Android game development 1: Introduction to game categories

 

Today, I want to systematically learn about android games and prepare to study the libgdx engine.

 

I. Causal Games (casual Games)

 

Probably the biggest segment of games on the Android Market consists of so-called

Causal games. So what exactly is a causal game? That question has no concrete

Answer, but causal games share a few common traits. Usually, they feature great

Accessibility, so even nongamers can pick them up easily, increasing the pool

Potential players immensely. A game session is meant to take just a couple of minutes

Most. However, the addictive nature of a causal game's simplicity often gets players

Hooked for hours. The actual game mechanic range from extremely simplistic puzzle

Games to one-button platformers to something as simple as tossing a paper ball into

Basket. The possibilities are endless due to the causal genre having such a blurry

Definition.

 

 

 

Ii. Puzzle Games)

 

Puzzle games need no introduction. We all know great games like Tetris (Tetris) and Bejeweled.

They are a big part of the Android gaming market and highly popular with all segments

Of the demographic. In contrast to PC-based puzzle games, then puzzle games on

Android deviate from the classic match-3 formula and use more elaborate, physics-

Based puzzles.

 

3. Action and Arcade Games)

 

Action and arcade games usually unleash the full potential of the Android platform.

Dimensions of them feature stunning 3D events ALS, demonstrating what is possible on the current

Generation of hardware. The genre has alias subgenres, including racing games, shoot-

'Em-ups, first-and third-person shooters, and platformers. This segment of the Android

Market is still a little underdeveloped, as big companies that have the resources

Produce such titles are hesitant to jump on the Android wagon. Some indie developers

Have taken it upon themselves to fill that niche, though.

 

4. Tower-Defense Games (Anti-Tower Games)

 

Given their immense success on the Android platform, I felt the need to discuss tower-

Defense games as their own genre. Tower-defense games became popular as a variant

Of PC real-time strategy games developed by the modding community. The concept

Was soon translated to standalone games. Tower-defense games currently represent

Best-selling genre on Android.

In a typical tower-defense game, some mostly edevil force is sending out critters in so-

Called waves to attack your castle/base/crystals/you name it. Your task is to defend that

Special place on the game map by placing defense turrets that shoot the incoming

Enemies. For each enemy you kill, you usually get some amount of money or points that

You can invest in new turrets or upgrades.

The concept is extremely simple, but getting the balance of such a game right is quite

Difficult.

 

V. Innovation (Innovation: Augmented Reality)

 

Some games just can't be put into a category. They exploit the new capabilities and

Features of Android devices, such as the camera or the GPS, to create new sorts

Experiences. This innovative crop of new games is social and location-aware, and even

Introduces some elements from the field of augmented reality.

 

Author shangdahao