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Ten New Years Resolutions for the Game Industry

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Ten New Years Resolutions for the Game Industry

from GalCiv2 Forums

Over on partner site, Neowin.net, I wrote 10 resolutions for the PC industry.  Below are 10 resolutions for the game industry.

  1. Stop with the obnoxious DRM. If people are going to pirate your game, they're going to pirate it. Reward the people who buy your games. Make it more convenient to be a customer than to be a thief.
  2. Don't release games until they're finished. People will forgive you for moving a date back for quality, they don't forgive you for rushing out an unfinished game.
  3. Don't forget that not everyone has brand-new hardware. Make sure your games will work on the hardware that people have today.
  4. Fun trumps graphics. Nintendo is doing well because they remember that games are supposed to be fun. The latest blood spatter particle effect won't beat out a fun game.
  5. Expansion packs should not be glorified patches. This is like #2. If your game does have bugs, fix them in an update, don't charge for them in the form of an expansion pack.
  6. Help Jack Thompson find a real hobby.
  7. Please make a sequel to Planetscape: Torment.
  8. Make better user manuals.
  9. We don't need every movie to have a game tie-in.
  10. Don't make me be on-line to play your game if it's a single player game.

Happy New Year!

43,372 views 56 replies
Reply #51 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
1. Stop with the obnoxious DRM. I'll hold my hand up and admit that the first time I played GalCiv2 it was a pirated version. However, seeing the quality of the game and the level of support offered by Stardock, I happily purchased a legal copy. I've also gone on to buy the full release of Object Desktop, places a preorder for SoaSE, and when I get home from work in a week, will buy Dark Avatar. Keep up the good work Stardock!

2. Don't release games until they're finished. Possibly the single biggest annoyance IMO. But this isn't a new problem, as I can remember at least one game for the N64 that I was forced to return due to save game bugs, and I'm sure that there are earlier examples

3. Don't forget that not everyone has brand-new hardware. While this doesn't strictly apply to myself as I am lucky enough to be able to afford whatever hardware I want, I do find it annoying that I can't play new multiplayer games against my friends whose systems aren't upgraded so regularly. However, I also recognise the need to push the envelope every now and again. Lets just hope that the 'Crysis Syndrome' is a one off rather than becoming the norm.

4. Fun trumps graphics. I couldn't agree more. I am also lucky enough to have a Wii at work, and the simplistic, intuitive nature of the games that Nintendo are releasing makes it easy to understand why they currently dominate the console market.

5. Expansion packs should not be glorified patches. It should be self evident by the title 'expansion' that these should add significant amounts of new content rather than simply fixing existing problems. And in all fairness to THQ and Relic, the DoW expansions have always added hefty amounts of new features, even if they chose not to directly patch Dark Crusade this time round.

6. Help Jack Thompson find a real hobby. Those of you who don't understand this, simply search for this guy on Wikipedia. In one sentence, he is the guy who does the most to make gamers look bad.

7. Please make a sequel to Planetscape: Torment. Please do NOT make a sequel, but please DO make another game in the same setting. Too many games have been set in the traditional D&D Forgotten Realms settings (at least 7 that I can think of), so something different would be nice.

8. Make better user manuals. I remember being given Civ2 for Christmas off my parents. I opened the box and the manual included was a veritable encyclopedia of useful knowledge. I miss that. Sadly, here in the UK at least, all games are now shipped in standard DVD cases instead of cardboard boxes, meaning that manuals are always going to be somewhat limited in size.

9. We don't need every movie to have a game tie-in. Street Fighter, Super Mario Bros, Tomb Raider (despite starring Angelina Jolie :LOL:), Resident Evil (despite starring Milla Jovovich :LOL:), Bloodrayne. I've seen most movies based on games and pretty much without exception, none of them are good. However, I will continue to go to the cinema to see these films in the hope that someone eventually gets one right.

10. Don't make me be on-line to play your game if it's a single player game. Why in the name of all that is good in games, should I be forced to find a wireless internet connection to play something on my laptop!?!?

I know I'm early but Happy Winter-een-mas everyone! http://www.wintereenmas.com/

EDIT: forget waiting to get home. I've just bought DA and TotA. Impatience is rarely a virtue.
Reply #52 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
However, I also recognise the need to push the envelope every now and again. Lets just hope that the 'Crysis Syndrome' is a one off rather than becoming the norm.
End of quote


Same here - I do think that occasionally we need something to push the envelope and give a reason for pushing the technology further - but most games should strive to be compatible with most systems.

Sadly, here in the UK at least, all games are now shipped in standard DVD cases instead of cardboard boxes, meaning that manuals are always going to be somewhat limited in size.
End of quote


Here in the USA, the packaging became smaller for our store shelves, and the manuals are the same as the UK: Almost non-existent.

Why in the name of all that is good in games, should I be forced to find a wireless internet connection to play something on my laptop!?!?
End of quote


Ask Valve. They seem to be obsessed with Steam always being online. It's a bit better than it used to be, but it's still a pain.

BTW, I think I'm going to buy Object Desktop before I buy the next expansion, so I might not make the release date :(. I may even give Sins of a Solar Empire a try, moving my purchase even longer . . . But at least I'll still be supporting Stardock :).
Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion
Reply #53 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I can agree with all of this, but please Stardock, make some better Manuals (:(
Reply #54 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Seem like you guys have pretty much all of them taken care of, except number 7...
Care to do something about it? :-D
Reply #55 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

7.Please make a sequel to Planetscape: Torment.


to this, I am compelled to add:

7A: Please make a sequel to Master of Magic.
Reply #56 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

7. Please make a sequel to Planetscape: Torment. Please do NOT make a sequel, but please DO make another game in the same setting. Too many games have been set in the traditional D&D Forgotten Realms settings (at least 7 that I can think of), so something different would be nice.
End of quote


That I can agree with. Planescape had a brilliant plot but terrible gameplay (it would have made a much better novel, to be frank). The setting's interesting, however, and anything non-traditional in fantasy RPGing is a good thing. It'd be cool to see someone make a proper Spelljammer game, while we're at it.