Introduction
Gaming has changed a lot since I was a kid. For one, the average age of gamers is now 31. While that’s probably not much older than I am, it does mean that it’s no longer just 14-year-olds playing video games. It also means that there are more people who are serious (or at least semi-serious) about making games, and developers are starting to pay attention to what we want as players and consumers. Yes, to be clear, this blog post is written by someone who occasionally plays video games. But it’s also written by someone who works with game developers as a consultant on user experience design, app development, and product strategy for games and apps. The biggest change in game design over the past few years has been the shift towards player feedback as early in the process as possible (before you’ve spent all your money building something nobody wants). One of my clients is an online gaming developer with a team of designers, programmers and artists working full time on their first big release: a multiplayer racing game called “RaceClub”. They’re currently going through their second round of beta testing before they launch later this year but already have plans for downloadable content down the line based on player feedback from the first beta test.
Get feedback early.
Feedback is important for anyone who creates things. It helps you know if what you’re making is good or bad, and how to make it better. But getting feedback early on in the process can be key to helping you figure out if a game concept has legs.
Getting feedback from the right people at the right time is an art form, but luckily there are plenty of resources available to help you do this effectively—if not easily! For example, [this blog](http://www.thevideogamedungeon.com) provides weekly updates on new games coming out and gives its readers a chance to sound off with their opinions about recent releases (both good and bad). This allows me not only an opportunity for valuable feedback as well as insight into what’s being said about my favorite pastime online by fellow gamers around the world.”
Build the right product for you.
You’ve been told, often, that you need to build a product “for gamers,” but I would argue that’s no longer true. You need to build a product for gamers that also makes business sense.
Your game is not going to succeed by appealing only to existing fans of your studio or its previous titles. You can’t just make something because you think people should be playing it, because then you’re being driven by nothing but your own opinion and not the audience’s desires. There are many games out there for all kinds of people, so why would anyone want yours? To get an answer, you have to ask:
What do gamers want? And how can I provide it in a way that makes sense for me?
Build a community to get feedback.
You don’t have to make your games alone. It’s okay to ask for help, and it’s okay to ask for feedback.
In fact, I highly recommend doing both of those things if you want your game to be a success. You can find gamers who are willing to playtest with you, or even volunteer their time as testers in exchange for free copies of your game (or other goodies).
Try to keep up with technology.
For us, the video game industry’s most important aspect is its ability to innovate. This is a lesson that we’ve learned over time: try to keep up with technology. New releases are constantly coming out and new technology is always being released, so it’s important that you keep up on what’s going on in the world of gaming. If you don’t pay attention, then your product will be outdated and unappealing because of this fact; if you do pay attention and use the newest technology available in order to make your game more innovative and appealing than others currently on the market (or soon-to-be), then people will flock towards buying yours over theirs because they see how much better it is than what they could buy from someone else who isn’t keeping their eyes peeled for new ways of doing things!
Don’t mistake a product for a service.
Don’t mistake a product for a service.
It’s easy to make this mistake, but it can be avoided by the careful planning of your community and how you deliver your product. You can have all kinds of great features in your game and still fail if you don’t create an awesome community around it. Your game should be fun, addictive, and also tell an interesting story that keeps players coming back again and again.
Feedback can help you create better products and make sure they’re what gamers want.
In the gaming industry, feedback is important. It can help you create better products and make sure they’re what gamers want. Feedback can also help you build a community that shares your passion for gaming and gives you something to work towards.
Feedback is important in any industry, but especially so when it comes to video games. Without feedback from players and potential customers, companies won’t know what features are most important to their audience or how those features could be improved upon.
Conclusion
We’ve shared with you what we think are the most important steps to take before creating your new video game.
Vivid Gamer is a contributor at Vivid Gamer. We are committed to providing well-researched, accurate, and valuable content to our readers.
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