I’m in a little bit of a predicament right now, deciding between finishing my survival game, or creating an open world game. I’m almost finished with the full survival mode, but if I go to creating an open world game, I will probably use most of the same assets from the survival game.
By open world, I mean like Zelda BOTW (a map actually that big).
Which gamemode would do better?
It would be hard for me to make a decision for you on what type of game you can rather work on. The decision I would make here would rely on what kind of game genre fits me more (where in this case I am more of an open-world person). Nonetheless I would still say that the final decision should be based on how you would feel about it since this is your game.
The best advice that I can share is what project are you kind of more passionate about on working. Which project are you feeling more committed to working on? Which project is making you feel more experimenting and would allow you to really dive deep into its production?
I wouldn’t say to overthink this and just rely on more what you are more excited or intrigued to work on and if it would be worth your time. Hope this helps you out.
I mean to be fair nothing was specified in his post if this user was creating a game for the purpose of success, rising through the ranks, gaining recommendations or if this user was creating a game for the sake of a passion project.
I would agree that the advice above is more for a passion project kind of situation and it would also be useful that tenC would clarify what this game he/she is making would want to achieve (Passion Project or Actual Marketable Game).
I would say 70% passion project 30% marketable game. If I was making a full on marketable game I probably wouldn’t be able to last too long.
It is very important from learning about the process of game development, not just the dev process of it but the entire process towards a game’s production, that as much as you would have to keep that aspect of marketability, sales, all that in mind, why would you want to work on something you aren’t as equally passionate about.
This is just a personal view on the matter but if you have absolutely 0% passion for making something, would you have any knowledge on the field with what you are working on which would allow you to produce a game that would stand out, and maybe catch players attention. It’s a lower chance compared to something you actually do follow, have knowledge and support in that field. Passion gives you a reason to keep learning and to work toward mastery which eventually with the right luck can be turned into profit.
It is fair to have passion and marketability considered as aspects towards creating your game alongside demographics, human-computer interaction, player’s response, enjoyment, and so much more that makes it a complex business. I would personally recommend that yeah do something that you are more willing to work on. You said it yourself, “wouldn’t be able to last too long” if ever you were to make something that you do not give any care in the world for.
You need to have some level of passion for your project or you won’t be able to work on it. That being said, I’d advise going for 50/50 with money and passion for your first project, basically gain the liberty to chase passion projects after you get a successful game running (if you do).