Re: [pygame] What is fun? WAS The Giant - 'cool project I'm working on now' - thread.

["Emanuel Berg" <bergregerar@xxxxxxxxx>]

> What is fun? These are all my opinions.

Unfortunately, no one can be told what fun is. You have to feel it for yourself.

As for me, I have a very simple reference when I code - myself. If I
like my game - if I can play it for hours without getting bored - the
game is probably satisfactory to lots of people, because my taste is
probably not unique.

Of course, then I have to ask myself from time to time: do I enjoy
this because I made it or because it is good? That is, is it really a
form of narcissism? If the answer is NO, then this method is
foolproof.

Concerning music, it should be repetitive. With repetitive music, it
is possible to play for hours and hours. It is just like with soldiers
marching in past wars, they always had drums and a flute player
playing the same sling over and over making the soldiers march
forever. However, the sling cannot be to short, because then it sticks
really hard and you feel kind of crazy. So a long, but repetitive
sling is best.

On Fri, Aug 8, 2008 at 10:58 PM, Knapp <magick.crow@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> So, I'm thinking more about game design and trying to understand what makes
>> a game fun, while plotting what to work on next. AI again? A fairly
>> conventional trading game that doesn't try to invent a different core
>> mechanic? I'm sick of conventional RPG mechanics like those in "Final
>> Fantasy" and would like to develop something new while still having a
>> strong story.
>>
>
> What is fun? These are all my opinions.
>
> First lets look at music. What makes good music? I think it is
> surprise enhanced by boredom. For example if I press the C key over
> and over in a constant rhythm for 10 minutes you will be bored to
> tears (modern drum machines do this crime, always the same, always
> perfect. Great drummers are not the same and they lead and drag at the
> right places). On the other extreme, if I press  a new note every time
> at random times for 10 minutes you might want to kill me; to
> unpredictable. For example, Atonal modern jazz/ modern innovative
> classical. So to have good music you must have a constant rhythm and
> pattern or notes with moments of surprising change. Mozart is a great
> example of this.
>
> Then there is the learning curve of a game. If it is flat you can play
> forever; boring.(Yes, I know that flat and steep are switched in the
> first use of these words) If the curve is to step you feel that no
> matter how much you play you never get any better and always die at
> the same place. You walk away in frustration. A curve needs to be
> gradual and the play should improve every game about the same amount.
> Another crime related to this is making the experienced player play
> for 30 minutes or longer to get through the easy stuff so that he can
> finally get to the point of challenge.
>
> Why did I die/fail? In a perfect game every time you die you KNOW it
> was your fault, if you had just X then you would have lived. Perhaps
> you make this mistake 3 times but then the 4th time you get it right
> and go a bit longer (reward). A bad game gives you death at random or
> at least it seems that it was not your fault.
>
> So a good game has a pattern that the player likes or a feel or a
> subject. People crave ever increasing stimulation and the game needs
> to meet the level that they are accustomed to. It has surprising new
> ways or whatever every now and then. It has a nice even learning
> curve. Every time something bad happens it is the players mistake that
> can be corrected and not some random BS or bad interface/control.
>
> I would love to hear others thoughts on this. Am I wrong? Did I forget
> something?
>
> --
> Douglas E Knapp
>
> http://sf-journey-creations.wikispot.org/Front_Page
>