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[nightfly]

I was thinking about how bad Metroid Prime 4 turned out due in large part because they thought making it akin to Zelda BOTW was a good idea (yuck!).

Is it ever a good idea to try to heavily emulate what someone else is doing? Especially when it means changing an age old formula that works for something completely different?

 

[Moondoggy]

Only when the trend is "Making good games".

 

[Sethbacca]

With the time it takes to dev a game, there's a solid chance that they're going to miss a trend by the time it launches if they're late to start it. Sometimes it will work out, but more often than not shit like Fortnite is lightning in a bottle. You're not likely to replicate that success no matter how hard you try. Companies would be better off trying to innovate and create new experiences to bring in new players or capture players from other games rather than chasing fads.

 

[crackajack]

chasing isn't the same as trend setting.... so probably no

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

The entire history of videogames and commerce in general is to chase trends.

What trend you chase and how you deliver on it is what matters.

 

[Griffon]

Real visionaries don't chase. They predict trends.

 

[ahtlas7]

Could be if the road to release is quick. Don't want to miss the trend.

 

[bumpkin]

I was thinking about how bad Metroid Prime 4 turned out due in large part because they thought making it akin to Zelda BOTW was a good idea (yuck!).

Is it ever a good idea to try to heavily emulate what someone else is doing? Especially when it means changing an age old formula that works for something completely different?

Did they though? A central hub is much different than a gigantic inter-connected world with no transitional cut scenes blocking one area from the hub or the others.

I don't mind if developers chase trends, as long as they do it well. The rub is doing anything well takes time, so it can make it hard to strike while the iron is hot.

But the trend of GAAS can fuck right off.

 

[Fahdis]

GAAS has killed all interest for me and industries chase it like crack. The microtransaction and lootboxes trend will never die.

 

[Mr. PlayStation]

If you're a publisher it's ok to have one of your studio chase trend, but don't put all your eggs in one basket by having your treasured single-player or remake studios turn into GaaS developers.

 

[Kacho]

Depends on the trend.

Loved:
Doom clone trend
Platformer trend
Diablo 2 clone trend
Military dudebro trend

Hated:
World of Warcraft clone trend
Always online trend
GAAS trend
Woke trend

 

[calico]

Sure if they're confident enough they can deliver it before the trend is over. It's risky if your dev time is 3+ years. If it's 5+ years you could be releasing into a different world to the one that existed when you started.

This lack of nimbleness is one of the biggest problems the industry has. A crazy amount of time and resources go into games which end up getting cancelled years into development because they no longer seem like the good idea they did at the start. This should be where AI really helps eventually, by speeding the whole process up.

 

[MiguelItUp]

It really depends on the trend/fad. I feel that as long as the project is coming from a passionate place, it will find its footing and succeed regardless of the trend/fad. If it makes it clear it's the complete opposite of that and is just trying to make a quick buck, it'll likely be ignored and disregarded sooner than later.

 

[PauloRoberto]

Chase trend is not a problem... doing that in a stupid way is not. Metroid Prime 4 is CLEARLY the second case.

 

[PlayStaytion]

They have to do their own thing first instead of rushing to make their first game on steam. I don't recommend early adopters to work on steam cause if the dev thinks he's a robot then he's chosen the wrong industry to work for.

 

[diffusionx]

Most people aren't visionary, and they can still make a good product. Like there are a lot of JRPGs made after FF7 and many of them were very good. People are begging for a Legend of Dragoon remake.

I guess the question is how cynical are they. Like, am I resurrecting a decades old franchise to make some stupid live game with a single game mode because some other dev made a lot of money on that game mode.

The entire history of videogames and commerce in general is to chase trends.

What trend you chase and how you deliver on it is what matters.

correct.

 

[Hyet]

The best it happened to Epic was following the battle royale trend.

 

[March Climber]

The entire history of videogames and commerce in general is to chase trends.

What trend you chase and how you deliver on it is what matters.

This, not even every good game in someone's childhood was some visionary masterpiece.

Some devs just added their own spin on en existing popular trend and delivered a good, fun product.

And some kids remembered that game for the rest of their lives.

 

[freemandos]

Like we say in my country, "lo poco gusta y lo mucho cansa" (a little is liked, but too much is tiresome).

 

[freemandos]

Depends on the trend.

Loved:
Doom clone trend
Platformer trend

And yet there were lots of variety and experimentation. Dark Forces was much more than just a Doom clone, Duke Nukem 3D and Quake were very different, Sonic and Mario were pretty opposite of each other, Tomb Raider and Crash Bandicoot weren't similar by any means beyond being 3D and the basic focus on jumping, etc.

 

[rkofan87]

I was thinking about how bad Metroid Prime 4 turned out due in large part because they thought making it akin to Zelda BOTW was a good idea (yuck!).

Is it ever a good idea to try to heavily emulate what someone else is doing? Especially when it means changing an age old formula that works for something completely different?

depends on the trend but either one I'm tired of all the Metroid Venus

 

[rkofan87]

The best it happened to Epic was following the battle royale trend.

for profit yes for hardcore Gamers not so much

 

[Fbh]

Sure, gaming has always thrived on derivative work. Following trends can work, specially if you try to give it your own twists and not just make a copy.
The problem with following trends these days is that games take very long to make. If you are starting development now, who knows if the trend you are following will still be popular in 6 years when you are ready to launch.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

for profit yes for hardcore Gamers not so much

I bought the back paddle attachment for my PS4 controller, and then the Edge controller for my PS5 to play Fortnite.

I had to gimp myself with an editing input because the PlayStation controller lacked enough buttons.

That game can be as casual or hardcore as you want it to be.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

Ony low IQ studios chase trends and even lower IQ peope who evangelize them

 

[Arsic]

Innovation will always trump imitation.

 

[NeoIkaruGAF]

Can we please stop pretending that MP4 has anything in common with BOTW?
I don't remember if someone from Nintendo or the dev team ever said that, but if they did, they were high, or lying, or just throwing shit around.

Any human with a tenth of a functioning brain can easily tell that there is nothing of BOTW in MP4.
If you want to draw a comparison with Zelda, then MP4's desert is a bit like Ocarina of Time's Hyrule Field, except needlessly larger, way less interesting, and much more annoying.

Trends can be good. Don't remember many people complaining about the deluge of 1-on-1 fighters after SF2 opened the floodgates.

 

[Hudo]

If they make good games, sure. Chasing trends and trying to perfect them is how Blizzard got big.

 

[corgiix3]

can we turn immersive sims into a trend please

 

[Sir Sonic]

Cool things can come out of chasing trends

Lies of P
Dante's inferno
Crash Team Racing
Fortnite
Sleeping Dogs
Overwatch
FarCry 3
Etc...

But like failures does exist in any path a developer could take. A failure at chasing trends and taking inspirations like Metroid Prime 4 doesn't make this path null and inefective

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

can we turn immersive sims into a trend please

They tried. They tried the best they could.

 

[lughnasadh123]

A lot of people say no unless it's a trend that aligns with their tastes.

 

[Dorago]

Yes, if you see how new techniques can be implement and use that to help fulfill your creative vision.

No, if you think copying a game that already came out will make you as much money as the original game.

 

[winjer]

The very best will set the trend. The rest will just follow.

 

[Rentahamster]

Is it ever a good idea to try to heavily emulate what someone else is doing? Especially when it means changing an age old formula that works for something completely different?

Not unless they can execute it well, pull it off before the trend dies, or actually have passion for it.

 

[Omnipunctual Godot]

It basically built Epic into a multi-billion-dollar empire.

 

[AJUMP23]

If you can release while the trend is still relevant it can work.

 

[Judge Magister]

I think it's better for a studio to know what they want to do, although being naturally influenced by a good game here and there

Imo Final Fantasy has been failing also because has been trying to give people what they think people want and not being pioneers like in the past: FF13 not open world -> FF15 ; FF14 success -> FF16; FF16 failure -> FF17 maybe mimic E33 formula