Pandering

[guest509]

  How much pandering should one do? I wrote my 7DRL with this community in mind and it was well received, is that pandering?

  My next project (whether I finish or not) is a single screen jumper game for 2 players. This is SPECIFICALLY so my friends will play. The graphics and sound will strive for maximum cuteness. This is so my nieces will play. Is that pandering? If it is, is that bad?

  Should creative times create for an audience or themselves? Is there a line we cross that becomes 'selling out'?

  I'd rather make my game space themed with jetpacks and lasers. But instead it will be fairy wings and fantasy. Is doing something I maybe don't want to do crossing the line?

  All I know is I'm tired of my friends not wanting anything to do with my games. Everyone will play a bubble bobble rip off. Right? :-)

[wire_hall_medic]

You should be clear on your goals, and proceed accordingly.  If your goal is to make a game your friends will enjoy, then what YOU look for in a game doesn't matter much.  I think of pandering as insincere, but every thing you described totally appropriate for what you're trying to do.

If your goal is for your friends to like the game you make, go right ahead with the Taitolike.  If your goal is to make a game for your self, bust out the lasers.  Trying to split the difference (ie, to please every one) is a good way to make a convoluted mess.

[guest509]

Agree, all points.

[ekolis]

Don't think of it as pandering. Think of it as designing for your audience. If all game developers designed games that only they enjoyed, what would the rest of us play?

[Sandblaster]

I think the thing to watch out for with this situation is losing interest in your own project.  If you make a game that you think other people will like, but you don't like it yourself, it's probably likely you'll get bored of the project and quit before it gets anywhere.

[guest509]

Exactly, that's why I've pretty much thrown up my hands at making an epic big project. I get bored way too easy.

Also, unlike many game devs we are mostly hobby developers. Not many of us are looking to make money. So making games for ourselves that we'd like to play is the primary incentive. The audience is secondary I think.

Not saying I don't love it when people play my games, just saying it's not my goal. I have about 20 card games on my harddrive that were a blast to make and have never for a second thought about putting them out there...but I dunno, with the gamecrafter website maybe I will someday.