Ok so, let’s say I have some great, small ideas to add into to a game, and the game isn’t released yet, still a work in progress. Let says the update is more weapons. But I have no ideas for future updates. And no updates means the same old thing. So, should I put an idea into the game, or should I make it an update. If you still don’t understand, let me explain. picture this in your head Your about to release a well made game, everything is satisfactory. You have another idea to add to your game. But then you think of updates, and how you have no idea what to add when you update your game. So, your wondering if you should hold off on adding this idea into the game, and make it a update later on, or just add it right now. You also think that the game might not be good enough and you should add it. So your now confused. I would like to hear what you think!
I think you should make them a update like put some stuff out there and than wait a month and then update, that would get more players and stuff coming and going each month it would be fun seeing monthly updates than just pushing every thing out there and the games has been played out even with the updates they would be slower and you would have new ideas coming each month.
This was something I’ve pondered on in the past. What happens when you run out of ideas for updates, does the game fail or what? Surely eventually you’d run out of ideas of what to add and then you’d be pressured to release something and you’d either release something awful to fill the gap or not release anything and lose either way.
Does this actually happen? The only way I can think of avoiding this is using player feedback, but even that isn’t infinite.
if your past updates and gameplay in general was amazing
would mean that you can’t fail by not releasing updates, otherwise they wouldn’t mean that them games are now “used to be popular”, unless of course the gameplay was pretty mediocre.
Games that don’t do much updates or the updates are bad might fail but they fall over time when making a game and doing updates it’s about what would make your plays happy? Some popular games fail because of there updates.
Like doing small tiny updates might bring new player but not much and it might get boring.
Doing big updates like adding effects or adding new maps are good for the game or removing stuff those are the really things that get people on your game because of how things are changing each time.
It really depends on how you do a lot of things, gameplay, ads, etc. Not the best example, but let’s take prison life! It used to be very popular, even before jailbreak came out the game died out because the game didn’t have many updates, which decreased the amount of players, prison life recently added a few updates, and it did bring the player count up, but not as high as it used to be.
Ok, here is my personal advice which I feel is worth a bit considering ive faced these scenarios before.
Give the main release everything you’ve got, leave nothing out, have a ton of content and features since TRUST ME ON THIS getting a player base is 1000% harder then maintaining a playerbase. Once you have a playerbase sorted and hooked you will find new features and ideas with naturally come to you or your community will be spitting out ideas at you left right and centre.
Player feedback is infinite tho, or if it ends then you know your game is 100% perfect in which case you will already be a billionaire sitting on a yacht sailing around your private island. Young kids minds are amazing and the ideas they procure can be 10x better then your own.
A game is made for it’s players, not it’s developers (as long as it does not impact monetisation too hard) then any idea that is popular among the majority of your playerbase should be added, even if you are against it yourself. a prime example is bubble gum simulator, a game originally based on jumping high which is now just a pet grinding game, why? because players loved collecting rare pets!
I understand this. However, if you’re developing your game, you’ve got to like the game you’re making. If you’re making a game you’re not happy to play, then chances are players may not be happy to play it either. Another problem with not being happy with your game idea is lack of motivation, which can lead to lack of updates and consequently, lead to people not wanting to play your game.
Prison Life was cool, but then Jailbreak was more modern. When Prison Life added updates, it was too late as people had forgotten about the game due to its long inactivity.
That is true, but what is your game is different, it’s original and something you cannot grind, it’s not pay to win, and it hasn’t been made before, what would you do in that scenario?
Yeah that’s what I mean, they had cool updates before, and the game died out even before jail brek was released and a few years later then they put updates.
That’s one of my main rules when making a game, don’t like it, don’t make it.
That’s a big problem I have and that’s something thought might affect a game, you not being interested would make you not want to update.
Honestly if you have a playerbase and you are not awful at monetisation you can just hire someone to work on it, a tactic I have pursued on most projects I work on, you just have to kick the boat off the shore, someone else can row it.
@ScytheSlayin in that scenario quit working on it only joking, however 0 pay to win aspects I would consider risky but anyways. If the game is original you 100% need to focus on getting the playerbase first since that will be hard if its not a hard test strategy for engagement, it also means you wont have much competition meaning player’s desire for updates is less risky to you.
Ah, I understand what you mean, and what’s your saying is true, an original game, never seen before will be hard to get a player base. So in a scenario like this, give everything you got into the game and just hope you come up with update ideas later on?
Give everything you’ve got but be prepared for the first wave of player feedback, you will find when you first release there will be unbalanced features and imperfections which you will need the support of tester feedback to iron out and make the game more enjoyable. So ye maybe I slightly amend my original statement:
try everything you’ve got on the release, Give everything you’ve learnt on update 1, then kick back and go swimming or something. –NOTE: NEVER GO SWIMMING AFTER AN UPDATE, THEY ALWAYS HAVE BUGS MAKE SURE YOU HAVE AT LEAST AN HOUR SPARE TO FIX THEM - only joking, but I would still advice keeping an early eye out for bugs and not releasing an update before you sleep
I would suggest making a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) then release it asap;
This is to prevent wasting time working on something that the players does not want and realize when it’s too late!
Keep the scale small and minimal, cut out all unnecessary features and keep it simple, you only need a core game play loop and that’s it, after when your game is successful then you can add more features, you don’t need to make full a game but you need a playable game.
—
Secondly;
Definitely work on a game you love however make sure that your audience will love it more, because you are making the game for them to play, not to satisfy yourself as a developer. The customer comes first and they are always right!
Unless creating a popular and profitable game isn’t your goal, then don’t.
—
Third;
Don’t worry about ideas there are is an abundance of it, when you worry of the future there is less time to think and act now.
Identify features that are directly linked to gameply (meaning if removed, they’d change the gameplay). These are the ones that are essential and should be implemented before the “release”.
- only joking, but I would still advice keeping an early eye out for bugs and not releasing an update before you sleep