# Are 2D videogames irrelevant?



## whitesaint (Nov 28, 2004)

Okay I've been working about a month, several hours a day, trying to make a role playing game...my friend came over last night and was tellin me how i wouldn't be able to sell any because it's all 2D.  Not 3D like all modern games are.  But my response was I believe there are people out there who still enjoy 2D games and like the simple approach compared to how video games are always getting more complicated all the time.  My response was also that most 3D games cost between $30-$60, and im planning on making a long RPG and selling it for $5-$10.  What do you guys think?

Heres some links to what it looks like so far...

http://67.8.112.236/rpg1.jpg
http://67.8.112.236/rpg2.jpg
http://67.8.112.236/rpg3.jpg
http://67.8.112.236/rpg4.jpg


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## chevy (Nov 28, 2004)

Need for Kill is really fun, and it's just the 2D sequel of Quake 3...


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## chevy (Nov 28, 2004)

for your own game, once you have set the basics, I would suggest you get help from a graphic artist to rework your backgrounds and sprites. This may help a lot


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## Viro (Nov 28, 2004)

2D or 3D doesn't really matter. With a good artist, you will make your game look very professional, and it will run on very modest hardware. Take a look at Age of Empires II. The artwork is superb and at the time it was released, if it had been made a 3D game, the art would have looked like Warcraft III (i.e. cartoony, blocky, and downright ugly). The artwork is what makes games look great. For other examples of good 2D artwork, look at Baldurs Gate II.

Stick with the 2D game, you'll have a much broader audience, and bump up your price to $19.99. That's a nice price for a game. Too high, people expect too much. Too low, they expect too little and overlook your game. The added price should bring in more revenue so you can hire an artist/purchase good artwork and some nifty loops for some killer sound.

The number of dimensions the graphics in a game has doesn't really matter. It's the content, gameplay that counts.


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## HateEternal (Nov 28, 2004)

Good games are good games. At my house we have every current console + pc's suited for gaming. I think the SNES & NES emulators on the xbox get the most play time.


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## ora (Nov 28, 2004)

For some imaginative 2d games its always worth checking out the uDevGames (www.udevgames.com) entries. With the limitations on file size, the contest brings out some truly imaginative and addictive games. Currently I'm hooked on Kill Dr. Cote.


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## scruffy (Nov 28, 2004)

spiderweb software make some excellent rpgs - some 2d and some 3d.  They're not phenomenal commercial successes, but I guess they make a living at it, or the company wouldn't be around...


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## CaptainQuark (Nov 29, 2004)

2D/3D  doesn't matter as long as it's a good game that engages and involves the player. I've just got my hands on Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault. Great graphics, but the gameplay is terrible. It makes me wish I HADN'T bought it!


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## whitesaint (Nov 29, 2004)

Hey thanks all of you guys you guys just straight up gave some good answers to my problem.  I was thinking the same things you guys were except i couldnt put it into words as well.

For the graphics and artwork I'm just doing that myself because im an broke unemployed college student doing alot of community service for bs.  I dont know anyone who knows how to turn my vision into reality, an artist wouldnt do it perfect like i want it. 

Again thanks for the input gave me alot of confidence back.


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## kainjow (Nov 29, 2004)

The thing about games is it takes a LOT of hard work to make it successful. Not only do you have to have a good story line, but you need good graphics and sound effects/music.

I would suggest for an RPG to keep the graphics small, yet detailed. That will    enhance the game much more, instead of having bigger images which take much more work (and pixels) to be high quality.

Good luck!


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## Oscar Castillo (Nov 29, 2004)

2d shmups rule!!!  But that's my opinion.


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## Captain Code (Nov 29, 2004)

I think it's all about the graphics and how fun your game is.  Maybe try hooking up with a fellow college student that's taking graphic design.

2D is definately a lot easier to work with, but can still be good.


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## btoth (Nov 30, 2004)

Out of all the game I've played... my Super Mario World for SNES got the most use... as well as the SNES version of Zelda - both are great 2D games.  Now, if you were making a first-person shooter with sprites... that'd be different.   But RPGs and platform games can still be great 2D games.  Like others have said... if the game is fun and has nice 2D art to back it up, people will enjoy it.

Personally, I'd like to see Nintendo remake a bigger, better Super Mario World in 2D for their newer systems instead of trying to make every single game 3D.

For a while I was working on a 2D RPG in a style similar to Zelda... more for fun and learning that anything else... but my poor artwork was discouraging.  Good luck.


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## wiz (Nov 30, 2004)

Viro said:
			
		

> 2D or 3D doesn't really matter. With a good artist, you will make your game look very professional, and it will run on very modest hardware. Take a look at Age of Empires II. The artwork is superb and at the time it was released, if it had been made a 3D game, the art would have looked like Warcraft III (i.e. cartoony, blocky, and downright ugly). The artwork is what makes games look great. For other examples of good 2D artwork, look at Baldurs Gate II.




haha good one.. but AOE II is nothing compared to wc3.  WC3 artwork is fantastic, and the gameplay rocks.. Have you seen WoW, that just simply is a 1000x better. But good artwork is not all that counts.. WoW's graphics is not as great as Lineage II.. but WoW is the better choice of the two, cuz its gameplay is amazing!!!


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## whitesaint (Nov 30, 2004)

cocoa really makes most of the hard work easy...im currently trying muh best to keep the graphics small yet detailed, already have some good high quality sound effects in there...the story line is actually probably the hardest part....

2D is definitely about a thousand times easier to program than 3D...and yes games like final fastasy #s, and legend of zelda for SNES easily take the cake in my opinion.  The program doesnt show it but the hero shoots out fire when he swings his sword and can take out enemies like that.  I didnt realize the resemblance to the legend of zelda til now, but muh implementation is gonna be more complicated than zelda's...

About Warcraft 3...The graphics may be kinda blocky sometimes, but the gameplay is excellent and the graphics look decent enough to make you want to keep playing.  Warcraft is to video games like what apple is to computers, kinda, in that they both always create excellent products...I've seen the trailers for WorldOfWarcraft looks very cool...


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