14 DAY TRIAL // Robin Hunicke, one of the producers working on Journey and the co-founder of Funomena, says that game developers need to focus more on the aesthetics of their products before they decide on their core gameplay mechanics.
VG247 quotes the developer as saying that, “Think of the feelings that you want to bring to the players. I believe if you start with the aesthetics and move backwards towards the mechanics through the dynamics, you can create successful games.”
This principle worked very well with Journey, the thatgamecompany-created video game that managed to become a best seller via the PlayStation Network, while also gathering a huge collection of awards from critics.
Hunicke says that Minecraft, another indie release, has managed to also implement the concept because it focused on the feeling of discovery and amazement that the world could create, pushing gamers to share their experiences and creations with others.
The Journey developer says that a team needs to make sure that the various groups in a studio work towards the same goal from the start of the game creation process.
She adds, “If you wait until you’ve got the game six months down the line, you’re putting more barriers in front of your ability to reach a demographic.”
According to Hunicke, games should also focus less on conflict and more on creating spaces where gamers can have meaningful interactions with one another.
The team behind Journey has not yet announced what kind of game it is working on at the moment, but it is probably linked to the PlayStation 4.
The new Sony console and its Xbox One rival from Microsoft will devote plenty of resources to promote indie titles.
Funomena is currently working on video game experiences that can be played on mobile devices and appeal to both parents and their children.