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What about children games?
You''re completely missing my point. First of all, "edutainment" is software for children that is meant to entertain while it educates. That''s where the term comes from - EDUcational enterTAINMENT. I''m talking about kid games for pure entertainment. Secondly, all of those titles you mentioned that are being discontinued are of the lame, cutie-pie variety designed for extremely young kids. My whole point was that maybe the Backyard sports games are not a fluke but a clue that the old formula for cranking out crappy kids'' games is worn out and that you have to include a slightly older audience of children to be successful. Did you ever consider that there''s a reason that the Backyard titles are succeeding?
I think you are on to something. Anon, kids games != edutainment.
It is possible to make games that are geared for children that are fun.
The problem is that most of those titles out there are really really cheaply made. I was recently at my cousin''s house. She is about 9 or 10.
I guess her parents actually bought her those "100 Best Windows Games Ever" and she plays some of the simpl games on that.
Making a better childrens'' game might just mean better quality graphics with bigger, cuter characters using the same gameplay.
Of course if people start making games that have great gameplay and gear them towards children, that would probably be a lot better.
Didn''t Disney make a FPS based on Atlantis that didn''t use guns? How did that sell?
Sonic the Hedgehog and Super Mario Bros were pretty popular when they came out. They didn''t have blood/sexual imagery, and they abecame some of the most recognizable characters in the world.
Mario was more recognizable than Mickey Mouse in America at one point, if not still.
People can make games geared specifically for children and in the process can create a whole new icon. Imagine if children find out about this game, and then because the game is so popular it gets licensed as a cereal product, a cartoon, action figures.
I think you can be pretty successful dealing just with children. That is pretty idealistic, but it has been shown to be possible.
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(Gorgeous graphics)+(beautiful sound effects)+(symphonic music)+(no gameplay) != Good game
It is possible to make games that are geared for children that are fun.
The problem is that most of those titles out there are really really cheaply made. I was recently at my cousin''s house. She is about 9 or 10.
I guess her parents actually bought her those "100 Best Windows Games Ever" and she plays some of the simpl games on that.
Making a better childrens'' game might just mean better quality graphics with bigger, cuter characters using the same gameplay.
Of course if people start making games that have great gameplay and gear them towards children, that would probably be a lot better.
Didn''t Disney make a FPS based on Atlantis that didn''t use guns? How did that sell?
Sonic the Hedgehog and Super Mario Bros were pretty popular when they came out. They didn''t have blood/sexual imagery, and they abecame some of the most recognizable characters in the world.
Mario was more recognizable than Mickey Mouse in America at one point, if not still.
People can make games geared specifically for children and in the process can create a whole new icon. Imagine if children find out about this game, and then because the game is so popular it gets licensed as a cereal product, a cartoon, action figures.
I think you can be pretty successful dealing just with children. That is pretty idealistic, but it has been shown to be possible.
-------------------------
(Gorgeous graphics)+(beautiful sound effects)+(symphonic music)+(no gameplay) != Good game
GB, perfect examples near the end there. The console developers really know how to do kids games and make them entertaining to all ages while keeping them easy to play but fun enough to keep a hardcore gamer into it. Look at all of Miyamoto''s games on the Nintendo consoles over the years, all those Mario and Zelda games. Makers of kids'' games need to look no further than previous (but recent) generations of console titles to see what would sell: Mario 64, Mario Kart, Crash Bandicoot, the N64 Zelda games, Starfox... nothing like this stuff can be found on the PC, at least not at that level of quality, and they''re great games that kids (and adults) like. My ex-wife was definitely NOT a gamer, but she would play Mario Kart, so does my daughter, and it''s one of my all-time favorites. I think something like that would sell on the PC if it were done very well. Great games can sell, regardless of market.
I believe that in the next few years you will see a big climb in the sales of software for young children.
As us hardcore games get older and start having kids, our priorities change but our interests won''t.
I''ll use myself as an example. I''m 30 now and have a 2 year old daughter. When I was a teenager, I purchased a minimum of four games a month (yeah, I was working a lot too). Once I got married, it dropped to 6-8 games a year. Once my daughter was born, I have bought myself 3 games and I have bought her 5.
She loves them and it''s something we do together that I could have never done with my Dad.
Think about it, us gamers from the 80''s are having lots of babies right now. That means game sales.
borngamer
As us hardcore games get older and start having kids, our priorities change but our interests won''t.
I''ll use myself as an example. I''m 30 now and have a 2 year old daughter. When I was a teenager, I purchased a minimum of four games a month (yeah, I was working a lot too). Once I got married, it dropped to 6-8 games a year. Once my daughter was born, I have bought myself 3 games and I have bought her 5.
She loves them and it''s something we do together that I could have never done with my Dad.
Think about it, us gamers from the 80''s are having lots of babies right now. That means game sales.
borngamer
Author
Yes, now that it is mentioned, I find alot of those non-violent games geared towards kids to be very fun. In fact, I wouldn''t mind seeing those types of games on the PC. Heh, and even though my sister isn''t a gamer, she doesn''t mind playing alot of the goofy non-violent games. Maybe some independent developers should try focusing on those types of games. There really seems as though there is a lack of them on the PC. Soft, non-violent, games really seem to work for developers like Nintendo, Maxis, and others. They also seem to bring in alot of female buyers too. Geez, and every time I go to a freaking software store, there is always old people and women looking at those casino games or The Sims.
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