Videogame creation is a combination of art and technical skill. It's easy to look at next-gen titles on Xbox 360 or PS3 and marvel at the miracle that is their existence, but many gamers ignore the difficulty and special challenges that come from making a portable game. There is a special art of reduction that comes from a developer trying to make a game that can be enjoyed on the go. To act as a sort of reminder of some of these challenges, I thought I'd highlight a few.
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Making a game that has substance, but can be played in quick intervals
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Having the graphics and gameplay at least partially compare to next-gen titles while being created on far inferior hardware
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Dealing with unruly memory restraints and small media to fit the entire title on
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Having controls work despite having less buttons and control elements than home systems
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Balancing amount of attempted loads so that the battery isn't taxed and yet load times aren't too long
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Ensuring color and lighting allow the game to easily be seen on a portable screen
Then of course there's all the regular challenges of making a game. Like I said, the issues listed aren't all of the issues that come into play, just some of the more common ones. Do you consider any of these elements when you play a game on a portable or is a game just a game to you no matter the circumstance?













Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-11-2007 @ 11:25PM
Stef Geiger said...
Whoever decided that portable games have to be playable in short bursts is not my friend. I'm so tired of that mentality. Seeing as the console has a sleep function, players can start and stop playing whenever they want to with no consequence, so why do games have to be made for this "short burst" mentality? What I want from my PSP is the same gaming style from my console.
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3-12-2007 @ 12:26AM
Sean said...
The thing that excited me about the PSP was that it was the first portable game system that felt like a console. None of the Gameboys really had that appeal that would keep my attention, and I never really felt that portable games HAD to be played in short bursts either, I mean, look at some of the original GB games, some of them had NO battery backed saving yet had 3-4 hour long gameplay, and the original Pokemon (not saying I played it of course *darting eyes*) never let you save during battle.
So I lost my train of thought, the PSP rocked on, and they all lived happily ever after. THE END
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3-12-2007 @ 1:04AM
Jason said...
If the developer is trying to make a game like Daxter, then yes, those are all valid points. However, a portable game doesn't have to take the hardware to its limits to be fun. Something like a simple Sudoku or Texas Hold'em game can be fun and addicting without being difficult to code.
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3-12-2007 @ 8:09PM
Service_Games said...
Honestly, I don't like to think about these kinds of things simply because I'll stop enjoying gaming if I do.
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