Reply to DMOD Design considerations
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July 9th 2007, 12:11 AM
RadFrog
1. The first consideration is that a DMOD should be fun. If it is not fun to play, people will quickly lose interest in it and quit.
2. There should be a storyline. There needs to be some logic in progression through the adventure. It can be simple or complex, but a storyline is essential.
3. The player should be made aware of the objective of the adventure. It can be totally unknown at the beginning of the adventure, and clues given along the way. Or, the objective can be established at the start of the adventure. The player's anticipation of overcomming some definate final obsticle should be one of the main considerations in the design.
3. A DMOD should have an intellectual challenge. Having to figure out the next move should be part of the experience. Just going about killing foes is boreing.
4. The adventure should be designed with a definite degree of difficulty. There are Cheats that can be used to override the difficulty intended by the author, but an attempt should be made to even the playing field. I don't believe there can be much player satisfaction in walking onto a screen and throwing an atomic bomb that kills everything instantly. The satisfaction the player gets from defeating a foe wth his battle strategy and movements is a big consideration. If the targeted player group has a wide range of skill and ability, the DMOD should allow choices that fit individual players.
5. The length of a DMOD should be such that it leaves the player wanting just a little more when they are finished. If the adventure is too short, it will be soon forgotten, like the cartoon in yesterday's newspaper. If it is too long, there is a good chance a player will not finish it - and never feel any satisfaction in the accomplishment.
6. A DMOD should not have content inappropriate for the design audience. If it is for kids, and Mary is looking for her kitty, don't include filthy language and/or adult situations.
So, what have I left out?
RadFrog
2. There should be a storyline. There needs to be some logic in progression through the adventure. It can be simple or complex, but a storyline is essential.
3. The player should be made aware of the objective of the adventure. It can be totally unknown at the beginning of the adventure, and clues given along the way. Or, the objective can be established at the start of the adventure. The player's anticipation of overcomming some definate final obsticle should be one of the main considerations in the design.
3. A DMOD should have an intellectual challenge. Having to figure out the next move should be part of the experience. Just going about killing foes is boreing.
4. The adventure should be designed with a definite degree of difficulty. There are Cheats that can be used to override the difficulty intended by the author, but an attempt should be made to even the playing field. I don't believe there can be much player satisfaction in walking onto a screen and throwing an atomic bomb that kills everything instantly. The satisfaction the player gets from defeating a foe wth his battle strategy and movements is a big consideration. If the targeted player group has a wide range of skill and ability, the DMOD should allow choices that fit individual players.
5. The length of a DMOD should be such that it leaves the player wanting just a little more when they are finished. If the adventure is too short, it will be soon forgotten, like the cartoon in yesterday's newspaper. If it is too long, there is a good chance a player will not finish it - and never feel any satisfaction in the accomplishment.
6. A DMOD should not have content inappropriate for the design audience. If it is for kids, and Mary is looking for her kitty, don't include filthy language and/or adult situations.
So, what have I left out?
RadFrog
