Game Sim is an interactive, forum/text based multiplayer online game. Each player acts as his or her own game development studio, and proceeds to create and release video games, DLC, and peripherals, amongst other side-activites. In this page, there will be a detailed breakdown of each task a player can perform, how it works, and the potential effects it can have on the user's company, the industry, the rest of the player base, and the game.
Getting Started[]
When first joining the game, players are asked to sign up in the forum aftrer registering . Players pick the name of their studio, and are asked to upload a logo as their personal identifier, also to optionally be used on cover art. Players are subsequently added into the database (this wiki). Following registration and signing up, players are granted $2,000,000 as their beginning fund, and are set loose into the Game Sim world.
Making Games[]
Players are prompted by the video game development form when they wish to create a game. The form is intricate, and very detailed, asking for every aspect of the player's game, ranging from their consoles/platforms of release, to their advertising campaign, to any special editions, and the content of the game itself. Players are asked to leave very long paragraphs detailing the story, gameplay mechanics, and various parts of the experience they wish their game to convey.
This serves two purposes for game analysis done on Kaven's part. By asking for the most detailed information possible, he can analyze and accurately project what type of game the user is trying to create, and also gauge how effective each area will be. Naturally, if a user puts 8-9 paragraphs of story info, veruss 2-3, that particular user has a heavy passion for a story he's woven exclusively for his game, and thus will be judged more critically on the actual content and consistency of the story.
The second benefit to such detailed information is realism. To sit down and fill out the form for a real-life game, one would get an accurate idea of what the game would be like. Much like wikipedia does, Game Sim takes the form the players submit and converts them into real pages on this wiki. This is done to achieve authenticity within the game, and to reflect how a video game is accurately potrayed on a wiki.
In addition, the video game form, while long and detailed, also manages to gather just how much the player wishes to invest in certain areas of the game, such as selecting graphics over story, etc. It's a complex system behind the scenes to work out, but is presented as simple as it can be, asking players to choose certain areas to focus their development time on.
DLC[]
As big as downloadable content has become over the last couple of video game generations, you simply can't offer a video game development simulation without it. DLC in Game Sim gives the player a chance to expand their game through digital add-on content. Prices can vary, as can the amount of content. Players are also given the choice to reflect common, albeit resented business practices seen in real life, such as storing DLC on the disc before it releases and charging for it post-release for an 'unlock' file.
DLC is scaled far less than games, as such, the form for DLC is far less intricate than the video game form itself. Even so, it's rated and analyzed similarly to the video game forms.
Behind The Success[]
How is the success of a game determined? How is Game A better than Game B? What drives those figures? When a game is created, the scope of the game versus how experienced your team is, how mandy funds you have, how much experience you have in the genre, and your team's current morale (affected by recent sales/games) are just some of the factors taken into consideration.
Luck[]
Game Sim is a wildly subjective game, and each developer will encounter situations different from one another. It is entirely possible (and has been done) where a developer comes out swinging - as to say, their success on their first game has been wildly good. And the same developer could have their next game flop due to over-confidence, not realizing the scope of their project, and generally having higher expectations from the fans.
That's not to say everything in Game Sim is statistic-based. Luck, and randomness, certainly plays into it. This is not done in any certain manner, but rather, used as a subjective determining system for certain events and not used to gauge the entire success of a game.
Skill[]
If you create a video game in genre A, and then make a sequel that changes absolutely nothing in genre B, then the next game in genre B will be art least somewhat better due to natural progression with experience. Of course, you can't realistically do this in the game, because fans will backlash and refuse to buy the same game for minor fixes and a slightly smoother experience.
As you progress, sticking to one genre will undoubtedly yield better results. This isn't to say you shouldn't venture out and try new things. But if you make a shooting horror game, sticking at least partially with what you know will better your chances at success for the next game. In example, if your next game is a kart racer, it has a less chance of being successful than if you do a racing horror game.
Peripherals[]
Peripherals are new to Game Sim, but certainly not new to any gamer. More often than not, big releases such as Call Of Duty, Battlefield, etc. have their own controllers, console skins, keyboards, etc released. It's an interesting pratice, and can certainly help booster public awareness for a game.
On the other side are regular products, not associated with any particular game. A lot of people swear by Turtle Beach headsets to complete their gaming experience, for instance. Quality goes a long way, and if you're willing to spend the time in Game Sim to craft a good product, chances are with the right advertising budget, consumers will take notice.
Behind the scenes, Peripherals are done differently than games, as there are far less peripheral releases than games in Game Sim. They're rated on more of what quality they're bringing to the table than how much detail is put into the form, though that becomes more relevant when sales are considered.
Reviews/Ratings[]
So your product's out. How exactly is its quality and the reviews determined? The reviews are done by websites which each have their own standards, biases, and personalities, which will be elaborated on later in the review sites section.
As to what ties into reflecting your game's quality, it's many things. Your video game creation form is the single most powerful tool at your hands and how you craft your game is going to determine what faults it encounters, and where it exceeds expectations. Even the greatest games have their annoyances and issues, just like the worst games in existence usually have one or two redeeming qualities.
So what drives these figures? How are the hits separate from the misses?
As stated, every game is scaled on its own merit by the video game creation form. Think of it like your own crafting kit for your game, you can make virtually anything with it, its possibilites are endless. But during the analysis phase, things you may not even be aware of are taken into consideration, including story logic, character believability, how gameplay mechanics suit the chosen genre, and what most gamers on the platform you're releasing on enjoy. The variables don't stop within the game, sales from the real world are also taken into consideration.
Review Sites[]
The review sites themselves also have their biases and what they recognize as being good features. While the specific points of interest each company keeps an eye out for won't be revealed, the headers below should summarize what each company represents, and how it reviews its games.
IGN[]
One of the most controversial gaming sites to exist, IGN also has the largest influence. Despite their often-accused catering towards the big titles like Call Of Duty, IGN will give credit where credits due no matter the game's size. Despite accusations of being paid off for certain reviews due to their influence, IGN has perservered in their determination to be the #1 Gaming Site, and threy have succeeded.
Gamespot[]
Gamespot has a unique reputation among gamers. Several swear by them, but others dislike their "harsh" reviewing scale, and often disagree with the complaints Gamespot lists, or favors them and see them as an asset to the game. Gamespot has a strong following, however, and their presence in the gaming community cannot be denied.
Gametrailers[]
Gametrailers either impress people and line up with their opinions directly, or they completely disagree and avoid the site at all costs. However, Gametrailers has the advantage of having mainstream media exposure in the form of their own TV show, and are able to have their reviews reach a wider audience.
Random Events[]
Perhaps the true driving force behind Game Sim is the random events page. To make the game as realistic as possible, these events cannot be seen coming, and can be of a sizable magnitude at points. Having the ability to shake the entire industry, these events can affect sales, specific titles, specific companies, and a lot more.
These events are rarely repeated throughout the game, and as such, are an unpredictable dynamic. They can strike at any given time, and have any influence, positive, negative, or neutral. As one of the core foundations of the game, events are common, and can be expected to happen at a steady pace. Several events can happen at once, as well.
To keep the playing field even, events will take no bias, and are randomized to a point. Occasionally referencing real events, either past or present in gaming, they will come spur of the moment, though some will have a foreshadowing effect.