I know, this is very general and since we are so far in the game development probably way off topic. But I have some thoughts about that topic I would love to share and find out what you guys think about that. It´s going to be long one, and if you aren´t interested into reading it just don´t and move onto the next thread instead of telling me to get to my point faster.
First of all, I totally understand what benefits a simple to understand game has, that doesn´t need much “preparation” before jumping into it. It´s fun and light entertainment that is easy accessible for every individual as long as he has an internet connection. Sounds ideal for anyone who wants to make money with games. But is it really that simple? I honestly don´t think so.
For me this approach is very one dimensional and absolutely not according to how people start playing game, keep playing it and in case of a F2P like it enough to actually pay money for it over and over again. For me trying to keep a game simple and easily accessible is tailored towards a minority of people, who don´t have anything to do and by accident come across this game download it and start playing it on there own. In that case it is great to have a game that is easy and intuitive enough to play it without any further thought. But like I said, in my eyes this is the minority and sounds more like a attitude while programming a mobile game - and that can´t be the targeted audience for any PC game developer really.
So if people don´t come across game by accident and start playing them, how do they actually get into new games over and over again? Some people probably check out what new games are out there and play them according to what kind of rating they get from various gaming papers. This usually is the way how you start playing bigger titles, that focus around single campaigns or how people who have no friends start to play games. But since DB is a multi player game, and I expect people to have at least some social life (even if it´s just online) let´s focus on them… For me, as well as most of the people I know and most “pros” that I have been following in my life and that stated how they got into gaming specific games it is ALWAYS a friend that suggests you a game.
Okay so there is a problem now… Let´s say I am right, and multiplayer games spread mainly like this. Someone has to start with it so here it makes sense to make it simple again! Yes and no. Obviously the game can´t be ****ing rocket science. But we all know those people that understand things fast, are willing to learn, research, try out stuff… etc. Those people will come across the game, and no matter how complicated and difficult it may be. They will get through it.
Once one of our friends has found such a game, that is strange… difficult… makes no sense at all he will eventually suggest it to us (obviously only if its good after he figured it out). You don´t need a lot of people to start that going… It´s like a sparkle can become a huge fire. Once we play the game our friend has suggested to us, we may be slightly overwhelmed from the game itself - if it really is that difficult to grasp. But hey, we have our friend who can teach us what he already knows and figuring things out together is fun as well. Also we do live in a time, where there is a tons of media being produced about almost everything. Once more then 10 people play any game there will be dozens of tutorials in every single language either in written form with pictures on various websites or in video form on youtube.
This friend, will probably have told about this game to more people, so it´s not only going to be the two of us, but most of our friends (who are into gaming) will be trying that game. And to make my point even more clear, let´s say the games initial reaction from almost every player is: the game is horrible. But some actually like it from the very start, and because people usually like to play together they will stick with it a little longer. Eventually it will be long enough to get a grasp of the game and start liking if not loving it. Honestly 2 of my most played games ever, I used to hate for quiet some time. And while I still “hate” one, but still play it with my friends because together it is at least some fun, I have really started to like the 2nd one. And I am quiet sure that all of us know that feeling.
Okay, so since we played so much with our friends - mostly for the sake of playing together - we actually learned how the game works. Most of the information we learned by just playing and exchanging experiences and information with eachother. We researched some things that we were particularly interested in, like a specific gun, role, map etc… I would like to call it growing into a game. You have spent so much time getting better, and finding out how things work that from all of the sudden you not only play it because of the fun with the game and your friends but because you have already spent so much time to get a grasp of the game so you might as well stick to it. It´s very subconscious but it really bonds you to a game, especially in times where you could play different F2P every day for some months straight probably…
Okay, so we first didn´t knew the game, started playing it even tho we had no clue what we are doing. Because of our friends we kept playing some more… until we started to like it by our self. We started researching and learning about the game… trying out stuff and actually understanding what the game has to offer. So what happens after that? Exactly, we suggest it to other people - who go through the exact same process, with us being the “mentor” teaching them while we keep improving and understanding more and more while geting even more excited to push further.
That is the point, where the idea of “the simplier the better” really starts to crumble. Obviously the same process I just described will apply for every game that is good - no matter if it has a lot of depth to it or is as simply to understand as a game that was programmed for a smartphone. The thing is tho, that a lot of “psychological bindings” gets skipped making us feel bored of a game once we played it for a while. We haven´t experienced such a “ugh what am I supposed to do” moment when we jumped into the game for the first time. We didn´t exchane informations all the time in order to understand the game faster. We didn´t talk so much about it and never ever we needed to research something. Also we never get into the position to teach someone, to show them some interesting things in the game. All this experiences contribute heavily to long time motivation.
Don´t get me wrong, a straight forward game, that is institutional and teaches you most of the things you need to know within a couple of hours can be great and fun and some people may become even huge fans. But in general the simpler a game the bigger the turnover rate of players will be. Yeah it will spread like a bushfier early but people will leave the game just as fast as they joined it. I don´t want to be mean now - but it´s almost like with a girl. It´s fine if she is easy to get, great for some fun, but you probably wont get into her too much and eventually drop her for another one that keeps you wondering and surprising even after thousands of hours of playing… ah spending time together ;).
I really like the general concept of the game and love the idea of mercs, teamplay etc… But no matter how hard I try to give it a chance I hop on the server, play some, and usually feel like I have experienced almost everything that this game has to offer within 2 hours. I can do everything with every single merc, the positions paths I or my enemies can take are so easily countable that it really makes me cry sometimes (I think that some of the bomb spots in CS have more tactical depth to them then entire DB maps…). I think the amount of times I thought “how did he do that” is 1 or 2. I know that I can jump on walls, but it looks like a cosmetic gimmick most of the time… even if it wouldn´t, is a position going to be worth it? Hell I don´t even want to find out… Just the pewpew is what makes me start DB again. But that´s probably what it was meant to be from the start.
What keeps me wondering tho, is how a F2P game wants to be successful with such an approach. I know that some people will actually like the game enough - but in general you could think: the simpler the game, the lower the average game time will be resulting in a lower revenue for the items you you sell.
There is a critical time, that a rational person (who isn´t easily overwhelmed) has to spend in a game in order to be willing to spend real money for it. In my eyes people will feel like they have played through everything DB has to offer, way before this game time will be reached.
Also due to the large player turnover, I don´t think that a massive competitive scene will emerge as well. Obviously some will stick to it, but will it be big? Who will watch it? I personally watch competitive games mostly because I like to learn, after some time I start to like certain players, certain teams etc… and then maybe buy skines they use, stickers of teams, etc… But all of it starts with me being willing to learn how pros play. But in a game where you have only 3 effective positions for 5 or 6 people to defend an objective, there is not a huge variety of things I need to learn and mostly won´t watch any pros play at all. So yeah, in my eyes this potential source of revenue will be mostly irrelevant.
I think that beside people who are willing to spent money after a solid amount of played hours and even more expected game hours and those who heavily sympathize with certain personalities/teams within the game only few spend money for F2P games. From all the people who play F2P I know, there is only ONE who doesn´t care about competition and rarely plays a game who has spent some money. Good look finding those people I guess…
I honestly don´t have too much of a problem with all this. I am going to hop on DB from time to time and spent some casual time with it like, hopefully, many others as well. Not because there is anything in the game that catches my interest but just because I like the way you have to aim in DB. I am not going to tell anyone about the game (unless he looks for something casual that needs good aim) I am not going to tell anyone how to do what, and I am not going to try to get better into it. I will just use it to get some break while studying and once I want to play a game that challenges me I will play something else. This is really saddening. The potential this game had, with the stopwatch mode, objectives, mercs, the way you had to aim and the teamplay that could have bound all those elements into one amazing game into one intense experience, just got ignored. There is so much to a players satisfaction besides the initial game experience that doesn´t seem to have any value during the development, its shocking. I just hope that the “bushfire” the game is supposed to become with all it´s “simplicity” is going to be worth ruining all that potential. I even hope more that someone is going to pickup some of the good elements of DB (aiming, stopwatch, mercs, “real” obejctives…) and realize that there is so much more you can do with it…
cheers,
onYn
