What's your favorite multiplayer word games?

Discussion in 'General Game Discussion and Questions' started by greenrift, Nov 6, 2013.

  1. Hey all! Greenrift Software here...we make word games for Android & iOS. Anyway, we have a couple of new word game ideas floating around and we were wondering what your current favorite multiplayer word games are and what you like about them?
     
  2. Drummerboycroy

    Drummerboycroy Well-Known Member

    Apr 2, 2012
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    Clinician
    Maine!
    Hey there!

    Sadly, at this point it would be far easier to list all the MP word games I do not like, but even easier to tell you why.

    I've got 8-9 pages of games on my iPhone4 at all times, including folders. Although I enjoy the gamut of possible gameplay genres, I always have at least a full page of word games. I love them.

    That said, I delete more MP word games than I keep, primarily because so many word game developers seem to be competing with FPS (First Person Shooter) developers. I'm kidding of course, but barely.

    All the consumable power-ups, explosions, car chases, pyrotechnics, 80s rock ballads, and then I go to spell a word that is relatively common within my lexicon, and it doesn't exist? WTH?

    WWF, Bookworm Heroes, W.E.L.D.E.R., Scrabble... they all end up deleted because there are too many bells and whistles (consumables in a WORD game? Ugh.) while the actual dictionary seems half-developed...

    Want to develop the "perfect" MP word game? Find a way to discourage cheating (WWF, Scrabble "word-finders), come up with an elegant UI/gameplay screen, and invest time in ensuring the dictionary matches the literacy of the player.

    One bizarrely perfect example can be found in "Whirly Word." I'm not even sure how I found it, but it is simple, elegant, and I put at least 20 minutes into it every day. I also still enjoy the original "Bookworm," although the dictionary is frustratingly lacking, and I wish to God they'd let me change that, ahem, "BGM (background music)...."

    Good luck, and please keep me posted, as I am ALWAYS up for a new word game!

    Best Wishes,

    DBC
     
  3. Wow! Thanks for the great feedback! I agree, some of the games out there are WAY too much bells and whistles. WWF is an extreme example. It relies too heavily on fleecing the user to give them an edge. That and there are hundreds of word finders out there (yes, we are guilty of building one...it was mainly released as a proof of concept for a new , fast anagram algorithm).

    Dictionaries are always a problem. You have the option of being too thorough and alienate users, or not include enough difficult words and alienate the good players. One thing that we have tried to do is in some of our apps provide an "easy" dictionary as well as an "advanced dictionary. Try to please both crowds.

    How do you feel about the social aspects? Score sharing, challenges, etc?

    Oh, and if you get a chance, check out our apps (most on Android, one currently on iOS): http://www.greenriftsoftware.com
     
  4. undeadcow

    undeadcow Well-Known Member

    Dec 4, 2010
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    Houston, TX
    Wooords is fun, and has multiplayer (I think).

    The upcoming Letrus 3 looks to be a gem.
     
  5. cloudpuff

    cloudpuff Well-Known Member

    Sep 12, 2013
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    lazy layabout
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    I've tried lots of multiplayer and like the previous poster I delete more than I keep, reasons include cheating, bad lexicon, and too many bells and whistles, the only mp word game I have kept and I doubt I will delete is Letterpress. It's simple, has a good dictionary, it's easy to find a match and because you don't get points or high scores there is less cheating but it still keeps the competitive element. Wordy is the same style game but takes longer to complete a round, offers iaps to give others who pay an advantage and was also a large file size when installed because of the bells and whistles, letterpress is much more simple and the only iap is to remove adds (which I've never ever seen on there anyway) and unlock skins.

    I don't really care if it's free or premium as long as it's simple and fair.
     
  6. Interesting feedback. I seem to recall way back when, WWF was actually just ad based with little or no IAP (except ad removal if I recall). I think the general mindset (developers don't lynch me), is that once an app hits the big time, add in as much IAP/consumables as possible to increase the bottom line.

    On the one hand, developers have to make money to keep producing quality apps, but on the other hand we don't want to alienate our users with too much asking for purchases.

    The consensus so far seems to be:
    1) Good lexicon
    2) You don't want bells and whistles, just make it simple and fun
    3) You don't mind ads so long as it's not obtrusive
    4) IAP for unlocking/removing ads, no need for too much fluff and consumables.

    Keep the feedback coming!! This is great!
     
  7. Drummerboycroy

    Drummerboycroy Well-Known Member

    Apr 2, 2012
    4,172
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    Clinician
    Maine!
    Yup, and about the time developers start getting, let's just say "overly optimistic" with their IAPs, I delete the app in question and start looking for an actual game vs. just another "virtual ATM."

    I'm probably going to get beat up for this, but I can never understand the uproar over ads in FTP games. Put in an IAP to remove them, problem solved. Both crowds win.

    As for the dictionary, I don't mind simplicity, but it needs to have all available words for the level. If it's missing relatively common 4-5 letter words, it's not choice, it's broken.

    Consumables in a word game are anathema for me. It's not an RPG or a FPS, it's a word game for crying out loud, and you should be rewarded for intelligence, not how many "Smurfberries" you collect...

    DBC
     
  8. basil

    basil Well-Known Member

    Apr 5, 2013
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    Letterpress?

    Edit: Letterpress
     
  9. _Max_

    _Max_ Well-Known Member

    Apr 19, 2012
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    Letterpress
    Ruzzle
    My favorite word game
     
  10. Meslomeslo

    Meslomeslo Well-Known Member

    Jul 21, 2013
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    I like Dabble the best.
     
  11. stanonymouslee

    Nov 21, 2013
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    Another dev weighing in here. We have our very own word game called Word Links for which we are extremely keen for feedback. It's free on the app store so anyone who likes word games and has a little time to spare we would be so grateful for your opinion :)
    It's a word game with a classic scrabble-style board, but with 6-sided cubes instead of tiles, and some double-lettered cubes. This means you're never stuck for a word and makes for a good competition if you play against friends or random opponents.
     
  12. #12 Mant, Apr 13, 2014
    Last edited: Apr 13, 2014
    Dead link above is due to Word Links now being called Word Cubes, should anyone be interested in checking it out.
     
  13. words

    words New Member

    Apr 13, 2014
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    Warehouse operative
    Lincolnshrie
    Hi there if you would like to contact me via the website, I would test out the game for you? We have a website to do with word games and we are currently developing a few simple games perhaps could help each other out?
     

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