GAME MARKETING WEEK - LEADING GAME GENRES

Today I will be reviewing the leading genres in core gaming.

CORE GAME GENRES

Action/Adventure games: In this type of game, the player is usually on some sort of quest, and along the way is provided with a variety of challenges – puzzles, hunts, collecting stuff, and of course bloody combat. The advantage of this genre is that there are a variety of types of challenges.

Adventure games: Here the player is on a quest and the focus is on puzzles and clues, with little or no shoot em up combat. The Zork games really popularized this version, even though they were text only – no graphics. Later they did introduce graphical titles games, and then went graphical.

Fighter games: A fighting game traditionally has meant a one on one deathmatch, viewed from the third person perspective. You see the fight from the side and control your fighter remotely.
New Fighters are changing the rules however, the upcoming Streetfighter IV, for example, appears to offer first and third person perspectives, meaning you can shift from the third person view to seeing as if you were your fighter.

It also appears to be a multiplayer fighter, a sort of mayhem mode of play.

First Person Shooter (FPS): First person refers to the visual perspective of the game. First person means that the game displays as if you are the fighter and you see from the fighter’s eyes. You’ve probably heard of Halo, the signature title of the XBOX franchise. Halo is a first person shooter.

Mech or Mecha games: This is a subgenre of Vehicle Combat games. Mechs are often gigantic robots that typically walk and run around wreaking havoc 24/7. Multiplayer mech games are hugely popular with a certain set of gamers. There are mech toys, mech movies, mech clothes, mech conventions, slash (user created) mech fiction, and it goes on from there.

Real Time Strategy: In this sort of game, the player typically has a task to perform – for example beating a competing army – and must gather resources, build up forces, create cities or bases, research new technologies, and of course beat that competing army. These take place in the present, past, and future. The real time part refers to the aspect that the players are making their decisions while game play is taking place.

There is also a genre of games called turn-based strategy, in which each player plans his actions and then the consequences play out after.

Role Playing Games: Think Dungeons and Dragons, and you have a general feel for this genre. Somewhat more unisex that shooters and fighters, these games are based around “character development.” Character development refers to the idea that experience and the completions of tasks and quests add abilities and strengths to your character. Perhaps a quest will result in your getting a new weapon, or battlefield experience will make you a better fighter. By acquiring these traits and objects, your character will be a better competitor in the game.

RPGs are much much MUCH more fun as multiplayer games. A big component of the game experience is social – banding together into guilds, communicating with one another, collaborating on quests. Many of the MMOGs are RPGs. World of WarCraft has registered 9 Million players for its stylized medieval experience.

In my opinion, the association of this genre with Dungeons and Dragons has held this genre back, but recently the success of MMOGs seems to have broken that artificial impediment to growth.

Sims games: The Sims franchise has imitators, but so dominates this type of game that I am going to use the brand name as the category name. In Sims games, the player essentially creates a surrogate life for herself – you create a character and then go through life acquiring skills, having babies, etc. They are like RPGs in concept but are more accessible because of the contemporary settings and less Dungeons and Dragons feel.

It’s a chance to live a life you’ve dreamed about, and millions of people who don’t play other core game genres happily become Sims every night. Each succession of the Sims series creates more visual realism and adds lifestyle, career, and other options.

Second Life is the massively multiplayer “sim” game – not connected to EA’s Sims franchise but with similar objectives and game play. Second Life has the added reality of people being able to make real world money – selling land, graphics, and the like.

Management Simulator games: In this genre, the player assumes the role of COO of something – a city, a zoo, a theme park, etc. and tries to create wealth and happiness by planning and executing people pleasing environments. Sim City is one the lead titles here, as are Zoo Tycoon and Roller Coaster Tycoon.

Simulators: The player in a simulator is essential put behind the wheel and must perform a real world task. Flight simulators are probably the best known segment. In a flight simulator, the better you fly, the better your play.

They also offer third person outside the cockpit views. In addition to flight simulators, there are also car racing simulators, space travel simulators, and a couple of others.

Sports games: Sports games traditionally put the player in the role of a coach or team owner, and they develop and execute strategy against an AI or real person player. More recently, some titles give the player the option of a first person view of a team player. Madden Football is the big daddy of the genre in the US. FIFA Soccer is the colossus overseas.

Tomorrow I'll be talking about the leading genres in noncore or casual gaming.

Thanks for reading and don't forget to write.