Just wondering if anyone knows whether or not adding features to unimportant areas (graphics, sound, world design etc depending on what game you are making) will add or subtract from your game review score. I know that adjusting your sliders way up in categories that are “–” or “-” will affect your score, but there are many times I can add features to those same areas without having to move the slider from its lowest setting.
Unimportant aspects passively subtract - this basically just means it eats up time you could be spending in that phase on another aspect.
Features in unimportant aspects are still helpful. I will usually raise the Story slider slightly to squeeze in a story feature or two for an Action game - what Action game isn’t improved by a cutscene in the right place? Action players don’t play to hear people talking, talking, talking either, but a few lines ‘over the comms’ as t’were provides snappy characterization. It makes things that much more epic.
Just because a slider is “–” doesn’t mean time spent there is totally wasted - only mostly wasted. If your dev-time sliders are too unbalanced, your team will end up fine-tuning content in an area that’s already been sanded smooth, and your games won’t be as good as they could be. A slider that’s merely at one minus (-) will actually penalize your game if it’s totally flattened. You need at least a little time spent on Sound and World Design in every game you produce in order to achieve optimal quality outcomes.
I believe “—” sliders are so bad that you actually should zero them. Funding new features is still fine, just a bit wasteful of money, and don’t bother raising the slider at all to fit them all in - leave the feature slider at 45% or 71% or whatever.
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