Gaming developers and designers invest their time, money, and creativity in nurturing a vision. After months of research and hard work, the team can give the masses something that they relish. What makes video games a hit? What features should a gamer include for a breakthrough performance?
Statista conducted a survey in the USA in January 2021. It was found that 34.6% of the gamers voted for fast Performance as the most crucial feature in a video game. The survey revealed five more features that gamers considered should be integral to a video game: –
- Fast Performance- 34.6%
- The game is available for play in the offline mode as well- 29.2%
- Simple and interesting gameplay- 29.4%
- Addition of new features regularly- 27.8%
- Intriguing storyline- 26.2%
- Interactive and multiplayer mode- 17%
However, gamers are always fishing for cheat codes because they find games like PUBG, Escape from Tarkov, and CS: GO hard to play. These players initially use PUBG, Fortnite, and eft hacks to get familiar with the game mechanics. Technically speaking, we can add few more features to this list.
High Frame Rate
Gamers also call it update rate or burst rate. As the name suggests, a game can represent images or frames consecutively per second on display. The term is used widely for enhancing the graphics of a video game or a motion picture.
Frame rate is generally measured by fps or frames per second. For instance, if a video game has 120 fps, it means that the gamer will see 120 images per second consecutively on their screen. Depending on your internet connection and hardware, fps in video games can be increased or decreased.
A low fps will give a jerky and jagged motion while the movement on the high fps video game screen is smooth. Your devices should also be optimized for accessing high fps. Otherwise, your screen will crash.
Refresh Rate
It is related to fps. It is the ability of a monitor to refresh the images per second. Let us understand it with an example. If a monitor has a refresh rate of 60Hz, it will refresh images 60 times every second. The graphics would become clear, and the motion in the game would appear smooth and effortless. It improves the gaming experience manifold.
Regular PCs that we use in homes generally come with standard configurations. They have a refresh rate of 60Hz. For casual games like Candy Crush Saga and Temple Run, there is no need for an upgrade.
But serious gamers’ regular monitors have a refresh rate of 144 Hz. It is ideal for games like Fortnite, Call of Duty, Apex Legends, and EFT.
Colour Depth
Color depth or color bit refers to the number of bits that represent colors in a pixel. It is like a computer’s palette. Video games are the number of colors that can possibly be displayed while playing a video game or watching a movie.
A 16-bit display or high color is adequate for regular use. 24 bit is ideal for games and high-resolution videos. 32 bit supports as many as 16,777,215 shades and comes with an alpha channel that can create a more realistic effect.
Multiple Languages
For a game to increase its scope and reach, a video game should support multiple languages. The most spoken language is Chinese, followed by Spanish and English. Therefore, developers should include as many languages as possible. There are time and budgetary limitations. But if there are specific tweaks in the game with which the population of particular demography identifies, it increases the outreach manifold.
Ease of access and freedom of choice
Gamers may not want to watch the tutorial or play a certain level. The developers must not give binary choices to gamers. It means that gamers should feel that game is easy to access and enjoyable. You may include features such as minigames or bonuses for playing a paid feature of the game for free for a limited time. For instance, shooter games and real-time strategy games like Apex Legends and Call of Duty: Warzone gives gamers to engage at many levels. In Warzone, if a player fails, he is given a chance at revival. He has to take part in a duel against his opponent in Gulaag, a separate prison made of a maze-like structure. Whoever wins is reinstated.
However, incorporating all these features in a game is not easy at all. Also, every element is not essential for every game. A gamer playing a puzzle game may not want high FPS but a colorful palette and maximum engagement.