The Power Of Players Feedback In Game Development
Games are developed for the players, and therefore, it goes without saying that feedback from the players plays a crucial role in the game development process. A game designer or developer develops a game in a manner that they are happy with the game development. However, it is essential for other people, especially the real players, to like it too. Only when this is ensured can a game be designed and developed that becomes an instant hit. Here is how you can consider the players’ feedback in game development.
Bring In The Players In The Early Phase
If you roll out feedback like McDVoice in the later stage of the game development, or precisely just after a game is developed, negative feedback will require you to make plenty of changes. Therefore, it is a good idea to roll out feedback similar in fashion to MyBKExperience at the early stage to make all the required changes easier.
However, releasing a game in the initial phase might look like a risk for many developers. Of course, there is a risk of a leak. However, the fact is, you will anyhow be releasing the game. One can hire professional gamers to get the necessary feedback to eliminate the risk factor. Proper feedback at the right stage of the game development process can be a true gamechanger for the game.
Know What Feedbacks To Consider
Feedback can be both good and bad; many times, a plethora of feedback can confuse the game designer. Therefore, it is essential to distinguish between the feedback you need to consider and the ones you need to ignore. One straightforward way of distinguishing the feedback is by understanding the underlying common issues.
For instance, if eight out of ten feedback says that the plot of the game is uninteresting, it means that you need to consider that feedback. Probably, the game plot is really uninteresting, and you need to design a new plot altogether. However, if only one feedback states that the plot is uninteresting while the nine other players say it is interesting, you can safely ignore the one negative feedback.
Further, ensuring that the feedback aligns with your vision for the game is important. For example, if you are designing a shooting game and the feedback matches the features of a hyper-casual game, you can ignore that idea simply because it does not meet your vision of the game. Hence, when you receive the feedback, think critically to analyse whether the feedback is worth considering or not.
Always Debug The Game
One kind of feedback that should never be ignored is the one that talks about the bugs in the game. If you receive feedback stating that a character is stuck in a certain level or cannot interact with a certain element of the game, it should be fixed immediately. Feedback will shed light on plenty of bugs. Fixing these bugs before releasing the game will reduce plenty of headaches in the post-production phase.
In the player's feedback, it is essential to consider their experience. It is because the player’s experience determines whether a game will be a hit or a failure. You can ask the players to describe their experience with certain adjectives to take this feedback. This alone should throw light on the player’s experience with the game.
You Can’t Please Everyone
Irrespective of the fact how perfect a game is, not everyone will be happy about the game. It is essential to understand that it is okay. The players who love the game will align with it. However, ensuring that most target players enjoy the game is important. If the feedback is proper and if you consider the feedback loop, its power is such that when the game finally hits the market, it can become a huge success.
Sometimes, even a minor cosmetic change that is implemented after the feedback can have a huge impact on improving the player experience. The ultimate aim of collecting the feedback should be to debug the game and improve the players’ experience. Developing a game is tricky and risky at the same time. However, the risk factor can be eliminated to a huge extent through proper feedback. This is the power of player feedback in game development.