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GameReleaser
02-18-2007, 08:10 PM
I've just completed the "bare bones" framework of my current game - i.e. everything has been completed with the exception of the artwork (for which I currently have stub "programmer's art"). Yup, all 110 levels of it!

However, I'm not sure if I should spend the time on the art to make the game marketworthy, or whether I should discard the entire project. This is why:

(1) I am concerned that the game may not go over well with a casual audience. See the game description at the bottom of this post. What do you think?

(2) I'm not sure what theme I should use for the game, especially if I'm going to target this to a casual audience. I was thinking of making it a card game, but am willing to change. Any other suggestions? Note: the description of the game below uses words such as "card", :"defeat" and "points", etc: these concepts are not set in stone! Given that I haven't made any art yet, I can make them, say - "fairies", "kiss" and "boredom" - if necessary.

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This is what the game plays like:

The player starts every level with 100 points.

In each level, the player faces off against between 1 to 3 different baduns, one of each colour: blue, green or red (i.e. you can't have two or more baduns with the same colour per level).

The goal of the game is to reduce every single Badun's points to 0 - before any one of them can reduce the player's points to 0.

The player starts the game with a selection of "cards". (Players can buy/sell their card collection at the "store" in between levels).

Each card has a sequence of 4 "actions".

Every turn, all the player can do is choose one of her cards. The selected card shall then perform the current action in its sequence.

Each card can only be played a maximum of 4 times per level (i.e. one for each action in its sequence). Once all 4 of a card's actions have been used, the card cannot be used again in that level. (It can however, be used in the next level).

Each "badun" then selects one of their own, internal actions (different baduns have different actions - but most reduce some portion of the player's points). This goes on until either the player's or the baduns' points have run to 0.

That's it!

What makes this game fun? Well, the AI of the baduns and the player's card selection & strategy.

There are different types of cards. Some "attack" only a certain colour of badun (e.g. green only). Most have penalties: e.g. a certain card takes off a full 100 points from the green badun on its fourth action: however it takes off 50 points from the player in its first action!), some cards give the player more points, some cards make certain colour baduns lose turns, etc.

Maupin
02-18-2007, 08:35 PM
Complete it.

Unless you've finished 3 or 4 games already, the experience is worth it.

I don't know if it would make a good card game or not, but it sounds like it has possibilities. It could do well with the right art and presentation.

mrkwang
02-18-2007, 08:54 PM
I think you could learn lots of things, with complete of your game.

As hiring (or sharing) Art Service which you can't do by yourself, asking other people what to do, promoting after complete, ... etc.

And there might be some good Artist, who could assist you, just you support them exact thing. Money or Something else.

mrkwang
02-18-2007, 09:08 PM
And you could make Card Game, without player knowing that it's Card.

[Stomping Ground] could be good example. It's done by Mind Control, who made [Oasis].

http://www.mind-control.com/gameDetail.php?gameID=05

Rainer Deyke
02-18-2007, 09:12 PM
Ditch it. In fact, never work on another game again. If you need a monetary reward for finishing your game, then you're just wasting your time.

Agent 4125
02-18-2007, 11:14 PM
Well, if you abandon it, you'd have to change your username.

ZeHa
02-19-2007, 12:03 AM
@ Agent 4125: :D

electronicStar
02-19-2007, 01:24 AM
Sounds like a classic case of procrastination and/or failure.
You should find a way to complete it but maybe restrict the art requirements so that the task doesn't appear too enormous to be completed, and then finish it.

JoKa
02-19-2007, 03:16 AM
Complete it.

Don't care too much about gfx, make it playable. Post it here to get feedback once it is balanced and bug-free. It is most important to really finish a game, you need this experience for your next creations. It will be the first step into the business side. You can't start early enough, learning about marketing and selling.

Once the game is finished there are 2 possibilities:
- the game is great fun even without cool gfx, then you should think of enhancing the gfx
- most people don't like it, but you have gained most valuable experience for your next games and also earned respect for getting something finished ;)

Btw, every game of good quality will sell. Even if it's not suited for the masses or publishers/distributors, you'll find at least some people who are willing to pay. With every new game, you'll attract even more players and get more visitors on your website, increasing the chance to sell your older games, too.

TeeGee
02-19-2007, 04:28 AM
Complete it!

I mean, even not thinking about all the logical arguments here, do you really want to ditch something that you had worked on for so much time?

And guys here are right - even if you don't get too much profit, you'll gain experience.

And experience = profit ;).

jefferytitan
02-19-2007, 01:48 PM
Completion is very important. Go for it. However to reduce time/costs maybe it would be best to complete 10 levels, say, and see what people think.

Bmc
02-19-2007, 05:51 PM
The worst thing you could do is not complete it.

robleong
02-19-2007, 06:17 PM
I vote for completing it too. I agree that a finished game will give you a lot of opportunity to learn about the game business, how to market and sell, etc.

If the game really doesn't sell well, you could always consider making it freeware later, and using it to increase the traffic to your website, or use it to advertise other forthcoming games that will sell.

ZeHa
02-19-2007, 09:46 PM
In some games, the "real" fun (or addiction) doesn't have to come from the gameplay itself, sometimes it's just the cool theme, animations, or music that makes you want to play it. Even a "cool way" of controlling the game might be the thing that offers the most fun.

So don't worry too much about your gameplay idea - finish it, and you will see if people like it. If not, you can always improve some things and publish an update. Improvements can be made everywhere, not only graphics and music of course - you can also alter the gameplay. If it's too hard, try to offer three difficulty stages. If it's too boring, add some little twists that surprise the player. If the controls are messy, try to overthink it and make it feel more natural.

There are enough people in here that will try to help you improve the game as soon as there is a playable demo. So finish at least that ;)

mrkwang
02-20-2007, 02:30 AM
Well. I assume he never came back, just dropped some of his sentences.

Not sure he really wants to make game or not, anyway it's not very good to see 'Asked & Never came back for getting Answer'.

Anthony Flack
02-20-2007, 02:32 AM
Is the game good, rubbish, or so-so? Not in the mind of some hypothetical, imaginary customer, but what do you really think?

Jamie W
02-20-2007, 04:10 AM
One benefit of completing your project, is that it sets a president for you, you're reinforcing the habit of completing something that you've started, which is a good habit to have.

GameReleaser
02-20-2007, 12:14 PM
First of all, thanks for the helpful (and humorous) responses.

Is the game good, rubbish, or so-so? Not in the mind of some hypothetical, imaginary customer, but what do you really think?

I personally think it's so-so. I began the game feeling it would be a hit, but after completing the code and playing it several times I began to think otherwise: I just didn't really enjoy all the levels as much as I thought I would.


I downloaded the game "Stomping Gounds" (thanks Mr.Kwang) and it is the same genre of my game, even though the gameplay is quite different. Two things I have learnt from Stomping Grounds is: (1) cute animations can really add a lot of punch to the presentation, and (2) using "health bars" instead of numbers can make it more casual friendly. Can someone please tell me how well "Stomping Ground" did financially?


I don't know if it would make a good card game or not, but it sounds like it has possibilities. It could do well with the right art and presentation.

What would you suggest for the right theme? I'm open to all suggestions.

Grey Alien
02-20-2007, 02:51 PM
I ditched my first game and made some smaller easier finished projected, then some bigger ones.