Multiplayer Games: Considerations

Multiplayer games are one of the cornerstones of the medium—so, why not make one?

Video games are created with the intention of being fun; as human beings, one of the most engaging forms of fun is through social activities. Why not deliver that experience through the medium of video games?

You've likely already started coming up with ideas, but hold on! First, you need to decide what kind of multiplayer game you're going to make.

If you're interested in making a game with an emphasis on strategy, lean into it! While most forms of multiplayer games contain some form of contest between players, competitive games minimize randomness in their design. The ability for a player to learn the rules of a competitive game are integral to their success, so be sure to design them thoroughly.

If you want that element of competition, but don't want a strictly competitive experience, consider making a party game! Party games de-emphasize strategy in order to remain accessible, often through the introduction of randomized elements. These are meant to be easily picked up and played, even if it's somebody's first time.

Say you still want to make a multiplayer game, but don't want your players to be in competition—in that case, a cooperative game may be the right choice! Cooperative games can follow similar design philosophies to either category, depending on what you want the experience to be. These games distinguish themselves through the necessity of communication between players, so feel free to experiment with this concept!

For all of these categories, the more complex the interaction between players, the larger the scope—but congratulations! You're now one step closer to fully realizing your idea for your very own multiplayer game. Before we conclude, there's still one more key point to keep in mind.

With any game, the most important consideration is how you want the player to feel; in this way, multiplayer games present a unique challenge. How do you want a group of players to feel?

To answer this question, we must raise another: How do you want players to interact with one another? Would you rather them laugh at the absurdity of the situation, or stare at the screen in anticipation of each other's next move?

Once you've answered these questions, you're ready to begin development! If players enjoy it, they'll often bring in their friends to share the experience; this is the best metric in determining if your multiplayer game is a success.

Check in during week ten to hear all about the teeny-tinyware experience—until then, thank you for reading!