I came online thinking text games were relatively simple but I am surprised by the complexity of it, namely how far you can programme in health systems and points allocations. I had started something but I am not sure if anyone would be really interested if it was lacking anything super fancy. So as a new user (in fact I created both accounts- here and there- within the hour) I would like to ask you guys what you are looking out for. Would you play a simple text game with a unique storyline (which is what I was basically going for) or would you enjoy something more complex?

Good game criteria:

1. Unique - something different than zombies. No more protagonists that suffer from amnesia. Uniqueness applies to the story but also could refer to game design.

2. Puzzles - thoughtful and meaningful puzzles with difficult but not impossible solutions.

3. Grammar - should go without an explanation. It IS a text adventure after all.

4. Quality and likable main character - this is wrapped up with game environment. I need a connection! This is largely conveyed by the authors writing style.

5. Control - I enjoy feeling like I have control of the situation or life of the character. This is why I feel text adventures are FAR SUPERIOR to CYOAs.

None of my reasons for liking a game have to do with complexity. A "vanilla" game that's straight forward is just as attractive to me (if not more so) than a game with all sorts of bells and whistles.

Creating a game, is literally the most complex thing in existence, as you're literally creating your own entire world/universe!

Demands of Game Making:

1. Authorship: writing ability: story, plot, dialogue, setting/mood, literary themes, history, emotional immersion, intimacy with characters (love them, hate them, laughing yourself to death to them, struggling with them, etc etc etc), etc
2. Programming: coding ability to actually do/create everything that you want in your game and for your game to be able to do
3. Designing: able to design an entire game, what is your game, what are the features of your game, etc etc etc, and a really good, fun, smooth (such as game controls and/or movement for examples), etc game at that
4. Media: music, sound, voice/speaking, art/graphics, animation of art/graphics (Programming+Media), etc etc etc
5. Math: game mechanics, game balance (this also falls under Designing too), 3D world movement and etc physics involved, etc etc etc
6+7. Business+Law: the profit+legal side/part of game making: advertising, marketing, game making, legality, copyrights, etc etc etc
8. etc etc etc stuff I can't think of...

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everyone has different tastes, so it's a matter of how good/well you do what you do. Mozart created great music, Picaso created great art, Bill Gates created a great product, etc etc etc. Whatever type of game you create, it must be a great game of that type of game.

a game must INTEREST the person for them to try playing your game and for them to enjoy playing the game; your game must be "sexy" - it has to catch their eye/mind-brain and keep their eye/mind-brain.

AND, it depends how much work you want to put into it... compared to how much work you're actually able to (end up in) put(ting) into it... be REALISTIC about your ability, time, and duration of motivation/interest !!!

However, in terms of what people are interested in, there are some universal tastes (as we're all human organisms), some of which I discuss are here (all are aspects of RPGs):

(the ultimate two main interests of people playing a game: CUSTOMIZATION AND CONTROL)

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=3877#p25944 (see my post in the link)

also, if you don't already know, read emily short's articles on game making/design:

https://emshort.wordpress.com/ (main page of her site)

her articles:

https://emshort.wordpress.com/how-to-play/reading-if/
https://emshort.wordpress.com/how-to-play/writing-if/
https://emshort.wordpress.com/how-to-play/teaching-if/

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and if you're into art/graphic design:

http://tutsplus.com/authors/joumana-medlej (there's 4 pages to look through, especially look at pages 2-4, which has all the stuff on drawing, and even the science of, human anatomy and their behaviorisms/body languages-expressions, WOW!)

Thanks guys. I guess I'll just go ahead and add some other stuff, see what comes out of it.

Colin Hex wrote:I came online thinking text games were relatively simple but I am surprised by the complexity of it, namely how far you can programme in health systems and points allocations. I had started something but I am not sure if anyone would be really interested if it was lacking anything super fancy. So as a new user (in fact I created both accounts- here and there- within the hour) I would like to ask you guys what you are looking out for. Would you play a simple text game with a unique storyline (which is what I was basically going for) or would you enjoy something more complex?

I'm pretty much in agreement with XanMag in what I enjoy about IF. It can be very interactive, and also quite "immersive" in a way that's unique to the form, whether it's truly a 'game', or basically a linear 'story' (for example - Adam Cadre's "Photopia"). But there's a lot of stuff put out these days by authors who don't really care about either of those things, or don't have the skill to approach any success with them. I read a page or two of solid text, maybe with a few branches / choices offered -- and even if the writing is good (which isn't often) -- I feel it's a waste of time. Because there's lots of good IF games I haven't played yet which are immersive, truly interactive, and well-written.

On the other hand . . . you should try making something you would enjoy 'playing' / reading yourself. If that's simple storytelling in CYOA-style go for it. There are lots of people who are into that style of IF.

At least you're a step ahead of many 'authors' already, since you know how to structure and punctuate a sentence.

'Write what you'd want to play' is basically always the best advice in this kind of situation, though when you're a newbie and still learning, for a first game it might be best to stick with something simple and see it through rather than bite off more than you can chew.

Though even when/if you get a better handle on the more complex stuff, don't ever feel like you have to layer on hit points or skills or combat or anything like that just for their own sakes, but only if you feel they're central to the experience you're trying to create. Some of the most immersive and memorable text games I can think of have none of those.