How do we think about new games?

DuesDues Member Posts: 1,159
I'm sitting with my pen and paper writing and drawing, and asked my wife what she thought about an idea. In this case it was just a game where the actor should get higher and higher in portrait mode, and she said "isn't that to much like doodle jump?" That got me to think how we (or people in general) think about new games. Is a game where you jump up and up with your character always be "a doodle jump game" even though its a whole different game? Or are all games compared with big hits like Angry Bird, Doodle Jump and Tiny wings? Would be interesting to hear your thoughts about this.

Comments

  • DeadlySeriousMediaDeadlySeriousMedia ArizonaMember Posts: 838
    Well, I wouldn't call Doodle Jump or Angry Birds "new" games by any stretch, but they are new to mass market and casual players. If you want to follow their model find a great game you loved playing at the climax of flash gamedom and borrow the mechanics. However, what really makes a great game is everything about it.

    A great game is it's theme, mechanics, and feel. It's hard to really say what those things should be because they vary.

    What helps me think of new games is positive energy coupled with sheer boredom. It's like being a kid when there is nothing on TV I guess.

    One of my favorite games of all time is laying on the floor and throwing a ball at the ceiling to see how close I can get without touching it. It's simple but it's oddly satisfying. It's not too challenging, it's so easy that anyone who can throw a ball can play, it occupies your brain just enough that it doesn't stress you out when you fail and isn't so easy you just walk away after a couple tries. That's really the kind of premise a lot of these big games employ, IMO, but capturing it in a game with an appealing theme is very very tricky.

    In short, i dunno, some stuff and some other stuff. :P
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