With groundbreaking technologies in the gaming industry, developers are revolutionizing the industry. But how do they know that the games are having a lasting impact on the gamers? This is where the online gaming communities. Read on to learn how online gaming communities are making a difference in game design.
The way traditional video games used to be played is changing now. Besides players playing their favorite games, these gaming platforms (like Fortnite) are hosting virtual concerts of celebrities on the same platform.
Online gaming communities now play a crucial role in designing video games. Developers also get a direct opinion from the gamers who are playing the game very passionately. The developers also get creative technical ideas to enhance the game design.
Let’s see how online gaming communities influence developers to design games.
The Rise of Community-Driven Game Development
With internet connection available to everyone, gamers now prefer sharing their opinions on online platforms. Reddit, Steam, Twitter, and Discord servers have become the new home for passionate gamers to discuss games. With the pros and cons of each game discussed in detail, developers get a chance to look into players’ minds.
Developers try to incorporate players’ suggestions into the game to make it more engaging for players. It allows gamers to become a part of the game design that they love so dearly. Moreover, online gaming communities like Steam have been a suitable platform for indie developers as well. Here, they can post their newly developed games on this platform, which can be bought by players and played.
Beta Testing, Feedback Loops & Iterative Design
Online gaming communities are helping developers run a series of tests or make improvements before the final launch of their games. Developers allow access to players to play a beta version of the game. Then, based on the players’ feedback on the game’s beta version, developers make necessary changes.
For example, Baldur’s Gate 3 was available for three years on Steam Early Access, where players could play and give feedback about the gameplay. During the three years, Larian Studios improved the game and included suggestions from players. This was one of the reasons for the game’s success as soon as it was launched.
Developers can offer quick fixes to in-game bugs or other issues through patch updates. After the release of the game, the developers keep an eye on several online gaming community platforms to get updates on the game’s issues or bugs.
User-Generated Content and Mods
Besides developers involved in the improvement of their launched games, gamers do their part in improving the game as well. The practice of modding and user-generated content has become a modern trend in the gaming community.
Modding can be simply changing the in-game avatar’s dress color. It can also be developing a new and personalized game level. But altering the game’s present way of things is not all. It involves creativity and innovation while modding. Minecraft, for example, was a mod game at the initial stage, which became a huge success later.
Similarly, if you have the technical knowledge and know how to play rummy, you can try your hand at modding existing card games. You might want to change the card-shuffling animation or add a new set of designs for each suit of cards to give it a personal touch. But remember, you must bring value and creativity through modding.
Online platforms like Nexus Mods are a great way to experience gaming with advanced features that do not come with the game. The user-generated content helps to modify the games all by yourself.
Balancing Games Through Community Input
Player feedback is a common source of making in-game improvements or modding. For several-player vs. player games like Valorant or League of Legends, the best feedback can be received from gamers. The input they give for the game’s development is crucial. Sometimes, online gaming forums identify important bugs in the games that developers may not identify at first.
Community input is also valuable in-game balancing. If you did not know, game balancing is a concept where the weakness of a character is compensated for its strength in another area. There might not be perfectly balanced characters in any game, but developers and gaming communities try their best.
This also offers an opportunity for gaming communities to redesign old games with new strategies and rules. Suppose you know the rules of rummy games, but you want to make changes to its old rules to give it a fresh look.
iGaming and Community-Backed Fairness Tools
Besides providing inputs for several video games, online gaming communities can also provide valuable feedback for the security of iGaming platforms. For all the card gaming platforms, Random Number Generator or RNG technology is the most important. Online gaming communities can identify if there are any issues with the RNG security on the platform.
Be a Part of an Online Gaming Community to Influence Game Design
Are you passionate about online gaming? Then join an online gaming community to help the gaming industry grow. But remember, community members or mods are just not game critics; they are co-developers as well. If you want to see yourself to be one of them, be passionate about gaming and pay attention to detail with your creative eyes.
