I think one of your jobs as a game designer is to make a lot of hard choices, so the the player doesn't have to, and can focus on having fun.
Also, implementing both, is double the work, and the gain not that clear.
Unfortunately (for those players) very few players enjoy fiddling with endless options.
I've actually tried to play dwarf fortress, and its a pretty horrible experience.
The problem isn't really that its complex and has a lot of choices.
The problem is that you get absolutely no help from the game in navigating those choices.
Dwarf fortress could be a great game and reach a big audience if they cleaned up the experience.
Don't confuse "easy to understand" with "simple".
It doesn't have to be reduced to the one "win" button, a game can both have a depth, and be easy to understand.
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#6Olof Hedman
Posted 09 January 2012 - 12:47 PM
I think your job as a game designer is to make a lot of hard choices, so the the player doesn't have to, and can focus on having fun.
Also, implementing both, is double the work, and the gain not that clear.
Unfortunately (for those players) very few players enjoy fiddling with endless options.
I've actually tried to play dwarf fortress, and its a pretty horrible experience.
The problem isn't really that its complex and has a lot of choices.
The problem is that you get absolutely no help from the game in navigating those choices.
Dwarf fortress could be a great game and reach a big audience if they cleaned up the experience.
Don't confuse "easy to understand" with "simple".
It doesn't have to be reduced to the one "win" button, a game can both have a depth, and be easy to understand.
Also, implementing both, is double the work, and the gain not that clear.
Unfortunately (for those players) very few players enjoy fiddling with endless options.
I've actually tried to play dwarf fortress, and its a pretty horrible experience.
The problem isn't really that its complex and has a lot of choices.
The problem is that you get absolutely no help from the game in navigating those choices.
Dwarf fortress could be a great game and reach a big audience if they cleaned up the experience.
Don't confuse "easy to understand" with "simple".
It doesn't have to be reduced to the one "win" button, a game can both have a depth, and be easy to understand.
#5Olof Hedman
Posted 09 January 2012 - 08:39 AM
I think your job as a game designer is to make a lot of hard choices, so the the player doesn't have to, and can focus on having fun.
Also, implementing both, is double the work, and the gain not that clear.
Unfortunately (for those players) very few players enjoy fiddling with endless options.
I've actually tried to play dwarf fortress, and its a pretty horrible experience.
The problem isn't really that its complex and has a lot of choices.
The problem is that you get absolutely no help from the game in navigating those choices.
Dwarf fortress could be a great game and reach a big audience if they cleaned up the experience.
Don't confuse "easy to understand" with "simple".
It doesn't have to be reduced to the one "win" button, a game can both have a depth, and be easy to understand.
I think terraria is doing a good job on being both complex and easy to pick up and play, and finding out about all the options is just pure fun and part of the game experience.
Not perfect though, I could probably come up with a better example, but I've played a lot of terraria the last few days
Also, implementing both, is double the work, and the gain not that clear.
Unfortunately (for those players) very few players enjoy fiddling with endless options.
I've actually tried to play dwarf fortress, and its a pretty horrible experience.
The problem isn't really that its complex and has a lot of choices.
The problem is that you get absolutely no help from the game in navigating those choices.
Dwarf fortress could be a great game and reach a big audience if they cleaned up the experience.
Don't confuse "easy to understand" with "simple".
It doesn't have to be reduced to the one "win" button, a game can both have a depth, and be easy to understand.
I think terraria is doing a good job on being both complex and easy to pick up and play, and finding out about all the options is just pure fun and part of the game experience.
Not perfect though, I could probably come up with a better example, but I've played a lot of terraria the last few days
#4Olof Hedman
Posted 09 January 2012 - 08:38 AM
I think your job as a game designer is to make a lot of hard choices, so the the player doesn't have to, and can focus on having fun.
Also, implementing both, is double the work, and the gain not that clear.
Unfortunately (for those players) very few players enjoy fiddling with endless options.
I've actually tried to play dwarf fortress, and its a pretty horrible experience.
The problem isn't really that its complex and has a lot of choices.
The problem is that you get absolutely no help from the game in navigating those choices.
Dwarf fortress could be a great game and reach a big audience if they cleaned up the experience.
Don't confuse "easy to understand" with "simple".
It doesn't have to be reduced to the one "win" button, a game can both have a depth, and be easy to understand.
I think terraria is doing a good job on being both complex and easy to pick up and play, and finding out about all the options is just pure fun and part of the game experience.
Not perfect though, I could probably come up with a better example.
Also, implementing both, is double the work, and the gain not that clear.
Unfortunately (for those players) very few players enjoy fiddling with endless options.
I've actually tried to play dwarf fortress, and its a pretty horrible experience.
The problem isn't really that its complex and has a lot of choices.
The problem is that you get absolutely no help from the game in navigating those choices.
Dwarf fortress could be a great game and reach a big audience if they cleaned up the experience.
Don't confuse "easy to understand" with "simple".
It doesn't have to be reduced to the one "win" button, a game can both have a depth, and be easy to understand.
I think terraria is doing a good job on being both complex and easy to pick up and play, and finding out about all the options is just pure fun and part of the game experience.
Not perfect though, I could probably come up with a better example.
#3Olof Hedman
Posted 09 January 2012 - 08:37 AM
I think your job as a game designer is to make a lot of hard choices, so the the player doesn't have to, and can focus on having fun.
Also, implementing both, is double the work, and the gain not that clear.
Unfortunately (for those players) very few players enjoy fiddling with endless options.
I've actually tried to play dwarf fortress, and its a pretty horrible experience.
The problem isn't really that its complex and has a lot of choices.
The problem is that you get absolutely no help from the game in navigating those choices.
Dwarf fortress could be a great game and reach a big audience if they cleaned up the experience.
Don't confuse "easy to understand" with "simple".
It doesn't have to be reduced to the one "win" button, a game can both have a depth, and be easy to understand.
I think terraria is doing a good job on being both complex and easy to pick up and play, and finding out about all the options is just pure fun and part of the game experience.
Also, implementing both, is double the work, and the gain not that clear.
Unfortunately (for those players) very few players enjoy fiddling with endless options.
I've actually tried to play dwarf fortress, and its a pretty horrible experience.
The problem isn't really that its complex and has a lot of choices.
The problem is that you get absolutely no help from the game in navigating those choices.
Dwarf fortress could be a great game and reach a big audience if they cleaned up the experience.
Don't confuse "easy to understand" with "simple".
It doesn't have to be reduced to the one "win" button, a game can both have a depth, and be easy to understand.
I think terraria is doing a good job on being both complex and easy to pick up and play, and finding out about all the options is just pure fun and part of the game experience.
#2Olof Hedman
Posted 09 January 2012 - 08:36 AM
I think your job as a game designer is to make a lot of hard choices, so the the player doesn't have to, and can focus on having fun.
Also, implementing both, is double the work, and the gain not that clear.
Unfortunately (for those players) very few players enjoy fiddling with endless options.
I've actually tried to play dwarf fortress, and its a pretty horrible experience.
The problem isn't really that its complex and has a lot of choices.
The problem is that you get absolutely no help from the game in navigating those choices.
Dwarf fortress could be a great game and reach a big audience if they cleaned up the experience.
Don't confuse "easy to understand" with "simple".
It doesn't have to be reduced to the one "win" button, a game can both have a depth, and be easy to understand.
I think terraria is doing a decent job on being both complex and easy to pick up and play, and finding out about all the options is just pure fun and part of the game experience.
Also, implementing both, is double the work, and the gain not that clear.
Unfortunately (for those players) very few players enjoy fiddling with endless options.
I've actually tried to play dwarf fortress, and its a pretty horrible experience.
The problem isn't really that its complex and has a lot of choices.
The problem is that you get absolutely no help from the game in navigating those choices.
Dwarf fortress could be a great game and reach a big audience if they cleaned up the experience.
Don't confuse "easy to understand" with "simple".
It doesn't have to be reduced to the one "win" button, a game can both have a depth, and be easy to understand.
I think terraria is doing a decent job on being both complex and easy to pick up and play, and finding out about all the options is just pure fun and part of the game experience.