Ben James :: adventures in gaming

I’ve noticed somewhat of a trend when it comes to those casual games (usually Flash, but not always) that get the most popularity and acclaim, and are the most addictive and fun (the latter leading to the former, generally). I hope to use these concepts in my next game, but perhaps they will be useful to others looking for ideas as well.

So here we go.

Simplicity

I think this has to be number one; the simplest concepts are the easiest for players to grasp, and are often the most addictive as there are no complex rules to learn or stories to follow. It’s obvious what you have to do and it’s just a matter of doing it well enough or for long enough to accomplish your goal.

This is not a hard and fast rule, of course, but there should still always be a clear goal and a clear method of achieving it; if the player is confused about what to do they’re just going to stop playing.

Examples: Red, Double Jeu

Competition

I’m not talking about competing simultaneously against other players; games like that are often popular, but are usually more complicated than the average game and therefore only appeal to certain types of gamers. No, I’m talking about the tried and true form of video game competition : high scores.

High scores level the playing field for all players involved, eliminating the variables of network lag, out of game collaboration and griefers. Sure, a badly programmed game may lead to hacks and cheats, and this is not ideal, but it doesn’t necessarily destroy the game: it just shifts the competitive focus away from the gameplay itself and into the meta-game: who can exploit the game to give themselves the highest score. No one has an advantage.

Achievements also fall under this category. Although personal achievements have been around nearly as long as high scores (”I’ve killed the dragon in level 14, have you?”), it’s only been recently that they’ve become recognised within the game itself, and therefore have become a more solid form of competing. The ability to compare with others and list your achievements in your profile or website like trophies means they are tangible, and can be thrown in the face of your opponents.

Both of these go towards making a casual game that will get played over and over.

Examples: Triangles, Kongregate achievements

Progression

Progression within a game can range from the simplest form, such as your high score getting higher and higher as you play, to more complex progression such as levelling up and increased abilities as you survive longer in the game. Incrementally giving the player something to work towards can keep the player interested, and using these rewards to slightly change the flow or balance of the game can keep the player from becoming bored with the base gameplay.

Money based games also take advantage of this: you can unlock new abilities or tools as you gain enough money to afford them. It’s also a metaphor that everybody understands so it doesn’t complicate things as much as other methods might.

Examples: The Last Stand, Tower Defense, Bowmaster Prelude

Powerups

A temporary feeling of power can give the player the boost he needs to keep interested, just as a temporary feeling of helplessness can boost the excitement felt when they survive through it. Having these occur randomly (or at least appear randomly, allowing the player to avoid it if they can) helps to keep the gameplay from becoming stagnant and repetitive; the possibility that the tide could turn based on when and where a powerup appears can be quite powerful.

Examples: Crimsonland

Style

I left this until last because without any of the others, your game won’t be popular no matter how stylish you can be, but implementing your game with style can push you over the top from an interesting diversion to an internet phenomenon. (Lately this has meant including zombies in your game, but hopefully we’re all getting over that)

Of course, if you’ve got a few of the other elements then your game can still be very successful, but sloppy graphics and poor animation can be a killer. If you’re not an artist, either use simple graphics that don’t need a lot of artistic skill to create, or collaborate with somebody who has the necessary skills. (I tend to try for the former option, though I am guilty of trying to create graphics beyond my capabilities)

Examples: Fancy Pants Adventures

Additional Points

These elements aren’t necessary, but they can often help your game become popular:

• Physics
• Blood and Gore
• Ninjas

So those are the main ones. If you include each of these 5 elements (and maybe some of the bonus elements) and launch it into the casual game market, I can almost guarantee you will get a hit. Of course, that’s much easier said than done. My next game will be aiming to do just that, so we’ll see how I go; I will be blogging it every step of the way, so that those who come after me can benefit from my experience.