need to get it rated M)

Or it will eliminate anyone who doesn't want to spend $30 a month on a computer game.

[Kietharr]

The processes of designing a single player, multiplayer, and MMO game are totally different. General rules:

1. If you're making a single player game, make the story good. If you're making a Multiplayer game nobody will give two shits about a story, have the intern write it on a napkin. If you're making an MMO you make a story like you make a skyscraper. Start with the main foundation (set your world and its laws of nature/magic/whatever up, establish the setting in general), and build a framework up from that. Said framework will be the main questlines and plots. Your foundation and framework can be heavily drawn from other popular fiction. From there, you will work on the actual interior, which is what will make your game unique. Set up hundreds of subplots and make them interesting, you can borrow ideas from other games but you need as many original subplots as possible. From there, you work on the decor and the facade. Those areas represent how your player will see the story, and the quests, plots, and subplots that lie within. These must be unique for a good story. The facade gives the player a general feeling of how things are going to play out while the interior goes into the tiny details.

2. Don't neglect gameplay. In a single player game, it should be involving, interesting, and fun without being too intricate. Nobody wants to 'master' a single player game to only play against AI. Multiplayer games should have some advanced techniques and a higher level of depth to gameplay without being overly complex. Ideally a ten year old should be able to grasp and become adept at every concept in a standard multiplayer game. In an MMO you can add levels of complexity at higher levels of play, but introduce new concepts and such at a slow and steady pace. If you throw a noob into a game with a billion things to learn right off the bat said noob will not have fun, it will be like going to a class. Start slow with the basics, work towards more esoteric combat concepts. You can reach an almost infinite level of complexity with this model.

3. Decide the tone of the game and stick with it. This is highly important in evoking the feelings of a player. If you're in the middle of a gritty postapocalyptic madmax type scenario and you've got a game loaded with corny humor you're probably not going to evoke anything other than contempt. MMOs can circumvent this though, the games are large enough that it's impossible to establish a singular feeling of said game anyways.

That's all I can be arsed to write for now.

[cataclyzm]

step 22: ensure that there is peen to peen sword fights thruout the entire game esp. at random intervals

[Phalanx]

23. Repeat step 23
24. ???
25. Profit

There, I did it.

[Bawlin]

23. Repeat step 23
24. ???
25. Profit

There, I did it.

Did you?

[Phalanx]

Did you?

Yes, I couldn't resist. :(

[Bunkah]

23. Repeat step 23
24. ???
25. Profit

There, I did it.


that can't work... THE CAKE IS A LIE!!!!!!!!!!!

[PrimalSign]

23. Repeat step 23
24. ???
25. Profit

There, I did it.

Did what? Create an infinite loop?

[heroshade]

26:it must be a complete grind fest with an item mall to ensure maximum profit

[Darq]

there is only one rule

create a game you would enjoy playing
and don't listen to anyone's "ideas"

[GlacierFreeze]

there is only one rule

create a game you would enjoy playing
and don't listen to anyone's "ideas"

This one is the best. Emphasis on "ideas."