Observations on the average gamer
The general public is stupid. (I've worked in a number of areas that seem to confirm this. Maybe one day, I'll remember and take it into account. *sigh*)
If you think you've made things simple enough for an idiot to understand, you're wrong. Dumb it down more. Aim for an IQ of about 5. Even then, expect people to ask how things work.
You absolutely cannot please everybody. Reading user comments will give you the impression that maybe half a dozen people in the world will like your game, the rest can't wait to bitch about it.
Don't read reviews. Three quarters of your time will consist of yelling at the author wondering how said person can miss the bleedin' obvious that's right in front of them. The remainder will be spent wondering if they played past the first screen.
When doing another game after putting out a successful one, everyone will see it as a sequel to the first, no matter how different it is. Going for a different game mechanic will result in universal condemnation vehemently stating that you screwed up a perfectly good formula. Ignore the fact that if you'd stuck to the original formula, you'd be condemned as coming up with a winning mechanic by pure fluke and unable to actually create a good design intentionally.
If/when you do create an actual sequel, people will immediately point out that it was done to hide the shame of the game you released in between irrespective of your insistence that it is not part of that sequence. (No, hasn't happened yet but I'm expecting that one day it probably will (should the sequel ever come about), coz people are like that.)
Why do I want to work in this industry again? That's right, because I love it. (Note to self: Chant this mantra at least three times a day to keep sanity.)
Ok, now I feel slightly better having got that off my chest. Most of that is, of course, a massive over-generalisation. Sadly, some of it is not. That tends to make one feel un-appreciated. At least my co-workers and bosses appreciate my efforts.
If you think you've made things simple enough for an idiot to understand, you're wrong. Dumb it down more. Aim for an IQ of about 5. Even then, expect people to ask how things work.
You absolutely cannot please everybody. Reading user comments will give you the impression that maybe half a dozen people in the world will like your game, the rest can't wait to bitch about it.
Don't read reviews. Three quarters of your time will consist of yelling at the author wondering how said person can miss the bleedin' obvious that's right in front of them. The remainder will be spent wondering if they played past the first screen.
When doing another game after putting out a successful one, everyone will see it as a sequel to the first, no matter how different it is. Going for a different game mechanic will result in universal condemnation vehemently stating that you screwed up a perfectly good formula. Ignore the fact that if you'd stuck to the original formula, you'd be condemned as coming up with a winning mechanic by pure fluke and unable to actually create a good design intentionally.
If/when you do create an actual sequel, people will immediately point out that it was done to hide the shame of the game you released in between irrespective of your insistence that it is not part of that sequence. (No, hasn't happened yet but I'm expecting that one day it probably will (should the sequel ever come about), coz people are like that.)
Why do I want to work in this industry again? That's right, because I love it. (Note to self: Chant this mantra at least three times a day to keep sanity.)
Ok, now I feel slightly better having got that off my chest. Most of that is, of course, a massive over-generalisation. Sadly, some of it is not. That tends to make one feel un-appreciated. At least my co-workers and bosses appreciate my efforts.