My opinon on random topics

Game Dev Tycoon ideas
#1

I know this has been brought up before, but the last discussion was October and I think that qualifies as a dead thread. anyway, instead of just complaining about it, I thought I would explain my reasons and then offer alternatives.

I think topics should be visible from the start and you should get to choose which topics you research. I understand that researching a topic is the equivalent of studying the idea to see how it could be used in a video game, so the research I agree with, I just don’t understand the randomness.

also, if this is meant to be a simulation game then I would ask Greenheart games how many topics they had to research before Game Dev came up on their list of available topics. my guess is that they just started making a game about a topic they had an interest in which is pretty much what everyone does. so, randomness used in this way does not add to the simulation of the experience.

I would also be perfectly fine with a research tree like a tech tree for topics. it could work by starting with some very basic and wide open topics like Sci-Fi which could lead into UFO and Time Travel. The UFO branch leads to Aliens while the Time Travel branch leads to Alternate history but only if you also have Historical and medieval researched from another branch.

The tree could also open up if I made a game with that topic. so instead of spending RP on UFO I could just make a game with the UFO topic and that would be enough to open the Aliens topic. or I could just skip UFO by spending 10 RP and then open Aliens.

I think a topic tree would add a lot more depth to the game. take for example the Civilization series. it has a tech tree which is completely visible from the beginning. this allows players to do research and planning ahead of time which is kind of the point of a strategy/simulation game.

I have heard the arguments where people say its more challenging to get random topics and it forces people to make games for topics they would not normally choose. my counter arguments are that random topics adds false challenge. with proper design, you don’t need randomness to provide challenge. I would prefer my challenge to come from the depth of design than a cold number produced by a random generator. and if this is a simulation, then why should I be forced down certain paths? If I want every play through to have a city simulator series as my flag ship game then I don’t see why I should be punished for that. if others wish to experiment, then I wish them well, but, being forced into it is not something I enjoy.

for those that like the random topics idea I don’t see why we can’t have randomness and topic trees and open research. just have it as a selection before the game begins. and now everyone is happy!

1 Like
#2

You do have a point.

Random topics do not really add to the challenge of making good games, but will force you to be a bit more creative with the topics provided.

In my opinion a topic tree however will have the same result as random topics. People needing to make certain games just to get to a topic they really want.

Good post btw.

1 Like
#3

I feel exactly the same way: it upsets me that I can’t make a fantasy RPG after 17 years in the games industry based on the sheer fact that fantasy was randomly seeded to be at the very bottom of the research pyramid. It isn’t challenging nearly as much as it is frustrating.

While I feel a topic “tree” has some potential, I think a better idea would be to have all the topics visible but “unlockable” with research points. It gives the player a lot more creative control which is really the the bottom line when it comes to a sim game like this anyways.

I hope to see a feature with the ability to toggle randomness, with randomness off offering the same standard starting topics but the full “tree” available.

#4

I think there are arguments to made on both sides of the issue. On the one hand, random topics can make it difficult for players to complete the games that they have envisioned from the start, which is one of the promises that GDT extends to the player. On the other hand, removing the randomized topics sort of weakens the gameplay, since it makes it (even more) trivial to for a player to repeat the same chain of actions from one game to the next.

Possible adjustments:

-Whenever you research a new topic, you get two new topics to choose from instead of just one
-Research Option: More Topics-- you can open up three new topics, but you still need to research them
-Research Option: Reroll Topics-- this would reshuffle your unresearched topics

1 Like