Kind of a continuation of this thread:

http://www.gamedev.n...4932372__st__20

We were discussing over-rated games and the tendency of businesses in general focus effort on hyping games or other products and foregoing actual quality. The console game industry (FPS's specifically) is the best example that I can think of, and Call of Duty: MW3 is probably the best example anyone can think of. But my question for you forumers is: if you personally were in a position with complete control over the design of a game, using the CoD series as an example, would you chose to do the same? That being intentionally design the game with low replay/lasting value, or just make a complete clone of a previous title, and take advantage of the consumers that buy into the hype of marketing? Keep in mind that through this method you can make your company hundreds of millions of dollars and your game clones will turn out as the most successful entertainment launches of all time. Would you do it, or have you ever done it to any extent?

Also, does anyone actually plan on designing their games like that?

Edit:
This is just a hypothetical situation

This is a lounge thread imo:

But to answer your question. If I have the option of:

1. making a crap ton of money for the company (which probably means bonuses for myself) by making a crap product and selling through overhyped marketing, or;
   
2. making a critically successful game which makes little to no money.
   

I would do 1 and buy out 2 with the crap ton of money (of which purchasing the game would require very little of it, being a poor success in the market). At which point I would probably invest very little money and churn out as much product (using the goodwill generated by the game's critical success) for low cost and market it into a financial success. My kids (when I have some) would go to private schools, have no college debt and a decent financial start in life. My wife (when I have one) and I would travel extensively, reap the industry acclaim of being a brilliant businessman and I would sit on a number of boards in non-functional directorial positions receiving nominally large sums of money for lending my name to other businesses.


Alternatively



But to answer your question. If I have the option of:

1. making a crap ton of money for the company (which probably means bonuses for myself) by making a crap product and selling through overhyped marketing, or;
   
2. making a critically successful game which makes little to no money.
   

I would make a game critically acclaimed by everyone, maybe get a few free plane tickets to guest speak at some conferences, learn to darn my own socks and discover the 1001 uses for rice as cheap food on which to live. My wife will have left me for some guy who used to work for me but is now doing the previous option. My game gets sold to the guy who used to work for me for a pittance of what I think the true value of the game is worth but my child support is behind and she has a lawyer.


I am really going to have to think carefully about this one...



(This Dramatisation was bought to you by the "real life successful business model")


Edit: I would love for real games to be made to the highest quality by everyone. I just don't think I will ever see this happen in my lifetime
Edit: Option 2 was added by me as an extension in some senses to your original post. Symmetry.

if you personally were in a position with complete control over the design of a game, using the CoD series as an example, would you chose to do the same?

To get into the position where you have complete control over the CoD franchise, then your recent career probably includes being an executive manager of a multinational perfume company, your interests include golf, and your gaming history includes that table game where you shot at aliens for a quarter... space, somethings? You are a businessman who's job is to make money... so why would you not just do what you've always done, and run your business as a business, and push as many units of... whatever it is that you're selling nowadays...?

[quote name='J03_b' timestamp='1334731627' post='4932392']if you personally were in a position with complete control over the design of a game, using the CoD series as an example, would you chose to do the same?

To get into the position where you have complete control over the CoD franchise, then your recent career probably includes being an executive manager of a multinational perfume company, your interests include golf, and your gaming history includes that table game where you shot at aliens for a quarter... space, somethings? You are a businessman who's job is to make money... so why would you not just do what you've always done, and run your business as a business, and push as many units of... whatever it is that you're selling nowadays...?
[/quote]

+1 Your reference to the perfume . It might have been a viable business decision to solve the sweat factory pong though, by that company who shall not be named.

intentionally design the game with low replay/lasting value[/quote]
Yes, if I had to choose between designing a game with a high replay value and a game that has the high ROI (return of investment). What you as a game developer should be thinking of is not the replay value of a game, but the ROI. If replay-value doesn't make a difference for your ROI, then you can go either way, but if it lowers your ROI, then it's not needed.

To get into the position where you have complete control over the CoD franchise, then your recent career probably includes being an executive manager of a multinational perfume company, your interests include golf, and your gaming history includes that table game where you shot at aliens for a quarter... space, somethings? You are a businessman who's job is to make money... so why would you not just do what you've always done, and run your business as a business, and push as many units of... whatever it is that you're selling nowadays...?

That's why I said you personally, use your imagination. Maybe I should have used the word hypothetical...assuming you aren't just joking around


Although, I do understand that nobody with a passion for games will be in control of a big successful game franchise

My wife will have left me for some guy who used to work for me

That bitch!