After a tough 5-months of soccer sim developing, I took a break and I am programming a small action game.
However I am really frustrated: I seem not able to make a fun game!! basically it is a pac-man clone (with some surprises) but I keep adding thing because every time I play it I think it's bad.

However a thought came to my mind: "why someone so experienced in strategy/simulation/rpg would make such a different game?".
I think that ppl should make game that themselves like.
That's for 2 main reason:
1) if you like what you're doing, you do it better
2) if you are a fan of a particular genre of games, the probability that you make a good one increase

Has anyone been successful in making a game that he doesn't like? I don't think...

Don't make games you wouldn't want to play yourself.

Branching out, trying new things, is usually a Good Thing. Even if you find that your latest "branch" isn't one you want to climb out on again, at least you took the time to find out.

Back at the beginning of the year, I created a word game for Tams11 (http://www.tams11.com). I'd never done a word game before. It didn't take a long time to do, but it wasn't trivial and I learned a lot about how to put together a small-scale multi-player game, including integrating with a central lobby (that I didn't create). Plus, it was the first game in over a decade where I created *all* of the art and sound resources for a game on my own. That made it even more fun. :)

All in all, I rate the experience pretty high, and I may do a few more word/language games in the future. I don't play word games much, but having made one now I think I see why other people enjoy them.

If you spend too much time only in the areas where you are comfortable, you will limit yourself and what you can achieve. Try new things. If they don't pan out, you still learned something. If they do, you may find you have strengths and abilities you would otherwise have never seen.

Life is too short to spend it doing the same thing, over and over.

-David

Hmm two really different opinion here :p
I'd say that I agree to both: you have to explore new areas, but at the end, if you realize that you would never buy the game you just finished, don't make more attempt at that particular genre.

(probably the game I'm doing will be my last pac-man clone!! hehe)

There's a difference between having fun making a game and having fun playing a game. You can still have fun making something without enjoying the final product, as DavidRM clearly stated. At one time or another, we all get sick of the games that we develop. That's fine, as long as you at least have fun making them! :)

Well, I definitely like to make a different kind of game each time. And I don't have too much fun making them, and yes, by the time I'm done, I pretty much hate 'em. But they are all games I would really like to play, if I was someone else just like me and I came across them. When I first concept a game, I'm thinking, "damn this would be cool. I'd love to play this game"

The reason I say don't make games you wouldn't want to play is - how can you tell if it's good if you don't really enjoy that kind of game?

For example, if you don't like puzzle games, how do you know what makes a great puzzle game? And if you find the game boring, is it just that you are bored by puzzle games... or have you made a boring game?

Originally posted by Anthony Flack
The reason I say don't make games you wouldn't want to play is - how can you tell if it's good if you don't really enjoy that kind of game?

For example, if you don't like puzzle games, how do you know what makes a great puzzle game? And if you find the game boring, is it just that you are bored by puzzle games... or have you made a boring game?

You don't have to necessarily like the types of games you're making, but it greatly helps to understand what makes them fun. Even so, you don't have to be perfect to succeed. The players will tell you what needs improvement once they give it a whirl. You just have to make sure you have a good concept to begin with. I personally like strategy games -- both real time and turn based. I also like other types of games, like FPS, RPG, etc.. Does that mean the only kinds of games that I can make well are RTS and FPS? I sure hope not. :)

The point is you have to have a decent understanding of what makes a game fun. You might not like puzzle games, but you can certainly ask people who do what makes them fun, and look at other puzzle games to see what they're all about. I'm sure the basic concepts aren't hard to grasp. I agree that it's easier to understand what makes a game fun if you're part of the target audience, but unfortunately most game developers are hardcore players who have to make games for a casual market (if they want to do it for a living).

Still, I think it's very possible to make a compromise and make games for the casual market while still having fun developing them and playing them. That's my goal at least. I don't think I'll ever make a game that I have absolutely no interest in playing. I might as well be working for someone else then. But I certainly won't be making the kinds of games I would typically play myself.

Well I had my GF testing my action game. She's really a good test since she doesn't play lot of games in general, so I can guess if it could appeal to the casual player.
For now the feedback was quite positive, now I need to make some test with impartial testers ;)

Well, y'know, I think if you're gonna sell out you could pick a much more lucrative business to do it in. It's my feeling that if you're going to make something really great, you have to be passionate about it.