Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
For the game designer, this involvement can be a mixed blessing. The mar-
keting input provides ideas for placing ads (including how they look or can be
interactive); however, some designers feel this input dilutes their game design
with material that has nothing to do with the gameplay.
Reviews and endorsements
Game makers can use reviews to make better games. By reading reviews about
games that are similar to ones they're making, they can learn about aspects of
the design that were well received and, more important, those that were not. If
your goal, for example, is to make a HOG, hundreds of them are online along
with comments about them. By using reviews of similar games that are already
being played, game designers can improve their chances of garnering good
reviews when their game is released and played.
You can seek endorsements by submitting a game to established reviewers.
If they're reputable and offer solid feedback on the game, they can help provide
games.
Game reviewers can also provide substantial marketing power. If their feed-
back is negative, those reviews can help the designer revamp the game and
release it with the improvements. However, once negative feedback about a
game hits the Internet, there isn't much that can be done to fix the resulting
damage.
Beta Testing
After a game has gone through exhaustive testing internally, beta tests by play-
ers not associated with the game's production can provide substantial objective
feedback that goes above and beyond testing for bugs. Beta testing helps game
makers avoid releasing a game that might fail.
Beta testers do occasionally find bugs; however, their importance lies more
in verifying the gameplay and whether it's fun and compelling. For some of
the larger games that come from bigger companies such as Blizzard, EA, and
LucasArts, companies seek beta testers from the gaming community and
reviewers to play the game and provide truly objective feedback.
Almost all beta testers sign a nondisclosure agreement (NDA), stating they
won't disclose anything about the game. Still, they often leak information about
the product. The game companies know this and frequently capitalize on it. The
downside, of course, is that in beta testing, a game that isn't ready, a negative
loop may get started.
