What draws you in?
by D B · in General Discussion · 04/07/2006 (1:19 pm) · 9 replies
I was reading through some old General Discussion topics (years before I signed up here), and I've noticed one along the lines of "Story vs. Gameplay vs. Graphics". It got me thinking of how one decides whether or not they want to buy a game, as well as what makes the game give off a good impression to them without having played it.
This thread isn't to discuss what we all think makes a game better; more, I'd like to discuss what we all think makes a game give off a good first impression. For example, if you were to see a game in a store (real life or online), and you have not seen anything about it in magazines or heard about it from others, what would make you consider buying it? Is it the game's graphics? Or is it more towards the features that they say they have?
Remember, this is not about what we think makes the game ITSELF better, but what you look for more in a game's first impression. What would make you buy a random game you never seen or heard of before in a store?
I'll give an example of my own. A few years back, my friend and I were at an EB, and as I was browsing through the PC games, I came across a game I had never seen before, but would become one of my all-time favourites: Deus Ex.
Now, what would make me choose Deus Ex, a game I have not heard of at that point, among all the other games in the store I have not heard of either? I rarely base my first impression of a game on its graphics, be they good or bad to my eyes. What sealed the deal for me was the advertising of the game's features, where it mentioned both character customization, deep plotline with twists (as well as some open-endedness) and a combination of RPG and FPS genres (As I am a huge RPG fan, and quite partial to FPSes and fighting games).
So, what in a game's first impression would seal the deal for you? Deus Ex was an example of a game's excellent first impression for me. What about for everyone else at GG?
This thread isn't to discuss what we all think makes a game better; more, I'd like to discuss what we all think makes a game give off a good first impression. For example, if you were to see a game in a store (real life or online), and you have not seen anything about it in magazines or heard about it from others, what would make you consider buying it? Is it the game's graphics? Or is it more towards the features that they say they have?
Remember, this is not about what we think makes the game ITSELF better, but what you look for more in a game's first impression. What would make you buy a random game you never seen or heard of before in a store?
I'll give an example of my own. A few years back, my friend and I were at an EB, and as I was browsing through the PC games, I came across a game I had never seen before, but would become one of my all-time favourites: Deus Ex.
Now, what would make me choose Deus Ex, a game I have not heard of at that point, among all the other games in the store I have not heard of either? I rarely base my first impression of a game on its graphics, be they good or bad to my eyes. What sealed the deal for me was the advertising of the game's features, where it mentioned both character customization, deep plotline with twists (as well as some open-endedness) and a combination of RPG and FPS genres (As I am a huge RPG fan, and quite partial to FPSes and fighting games).
So, what in a game's first impression would seal the deal for you? Deus Ex was an example of a game's excellent first impression for me. What about for everyone else at GG?
About the author
#2
Usually graphics spark my interest (or good marketing of features).
Then I will look for a few reviews. Reviews affect my decision to buy or not more than anything else.
For example:
If you go to the products section here (at gg) and look at lore's page and then look at the page for gish, you can see that Gish has a large number of supporting reviews. When I was looking at these 2 products I was very intrigued by both yet I settled on Gish for 3 reasons - Price, Reviews, Features.
04/07/2006 (1:35 pm)
Honestly I would not buy a game based on my first impression.Usually graphics spark my interest (or good marketing of features).
Then I will look for a few reviews. Reviews affect my decision to buy or not more than anything else.
For example:
If you go to the products section here (at gg) and look at lore's page and then look at the page for gish, you can see that Gish has a large number of supporting reviews. When I was looking at these 2 products I was very intrigued by both yet I settled on Gish for 3 reasons - Price, Reviews, Features.
#3
04/07/2006 (1:40 pm)
I myself hardly buy games off of first impression (it is very rare that I do), as I usually look into the game more later on before buying it, but Deus Ex was one of those rare games that gave me such a good impression from the start I decided to buy it without doing any further research on it.
#4
04/07/2006 (2:55 pm)
Reviews are more influential than anything else to me. not only do you get hands on impressions of the gameplay, but you're getting them from a person who has played ALOT of games and(theoretically) has no reason to lie. 
#5
Once there is a demo, you'll need to make me want more. One thing that will almost definitely do this is to have one or two levels and a really great seamless control scheme. Intuitive controls are quite likely to turn a demo-downloader into a buyer.
That's what I think on the subject. I'm sorry if its of no help.
04/07/2006 (4:10 pm)
First, the graphics need to interest me in some way. They need to demonstrate some neat gameplay in the screenshots or something. Either that, or the neat and innovative feature should be well-explained on the website and featured prominently. The point is to get me interested in downloading a demo.Once there is a demo, you'll need to make me want more. One thing that will almost definitely do this is to have one or two levels and a really great seamless control scheme. Intuitive controls are quite likely to turn a demo-downloader into a buyer.
That's what I think on the subject. I'm sorry if its of no help.
#6
Riddick gave you a hell of a lot more to do and even though it had simpler graphics it was a lot more immersive because more things dynamicly cast shadows over the scenery including the player, even in FPS mode.
I don't expect to experience a lot of gameplay in a short stop at a store, so it actually comes sort of third adter the touch and feely controls and graphics. I want to get an impression that there might be some extra depth that makes it stand out above other similar games. If you can show me all that in the first 5 minutes I might actually buy a game without going home and researching it some more. not likely, but it could happen.
04/07/2006 (4:45 pm)
For first impressions Graphics, followed by controls how intuitive they feel and how well it feels you and the character are interacting with the game. If you take something like Doom 3 it looks great but it feels pretty wooden. Riddick came out for Xbox a week before Doom 3, and was so much better on so many levels that I couldn't bring myself to play Doom 3. It just felt like a wet rag. Over simple controls and limited interaction meant that you don't really feel there is that much to get you excited once you get used to the pretty graphics.Riddick gave you a hell of a lot more to do and even though it had simpler graphics it was a lot more immersive because more things dynamicly cast shadows over the scenery including the player, even in FPS mode.
I don't expect to experience a lot of gameplay in a short stop at a store, so it actually comes sort of third adter the touch and feely controls and graphics. I want to get an impression that there might be some extra depth that makes it stand out above other similar games. If you can show me all that in the first 5 minutes I might actually buy a game without going home and researching it some more. not likely, but it could happen.
#7
04/07/2006 (4:56 pm)
If it has a good story and gameplay, ill buy it(supposing i have the money).
#8
04/07/2006 (6:00 pm)
Freedom and realism. If there was a game called "Life", I'd want it. Anything Lionhead studios comes up with I'm usually a big fan of.
#9
04/08/2006 (2:14 am)
I used to rent games from my game rental store before I bought them, before they closed down. Now I Torrent games, if there good I buy it, if they aren't I delete it and never play it again until I see it in a bargain bin for $20 (Unreal 2!). I also like timedemos, like in Venture Africa, where you have the full game for a few hours, and if it's good you pay 25$ and unlock the full game. More companies should do that rather than single-level demos.
Torque Owner Geoff \'Got Haggis?\' Rowland
especially multiplayer that has jetpacks and skiing ;)
Back in the day, box art used to draw me in. That was actually one of the reasons I bought Tribes - I thought the box art (and non-standard box) were pretty cool. I knew nothing about the game at all. These days, box art isn't so great (see Tribes:Vengeance for example).