Rybo's Laws Of Gaming

Anyone who has ever made a game, is making a game or wants to make games in the future should read this now!
This is compiled based on my opinion, public polls, expert advice and
factual information.
I will, in future posts, go into each section in more detail with more advice.

How to make a successful game

Everyone wants to be famous, don't deny it. A lot of people seek fame through internet gaming, making their name well known. And now, I'm going to tell you how!

Your name
Before you do anything you need a name, no not John Rowley, a proper company name. Newgrounds is an example; the creator of this site did not call it JackBarlow.com did he? So before you do anything, decide on a catchy name that's easy to remember and easy to spell. For example: Plushy Games is better than InteractiveGamingStudiosSituatiedInLondonSouthEngland LTD

A website
Once you have a few games ready, which you shouldn't have yet because you're only on stage two of this, you should consider your website. Find a good website creator, or use HTML code if you know how. Your website should be .com or .co.uk - do not use .biz, .8k.com or .freewebs.com or similar. It makes you sound unprofessional.

Logo
A logo can be just your company name or you can include a picture. If you do use a logo then remember to make it eye catching, easy to remember and recognisable. Keep it simple!

Right, onto games:
Before you even turn your computer on!The biggest mistake some people make is that they simply go into Flash, Gamemaker or whatever and begin. NO! You should first plan your game, even if your plan is just in your head that's better than nothing. For sprites I'd recommend making rough copies on Paint first so you can get a feel of what they'll look like. Think up original enemies, story and levels.

Keep it original!
No one wants to play 'Super Flash Bros' or 'Flash Sonic'! People want new, original and unique ideas to play. Take 'Purple' for example, a simple game currently on Yoyo Games is a unique platformer that offers a lot of fun from such a simple game. Check it out to see what I mean!
Music and soundWhen I click on a game the worst thing to happen is to hear a crappy, illegally copyrighted song along with some dodgy sound effects from FlashKit. NO PEOPLE. Do all or as many of your own sound effects that you can. Voice acting should be done by you, a friend or relatives to keep it original. And music should be made by you and cool to listen to. I recommend Ejay which allows you to create simple songs easily and use them royalty-free.

The golden rule
The number one thing you must remember at ALL times is this. It is not the game's fault. I'll explain what I mean. Note the difference between the following: Firstly, Mario dies on level 5 because the enemy is too large to pass or impossible to kill without a certain item. Secondly, Mario dies on level 5 because he did not dive away fast enough from the large enemy.The difference is that the first example was the game's fault, if a player dies because something is too hard or a certain factor means too much difficulty it will mean the player is likely to give up, leave and not visit your website again. The second example makes the player determined to play again and beat this boss using his skill not the game's rules.

Which brings us nicely to.....
Interaction. In a game the player should be able to control as much as possible. For example, a simple thing like allowing the player to skip dialogue can ease the gaming stress a lot for a lot of people.This brings us on to cutscenes, cutscenes should not be used unless absolutely necessary. For example, if when approaching a door in a cutscene there is dramatic music this will cause the player to watch in suspense. But if the player controls, hears the music and avoids the door the tension is ruined and the game is potentially deemed rubbish. So keep cutscenes, but to a minimum.

Goals and rewards
This is another point a lot of game maker's lose player interest. Goals. A mission or goal of a game should be challenging so that it provides entertainment but also easy enough to achieve. One example would be having a difficulty setting to allow a variety of players to play.Rewards. When a player completes a mission or goal he should feel as if he has achieved something, not as if he has finished work but more he won at tag. When a game has ended he should be rewarded with something, examples include a fantastic epilogue; a bonus feature to play in game or a high score to post on a board. If a player finishes a game feeling unsatisfied they are likely to leave negative comments about it.

Decisions
All games are full of decisions, some are even so subtle they go un noticed. The more decisions a game has the more fun it is. If a player is set to follow a strict storyline and do everything correctly then it is no longer a game but more an interactive book. The player should be allowed to wander off and make mistakes and change endings. Having multiple endings not only causes more re-plays but also allows the freedom that most gamers enjoy.

Multiplayer
A common mistake in even console games these days is the principal law of "if your better at the game, your bound to win"This should not be true, though it is hard it is possible to make games where a beginner has an even chance against an expert because the creator has laid out easy instructions and allowed each player the same things.

Characters
In a game it is important, like in a film, that the player finds themselves with a strong emotional bond with the character. A great example is in Fable when the player is encouraged to love their virtual pet as if it were real. This provides extra enthusiasm to gameplay and may sound silly but can mean the difference between a simple internet game and multi-award winning internet game!

Story
Just a quick note to remind you that the storyline isn't a massively important factor but without it a game may be left unnoticed. A story can make the player feel part of this virtual reality and really immense them in their surroundings.And lastly,

The right game for the right person
Unfortunately a lot of game developers around seem to think that the best kind of games are ones that all gamers will enjoy. Not true. Each gamer will prefer something different. One example of this are flying games.Someone who knows about planes or perhaps flies a real one will want a realistic simulator where they control all of the plane's features as if it were real. A casual FPS gamer will prefer a flight game where he flies with simply buttons and shoots green aliens.So decide who your game will suit best then focus on that audience.Also - rather than make one game for all gamers, why not make one game for each gamer. Then everyone is happy and you develop a reputation for large variety.

Well that's all for now, I hope this helped all you aspiring Game Developers out there. Until next time, goodbye!