Comments on: Striking the Right Balance http://www.anotherearlymorning.com/2009/04/striking-the-right-balance/ Game development, design, and discussion Mon, 16 Aug 2010 08:13:09 +0000 hourly 1 By: aschearer http://www.anotherearlymorning.com/2009/04/striking-the-right-balance/comment-page-1/#comment-153 aschearer Thu, 16 Apr 2009 19:14:51 +0000 http://www.anotherearlymorning.com/?p=523#comment-153 <p>Hey Ceric thanks for taking the time to share your insights! I think you're spot on, networking is an essential component to success. As you say it plays an important role in finding people who are willing to thoroughly test your game and give feedback. It's also useful when it comes time to release your game -- hopefully your network can be tapped to spread the word about its release. As for adding gameplay mechanics in stages I agree completely. I think you hit the nail on the head as to why, too.</p> Hey Ceric thanks for taking the time to share your insights! I think you’re spot on, networking is an essential component to success. As you say it plays an important role in finding people who are willing to thoroughly test your game and give feedback. It’s also useful when it comes time to release your game — hopefully your network can be tapped to spread the word about its release. As for adding gameplay mechanics in stages I agree completely. I think you hit the nail on the head as to why, too.

]]> By: Ceric http://www.anotherearlymorning.com/2009/04/striking-the-right-balance/comment-page-1/#comment-152 Ceric Thu, 16 Apr 2009 19:09:41 +0000 http://www.anotherearlymorning.com/?p=523#comment-152 <p>Hi, just started reading your blog a few weeks ago. I think the poster above was right about testing, you just need to get a good group of testers together that you can rotate through.</p> <p>I think one mistake that many game designers make, and people in general, is not networking. To be successful, you must have not only a network of people who are interested in your game, but at least a few who are willing to download a demo and test it for you. Heck, get family involved. If they can understand it, you often can tell if you've got a game that would appeal to casual gamers out there.</p> <p>You could even offer free versions of your game to testers, or some other kind of incentive. Starbucks gift cards, etc. Building that group of testers is hard, but without it you can easily miss flaws in your game that can sink it.</p> <p>Also, I think adding a single new, significant gameplay mechanism/characteristic in stages, for example in successive levels, is the way to go. That way, "hardcore" gamers begin to quickly see that there is strategic depth to your game but casual players won't be overwhelmed.</p> Hi, just started reading your blog a few weeks ago. I think the poster above was right about testing, you just need to get a good group of testers together that you can rotate through.

I think one mistake that many game designers make, and people in general, is not networking. To be successful, you must have not only a network of people who are interested in your game, but at least a few who are willing to download a demo and test it for you. Heck, get family involved. If they can understand it, you often can tell if you’ve got a game that would appeal to casual gamers out there.

You could even offer free versions of your game to testers, or some other kind of incentive. Starbucks gift cards, etc. Building that group of testers is hard, but without it you can easily miss flaws in your game that can sink it.

Also, I think adding a single new, significant gameplay mechanism/characteristic in stages, for example in successive levels, is the way to go. That way, “hardcore” gamers begin to quickly see that there is strategic depth to your game but casual players won’t be overwhelmed.

]]> By: aschearer http://www.anotherearlymorning.com/2009/04/striking-the-right-balance/comment-page-1/#comment-136 aschearer Wed, 08 Apr 2009 08:08:34 +0000 http://www.anotherearlymorning.com/?p=523#comment-136 <p>You're right, but at the same time there are a few problems with testing by itself:</p> <ol> <li>Just as for the developer the tester will eventually become too skilled at the game and thus not representative</li> <li>If you don't have some sort of place to gauge success/failure how will you know whether your testing was a success?</li> <li>A tester is a second set of eyes, which is good, but really you'd need a lot of testers to reliably iron out all of these issues; sadly it's hard to find a lot of testers :-)</li> </ol> <p>All of this points to the need for some sort of common approach to weasel out problems for the game. Some type of common language akin to a pattern language might be a good first step.</p> You’re right, but at the same time there are a few problems with testing by itself:

  1. Just as for the developer the tester will eventually become too skilled at the game and thus not representative
  2. If you don’t have some sort of place to gauge success/failure how will you know whether your testing was a success?
  3. A tester is a second set of eyes, which is good, but really you’d need a lot of testers to reliably iron out all of these issues; sadly it’s hard to find a lot of testers :-)

All of this points to the need for some sort of common approach to weasel out problems for the game. Some type of common language akin to a pattern language might be a good first step.

]]> By: Gornova http://www.anotherearlymorning.com/2009/04/striking-the-right-balance/comment-page-1/#comment-135 Gornova Wed, 08 Apr 2009 07:41:38 +0000 http://www.anotherearlymorning.com/?p=523#comment-135 <p>testing :D seriusly, let test to someone else your game and hear they suggestions :D it's the only hope!</p> testing :D seriusly, let test to someone else your game and hear they suggestions :D it’s the only hope!

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