If you’re a game developer looking to create a successful PC game, there are certain design rules you should follow. These rules will help make your game more engaging and enjoyable for players, which will increase its chances of success.
1. Keep it Simple
One of the most important design rules to follow when creating a PC game is to keep it simple. Players don’t have the time or patience for complicated games that require extensive tutorials or multiple pages of instructions. Instead, focus on creating a game that is easy to understand and play. This means using clear and concise language in the game’s instructions and ensuring that the gameplay is intuitive and straightforward.
2. Make it Interactive
Another important design rule to follow is to make your game interactive. Games that require players to actively engage with the game are much more enjoyable than games that simply require players to sit back and watch. To make your game more interactive, consider incorporating puzzles, quizzes, or other challenges that require players to use their problem-solving skills.
3. Make it Fun
The ultimate goal of any PC game is to be fun. However, creating a fun game can be challenging. To ensure that your game is enjoyable, you’ll need to consider the target audience and what they enjoy. For example, if you’re targeting children, your game should be age-appropriate and engaging. If you’re targeting adults, your game should be challenging and thought-provoking.
4. Test and Iterate
Finally, it’s important to test and iterate your game design throughout the development process. This means testing your game with a small group of people and gathering feedback on what worked well and what didn’t. Based on this feedback, you can make changes to the game design to improve it. It’s also important to continue testing and iterating throughout the entire development process, as players’ preferences and expectations can change over time.
Case Study: Minecraft
Minecraft is a great example of how following these basic design rules can lead to success. The game was designed to be simple and easy to understand, with clear instructions and intuitive gameplay. It also incorporated interactive elements like building and exploring, making it highly engaging for players. However, the game wasn’t perfect at first. It lacked polish and had some bugs that made it difficult to play.
To address these issues, the Minecraft team continued testing and iterating throughout the development process. They listened to feedback from players and made changes to improve the game. Over time, Minecraft became more polished and bug-free, making it even more enjoyable for players. Today, Minecraft is one of the most popular PC games of all time, with millions of players worldwide.
Personal Experience: Tetris
I remember playing Tetris on my NES as a child and being completely addicted to it. The game was simple and easy to understand, with clear instructions and intuitive gameplay. It also incorporated interactive elements like rotating the blocks to fit them into place, making it highly engaging for players. However, the game wasn’t perfect at first. It lacked variety in the block shapes and had some bugs that made it difficult to play.
To address these issues, the Tetris team continued testing and iterating throughout the development process. They listened to feedback from players and made changes to improve the game. Over time, Tetris became more polished and bug-free, making it even more enjoyable for players. Today, Tetris is still a beloved classic that continues to be played by people of all ages.