Was talking by email with Dave Gilbert of WadjetEyeGames yesterday about some complaints from players for the length of story-based games like adventures or visual novels. Some would say that for $20 they expected at leat 8-10h of “gameplay”, since most other games you find (especially in portals) offers you that.
As I wrote already a few weeks ago in my “how long is it” post, you can’t really compare such kind of games with other games. Take a look at the Hidden Object Games you see in portals: they offer usually 4-5h of gameplay, but they do that using several tricks:
- first of all, there’s much less text/narration. This isn’t necessarily bad: many people don’t like to read much texts, and that’s why I want also to make some more classic adventure games alongside my actual Visual Novel and Dating Sims. But is much easier to write a story with less dialogues, than come up with a long story rich of plot twists and interesting situations, as you can imagine
- then they’re filled by minigames. Many minigames are mini-puzzles, so it depends also how skilled you are. But should that count towards the gameplay length? If so, the problem then is not the actual story/plot length but the kind of minigames that are in it. Also the risk is of breaking the narration by putting too many minigames, so there will always be someone unhappy
- reusing content. Many games reuse locations, for example the same background, but you have to find different set of objects. That’s ok of course, as a game designer I know perfectly that you often have to find a compromise. But is the player really happy about that? I mean, why stretch the story/gameplay recycling stuff, just to “reach 5h of gameplay”?
I understand the complaint of some people, but you need also to understand the amount of work that’s behind those games. Is much easier to come up with a new “reskin” of time management games or even strategy games (unless you put something different). Many RPG made with RPGMaker XP uses all the same tilesets/sprites! So you need to understand how hard is to make adventures, since you can’t recycle/reuse stuff, but everything needs to be drawn from scratch, a interesting story needs to be written, and so on. There is a reason if mainstream AAA companies left adventure games a few years ago. Now they’re coming back a bit because with 3d content is indeed possible to re-use many assets (a new character can be easily created starting from a old 3d model as base).
I really think that the only solution in this case would be recurring to microtransactions but also some online game. If I was selling my Vera Blanc games for $9.99 I probably would sell more copies but would almost for sure make less money overall (believe me I tried so many times to lower prices but I simply couldn’t survive with the revenues).
So I was thinking that a webgame made like an adventure, at a very accessible price (price based on game length) should make everyone happy and at same time being online could get more viral and known, so get more exposure (needed because if I set such low pricetag I need to shift much more copies).
Though I’m sure there still would be someone who complains about price 😀
The type of game that I can think of that is actually quite popular to is that called Dragon Fable. It’s a single player RPG web-based game that is actually a lot of fun. You can even have pets and companions and such. (Just wish you could romance them XD) I was actually going to pay for it as well to get the premium services although it’s kinda confusing and frustrating when they just throw you into the world and don’t give you a guideline. I’m all for sandbox mind you but not when I go into an area I’m not supposed to and get killed and lose xp/money and such. Another game is the Dragon Age Journey’s flash game. That is another good game which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Erm but back anyway, I think a nice combination is what you are doing with Planet Stronghold. The RPG essences lengthens the game and the multiple paths add to the length of the game. Mini-games are a kinda iffy subject as you said because some games tend to make the person feel dumb or frustrated. Re-using area’s isn’t bad per-say as long as you have a story to go along with it. For example a side quest where you have to gather materials in that area again or even you escape from the castle/area and then later on have to go back in.
But your right in one area, there will always be someone unsatisfied about something. ^^;
I just hope RPG fans will like PS anyway even if doesn’t have tilemap. I personally as player don’t like tilemaps at all! Is easy to make a long JRPG, just draw a huge tilemap to explore and you can waste hours on it 😀 But as a player I don’t like that system, I prefer Dragon Age map system with fixed locations to visit.
Tilemaps aren’t all that bad. I find the 2D sprites rather adorable sometimes and can be pretty nice if done right. I think though that’s where people are getting spoiled on. There’s a lot of tilemap type rpgs out that you can spend a decent length on and when ppl hear rpg they think it will be that type.
I’m easy going and I like them all to be honest. XD I loved Dragon Age, Mass Effect and a lot of JRPGs and even numerous others. I must admit though random encounters have become rather annoying but I live with it. Dragon Age/ME spoiled me. XD Another thing that has become rather annoying is grinding. >.< I don't mind it sometimes if it's just a few levels but when you have to get like 10 levels and the monsters don't give you much XP or their very difficult battles then I tend to just stop the game, even if I tend to like that game I just don't want all that hastle.
Also about your question on twitter, about webcomic or webgame. Same example as last time, Dragon Fable and the Dragon Age Journey's or something of the like would be a nice webgame. (I don't have twitter but I still read it ._.) Although it depends on what game you want to do it as or what your planning to promote with it.
Well for now abandoned a bit the webgame/webcomic. Since I have 2 otome games, 2 RPGs and spirited heart sequel in the works I don’t want to add another project too right now! 😀