I mean when is the fine line drawn for too much? I think it depends on the person but still there's a point where you can have too much content/things to do, etc... that people just get lost right?
and how do you feel about content on say a wargame, compared to an rpg, etc...
ID:265139
 Jun 24 2002, 9:59 am (Edited on Jun 24 2002, 10:07 am)
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Jun 24 2002, 10:13 am
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Foomer
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If it requires too much micromanagement, then it becomes bad. Really, the only time when extra content is good, in my opinion, is when it gives players more things to change to the way they want. Most customizability, basically.
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Well if your new to a game way too much content may not be good because you have no idea where to start, but in a wargame I think the more content the better, as long as it doesn't interfere with the main functions.
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Some of those RPG text-based MUD games out there now are throwing out originality and just adding more and more classes, skills, and races to their game under the false impression that more = better. For example, I've joined a mud that had 100+ races, then over 50 classes to choose from, each with UNIQUE skills! I quit, because I just didn't have the time nor the want to dig through 100 pages of documentation, just to find out that I want to be an Elven Wizard.
In wargames, however, more content = more variety = more thing to anticipate and plan = more fun. BUT, it has to be easily executed and understood by the player. Goes back to the old 100 pages of documentation situation. You need enough content for the game to be new an exciting, not overwhelming. You always need that "new thing" to strive for in rpg's (experience, new dungeon, new weapons, new skills, ect.), and you always need that "what could the enemy be doing" (should i guard against an air attack or sea attack?) feeling in wargames. | |
The important thing is that all aspects of the game fit into a coherent whole as much as possible. The worst thing you can do is set up strongly conflicting aspects that in effect create competing sub-games; it's one thing to give the player diverse options and leave time management up to them, and another to use real-time demands to make fast thinking a key part of the game and help prevent players from growing too hugely, but if there are too many necessary game elements that demand attention all at the same time, the game's probably going to bog down very, very quickly. If there are distinct phases, modes, objectives etc. that are either integrated into a predefined progression or else left up to the players to pursue, you can get away with cramming quite a lot into a game.
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