Understanding the variety of genres and types available is crucial when designing a game, as each choice significantly impacts its appeal and sales potential. Every game can only feature one genre and one type, making it essential to select combinations that resonate with your target audience. Genres and types each have their own “popularity” levels among players, and the costs associated with developing games in these categories can vary widely. The key to successful game creation lies in combining genres and types that complement each other, forming effective “combos.” These combos are rated from “Not good” to “Amazing!”, providing a measure of how successful your game might be based on its genre and type pairing. Mastering this aspect of game development is vital for producing top-selling titles.
The process of unlocking genres involves leveling up your employees to specific levels within their respective careers, or by hiring someone who has already achieved the necessary level. Similarly, unlocking different types depends on employees reaching certain levels and undergoing particular training methods. This system encourages strategic personnel development and targeted training to maximize your game’s potential.
Genres
Genres in Game Dev Story are categorized based on the role and expertise required to unlock them, as well as their popularity among consumers. The unlocking conditions typically involve raising employee levels in specific careers. For instance, an RPG genre becomes available once a writer reaches level 5, while a simulation genre requires a coder to attain level 4. Some genres are initially accessible without prerequisites, indicated as “Initially Available.”
Here is a list of the available genres along with their unlocking criteria:
- RPG: Requires a writer at level 5.
- Simulation: Needs an “A” level coder.
- Sim RPG: Unlocks at level 1, with no specific job requirement.
- Table: Available from the start.
- Action: Requires a “B” level writer.
- Adventure: Initially available.
- Shooter: Needs a “C” level writer.
- Action RPG: Requires a producer at level 3.
- Racing: Needs a sound engineer at level 3.
- Online RPG: Requires a producer at level 5.
- Online Simulation: Needs a hacker at level 5.
- Trivia: Available initially.
- Life: Requires a designer at level 3.
- Board: Starts at level 1.
- Puzzle: Available from the start.
- Music: Requires a director at level 5.
- Audio Novel: Needs a director at level 2.
- Motion: Requires a hardware engineer at level 4.
- Educational: Initially accessible.
- Card Game: Needs a hardware engineer at level 3.
Types
Types are unlocked when an employee with a specific job applies a particular training method. Each type has a popularity rating that influences how well it performs in the market. Unlocking a type involves training an employee of the corresponding job to a certain level using designated training techniques.
Below is an overview of some notable types, their unlock conditions, and the minimum employee levels required:
| No. | Type | Popularity | Unlock Condition | Job | Min Level | Training Method |
|—–|——-|————–|——————-|—–|————|—————–|
| 1 | Sports | C | Jogging | Coder | 1 | Jogging |
| 2 | Exploration | C | Movie | Coder | 2 | Movie |
| 3 | Martial Arts | C | Movie | Director | 1 | Movie |
| 4 | Fantasy | A | Reading | Writer | 2 | Reading |
| 5 | Virtual Pet | A | Pinball | Coder | 2 | Pinball |
| 6 | Samurai | A | Movie | Writer | 4 | Movie |
| 7 | Dungeon | B | Game | Coder | 2 | Game |
| 8 | Romance | A | Reading | Writer | 2 | Reading |
| 9 | Pirate | B | Initially Available | – | – | – |
| 10 | Comedy | C | Movie | Producer | 1 | Movie |
(Note: This is a partial list; the full catalog includes many more types with diverse training options and unlocking criteria.)
Grid View
The training methods for each job are represented in a grid format, with levels indicated in parentheses. This layout helps plan employee development efficiently, ensuring the right skills are acquired to unlock desired types and genres.
Combinations
As you develop new games using the same genres or types, your staff’s expertise in those categories increases. The first time you try a specific combination, it will be marked as “First Try.” Some combinations, such as “Sim RPG,” “Educational,” or “Card Game,” always result in “Nothing,” regardless of your efforts. This may be intentional or an artifact of the game’s design.
Grade of the Combo
The quality of a genre and type combination is rated from “Not Good” to “Amazing!”, each with corresponding symbols and flavor text:
- S (Amazing!): “What a great combination!! Your staff is very excited to get to work on this one!”
- A (Creative): “That’s a bizarre combination… I wonder how this will turn out…”
- B (Not Bad): “This should be a popular combination. I’m looking forward to seeing it finished.”
- C (Nothing): “At last, it’s time to start game development. Good luck!”
- D (Hmm…): “That’s a bit of an odd combination. I’m sure you can pull it off, but…”
- F (Not Good): “That genre and type don’t go together at all… I hope it sells…”
Compatibility Tables
Compatibility between genres and types is critical for maximizing your game’s success. The tables list how well each genre and type pair performs, guiding you in creating highly appealing combos. For example, certain genres like RPGs tend to align well with specific types like Fantasy, while others may not blend as effectively. Strategic pairing based on these compatibility ratings can significantly boost your game’s market performance.
For more insights into creating engaging games across various platforms, explore crafting immersive experiences for small screens. Additionally, if you’re interested in developing innovative gaming experiences, consider consulting companies that focus on developing engaging tap-to-earn games.
Trivia
- Certain features like “Space” and “Jumprope” are inaccessible because they were planned as training methods called “Retreat,” which can be seen in the game’s code. These were intended to be unlocked via specific training sessions with a designer and a coder, respectively, but remain unused in the current game version. For detailed insights, visit this resource.
- The game’s development system hints at future features and hidden content, reflecting the complex design behind genre and type unlocking mechanisms.
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Developing a thorough understanding of genres and types in your game projects enhances your ability to craft compelling titles that resonate with players, boosting sales and reputation.