My Entry: Tygras

[JuliaV]

My game is Tygras.com, a virtual pet game based on a fictitious breed of big cats, the "Tygras".  Tygras is mainly based on breeding, you can breed and collect tygras with certain markings and mutations, and can be any color under the sun.  You customize your own tygra completely, it's eye colors, base, it's markings, mutations, items and more.  With this breeding system, there are literally millions of possibilities!

Team -

Myself - Site Manager, team organizer.
Emily - Co-owner.
Marillia - Site Programmer.

Tygras is currently in alpha testing, if someone could contact me at admin@tygras.com (I check this email several times a day), I'll send an alpha code to the judges so they can look at the game.

[Chris]

Where did you get such high quality gfx (the frontpage)? I would kill if I could get monsters like these for my game...

[trollface666]

Where did you get such high quality gfx (the frontpage)? I would kill if I could get monsters like these for my game...

Then pay me

[jannesiera]

Could you send me PM with pass? Thx.

And I want to know where you've got that graphics from to .

[JuliaV]

The art was commissioned by me from dolphy.deviantart.com.  She's awesome.  XD

As for a password, I'm only giving those out to the judges, at least for now.  Is there any way for an admin to let me know if my entry's been accepted?

[Murzim]

http://lasticlass.deviantart.com/art/Tygras-com-72591493

[JuliaV]

Entered Tygras offficially to the contest!  I'm excited to see how this all turns out!  xD

[jannesiera]

Entered Tygras offficially to the contest!  I'm excited to see how this all turns out!  xD

Does it still need alpha code? Because I requested it here and sent an e-mail already. But obviously haven't  got a reaction.

[Renex]

the game looks very cool. I like very much the breeding scripts - the way it changes colors.

"As for a password, I'm only giving those out to the judges, at least for now.  Is there any way for an admin to let me know if my entry's been accepted?"  Well I have ID #59. Does this mean there are 59 other players? if yes who are they because they are not all judges.

Did you pay someone to create the graphics or is the designer a member of your team?

[JuliaV]

I started testing the game with alpha testers (people who paid a fee to be a part of the initial game testing) on Dec. 7 so.....4 days ago.  xD  We opened it to 50 testers, and the other 8 are staff and friends. 

About the graphics, I commissioned both layout images, but the rest of the art is from RL friends who wanted to help out! 

[jannesiera]

I started testing the game with alpha testers (people who paid a fee to be a part of the initial game testing) on Dec. 7 so.....4 days ago.  xD  We opened it to 50 testers, and the other 8 are staff and friends. 

About the graphics, I commissioned both layout images, but the rest of the art is from RL friends who wanted to help out! 

I still need an alpha code, please.

[JuliaV]

Alpha codes are up for a $10 USD fee, the reason I've been charging a fee is to make sure that everyone signing up during alpha is really there to help test out the game.  Usually if someone put's something of their own into a game, they'll value their time spent there alot more. 

[davidjwest]

Wow, you have some dedicated testers there!

 

[Scion]

I would be really interested in hearing how you drummed up interest to get 50 people paying $10 a pop to do the alpha testing.... did you offer them any other benifits other than first look at the game....do you have any promo mateerials that the rest of us could get a look at...

I would also be really interested to hear what your plans are with Tygras....is it going to be all pay to play...or will you offer it free....who are your target audience...can you describe the game play a bit more...

The intitial page looks very profesional and the artwork is great, do you continue the same artistic theme throuh the rest of the game, does the game have a lot of graphics....

anyhow im really looking foward to hearing what the judges have to say about your entry...

[JuliaV]

Alot of questions in there.    The target audience is pretty wide, there is alot of interest in these new "breeding" type games.  The average age is usually 15, but you get some 12 year olds, and a surprisingly large amount of adults.  You also see alot of mother/daughters playing the game.

No, no other benefits except a first look at the game, the only advertising I did was to post on two other similar games announcing that we were going into alpha, so no paid advertising.  If you want a bit of a sneak peak, I know there is a fansite that was created by one of the alpha testers, lemme find the link.  Okay.  tygras.silverkinz.com.  Not too much on there yet, but it might give you an idea.  xD

Yes, the site is VERY heavily graphics oriented, which is a huge pain.  I'm a mega perfectionist with art, and finding the right artists has been a bit of a task not to mention expensive.  But I'm really happy with the game's outcome, and I think it was worth it.  I'm a big believer in "aestetics are everything", while I believe you need to have fun gameplay and solid programming as well, at the end of the day, most users just want something pretty they can come back to look at. 

Tygras will eventually be completely free to play, with the only "pay" sections being upgraded accounts and "custom" Tygras.  Custom Tygras are when you are able to design every aspect of your tygra from scratch, without having to breed for the look you want.

Anyhow, I'm also excited to see what the judges have to say.  I'm hoping even if I'm not selected, they'll still give some constructive criticism.   

[Scion]

Thanks for the feedback; I had a quick look at the Tygras DB site.....nice to have such devoted fans at the alpha stage....

I agree with your thoughts on asthetics......Ive seen plenty of games that were really successfulll simply because they were / are pretty to look at....and lots of games with great game play that never seem to take off.... Never under estimate first impressions.....

[jannesiera]

You are not suposed to know who the judges are. Atleast that's what they suggested here: http://community.bbgamezone.net/index.php?topic=1301.0

[Chris]

I'm a big believer in "aestetics are everything", while I believe you need to have fun gameplay and solid programming as well, at the end of the day, most users just want something pretty they can come back to look at. 

I'm on the other side of the spectrum, my games are usually ugly with great gameplay I wonder what the real importance of aestetics vs gameplay is (I assume we exclude extremes like beauty but unplayable game and exciting game with yellow letters on orange background with green dots in the middle).

In my games I noticed that the front page nice layout increases the amount of players (not by huge amount, but considerable), as for players the oppinions range from "add some gfx, it is ugly" to "Pictures, what for? These will only slow down clicking". On the other hand, I have some players that play the same game for like 1-2 years day after day, I doubt any gfx would make them stick for so long.

The funniest thing was with a gfx set a long time ago. There are several gfx sets, made by various players in one of my games. I made one at the beginning and it was UGLY, not ugly, but ugly with capital letters It was so ugly, that people claimed... that it is "an artistic representation which was made to simulate a 10 year old drawings", which was untrue, I do sux at drawing and my gfx was truly worse than those of a 10 year old Many people never belived it, they thought it was on purpose
But the best thing was later, when I switched the default gfx set from the ugly one to a nice one made by an artists. Then some players... started a riot saying  that I "destroy the mood of the game" Till now I get messages on regular basis from players that claim that the first old set is the best and that they still use it. I think that maybe it is not only about the gfx quality but also about the habit, the first gfx set was default for so long that maybe they started to like it because thay were so used to it? Anyway, there is something fishy here

Another thing is difference in players tastes. And this is huge. I have dozen gfx sets and these are not equal quality, some are plain better than the other. But still, checking the preferences statistics and reading players comments, each set, no matter how bad, have its fans.

Any stories you have about interesting things regarding gfx?

[gostyloj]

I think you can say that anything in gfx is a certain "style" whether it is stick figures, child drawing, or great art.  I think that the big things to strive for are non-offensive color scheme and making the game as readable as possible.

I think that if the game is difficult to read or find the text that you are looking for you lose.  Also, there are colors and color combos that just should not be seen.

It sounded like you were hinting at that already, but this is my clarifying statement.

[Chris]

As for players getting used to gfx, I just added pictures to one game. The player feedback was "that's what we call homemade gfx... we won't say anything since we like the game", 30 minutes later the player deleted the post and replaced it with "cute gfx, thx admin! each pic is about 1.2 kb, not too heavy then". Just 30 minutes and a player can be successfully brainwashed

To give a broader picture, a link to example gfx
http://samuraimmorpg.com/game6/img/event/monk.gif (this one is one of the best, average is worse )

Of course this does not prove anything, since most normal players don't even register when they see the non existant front page gfx...


Anyway, what players say in gfx intensive games like Tygras? Do they mention that they play it for gfx mostly? Do they bug you "please, add new gfx" or once they are there they ask rather for new features?

[jannesiera]

As for players getting used to gfx, I just added pictures to one game. The player feedback was "that's what we call homemade gfx... we won't say anything since we like the game", 30 minutes later the player deleted the post and replaced it with "cute gfx, thx admin! each pic is about 1.2 kb, not too heavy then". Just 30 minutes and a player can be successfully brainwashed

To give a broader picture, a link to example gfx
http://samuraimmorpg.com/game6/img/event/monk.gif (this one is one of the best, average is worse )

Of course this does not prove anything, since most normal players don't even register when they see the non existant front page gfx...


Anyway, what players say in gfx intensive games like Tygras? Do they mention that they play it for gfx mostly? Do they bug you "please, add new gfx" or once they are there they ask rather for new features?

I like that one .

[Scion]

Anyway, what players say in gfx intensive games like Tygras? Do they mention that they play it for gfx mostly? Do they bug you "please, add new gfx" or once they are there they ask rather for new features?

I would imagine that given that the player base from a game like Tygras is completely different from most adventure/quest/strategy games, ie majoirity female, that the player demands are also different...

I imagine that adding a new graphic set for alternative fur colourings would be considered a new feature by many of the players....remember they may not even speak the same 'techno-speak' that a lot of us do.

but it would be great to hear from julia about this....

[JuliaV]

Anyway, what players say in gfx intensive games like Tygras? Do they mention that they play it for gfx mostly? Do they bug you "please, add new gfx" or once they are there they ask rather for new features?

I would imagine that given that the player base from a game like Tygras is completely different from most adventure/quest/strategy games, ie majoirity female, that the player demands are also different...

I imagine that adding a new graphic set for alternative fur colourings would be considered a new feature by many of the players....remember they may not even speak the same 'techno-speak' that a lot of us do.

but it would be great to hear from julia about this....

You're right in assuming the player base is quite different, and mostly female.  Ages vary alot, I think the average age of Tygras' alpha testers (and I think this number has something to do with the fact that they have to use a credit card to play the game right now), is about 20.  But we have a few 30-40 year olds.  I think once the game is opened to the public for free, the age average will drop alot. 

I think most users would rather see new features than new graphics, but it seems with each new feature, there are alot of graphics involved.  The system is set up in a way that new fur colorings aren't required, the PHP automatically colors the base of each image to any hex code the player enters, and then it layers on the lineart and shading.  Same goes for all the markings, and body modifications.  But players do want to see more markings and mods added continually. 

[JuliaV]

Here's an ad I recently posted.  The preview enlarge won't work because apparently this forum doesn't take HTML.   

[Barrikor]

The system is set up in a way that new fur colorings aren't required, the PHP automatically colors the base of each image to any hex code the player enters, and then it layers on the lineart and shading.  Same goes for all the markings, and body modifications. 

Impressive 

Everything looks professional 

I forgot that PHP had some graphics functions, all I've ever used them for is a captcha, for bot protection.