Many of you may be wondering, why isn't my game popular? I've worked on it for over 20 hours; it just never seems to get any people playing! Well, I may not be the expert on what makes games popular, but I do know what makes a good game fun. Here's a list of questions to ask yourself.
1. Does the game present itself in a professional manner?
The typical player does not want to join a game with porn, cursing, insults, or saying how unpolished the game is in the Hub entry. This is a major turnoff, and will persuade many not to play the game. Try to make the entry informative, telling about the game, not its flaws. Be especially careful about cursing. You want your game to be popular, right? Well, then you want your game to appeal to all audiences. Parents may not like their young children playing games that include curse words, and may even uninstall BYOND from their machines. Cursing may also make it look like you're just looking for attention. It is details like this that can make or break a game.
2. Is the game original?
Another turnoff is a game that is not original. Most gamers don't want to play (now, I'm using this as an example, not bashing DBZ or anything) Dragon Ball H: The Legacy of Ultra Majin Super Namek Bob 324! Most gamers want originality, not something that has been done over and over! Or, if it has been done before, add a twist. An example is Murder Mansion, by SuperSaiyanGokuX. He took some inspiration from the classic game of Clue, but changed it, while still keeping to the true intent of the game. That kind of innovation suggests that the author has given the game some thought.
3. Is the game in a playable state?
One good tip is to finish a given part of your game before you actually include it. Get it done, iron out the bugs, test it with a few players, and, if the testing went well, submit it to the Hub. Every bug you catch in private testing is one less reason for people to avoid the game after it's released. There are many games that are great, but have been ruined by poor testing (I'm not going to use an example here, so I won't embarrass a creator).
4. Does the game have a friendly interface?
Typically, I'm a HUD kind of guy. (A Heads Up Display is a set of graphics that stay on-screen at all times and don't move with the map -- in BYOND this is implemented with "screen objects.") If the game has a HUD, great! If not, that's great too! HUDs may give a game a professional look, but may not be right for the creator. HUDs and stat panels are great tools; they just have to be used correctly. If the interface is accessible, easy to learn, and presents itself in a professional manner, then there should be no problems. Some great examples are Chatters, by Xooxer (no HUD or panel, but easy to learn and quick and accessible); and Dragon Ball Zeta, by Raekwon, which demonstrates a HUD and panel quite well.
5. Does the game help me learn how to play?
Great games always teach a user how to play. Always. There are good games that don't tell you how to play, but a tutorial of some type gives a game extra polish. A great example of this is the Iron Dogs series, by Wildblood; each game features a quick tutorial to get the user started. Chatters, as mentioned above, is quick and easy, and it has a great help file that teaches you about all the commands, the ranking system, and all the information you need to be successful in Chatters.
6. Are there many GameMasters (GMs)?
If there are more than 2 or 3 active at the same time in a typical BYOND world, it's likely that the creator has been bothered, bribed, or is just too trusting. A GM-heavy roster usually leads to conflicts of egos, and may get people banned for unknown reasons. That is why most professional creators are cautious in picking GMs. In games with many GMs, there is usually bickering, argument, and sometimes, to the misfortune of the players, outright sabotage (such as deliberately crashing the game). But this brings up another point: having the right number of GMs will benefit the game. If the game provides the proper tools, a GM has the power to handle an abusive player, work around or report a strange error, and make the game easier to play for people having a hard time getting started. The trick is to find the right number for your game.
User-friendliness is a great stepping stone on the road to success; players will get into the game more easily, they will stay longer, and they will have a good time. Thus, they will tell their friends and come back! However, only you can decide how to apply these suggestions to your game. I have merely laid down a path for you to follow, and I hope it helps you create a fun and interesting game for BYOND players.
Links and References:
RaeKwon -- http://members.byond.com/RaeKwon
Dragon Ball Zeta -- http://games.byond.com/RaeKwon/DragonBallZeta
SuperSaiyanGokuX -- http://members.byond.com/SuperSaiyanGokuX
Murder Mansion -- http://games.byond.com/SuperSaiyanGokuX/Murder_Mansion
Xooxer -- http://members.byond.com/Xooxer
Chatters -- http://games.byond.com/Xooxer/Chatters
**I would also like to thank Gughunter for helping in revising this article**
