Rule 1: Universal Accessability
While people claim that they think games are kid's stuff, a lot of them would be ashamed to admit they couldn't play one if their lives depended on it. This is through no fault of their own, mind you, a lot of it has to do with the complete and total dedication game companies have to gamers. This is a good thing in a lot of ways, but i was raised on the NES, which had a simple control layout and was easy to understand. Today the X box and Sony controllers are big, scary and have more buttons and knobs than you average jet aircraft. That is obviously something scary to someone who has never gamed before. Nintendo had the right idea with the Wii. Make it so that EVERYONE can handle the pad the first time around, not just those of you who know what you're doing.
Rule 2: Tell me a GOOD Story
In this day and age, it AMAZES me how little story we get from games. In the 8 bit era, and even the 16 bit era to an extent i could accept it, but now there is so much power in consoles that they could quite easily present a coherent and logical story (see: Final Fantasy, Monkey Island) that isn't just a string of people shooting at each other. I don't mean the story has to be new or complex, I mean Casablanca is almost insultingly simple, but at the same time it's universal, enjoyable and watchable over and over again.
Rule 3: Take Risks
This one is really starting to grate on me. There is nothing worse than a lazy medium. Look at Hollywood over the past year. It's grown stale, forcing people into cinemas through the sheer force of sequels and remakes. Games are becoming exactly the same way. The exception to this is mostly the handhelds, Phantom Hourglass, Trauma Center, Patapon, all providing innovative and exciting gameplay techniques that work to lure people in, rather than rely on people who've bought your game before (I'm looking at you, Bungee)
Rule 4: You Are Not Special
"But Jim!" i hear you whine, "My mother always told me I was!" Ok, so maybe you are special, I don't know you well enough to make that call. What i do know is that if you play games, you are among a group of THOUSANDS. If you are good at games, there's a good chance there are LOTS of people better at it than you. Why am I badmouthing you? Because nobody who reads books is special, nobody who watches movies is special, and part of the problem is the "leet" mentality gamers have. Gamers want to be taken seriously? Then stop being jerks about how awesome you are and start thinking that every time you're on X Box live and you blast someone you don't know, calling them a noob in the process, that could be one person who you've scared off playing video games.
While people claim that they think games are kid's stuff, a lot of them would be ashamed to admit they couldn't play one if their lives depended on it. This is through no fault of their own, mind you, a lot of it has to do with the complete and total dedication game companies have to gamers. This is a good thing in a lot of ways, but i was raised on the NES, which had a simple control layout and was easy to understand. Today the X box and Sony controllers are big, scary and have more buttons and knobs than you average jet aircraft. That is obviously something scary to someone who has never gamed before. Nintendo had the right idea with the Wii. Make it so that EVERYONE can handle the pad the first time around, not just those of you who know what you're doing.
Rule 2: Tell me a GOOD Story
In this day and age, it AMAZES me how little story we get from games. In the 8 bit era, and even the 16 bit era to an extent i could accept it, but now there is so much power in consoles that they could quite easily present a coherent and logical story (see: Final Fantasy, Monkey Island) that isn't just a string of people shooting at each other. I don't mean the story has to be new or complex, I mean Casablanca is almost insultingly simple, but at the same time it's universal, enjoyable and watchable over and over again.
Rule 3: Take Risks
This one is really starting to grate on me. There is nothing worse than a lazy medium. Look at Hollywood over the past year. It's grown stale, forcing people into cinemas through the sheer force of sequels and remakes. Games are becoming exactly the same way. The exception to this is mostly the handhelds, Phantom Hourglass, Trauma Center, Patapon, all providing innovative and exciting gameplay techniques that work to lure people in, rather than rely on people who've bought your game before (I'm looking at you, Bungee)
Rule 4: You Are Not Special
"But Jim!" i hear you whine, "My mother always told me I was!" Ok, so maybe you are special, I don't know you well enough to make that call. What i do know is that if you play games, you are among a group of THOUSANDS. If you are good at games, there's a good chance there are LOTS of people better at it than you. Why am I badmouthing you? Because nobody who reads books is special, nobody who watches movies is special, and part of the problem is the "leet" mentality gamers have. Gamers want to be taken seriously? Then stop being jerks about how awesome you are and start thinking that every time you're on X Box live and you blast someone you don't know, calling them a noob in the process, that could be one person who you've scared off playing video games.
:} Yum. ^_^