What turns you off from a game?

Is there anything that might instantly turn you off from a game when you see that it's there like Fakemon or graphics?

The bad grammar/bad translation

I think it would be the uninteresting story line/plot. Like in games I mostly look for a good story plot that appears like at least consistently.

If the translation is really really bad, if its not that smooth, and cliche/typical plot :p
(fakemon is eh for me, I prefer not to have fakemon)

Personally, I'm less interested when the designer-developer/creator aims to include more than one region, and/or every Pokémon in the National Dex.

Thoughts on Regions:
Quite apart from being a lot of work, I believe using multiple regions adds needless complexity to the game, especially if some are locked out so you have to play them in a specific order. Creators also have to consider the question, "how do I balance levels across multiple regions?" Balancing for two is difficult enough - refer to HeartGold & SoulSilver - but three or more would be almost impossible, especially if the creator plans to include Gyms and Elite Four for each region.

My recommendation: Design and develop one region, and put your heart and soul into the maps and the people therein. Show you've put time and effort into the project instead of churning out dozens of subpar maps with subpar NPCs.

Thoughts on Putting Them All In:
I don't think there's any point in jamming all 721 Pokémon (or more, because people will inevitably want to include Gen 7 Pokémon in their fangames) into a single game. Your world does not need every version of, for example, a Pidgey evolutionary line, a Rattata line, and a Caterpie line. Creators also need to account for things like the number of legendary Pokémon and pseudo-legendary evolutionary lines (as minimal as possible, so that when they do show up, it's a rare find, a tough opponent, or possibly important to the storyline), and distribution of Pokémon across the region's routes.

My recommendation: Go through the National Dex, pick out the Pokémon you like. As you read through the Dex, write them down in a Notepad file or something, then total them up at the end. I think about 300 species is a good total to have.

Be sure to note down a good variety of early-game, midgame, and late-game species. Some evolutionary lines are often paired with others: you don't often see Caterpie without Weedle, or Eevee without all of its evolutions.

Side Note, on Unofficial Species:
I chose to include unofficial species in my project (I avoid using the term "Fakemon", as I think it sounds a little degrading), and even then I cut back on my homebrew designs, because there is no sense in creating unofficial duplicates of existing species. Unless, of course, there is a clear difference between the official and the unofficial. For example, the early-game Flying evolutionary line in my own project, rather than being Normal/Flying, is pure Flying.

Having the traditional fire/water/grass starter. UGH.
A boring intro.
Honestly, I feel like the beginning of most pokemon games are boring. Just because I've played the beginning in those games WAY too many times.
There has to be something novel, or interesting about it to hook me.
I'm kinda sick of the formula pokemon game. I know I'm not the only one.

Mainly the story. Most of the fangames I see follow the same basic plot (Beat all gym leaders while competing with your rival and beat the villain team that is targeting a legendary Pokemon or 2). There aren't many that have an original and interesting plot sadly.

Also I don't really like fakemon. You don't know what types the fakemon are, you don't know when they evolve, you don't know what moves they can learn, etc. And even if you do get a encyclopedia for them somewhere it's still not fun looking through it while playing. Also no offense to the creators but most fakemon are just generic, like you have that early weak flying type bird Pokemon, and the starters are of course Fire, Water and Grass types, and ofc bat and maybe rat fakemon for the villain team to use, etc.

Lack of effort is always concerning!

Using the usual Overworlds (red, brandon, the B&W dude).
Using HI-resolution pictures mixed with pixel art.
Too few events in too large and boring maps.
EBS with 6th gen sprites!!!

After reading some posts in this thread, I think we need to expand on the original topic a bit more: I think we need to help fangame makers avoid the points that folks are posting here. 'Cause right now, I'm mostly seeing a list of problems people have with very few ways to help resolve them. To that end:

? What features or key points do you think detract from the experience of playing a Pok?mon fangame?
? What do you suggest fangame makers do to help them avoid or resolve your answer to the first question?

The one thing that always turns me off from a fangame is if it attempts to tackle some darker or adult themes; usually because its always done in such an obvious and on-the-nose way. It comes across as try-hardy I guess.

You could absolutely try to explore some darker themes in a Pokémon game, but usually games that try to have a darker story just concern themselves with explicit language and violence, which doesn't really fit the Pokémon world imo. Black & White aren't 'dark' games, but they did deal with some pretty thought provoking themes without the protagonist having to resort to violence, or any Pokémon being killed in battle.

Lack of graphical fidelity or a lack of a well-thought out and interesting game concept

* Pokémon Firered graphics: It's hard to sprite a full game, I know. It just gets really old seeing them all the time.
* Blurry/over-pixelated sprites:
* Starters from previous generations: I've played through all of the games at least a dozen times, I want a different companion to go on a Pokémon adventure with.

The second is the only deal breaker however. The important thing is to have a storyline that makes your game different.

Call me finicky, but I hate it when Pokémon fangames have a talking main character. I've personally turned away several rom hacks simply because my character spoke for me. It's fine when games with pre-established characters do it, but once I get the option to choose my name I shouldn't have the game shoving words in my mouth.

Also, please keep anime exclusive characters out of your games. In my opinion Ash and Red should never be on the same screen together. It's fine if you want to make a game in the anime's canon, but please don't combine the two without a good reason. If you want a game where Ash's Kanto merges with Red's as a plot element, than all the more power to you. Please just remember that the two are not one in the same.

Finally, and speaking of Red, stay true to the characters you include in your hacks (or at least the common perception of them). Origins Red is your typical determined anime protag. Game Red is a silent but powerful trainer who feels he's mastered his craft. I've seen more than a few hacks that treat pre-established characters like a blank canvas. If you do so, please at the very least establish a reason. If your Red is simply an alternate version, then give us a hint such as having him recount an event differently than we know it. And please, don't make it a mystery. Tell us as soon as possible why your Red is different. Just a simple line of text can be the difference between establishing a new character and just writing in a shoehorned cameo.

Fakemon mostly.

Or, jeeze. What was it... I don't remember the ROM hack, but they changed the routes' designs. And I mean that in a bad way. Created really stupidly intricate mazes, that if you made one mistake, you'd jump over a ledge and have to start all over again. I can't tell you how long it took me to get to Pewter City after stepping out of the Viridian Forest. I was LIVID by the time I had gotten there.

I didn't have the patience for it at all.

> Poor graphics
> Poor spelling and grammar
> Repetitive plot
> No challenge/too easy

Truthfully, there's not much that "turns me off" of a fan-game. Story is the biggest thing for me. If it's an interesting and engaging story, then I'm all in. Even if it follows the same generic eight badges routine, it can still be quite good.

Graphics don't matter that much to me. I'm honestly surprised at how big a deal graphics are for everyone. I get that good graphics are cool, but a game doesn't need shiny, state-of-the-art graphics to be good. I find it a bit unfair and offensive to judge and pass over someone's game simply because of Gen III graphics. There are probably many developers out there that have potential, but no one is willing to give their game a chance simply because they haven't updated the tilesets.

I'm a bit weird on the graphic part of things... Idk why, but I would rather play a game with low quality graphics than high almost 3D like graphics. IMO it's easier to figure out what you have to do and what not instead of on high end graphics where you also have tons of insignificant stuff thrown at you cause why not. It's actually my biggest turn off for most games nowdays overall.

poorly designed fakemon annoy me (especially if the types are unbalanced)

on graphics: pixel art takes time.

honestly if something pops out randomly like, "Oh darnnn the graphics just changed" it could be fine if the designer didn't have the time to find/create the tileset vs having no relation to the story whatsoever. if the game is completed, then I'll get pissed.

if the whole game is about the lack of graphical unity then it could be fun. if there is intention I'll buy it otherwise I'll be on to something else in a heartbeat.

but that is just aesthetic/graphical workings. if the fangame is poorly designed (too easy/too hard) then I'll also drop it. You gotta make the player want more rather than ragequit for something stupid like you fight a lvl 25 gym leader and then suddenly a legendary pops out of nowhere and attacks at lvl 80 and if you lose the battle...game over. Like wtf. Versus getting lost in a maze and then veer off in a random direction through a bunch of annoying grass, well you can reward the player by making it worth our time by, say, giving us a special item, etc.

XxNiqueoxX said:

Fakemon mostly.

Or, jeeze. What was it... I don't remember the ROM hack, but they changed the routes' designs. And I mean that in a bad way. Created really stupidly intricate mazes, that if you made one mistake, you'd jump over a ledge and have to start all over again. I can't tell you how long it took me to get to Pewter City after stepping out of the Viridian Forest. I was LIVID by the time I had gotten there.

I didn't have the patience for it at all.

Click to expand...

I'm so sorry that you played Touhoumon Lunatic/Extra.

Not a lot of things turn me off. The game has to be in a very specific position to turn me away, and that usually only happens when the game is trying to be dark and edgy for the sake of the edge, without making it cohesive to the story, though even then it's very situational. As a person once said, "I'll know it when I see it". Sometimes graphical style turns me off- usually when people try to use Gen 4 styled mapping, but my issue there is because gen 4 tiles had the illusion of depth in their source material. In fact, mapping is a very big point for me. I love map design, and seeing maps that are very... barren, or poorly designed tends to push me away.

Also, poorly balanced games really push me away. Games with an abhorrent level curve, or promote grinding for several hours off level 2 wilds so you can fight the Level 30 first gym leader are really. REALLY. bad.