medium length games

NickyNyce · Tue 11/10/2011 20:26:48

Hello everyone,

If a game is considered in length to be short, medium or long. How many minutes would corrospond to a medium length game ?

It takes 45 minutes to get through my game *The Visitor*, and that's if you know where everything is and what to do. Would this be considered a medium length game ?

To infinity and beyond!!!!

Nickynyce

Babar · Tue 11/10/2011 21:16:58

Yes, I believe it would be classified as medium length.

Gudforby · Wed 12/10/2011 09:34:30

Seconded.
To me, a short game would take less than 30 minutes to complete without a walkthrough.
Not sure where I would set the line between medium and full-length games though.

Technocrat · Wed 12/10/2011 10:49:47

On a similar note, how long would a game have to be for you to pay Â£2 for it?

Gudforby · Wed 12/10/2011 11:06:53

Intersting thought... I don't know it there's an easy answer to that.

As far as I'm concerned, overall quality is perhaps more important than the length of the game. If it has its own charm, some creative game mechanics, etc.
But if I have to boil it down to a length for a "classic" adventure game, I would say perhaps two hours of gameplay.

WHAM · Wed 12/10/2011 11:09:51

Quote from: Technocrat on Wed 12/10/2011 10:49:47
On a similar note, how long would a game have to be for you to pay Â£2 for it?

10+ minutes if it's fun.

Hudders · Wed 12/10/2011 12:09:22

Quote from: Technocrat on Wed 12/10/2011 10:49:47
On a similar note, how long would a game have to be for you to pay Â£2 for it?

It is odd that we, (some of us anyway), think nothing of paying upwards of Â£2 for a cup of coffee, but when it comes to games of that price we wouldn't part with our cash unless assured of a certain level of quality and a longevity beyond what a simple cup of coffee would provide. I read somewhere that the more trivial the amount, the more difficult it is to get people to part with their money.

Gudforby is right in saying that it's a difficult question to answer and that length shouldn't be the deciding factor in how much a game should cost. Â£1 an hour seems high for some games and much too low for others.

CaptainD · Wed 12/10/2011 12:11:31

Quote from: Technocrat on Wed 12/10/2011 10:49:47
On a similar note, how long would a game have to be for you to pay Â£2 for it?

Personally if I got a good hour or two out of it, I'd probably think a game was worth a couple of quid.

NickyNyce · Wed 12/10/2011 12:48:01

Quote from: Hudders on Wed 12/10/2011 12:09:22
It is odd that we, think nothing of paying upwards of Â£2 for a cup of coffee, but when it comes to games of that price we wouldn't part with our cash unless assured of a certain level of quality and a longevity beyond what a simple cup of coffee would provide.

Wow, that's a pretty good way of putting it. I myself am not tight when it comes to paying for games, especially really cheap ones. If quality is there I would pay for it wether it's short or long. I would much rather have a game then a cup of coffee for the same price.

I do notice that a lot of people seem to stay away from long games due to not having enough time to play them. Shorter games seem to be more popular in that people know they will be over and done with them quickly. I guess people like things short and sweet.

But anyway, thanks for the info people.

Tenacious Stu · Wed 12/10/2011 14:37:44

Quote from: Technocrat on Wed 12/10/2011 10:49:47
On a similar note, how long would a game have to be for you to pay Â£2 for it?

Thinking of going commercial with Technobabylon?

I personally think that samller games for a cheaper price could be the way forward for indie adventure game developers. A lot of iPhone games are 69p now and some of them are really a rip off, but the numbers show that people are willing to pay cash out for a casual gaming experience. I think short, fun adventure games fit this category nicely and think people will pay for them as well as the longer, more expensive games like Gemini Rue.

As far as classifying games length, I would say anytime under half an hour is short so, yeah 45 mins plus would be medium, but after say, 2 hours? This could probably count as full length.

Igor Hardy · Wed 12/10/2011 14:52:46

Quote from: CaptainD on Wed 12/10/2011 12:11:31
Quote from: Technocrat on Wed 12/10/2011 10:49:47
On a similar note, how long would a game have to be for you to pay Â£2 for it?

Personally if I got a good hour or two out of it, I'd probably think a game was worth a couple of quid.

What Captain said.

Ghost · Thu 13/10/2011 11:25:27

I think it's also important how easy it is for me to actually hand over the cash. I'll happily shell out 2 pound/dollar/euro even for a short game, but then it must take me no more than two mouse-clicks to do so, and I want my product just a minute later.

I hate complicated or binding stuff like "Okay, Customer A, first you buy the game box, then you retrieve the download code, THEN you subscribe to XYZ, send us a small urine sample, tell us about your childhood problems and THEN you may give us your money."

CaptainD · Thu 13/10/2011 12:40:27

Quote from: Ghost on Thu 13/10/2011 11:25:27
I think it's also important how easy it is for me to actually hand over the cash. I'll happily shell out 2 pound/dollar/euro even for a short game, but then it must take me no more than two mouse-clicks to do so, and I want my product just a minute later.

I hate complicated or binding stuff like "Okay, Customer A, first you buy the game box, then you retrieve the download code, THEN you subscribe to XYZ, send us a small urine sample, tell us about your childhood problems and THEN you may give us your money."

Good point, thought I wouldn't say BMT Micro Orders are quite that bad!