Thinking about videogames

Dear friends, I would like to explain which are, in my opinion, the fundamental points that characterize a videogame.

These can be summarized in the following five:

1 - IDEA
2 - GRAPHICS
3 - MOVEMENTS
4 - CONTROLS
5 - SOUND

Idea

It is the original idea on which every good videogame is based.
It covers several aspects, like the object and the dynamic of the game, the environments and the type of interaction with the player.
Unfortunately it is probably one of the most lacking things.

Graphics

It's the care and the techniques by which the landscapes are made.
With reference to this it can be noted that often the graphics are transferred from other computers without respect to the available graphic resolution.
The result of this operation is almost always poorly detailed or confused graphics.
On a machine like the Spectrum the careful examination of his not so good chromatic capability can give astonishing results, also due to the little quantity of video RAM and the consequent high speed of processing.

Movements

It is the smoothness and speed by which the characters move and, above all, by which the landscapes scroll.
Also in this case the limits of the chromatic resolution can be overcome with a careful study of the problem.

Controls

It is what allows the player to interact with the simulated world.
A bad choice of these can reduce the interactivity and completely spoil a well realized game.

Sound

The sound effects that accompany the various stages of the game, if well realized, can contribute in a substantial manner to the creation of a peculiar and fascinating atmosphere.
A good initial soundtrack can't be bad too: who well began...

Enrico Maria Giordano