How about 3D Action Fighting game ?

[vinhk]

Hi everyone,

last year, I made a 3D action fighting game for PC (imagine old school "Final Fight" but in 3D :o ), for fun, if you interested how it looks like, here is a simple gameplay trailer :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D__q5QpZ9Fc

I just curious, will this kind of 3D action game OK for PC indie game market ? I realized that, there r only few fighting games like this out there, even none in indie market ( or i missed some ? ), is that mean there is no room for 3D action fighting game ?

or the reason is, PC game player prefered only use mouse + keyboard for playing games, so this kind of game (joystick input is the best) has no market at all :confused:

any comment ? ;)

[bvanevery]

"Indie" is a type of game developer, not a type of market. The markets out there are things like Casual Gamers, Hardcore Gamers, Niche Gamers, PC gamers, or Console gamers. For distribution you've got the retail brick & mortar distribution channel, portal distribution channels, or direct from the developer. As an indie, you can pursue any market you like, using any distribution channel you like. Of course, they all have their pros and cons of expense, target audience reached, and cut taken by middlemen.

I think what you're really asking is, will Casual Gamers play fight games?

I think the answer is, traditional fight games are too tedious and complicated to learn all the buttons. I don't think Casual Gamers have the slightest interest in mastering difficult User Interface problems. That's a Hardcore gamer impulse. But if you could find a way to greatly simplify the UI, perhaps you could do it. Rag Doll Kung Fu (http://ragdollkungfu.com/) is one indie outfit's attempt at that.

I'm tempted to say that a more obvious way to deal with the problem, is to reduce the UI to 2 buttons, "Attack" and "Defend". So if it's that simple, where's the game? Indeed, you're in danger of UI'ing the game right out of existence. But there could still be a challenge if the whole game is about when you hit the Attack or Defend buttons. Making that snazzy, enjoyable, and satisfying is left as an exercise to the budding entrepreneur.

Remember this is the Casual market we're talking about. If the idea of a 2 button interface leaves you totally crestfallen, like, that's, that's, not a real game! then you are chasing the wrong market. The answer in that case is, "No, Casual Gamers won't buy the kind of game you want to make." So you'd better figure out how to sell to the Hardcore gamers via some distribution channel. I don't envy you that problem, the competition amongst Hardcore fight games is fierce.

[vinhk]

thanks for the comment :)

yes, i totally agree with you about the market has different gamers.

What I was interested, assume the UI design is as simple as you said 2 keys/buttons, will good designed 3D action game still accepted by gamers ? ( not only Fighting, others like Platform, Shooters...etc :o )

I just think, players who play casual game are increasing, so maybe there are some place for games that other than 3-match, time-management and click-n-find in the near future. ;)

[bvanevery]

I don't know. I doubt there are enough 2-button games out there to know. Sounds experimental to me. I'm not terribly knowledgeable of all the casual game products out there. You could pretend you're the most voracious casual gamer in the universe and look, look, look at what's out there until you can't stand it anymore. If you can't find it then it isn't out there, for all intents and purposes. Doesn't matter if it exists or not, it matters if customers can find it or not.

Thanks for reminding me of a semi-constructive way to waste my time: pretending to be a voracious casual gamer. :D

[z3lda]

I wouldn't try making the game "casual". It's a brawling game, and I doubt any 30+ female gamers would ever touch this type of game in the first place. There's a niche market out there for sure.

How complete is the game? I would just try and sell it. Possibly port it to XNA and pitch it for XBLA. Then try using the engine to make a 3d aventure game. Where you walk around and have 3d environments.

What I was interested, assume the UI design is as simple as you said 2 keys/buttons, will good designed 3D action game still accepted by gamers ? ( not only Fighting, others like Platform, Shooters...etc )


That's a big leap from matching 3, finding hidden items, to a beat'em'up brawling game.

Platformers has done well with the casual crowd i'm sure. Look at Bud Redhead, and some of the Snowy games.

[bvanevery]

I wouldn't try making the game "casual". It's a brawling game, and I doubt any 30+ female gamers would ever touch this type of game in the first place. There's a niche market out there for sure.

You could do it if you feminized the violence. I agree that my Mom wouldn't be interested in chop sockey stuff, but if you gave her a mallet to whack bunnies eating her garden, I bet she would. Scissors to cut up the man eating weeds. Maybe they'd be into beating up other gals at a clothing store megasale. Even if they weren't into it, it would be funny as hell having a chop sockey of that, with arm locks and knees in the gut and all that, just to get some underwear. Lotsa people would play it.

What isn't going to sell is the traditional hardcore anime inspired "You killed my teacher!" nonsense.

[vinhk]

I wouldn't try making the game "casual". It's a brawling game, and I doubt any 30+ female gamers would ever touch this type of game in the first place. There's a niche market out there for sure.
well, I'm not talking about only 30+ female gamers, you know, there are some players that love to play Gish (or similar games). ;)

for example, the NDS version of Mario Kart, there are many female gamers start to play it (the game really designed for simple-to-play), that makes me think the players are changing their behavior, but very slowly, and they just need a good game to lead them there. :rolleyes:

or maybe just like bvanevery saids, it's "semi-constructive way to waste my time". :p