This is part 2 of Deciding what type of game to make?

Here are some informative facts, based upon research and experience, that will help you decide what type of game to make based on strengths and weaknesses, and can help you decide your goals.

There are a variety of factors that differentiate different types of games, and what goes into them.

• AI
• Art and Theme
• Modelling
• Game Engine Design or Implementation when using a game engine from a 3rd party
• Content Management
• Audience level
• Game design
• Team size
• Mathematics

If you recall from part 1, we listed the different types of games to make

• Platformers
• Simulations: Sports, Racing, Air Combat, traditional simulation
• Fighting
• Action
• Role-Playing Games: turn based and fps
• Action role-playing games
• FPS
• Puzzle

(Please feel free to post comments and add opinions, this blog is meant for directional ---> discussion purposes)

Each type of game have different requirements that will make it a good, better, best game in the industry

Platformers

• Well thought out level design: The level design should systematically grow in complexity or difficulty from one to the next
• Well thought out character design: The characters, either hero, minions, and villains, will mostly not change; also audiences expect the character to be fairly adamant or unchanging in his, her, or it's qualities. Like a pillar of strength.
• Well thought weapon design: These should compliment the character's style and qualities.
• Moderate or easily solvable puzzles

The previous few points are meant to be thought of with an extraordinary amount of detail, time, and effort put in. In most platformers, there aren't a lot of main characters

and the amount of items and weapons are limited in scope.

• Simple linear power up or regeneration model; game design is usually centered around a health bar
• Linear game play: character starts level, gains points, completes level
• Fast continuous action and nonstop game play: on a scientific and learning level, platformers made by leading and top studios are engineered to produce game play that produces quick reflexive actions, as well as, quick thinking and memory recall

Simulations

• Fast and highly accurate mathematics
  • This requires algorithms, data structures, and advanced engineering to get performance right for smooth game play experience
• Realistic graphics or rendering style
• Well thought out simulations that are accurate to whatever they are modelling
• Some kind of reward system or intelligence gained from using the simulated scenarios
• Creativity or unique ideas that are intelligent to create unique games based around the simulation or adapt it for gamification

Fighting

• Fast and highly accurate processing and mathematics
• A fast game engine or processing framework
• Well thought out and balanced fighting system (this is usually the tough part)
  • Mapping fighting system to existing control input or controllers
• Well thought out and developed characters
• High quality art and modelling for stage, background, and characters
• Unique game play and reward system

Action

• Fun game play, depending on audience
• Beautiful art or unique art, based on type of game or game theme
• Moderately well thought out levels
• Moderately well thought out character(s) and item design
• Story driven game design and reward system; achievements, side quests
• Basic game engine
• Basic AI system
• Some puzzles

Traditional Role Playing Games and Action Role Playing Games

• Complex or evolving story line
• Well thought out characters, items, and monsters; usually lots of emphasis on weapons, armor with stories linked to them
• Well thought out Open World or Universe
• Well thought out and highly accurate level up system
• Fun game play and moderate to very challenging battle system
• Map system
• Great menu system with easy to use interface
• Logical and systematic world traversing
• (optional): advanced high quality graphics to achieve beautiful and outstanding effects
• Should be playable by audiences of different experience and ages, and still be fun, and interesting
• Advanced logic and moderately advanced mathematics implementation.

Note: The previous items usually require custom frameworks, modified game engines, and advanced systems that integrated together to achieve a "good" role playing game. This is like both an implicit requirement based on functionality, and a political requirement, as turn based role playing games are often considered The Holy Grail or Creme de la Creme or rich or "expensive" in many fantasy and sci-fi circles, if not all. A good amount of time and effort are expected by audience and industry alike to be put into the game. While this can be said for any serious game development, more so it should be taken extremely seriously and well planned.