Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 9-2.
ESRB interactive element depictions
Be aware that while the AO rating appears to differ from M by one year of age appropriateness, it's
the software entertainment version of the X rating for films and has the same stigma to publishers
and consumers alike.
Game Genres
What kind of game should you make? Make one you would enjoy—this is supposed to be fun, after
all. Whether you have an existing concept you are working on or not, understanding existing genres
and their respective styles of gameplay can help you flesh out a game design and further refine it
with your greater understanding of user expectations.
A good place to begin would be a simple example from the game genre you enjoy in order to focus
your learning on the most similar game behavior. You certainly don't have to force your game to
fit any particular categorization. Action games are a genre. Adventure games are a genre. Some
sources call Action-Adventure a genre, while others would call these hybrids.
Essentially duplicating an existing game and publishing it could possibly lead to legal trouble.
Studying, dissecting, and learning how to reconstruct an existing game to build your skills, however,
is fine.
Table
9-2
lists some broad categories of game genres. There are many more genres including party,
music, educational, and trivia. You can probably think of a number of games that are hybrids of
genres, or that compile a variety of genres.