|
|
|
|
||
        |
|
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
What Makes a Game Replayable? What makes a game so addicting that people flock to message boards, create maps and mods, and play the game years after it's released? What is different between a game that is played through once and set aside and a game that is played over and over again? Most, if not all, game companies would love their games to have this most treasured of traits and that is replayability. I'll discuss what gives a game replayability and showcase games on both sides of the replayability spectrum. Along the way, you'll learn what some games lack that causes them to collect dust after being played through once and what other games have that causes them to never leave the hard drive.
What is Replayability and Why is It Important? Replayability as it applies to games is how often the game is played in it's original form and/or how well it's customizable options appeal to the user. This is my definition and I'm sure that other people will have their own ideas, but for the rest of this column I'll use this definition. A person doesn't need to play the game constantly for the game to have replayability. If I were to go back to playing StarCraft or if I were to start making StarCraft maps, that would mean that StarCraft is replayable. It doesn't matter that I wasn't able to play StarCraft when I was in college. The mere fact that I went back to playing the game means that it has the qualities that make a game replayable. Replayability is important because it fosters a community of players that help both new and veteran players get better at the game. Web sites with news, strategy, forums, and more spring up if people continue to the play the game. Furthermore, a game being replayable means that it's good and so the company has a better reputation than other companies.
Stop With the Theory and Show Us Some Examples! There are two games that show perfectly what I mean by replayability. On one hand you have Oni that will be played through exactly once because it has no replayability qualities whatsoever. Oni has no multiplayer play, no level editors, no randomness, and very little fan support. Oni has a very low level of replayability. On the other end of the spectrum is Diablo 2 which is still being actively played by thousands of people all over the world, free Internet play, mods being written, an expansion set being created by Blizzard, and hundreds of active web sites devoted to Diablo 2. Diablo 2 has a high level of replayability.
Why Oni is Not Replayable Oni isn't replayable because there is no way to play with or against other people. You can't choose to play the game with another person or fight against other people to test out your fighting skills. There are no level editors so that people can create their own stories in the world of Oni. So when you play through Oni and finish it, there is nothing left to do because you have done everything that is possible to do. There is nothing to talk about on a regular basis because there is nothing new to discuss. If a web site has a walkthrough, an analysis of the story, and some fighting techniques then the web site is essentially complete. This is not to say that Oni isn't a good game because it might be great. Oni's story might be well written, the fighting controls might be easy to learn, the graphics drawn beautifully, and everything else done great. However, once Oni has been completed there is little reason to play it again because it has low replayability.
Why Diablo 2 is Replayable Diablo 2 is on the other end of the replayability spectrum because it offers near limitless play potential. There are five characters and each one offers nearly infinite combinations of skills, stats, and equipment. Finding the equipment that will compliment your character is part of the fun and finding that perfect rare item is every Diablo 2 fan's dream. Even though none of the quests change, people play Diablo 2 many times with different characters. Partially to try out a new character variant that hasn't been tried yet or to find a new combination of skills that will be even more effective. Part of Diablo 2's replayability is the free Internet play over battle.net. While it has been criticized for having laggy conditions (especially at peak conditions), it is a great place to meet with people and play games. In fact, there are clans who share strategies and items together over the Internet. There are tons of web sites detailing character strategies, current news, item information, skill information (complete with mathematical formulas), forums, and even a marketplace much like ebay. The mods don't (and perhaps can't) change the storyline but add new items and alter the skills so that they are balanced, at least to the author's opinion. Last but not least, there is the expansion pack coming out in the next few months that will further extend its gameplay and add two new characters. Just as with Oni, there is no assurance that Diablo 2 is a great game just because it has high replayability. However, just because a game has many opportunities to be played over and over again doesn't mean that anybody will unless the game is good. Considering how many people are still playing Diablo 2, I think that the overall consensus is that Diablo 2 is a very fun and enjoyable game.
Executive Summary What Diablo 2 offers and what Oni doesn't is a way for people to have different experiences depending on the choices they make. In Diablo 2, I can choose to concentrate in different skills, use different equipment, play with other people, and use different tactics in defeating the monsters. I can also choose to change the gameplay by creating or playing mods. With Oni, none of these things are possible because the gameplay remains static. Everyone learns the same skills, find the same equipment, can't play with other people, and use the same tactics in defeating the enemies. This is why Diablo 2 can be played over and over again while Oni can't. Which game is considered more fun to play will be left to each of you.
Who is Erica? What is this column? Hello everyone! My name is Erica J. Marceau and I am the resident Game Expert of the Mac OS Journal staff. When I'm not playing or thinking about games, I am looking for a job as an Electrical Engineer after graduating from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering. My other hobbies include watching animÈ and reading manga, reading fantasy and science fiction books, role-playing, learning as much about technology as I can, and traveling in the lands of Puddleby in Clan Lord as Jeanne. Every month I'll cover a different topic, from interviews with important people in the gaming industry to ideas for the perfect game, and everything in between. And if there is a topic of the Mac gaming industry that you'd like me to talk about or you want to be interviewed, please email me at: erica@macosjournal.com or use this feedback form.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
