Home Forums General Discussion What makes an online game FUN?

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    • #3104
      Anonymous
      Inactive

      What makes an online game ‘fun’ to play?

      This is a conumdrum I’ve been toying with recently. I’m sure most of us would agree that the elements an online game requires to capture and retain and audience are somewhat different to that which a PC / console title needs. Defining that ‘something’ may not be that simple though.

      I was struck by the simplicity AND fun-factor of

      http://www.yetisports.net/

      and

      http://www.seethru.co.uk/zine/south_coast/helicopter_game.htm.

      A colleague and I are working on Onemorego’s latest online game, and we are striving to capture this elusive ‘fun-factor’ (see current animation), and we would be interested to hear your views on WHY these games are so much fun to play?

      Finally, on a related note, to those who have been following the incredible success of the YetiSports series (he claims to have have had 140 million visitors), can you believe the work he has put into the game and surrounding site (from Mobile Phone ports to music videos etc)? Quite an inspiration. How does he do it? How long would a port like this take?

      Lewis Boadle

      Elephant on a pogo-stick:

    • #11620
      Anonymous
      Inactive

      http://www.yetisports.net/

      I played the Pingu Throw game ages ago. Even started photshopping it :)

      http://matrix.netsoc.tcd.ie/~skyclad/penguin.jpg

      Will answer the rest of the question later :)

      Dave

    • #11645
      Anonymous
      Inactive

      How do you define “online” game? Is it a game that is downloaded from “online”? This doesnt necessarily define it from something you could buy in the shops.

      For me, an online game is defined by something that is in some way multiplayer, even if it is only a simple scoreboard where I can rate my top scores against everyone else in the world’s.

      So, for my freely downloadable online games, I want to see:
      – A method to rate my progress (biggest hits, most damage done in truck dismount , highest pogo, most fish caught, whatever…

      – have the simplest possible gameplay. There are 34987654398563 different free games out there to download. If I dont *immediately* get what I am meant to be doing, and how to achive it, I’m going to move on to the next one.

      – allow a community to develop. have forums or something similar to allow the people talk about the game.

      – have it humerous rather then real

      – innovate :)

      Dave

    • #11646
      Anonymous
      Inactive

      eh, dave? you mentioned the ‘I’ word….

    • #11674
      Anonymous
      Inactive
    • #11783
      Anonymous
      Inactive

      The UI might have been clunky, but the game play (quite specifically the victory/loss conditions) was very clearly defined – but the ball in the rectangular thing and win.

      With regards the community, maybe you cheated by already having a community – bitter Irish soccer fans :)

      My guidelines are just things I would like to see in quick, fun game.

      Some more thoughts:
      Instant gratification for success
      fast action which plenty of feedback
      An easy URL to copy and paste

      More later :)

      Dave

    • #11797
      Aphra K
      Keymaster

      speaking of short fun, downloadable games..

      apparently Jab has some games on a free CD which will be provided alongside the Star next Sunday…or if not next Sunday the week after…

      well done Jab..

      Aphra..

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