Questions about Menu-Based RPG Preferences

[eluros]

Hiya, folks,

So, my day job is doing database work, but in my free time I've been working on an Android app-- a turn based RPG. I'm designing it to be a game I would (and will) enjoy playing myself. I don't have much free time and I don't have many resources, so art assets are currently nonexistent (and will be limited upon release), but I'm trying to make a game that's actually fun. I don't want to promise anything or give too much away, but I think it'll be cool. I'm excited to play it, myself.

Some questions for you all:

1. Would you rather play a game for free with ads, or pay $1 for the full thing without ads? Assume, either way, that you had a magical guarantee that you would love the game.

2. What's the most significant factor in determining the fair price of a game for you? Art assets? Depth of gameplay? Length of time to complete? Innovation?

3. Would you rather have a 2-hour RPG with legitimate branching story paths, or a 10-hour RPG with story paths that appear to branch but really follow the same flow?

4. If you could choose to buy a great game for $1 with minimal art assets (images, music, animation, etc) or for $5 with extravagant art assets, which would you choose?

5. Would you rather have a large quantity or a small quantity of flavor text? In other words, does a large amount of lore (even if it's unnecessary to read) discourage you from playing a game, or encourage you to play more? Do you care?

Thanks! Again, no promises that anything'll ever come of this, but I'll certainly be reading answers and taking them into consideration.

 

[Devinator]

1. Free demos are good. But, if a game is good enough, I'll pay for it. But, I generally don't pay for anything without a demo unless I can see it in action on someone elses' phone or it comes highly recommended by someone I trust.

2. Gameplay.

3. I like it when my choices have impact, so, branches. But, then again, who wants to play a two hour RPG. So, linear might be your best bet.

4. Depends on how good the game was. While I love great graphics, they are always secondary to a great game in my opinion.

5. Less is more in this area. I just had this experience with Dragon Age: Origins. WAY too much info. It's a game, not a history book. But, I just started the expansion, Awakening, and, they must have received that feedback, because, all of the entries in the codex (contains useful information, no small amount of which is lore) became consolidated and concise. I am enjoying the expansion much more than the original just because the game is a bit easier to swallow. I don't have time to invest that much into a game.