Great execution, not innovation, makes video games fun
December 12th, 2011
In addition to playing games, I pride myself on knowing what makes great games great. Like many of you, I perceive innovation — aka new gameplay ideas — in video games as paramount. Good execution is just expected.
But that's not at all the case, says Gamasutra columnist Lewis Pulsipher, who holds a PHD and has studied game design for 50 years.
"The idea that a game is more desirable to play because it is 'innovative' puzzles me immensely," writes Pulsipher. "My view is that what’s important in games is how the mechanics work together, the whole not the parts... The point is to have a game that's enjoyable for a target market to play, not to have a game that is in some way 'new'."
As such, great games are 10% innovation and 90% perspiration, Pulsipher says. To put it another way, every game should have at least one little hook to get gamers to stop playing what they already enjoy (10%); the other 90% should be to ensure the fewest amount of bugs possible so that the new game is not a pain to play.
Adds Pulsipher, "AAA video games cost so much to produce that innovation is very risky. There's innovation in video games nowadays, but only from the indie publishers. Big games are dominated by sequels. All 13 games listed in a recent PC Gamer magazine as “most anticipated” by readers are sequels. All of them."
What do you think: Does the average gamer overstate the importance of innovation in gaming? Is excecution really more important? Or are we all hypocrates for saying one thing ("Innovation!") then doing another (buying lots of sequels)?
Read more: PC gaming headlines
Comments
I find that execution shouldn't be too important because usually any type of bugs can be patched up shortly after. Consumers are more interested in innovation, less of execution.
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What these large titles call innovation I like to refer to ask make-up. Sure the make-up might make a girl look a little bit prettier but in the end it is still the same girl.
Out of curiosity, what big title has dropped lately that has not had any problems with bugs, glitches and online performance for PC and console.
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It's true though, we are all just buying sequels. No companies seem to take risks now. It's why I think a lot of gamers are finding love in Indie Games.
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agreed i know its a recent series and the tech didnt change much but the Gears of War series was epic imo the music was memorable the story was fully developed and as for emotion play the part of GOW 2 where dom has to kill his wife that was a pretty sad moment in the series
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Some games dev try to innovate but really fail at trying to insert theses new features in the game.
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Game are nice when they are bug free and well-polished!
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