What makes a web game fun?
by Josiah Wang · in General Discussion · 09/25/2005 (2:13 pm) · 12 replies
[note]
As you may or may not know, I'm the head dev for the open-source web game engine, Apocalypse Game Engine
[/note]
Anyways, we're on the verge of releasing 0.70 final, but we're starting to plan for the next version, and we're exploring possibilities. But, what exactly makes a web game fun or attractive? I'm know time is a factor (as in, how long it takes to do this or that), but what is plays important roles? Does anyone who has had experience making web games know?
ApocNation, a derived work of the AGE headed by a developer, just introduced referral links (the links that give you more stuff for each person who clicks). They've also introduced WMDs, and other features as well. Does anyone know of anything else that makes a web game *fun*?
Thanks in Advance!
As you may or may not know, I'm the head dev for the open-source web game engine, Apocalypse Game Engine
[/note]
Anyways, we're on the verge of releasing 0.70 final, but we're starting to plan for the next version, and we're exploring possibilities. But, what exactly makes a web game fun or attractive? I'm know time is a factor (as in, how long it takes to do this or that), but what is plays important roles? Does anyone who has had experience making web games know?
ApocNation, a derived work of the AGE headed by a developer, just introduced referral links (the links that give you more stuff for each person who clicks). They've also introduced WMDs, and other features as well. Does anyone know of anything else that makes a web game *fun*?
Thanks in Advance!
#2
I've noticed lately that his site has not been coming up due to a very large amount of traffic but if you haven't tried them you should.
09/26/2005 (7:54 pm)
Simple but unique game mechanics are what make web games fun. Because of their small download size the risk to time commitment ratio is low so people are willing to try a web game more readily. To get them to stick you need to have a simple game mechanic that is very easy to learn but difficult to master. What I mean by unique is the interaction between the user and the game. Some of the best games that demonstrate this are over at www.orisinal.com. They are very elegant, simple but very few of them are like anything you have seen before.I've noticed lately that his site has not been coming up due to a very large amount of traffic but if you haven't tried them you should.
#3
As someone who tries to avoid work as much as possible, here's my thoughts on what makes a good web-based game.
Persistance: i dont mind having to type a login and password all the time if i get to pickup where i left off if the game is worth coming back for
Interface so easy I know it without thinking too hard: the mouse steers, the arrow keys move. please use arrow keys and ASDW for the lefties out there like me ;)
Free : Throw ads in my face when I die or between levels, but i'm not gonna pay you money to play
Finally, you don't have to have lots of content if its addicting.
If you want examples of what I think are good and bad I'd be happy to go through my shockwave.com bookmarks :)
09/26/2005 (8:00 pm)
PO-TA-TOES?As someone who tries to avoid work as much as possible, here's my thoughts on what makes a good web-based game.
Persistance: i dont mind having to type a login and password all the time if i get to pickup where i left off if the game is worth coming back for
Interface so easy I know it without thinking too hard: the mouse steers, the arrow keys move. please use arrow keys and ASDW for the lefties out there like me ;)
Free : Throw ads in my face when I die or between levels, but i'm not gonna pay you money to play
Finally, you don't have to have lots of content if its addicting.
If you want examples of what I think are good and bad I'd be happy to go through my shockwave.com bookmarks :)
#4
however, I apologize for my lack of clarity...what I meant by web games was MMOs, such as the likes of Utopia, 1000AD, etc...those games (browser based). Sorry for the lack of clarity >_<
09/26/2005 (8:00 pm)
Ah, I've been to orsinal before...however, I apologize for my lack of clarity...what I meant by web games was MMOs, such as the likes of Utopia, 1000AD, etc...those games (browser based). Sorry for the lack of clarity >_<
#5
I can tell you utopia has loads of problems with the actual game, but tens of thousands of people still play it because they have been playing it for years with their friends, and still enjoy beating on others as a team.
What originally got me hooked though was not the teamplay, I wanted to be helpful to my team, but I was more interested in getting big, trying to get my name on those charts. I actually went for honour before size first in utopia (not a lot of respect for honour charts in the game, but for me as a newbie, I didn't know or care, I thought it was cool and tried to accumulate as much of it as possible).
If you can use varying strategies to achieve goals in the game it provides much more interest. There can be debate on simple things like if mines are better than homes, and if so, until what size etc. You don't want everyone playing the same strategy otherwise the game will be considered easy and for newbies.
A *simple* easy to access forum would be good to foster a community. Really utopia has one of the simplest forum systems around, but thats what makes it so easy to use.
09/26/2005 (8:25 pm)
Interactivity with others (both enemies and friendlies).I can tell you utopia has loads of problems with the actual game, but tens of thousands of people still play it because they have been playing it for years with their friends, and still enjoy beating on others as a team.
What originally got me hooked though was not the teamplay, I wanted to be helpful to my team, but I was more interested in getting big, trying to get my name on those charts. I actually went for honour before size first in utopia (not a lot of respect for honour charts in the game, but for me as a newbie, I didn't know or care, I thought it was cool and tried to accumulate as much of it as possible).
If you can use varying strategies to achieve goals in the game it provides much more interest. There can be debate on simple things like if mines are better than homes, and if so, until what size etc. You don't want everyone playing the same strategy otherwise the game will be considered easy and for newbies.
A *simple* easy to access forum would be good to foster a community. Really utopia has one of the simplest forum systems around, but thats what makes it so easy to use.
#6
09/26/2005 (8:41 pm)
Howbout a screenshot or 2 of your engine Josiah?
#7
A note before viewing: AGE features a system where you can select your "skin" (template). Right now, most of the screenshots are taken using the bluestyle skin. While the organization of stuff may look different if you play on different servers, content will still be the same.
So anyways, let's start with the frontpage:
Simple login form, a link for new players, a link to the local game settings, a link if you forgot your password, and a link for the game's guide (currently in dev)
Next up, the main menu page...
This skin has the stats on the upper left, nav on lower left, and main content on the right. The contents of main.php are basically news items that the admin can post.
Apocalypse Game Engine is built along the lines of an online strategy game (war). The following screenshot shows the training page where you can train units:
This basically shows the 8 default units and their requirements - the neat thing about AGE is that they can all be changed! Their name, attack power, defense power, commodity requirement, colonist requirement, type of unit (air, naval; those are basically just descriptions); all that can be changed from files (all inside the /includes/ folder)
A must to all online games is a way to communicate with other players. Unfortunately, our PM system came into play quite a bit late (only about 4 release ago). Anyways:
Aside from player-to-player communication, we've recently implemented team messaging - basically, allows you to send a message to all members of a team - good for coordinating attacks (we're still working on a way to prevent spamming though)
09/26/2005 (9:48 pm)
Hrm...since I feel like procrastinating my hw, here's a few screenies depicting some of the main things of Apocalypse Game Engine..A note before viewing: AGE features a system where you can select your "skin" (template). Right now, most of the screenshots are taken using the bluestyle skin. While the organization of stuff may look different if you play on different servers, content will still be the same.
So anyways, let's start with the frontpage:
Simple login form, a link for new players, a link to the local game settings, a link if you forgot your password, and a link for the game's guide (currently in dev)Next up, the main menu page...
This skin has the stats on the upper left, nav on lower left, and main content on the right. The contents of main.php are basically news items that the admin can post.Apocalypse Game Engine is built along the lines of an online strategy game (war). The following screenshot shows the training page where you can train units:
This basically shows the 8 default units and their requirements - the neat thing about AGE is that they can all be changed! Their name, attack power, defense power, commodity requirement, colonist requirement, type of unit (air, naval; those are basically just descriptions); all that can be changed from files (all inside the /includes/ folder)A must to all online games is a way to communicate with other players. Unfortunately, our PM system came into play quite a bit late (only about 4 release ago). Anyways:
Aside from player-to-player communication, we've recently implemented team messaging - basically, allows you to send a message to all members of a team - good for coordinating attacks (we're still working on a way to prevent spamming though)
#8
We also have a type of control panel that users may use. The screenie is as follows:
Here, you see that the player can select his/her template, clear out his logs (they can accumulate quite a bit), change the password, or go into vacation mode (if admin permits).
Here's a screenshot of battle. I think that's an area we need to work on A LOT. Personally, I like the system, but the output is just so plain...it needs more flavor to it. Anyways, here it is:
Cheers, robert =D Don't worry, I lost. But basically, if I had won, I would gain some land (basically the measure of who you are), and if plundering was enabled, I would steal an [admin_settable] percent of gold and commodities.
A screenshot of the dynamic settings page - it changes depending on how the game is set up:
You'll notice that the current dev game is using Food, Iron, Energy, and Silicon as its commodities. Wanna know something neat? Those can all be changed. You can name it whatever you want - i trieed Boogers, Chips, Beer, and Hamburgers once. Outcome was pretty funny, especially combined with wierd unit names.
Here's a screenshot of the current admin menu. It's not much right now, but...:
Here's a list of stuff you can do as admin. I won't go through everything (for fear of giving out too much info-.-), but basically, Admin News creates the news items seen in main.php, Player edit allows the admin to edit some aspects of a player, Admin log shows all the important info (including bad login attempts, bad log deletion, illegal activity, etc), and a method to send a message to players, both in-game AND via their email.
And a gander at the player editor:
Not much you can edit at this point, but it's still sufficient.
If anyone asked me, I think what needs improvement the most is the output of attack.php. It's realyl quite boring, IMO...but I don't know how to make it interesting without sacrificing compatability for other admins (ie those who want to make it a game set in the colonial times).
K, i better get back to doing homework...
09/26/2005 (9:49 pm)
(continued)We also have a type of control panel that users may use. The screenie is as follows:
Here, you see that the player can select his/her template, clear out his logs (they can accumulate quite a bit), change the password, or go into vacation mode (if admin permits).Here's a screenshot of battle. I think that's an area we need to work on A LOT. Personally, I like the system, but the output is just so plain...it needs more flavor to it. Anyways, here it is:
Cheers, robert =D Don't worry, I lost. But basically, if I had won, I would gain some land (basically the measure of who you are), and if plundering was enabled, I would steal an [admin_settable] percent of gold and commodities.A screenshot of the dynamic settings page - it changes depending on how the game is set up:
You'll notice that the current dev game is using Food, Iron, Energy, and Silicon as its commodities. Wanna know something neat? Those can all be changed. You can name it whatever you want - i trieed Boogers, Chips, Beer, and Hamburgers once. Outcome was pretty funny, especially combined with wierd unit names.Here's a screenshot of the current admin menu. It's not much right now, but...:
Here's a list of stuff you can do as admin. I won't go through everything (for fear of giving out too much info-.-), but basically, Admin News creates the news items seen in main.php, Player edit allows the admin to edit some aspects of a player, Admin log shows all the important info (including bad login attempts, bad log deletion, illegal activity, etc), and a method to send a message to players, both in-game AND via their email.And a gander at the player editor:
Not much you can edit at this point, but it's still sufficient. If anyone asked me, I think what needs improvement the most is the output of attack.php. It's realyl quite boring, IMO...but I don't know how to make it interesting without sacrificing compatability for other admins (ie those who want to make it a game set in the colonial times).
K, i better get back to doing homework...
#9
also, you might consider using Flash (or maybe Sparkle if you are in the microsoft camp, which it appears you are not from your firefox ad)
This seems more like a moddible game rather than a game 'engine' but i guess you can correct me on that.
09/26/2005 (9:58 pm)
Seems interesting, are you writing it in dhtml or something?also, you might consider using Flash (or maybe Sparkle if you are in the microsoft camp, which it appears you are not from your firefox ad)
This seems more like a moddible game rather than a game 'engine' but i guess you can correct me on that.
#10
As to the moddible game engine as ooposed to a game 'engine', in its current stage it is the former. However, we are aiming to achieve the latter by building up a generic library of functions, which will be extracted from the current mod (Rebirth).
09/26/2005 (10:06 pm)
It's currently written in PHP and using ADOdb as a database backend (currently on MySQL is used). I've tried to resist from flash because it might take away modability from other admins as well.As to the moddible game engine as ooposed to a game 'engine', in its current stage it is the former. However, we are aiming to achieve the latter by building up a generic library of functions, which will be extracted from the current mod (Rebirth).
#11
09/26/2005 (10:57 pm)
Big heads mode makes games more fun. 
Hunden