New Gameplay Types As a Next Step in Evolution
by Nauris Krauze · in Game Design and Creative Issues · 07/16/2002 (2:29 am) · 7 replies
Thinking about the current state of the game industry one can easily see that gameplay-wise they all look and feel the same.
WARNING: this post is not a rant about "how bad and stagnating game industry is and how deep in s...t we are, and life sucks anyway". I was thinking more of initiating a dialogue about the subject - New Gameplay Types.
See, the main problem of any Computer Game is the legacy of Hollywood, which is doomed by its own legacy - cheap five-cent books about cowboys and indians or detecives.
First Hollywood mainstream movies were basically visual incarnation of those books - good cowboy/detective is eliminating spawning enemies to reach the goal - beautiful women or such. Frankly speaking - most movies are still based on the same formula.
And so are games, so its natural that main (almost only) gameplay type is eliminating (re)spawning enemies to get to the goal.
I'm not willing to speak about violence in games, bloodlust and such - lets skip that part, ok? What I'm trying to initiate is mini-brainstorm about possible NEW gameplay types.
Forget about stories, forget about dragonballzzz, forget about everything we've seen - could we focus on new gameplay types. And how they could be made fun.
For example - how could developer make a game which would be based only on dialogues but still fun? Talking gameplay fun? How could we make talking fun and, even more important - challenging?
Maybe creating always-changing dialogue environment, where time between question and answer actually affects the answer? Maybe allowing to read other persons mind? Maybe creating ultra-detailed behavior of other person which should be carefully analyzed in order to succeed in game?
Or should we make it multiplayer and try to find other PCs among NPCs by their behaviour while trying to remain hidden?
Or how could simple exploration of world be fun? if exploration what game is based on?
Ok, maybe these questions might sound a bit abstract, but IMO - that's the point - find new Gameplay, not to think up another story (excuse?) for FPS (think five-cent books).
Maybe someone has some ideas which have been too odd to talk about them?
WARNING: this post is not a rant about "how bad and stagnating game industry is and how deep in s...t we are, and life sucks anyway". I was thinking more of initiating a dialogue about the subject - New Gameplay Types.
See, the main problem of any Computer Game is the legacy of Hollywood, which is doomed by its own legacy - cheap five-cent books about cowboys and indians or detecives.
First Hollywood mainstream movies were basically visual incarnation of those books - good cowboy/detective is eliminating spawning enemies to reach the goal - beautiful women or such. Frankly speaking - most movies are still based on the same formula.
And so are games, so its natural that main (almost only) gameplay type is eliminating (re)spawning enemies to get to the goal.
I'm not willing to speak about violence in games, bloodlust and such - lets skip that part, ok? What I'm trying to initiate is mini-brainstorm about possible NEW gameplay types.
Forget about stories, forget about dragonballzzz, forget about everything we've seen - could we focus on new gameplay types. And how they could be made fun.
For example - how could developer make a game which would be based only on dialogues but still fun? Talking gameplay fun? How could we make talking fun and, even more important - challenging?
Maybe creating always-changing dialogue environment, where time between question and answer actually affects the answer? Maybe allowing to read other persons mind? Maybe creating ultra-detailed behavior of other person which should be carefully analyzed in order to succeed in game?
Or should we make it multiplayer and try to find other PCs among NPCs by their behaviour while trying to remain hidden?
Or how could simple exploration of world be fun? if exploration what game is based on?
Ok, maybe these questions might sound a bit abstract, but IMO - that's the point - find new Gameplay, not to think up another story (excuse?) for FPS (think five-cent books).
Maybe someone has some ideas which have been too odd to talk about them?
About the author
Nauris Krauze is 2D designer/illustrator with 10 years experience in game development. Currently art director at 3Nstudio, working on games for social networks, occasionally doing some contract work. Portfolio: http://3nstudio.com/nauris/
#2
Ya know, simply because it's an FPS doesn't make it another copy or cheap .05 book story, when creating an fps you create something that would blow others minds. You do something that others have only dreamed of and never thought would work.
Tribes1 - Probably like the 50th FPS meaning it was a burn out. However, it brought a really good thing to the game, flying, flying made it so it went from left - right, to up and down as well!
05/26/2007 (5:17 am)
Ummm... ahem. That sounds like something you do with the family heh, not here =)Ya know, simply because it's an FPS doesn't make it another copy or cheap .05 book story, when creating an fps you create something that would blow others minds. You do something that others have only dreamed of and never thought would work.
Tribes1 - Probably like the 50th FPS meaning it was a burn out. However, it brought a really good thing to the game, flying, flying made it so it went from left - right, to up and down as well!
#3
05/26/2007 (6:48 am)
This thread is 5 years old. :-S 
#7
05/29/2007 (10:25 am)
I wouldn't mind seeing this thread resurrected. It's a good topic to go over =) 
Torque Owner Nauris Krauze