Mobile game development is a fairly easier endeavor than games development for consoles and the PC. There are a lot of ready-made tools available on the internet that makes it easier for those who barely have coding skills. One of the reasons why people readily jump into the mobile gaming business is because of the moneymaking potential. Of course, not everyone succeeds in it, which is what this article is for: to help you up your chances of earning money from your mobile game.
But before anything else, keep this in mind first: The game you’re about to develop isn’t for you; it’s for other people. It would be wise to do a bit of research first so you can hone in on a specific demographic or audience. This will help you in coming up with ideas for your game. And on a related note, throw out your genre preferences out the window. Read More
The entertainment industry, as a whole, is usually interlinked. Actors and actresses turn into singers and vice versa. Sometimes they venture out to directing and producing. Movies based on video games have been around before, although almost all of them were received negatively. Exhibit A: “Dragonball Evolution.” Exhibit B: “Need for Speed.” Exhibit C…well, we could go on, but you probably get the idea.
And on the flip side, there are video games based on movies, too. Some of them are obvious cash-cows. But a few titles are actually good. As the article title says, this list will be about those games. More specifically, movie-based games available for Android and iOS. It’s not necessary that you watch their respective movies beforehand. But having familiarity with the characters make these mobile games more fun. Or at least relatable.Read More
2016 will soon walk out the door, and with it, a year’s worth of video gaming memories and milestones. There’s the release of Overwatch, which gave Blizzard Entertainment yet another tent pole franchise where gamers can waste hundreds of hours in. As if StarCraft II, Diablo III, and World of Warcraft weren’t enough. There’s also Dark Souls III, which proved that Capcom wasn’t done punishing players yet. And who can forget the disappointment that is No Man’s Sky? The game held a lot of promise, only to trip over face-first right from the start. The Hello Games product will be forever remembered in history as the most refunded game of all time.
On the mobile gaming department, we had several noteworthy titles like Crashlands and the enhanced port of the classic PlayStation game Final Fantasy IX. And there’s also this little game called Pokemon Go, which became an overnight sensation. You might have heard of it. Nintendo also squeezed in Super Mario Run two weeks ago to further announce to everyone that they’re serious about joining the mobile games market.
But enough counting down the best of the best in the video games world in 2016. That would require a separate and much longer article. As 2016 draws to a close, check out some of the mobile gaming trends that, we think, may garner some spotlight in 2017. Take note this is a purely speculative list based on the current state of the mobile gaming industry.Read More
Remember the days when electronics and gadgets were too complicated for kids? Or when kids actually loved playing outside instead of simply staying at home? Well, times have changed. Today, it’s pretty common for kids to lounge at home and dedicate their afternoons to playing mobile games on a smartphone or tablet. At first, it may seem totally counterproductive to their growth, especially in regard to social skills. But if you look at it from another angle, games can be used as another medium for education (see Minecraft: Education Edition). Not as a replacement for school, but as a supplement.
This is where educational mobile games come in. These games vary, from teaching kids in identifying shapes and colors to pronouncing words properly. There are also those that offer puzzles to develop logical thinking and reasoning, as well as quizzes to boost general knowledge. Educational mobile games, unlike games from other genres, are simple and straightforward to develop. Here are 7 things to keep in mind if you want to develop a successful educational mobile game for kids.Read More
The early stages of game development or game design are the most confusing. You don’t know where you should focus your time and resources first, especially if you’re just starting out and not exactly armed with a boatload of cash to work with. In general, there are three areas that game developers focus on: gameplay, story, and graphics. But which one is the most important? And, if you’re running with a tight budget, which one should you prioritize? Let’s take a look at each of them.
Gameplay
In most cases, the gameplay is arguably what makes or breaks a game. Many even consider it to be the most important aspect. Unless, of course, it’s a visual novel which has practically zero gameplay. A fun and engaging gameplay can keep players glued to the game even if it has an overly simple or shallow premise. TakeFlappy Birdfor example. It had no story and had NES-like graphics. And yet, it became a massive hit thanks to its incredibly addicting and notoriously difficult gameplay which consistently urged players to go for “one more try.” Read More
The age of superheroes and supervillains is upon us. Comic book characters, both big and small, are no longer confined to, well, comic book pages. With the billion-dollar franchise Marvel Cinematic Universe leading the way, these fictional characters have invaded Hollywood like we have not seen before. And as such, mobile games based on comic book characters are more popular than ever. But as always, not every title is worth your time. Here are 10 mobile games based on Marvel and DC Comics that are definitely worth checking. (Note: Not arranged in a particular order, lest fanboys react aggressively.)
Marvel: Future Fight
Marvel: Future Fight is a slugfest at its core. Sure, there’s a narrative which you can progress through via the game’s Story Missions. But for the most part, you will spend the majority of your time beating characters down to a pulp with supreme button-mashing techniques – both superheroes and supervillains alike. There are more than 100 Marvel characters available in the game, which includes the likes of Iron Man, Captain America, Spider-Man, Ghost Rider, Star-Lord, Thanos, and Red Skull. All characters are segregated into four categories which usually represents their fighting style in the comics. Read More
So, you want to create your own fantasy world in a role-playing game, eh? Well, you don’t really have to dig very deep for a never-before-seen premise or an innovative gameplay that would blow people’s minds when developing an RPG. It’s perfectly acceptable to follow the same blueprint used by other RPGs which has remained constant throughout the years. It’s the same blueprint RPG staples like Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and The Elder Scrolls have been using since their inception. So feel free to take an already existing idea and put your own creative spin to it to create something more unique. If you feel you’re up to the task, here are 6 tips when developing your own epic RPG adventure.
1. Settle On A “Style” Before Anything Else
RPGs are typically divided into two categories: Western RPG (WRPG) and Japanese RPG (JRPG). Both are distinctive and unique in their own right. First order of business is to decide which style you want to jump into. WRPGs are more action-oriented and are typically set in an open world where players can do whatever the hell they want. Usually, WRPGs only feature one main playable character, which is your in-game avatar.
Square Enix
JRPGs, meanwhile, are more story-focused, with more developed characters, and often feature anime-like visuals. They also have a very linear game progression in a map-based world and are usually marked by a more “boring” turn-based battle system. Of the two, JRPGs are more suited for mobile phones and tablets because the gameplay usually involves a lot of menu navigation, hence the “boring” reputation.
2. Have An Interesting Cast Of Characters
The story in an RPG is primarily told through character interactions between both playable characters and non-playable characters (NPC). So it’s crucial that you invest a lot of time in writing the dialogs and texts in the game. Don’t churn out half-assed dialogs just for the sake of filling up dialog boxes. The story must have a flow and not just randomly put players in a situation that doesn’t have anything to do with the previous situation. Players will end up getting confused.
Square Enix
You don’t necessarily have to go Lord of the Rings-like in terms of story. Just enough to keep players engaged. It’s important to create well-developed main characters as well, especially in a JRPG. Players will spend the rest of the game following these characters, so they need to be interested in whoever they’re adventuring with. In a WRPG, which isn’t as focused on character development and storytelling, you can simply mute your main character and just rely on non-playable characters to advance the story.
3. Experiment With The Battle System And Character Progression
This is the area where RPGs usually differ. In regard to the battle system, your goal is to create something that doesn’t easily go stale after just a number of battles. Players will spend a lot of time on fighting battles in an RPG, so the battle system shouldn’t be a snore-fest. You could add a system that makes use of touchscreen gestures to produce special attacks or spells similar to Monster Mountain. You could include limited-time unique powerful attacks similar to “Limit Breaks” in the Final Fantasy games, where each character activates their super-move in a different way. Or you could make a combat system in which the number of moves that can be executed is limited, which would require more strategy.
Gamvento
The same thing applies to character progression: go beyond the typical leveling system present in most RPGs. You can mix-and-match elements from other RPGs if you want. You could also do away with the leveling system altogether and put a system in which characters don’t rely on experience points to grow stronger. Feel free to experiment with character progression and customization and don’t be afraid to break away from the norm. But remember to keep things balanced. You don’t want your system to be exploitable, which could easily break the game.
4. Don’t Turn Grinding Into An Absolute Necessity
RPGs usually require players to do a bit of grinding just to catch up to enemy levels in a new area. However, it’s a different thing when the game actually mandates that players be at absurd levels before they could move on to the next area or take on an upcoming boss. And by “absurd,” we mean levels that would require players to go through a two- or three-hour grind just to get characters into shape. Those who love to grind in RPGs would get a kick out of that. But for casuals, it would be too much. Keep the difficulty curve well-balanced and fair. Unless, of course, you’re aiming to produce an RPG that’s on the level of Dark Souls.
5. Include Side-Quests (And Mini-Games, Too)
Side-quests are staples in RPGs. There aren’t many RPGs that don’t feature side-quests which allow players to take a break from all the seriousness in the game and simply spend time hunting monsters, collecting rare items, and generally grinding away without worrying about the storyline. They’re good for extending the longevity of the game, too. You can make elaborate side-quests if you want, where one side-quest gives birth to another side-quest – a series of side-quests, in short.
Gameloft
Optional bosses, which are usually a lot more difficult than storyline bosses, can also make as good side-quests. Just plop them at the bottom of the darkest dungeon and program them to ambush anyone who dares come near. If you want side-quests to be more enticing, make the rewards more, well, rewarding. Like a weapon that can make the next boss laughably easier or an item that can make traveling around the map faster.
6. Add Replay Value
If you want players to continue playing your game after the credits have rolled, you need to give them an incentive that would be hard to refuse. The easiest of which – and the most common in RPGs – is adding multiple endings where the outcome is dependent on the player’s actions during the game. You can go the typical three-way route which consists of a Bad Ending, a Good Ending or Normal Ending, and a “Best” Ending. If you want, you can go crazy with the number of endings and include a dozen or more, Chrono Trigger style.
Estudio Gama Games
Another way to add replay value is to include playable characters that can be missed if certain conditions are not met – optional characters, in other words. Furthermore, you can create a character branch-off where players can choose between two or more characters to join the party and the ones they don’t choose would be unavailable for the remainder of the current play-through. You can also include the so-called “New Game Plus,” a feature which transfers all the game data from the previous play-through to a new play-through, giving players full power right at the beginning. Actually, a New Game Plus feature is recommended when adding multiple endings and/or characters that can be missed.
Do note that if you’re a bit short in budget and resources, it would be impossible to heavily focus on all these things. So, if you’re in a situation where you can only focus on one or two aspects, you can follow this priority order: story/characters à combat system à side-quests/mini-games à replay value/New Game Plus. And in terms of the game’s visuals, well, it also depends on which style you choose: usually, 3D for WRPG and 2D for JRPG.
