CC's Game Tutorials #1 - Creative Ideas

Sometimes, games crash and burn before they've even started. There's one major reason for this - they’re boring. It's all been done before.

For a successful game, you need an original idea. You need something different from the generic 'click-and-move' RPG. The simple reason being that it's become boring. There are already extremely successful click-and-move games, and the only ones which are successful are the ones which come up with their own ideas.

On top of the type of game, there's also the plot and the characters. Games have got to be something which are interesting to play. So many games have promised to be the next big thing, and have failed to keep that promise. The only games which have got online are usually no more than a chat. They're boring. You need to have things which the player can do. Things like mini-games, news, and sometimes a plot (although plots don't work so well on multiplayer games).

I've decided to make a simple guide on how to come up with a creative idea for a game.

1 - Pick a plot

Choose who you play, who the other characters are, where they are. Choose what they do, and why they do it.

If you have the ability (and not just think you do, but actually do), you can jump into the deep end with a multiplayer game. Although far less likely to be successful, and far more effort needed, multiplayer games give other people the chance to play together, which can make games more engaging.

With single player games, however, you can create a plot. Plots can make games better, by giving the character a purpose.

2 - Make sure that you know what you’re doing

Don’t decide to put functions into games if you can’t program them. You’ve got to make sure that what you decide to do is possible - so many games have failed due to their programmers trying to be better than they are.

3 - Don’t just copy other people

If you’re doing something purely because you wanted to copy someone, don’t. If you don’t even want to put the effort in to make something original, you lack passion. If you lack passion, the game is never going to be successful.

So, I hope that, after reading this post, there’s one main thing that you’ve learned. Be original. That is the #1 advice I can give, because it makes your game different - it makes your game special.

4 - Choose a target audience

There's no point making a game based around pornography and advertising it on childrens websites. Remember the importance of target audiences. Decide which age groups, gender etc. you're looking for. For example, Club Penguin is for children (4-14). RuneScape is for teenagers (13-19). Second Life is for adults (18+)

You have to think about who you want to target, then decide where you want to advertise based on that and how you want to do it.

Thanks for reading!
Thanks to Donkey for point #4!

Guide #2 (on hiring) will be released shortly!

4 - Choose a target audience

There's no point making a game based around pornography and advertising it on childrens websites. Remember the importance of target audiences. Decide which age groups, gender etc. you're looking for. For example, Club Penguin is for children (4-14). RuneScape is for teenagers (13-19). Second Life is for adults (18+)

You have to think about who you want to target, then decide where you want to advertise based on that and how you want to do it.

Thanks, Donkey. I've edited the post to include your point. :)

Wurmple wrote:

Nice tutorial CC, it may come in handy to me one day, and will come in handy for a lot of users. ;)

Thanks :)

I have many more ideas for similar tutorials. :)

nice tutorial,my team read it and they said it inspired them.(i printed it)

Who's your team..? :roll:

Anyway, Nice guide, Haha Donkey trust you to write Pornography :P.

That point was funny yet true.

Nice guide CC, It'll help alot of people!

Read my game post xP owned

Devo wrote:

Read my game post xP owned

Keep your terrible game in its own thread, Devo. This thread is meant to help people, not insult them.

Nice tutorial. Looking forward to the next installment :)