What is the value of the story in a mobile game ?

Discussion in 'General Game Discussion and Questions' started by Shaban, Jun 26, 2012.

  1. Shaban

    Shaban Active Member

    Jun 26, 2012
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    Game developper
    Geneva
    Hello Everyone,

    I'm Shaban Shaame the creator of Moonga the online trading card game for iPhone http://www.moonga.com

    I'm coming here to ask a question and have a gamer point of view.
    For our game we work a lot on the scenario and the game background as we have a part time scenarist working on the game and I would like to know your point of view about investing on the story.

    1. How do you concider the scenaristic part on a trading card game ?
    2. From your point of view does it worth the effort working on the game universe or it's better to focus only on features updates ?
    3. What is the best way to present the game story ? (Text in the app, short facts related to each card, story mode etc.)

    Thanks you for your help !

    Shaban
     
  2. Echoseven

    Echoseven Moderator
    Staff Member Patreon Silver Patreon Gold Patreon Bronze

    Jul 19, 2011
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    The red Skittle
    The best way to implement a story is not an active one (throwing pages of text at us) - although that can work, given that it relates to the gameplay closely enough. (see Gene Effect: They have briefings before each stage, but the story is interesting and supported by the gameplay of the following stage)

    Personally, I really dig a great story, but I wouldn't say I'm really representative of any majority - if you do implement one, make it part of the gameplay. I know it sounds like marketing fluff, but show, don't tell the story. Ideally, it would be told through or during gameplay - think voiceovers, or mid-gameplay text.

    In terms of card games, I find Magic cards manage to create a world through their flavor text - even though there's no real connection or storyline between them.
     
  3. Shaban

    Shaban Active Member

    Jun 26, 2012
    29
    0
    0
    Game developper
    Geneva
    Thank you Echo for your reply,

    Actually like magic is a little bit hard for us to tell the story during the gameplay as the story is background is pretty deep and a "story mode" would only cover a little part of it. We are working on a story mode but I was thinking more in short term.

    We worked on two example here :

    Written story:
    http://www.moonga.com/blog/?p=592

    Images pictures (sorry in french) :
    http://www.moonga.com/externalscripts/JW/

    What is the most interesting in term of ingame "about"

    Shaban
     

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