How to make RNG actually good

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#1

Soo, i thinked about it, and i want to share my knowledge how to make RNG actually good

  1. Gem Analogy
    Gem analogy:

Gem have 5% chances of dropping from rock

Cons:

  • Takes time to get one
  • Rock can simply just not drop our gem
  • This might be annoying way to obtain gem

Pros:

  • It’s very easy to mine in caves without enemies
  • You don’t risk anything

Gem also can be obtained via boss fight

Cons:

  • You need to be prepared
  • Boss is very hard
  • Boss can destroy your items

Pros:

  • It’s quicker
  • You have 100% chance of getting gems
  1. Good RNG mechanics
    Soo, Gem Analogy is great to explain how mechanics should work, see if you plan to add something RNG based, make another alternative way which have differents Pros and Cons but allows players to choose their gameplay style, some may prefer easy but harsh way, when some hard but quick one. I believe i helped you understand how to make your game a little bit better, have a nice day, godbye!
7 Likes
#2

RNG’s can only work if we have actual gameplay going on in them and doesn’t make the game feel so colorful.

3 Likes
#3

RNG varies within games;
Gun spread on an FPS
Drops on a dungeon game
Enemy spawns on a horde shooter

If RNG is frustrating, ej; doing the same quest 7 times for an item, it’s bad RNG

If RNG is inconsequential, ej; an Enemy dropping 7 gold or 12 gold, it’s okay RNG

If it changes the game flow in interesting ways, ej; adding an obstacle the player has to think how to deal with, it’s good RNG

2 Likes
#4

Yes, i agree with you 100%, i wrote this because i was iritated by minecraft fishing was the only way to obtain enchants when obtaining one specific is 1 in 500!!!

Idk if I invented this term, but i made those:

Weak RNG - when RNG can improve or spice up the mechanic but mechanic itself doesn’t depend on it

  • Bonus item drop (7-12 gold like you said)
  • Random attacks
  • Random propertiess of tools
  • Random events
  • Random effects

Strong RNG - when RNG is base of the mechanic, usually it makes it annoying and grindy

  • Random item drop (gem have 1%, rock have 99%)
  • Loot boxes

Strong RNG can be good as an alternative way to make something, rather than best way of doing something

Pets are great examples of Strong RNG which is made in wrong way, they have sometimes absurd chances of 1 in 1800000000, almost impossible to get even if we will place 100 people and ask them to open eggs for few hours, i’m sure only few pets would drop

Althought Strong RNG is bad, you can make Strong RNG interesting, for example let’s say there is Potion of Luck, and you can obtain it only from Potion Master Boss, potion of luck is nice to speed up some aspects of the game, but it’s not required, it’s: “A nice suprise” rather than “I MUST NEED THAT”