|
cerealbusiness
|
 |
« on: March 18, 2011, 05:18 » |
|
I've tested out the most recent version of Mule 2. The graphics and controls are very promising for such an early stage of development, but the game design isn't.
For the visuals, things can easily be improved and revamped. But what worries me is that the gameplay design is going to built from the foundation that's been established in the current versions.
The current Mule 2 seems to simply be adding content (size, roles, graphics, etc) to the game which is great but doesn't enhance the depth at all. What Mule 2 needs is modern design and modern capacity. There's no reason why the "board" can't be a fully dynamic, evolving environment (similar to moving mts during quakes as before) that includes positive and negative environmental externalities stemming from player choices and procedurally generated bodies of water. But it needs more than that, it needs to feel like a new game, not an expansion. It has to have completely new mechanics, like a banking industry with loans at different interest rates, or a housing industry, or a weapons industry, a public sector/govt. or multiple markets on different planets with different supplies and demands, or different ways for there to be speculation, or technology/research features etc. It needs fresh designs at the CORE of the game. Not in the cosmetics.
The purpose of this post is to mainly remind people of this and make sure that going forward in testing we focus on gameplay gameplay gameplay. The cutting down in time is awesome, but is the game more satisfying, more re-playable, more fun?
|
