Rank your gaming priorities!

[Zerohour2k12]

Gameplay
Writing
Soundtrack
Graphics
Replay Value
A Nice Balance within each of the above.

 

[Gin]

Gameplay>sound>visuals>writing

Basically, I look for a game to be fun and entertaining, and the thing I care least about is the plot.

I would also like to add one more thing, which I would put above visuals: effects/feeling. Basically, if you hit it with a heavy hammer, for example, the screen shakes, if something explodes with force, everything shakes. Also, for example, if a robot is destroyed, it should be clearly seen, at least to some extent, how it is destroyed and its parts separate and fall into pieces.

I hate when a game looks so good and plays so well, but then you activate a power that looks super devastating, and then the power hits and... Nothing flies! Nothing shatters! The screen doesn't shake, and you don't see or feel any impact!

Basically, put a robot on the stage that looks super heavy, and then the game treats it like a plush toy. That really ruins some games for me, although I can't remember the names.

 

[Yousef Yousef]

Ah dang that’s a toughie, I’ll have to analyze things in the grand scheme of things but do I genuinely think all of these are incredibly important. But I think I have an answer for this challenging question.

1. Gameplay. It’s what I’ll always fall back to no matter what. I don’t disagree that a mediocre story can turn me off but but if the gameplay is just that good then I’m fine. If the story is just so bad that I can tolerate that.
2. Story. I see visual novels and point & clicks being used to somewhat devalue the gameplay > story argument but I often see the points brought up misconstrue what a gameplay element is. VNs and Adventure Games are games like any other games, it’s just that they’re elevated by their story and I see that as a good thing for games, not good thing for stories. It’s not really evidence to suggest story is more important, but evidence to the inverse where it shows story in itself is really important.
3. Sound. Now we finally reach the really easy ranks. As much as music can elevate a gaming experience, anecdotal evidence sadly cannot be relied on much. Exceptions are not the rule and most of the time music is an external factor. It’s why a lot of indie games are 100% “made” by one guy but the music is often by someone else or royalty free.
4. Visuals. Ok, I ragged on why I think “Story > Gameplay” is frankly silly, and as the internet grew and stopped being a “secret underground club”, this argument sadly unlocked its final form in the shape of “Artstyle > Gameplay” which is borderline laughable, but I’m not here to ridicule people of different points of views irregardless of how little water those views hold. And yes, I WAS part of a thread that tried to claim this. It was a lot of Nintendo fans for some reason. Gee, I wonder why…

 

[PKT]

If I had to rank them, I would ususally agree with

Gameplay > Visuals > Sound > Writing

Visuals and sound are incredibly close to the point of swapping at any given moment. I feel every game is the sum of its parts, so for me lacking gameplay can be made up by doing well in the others but in a vacuum this is how I would rank them

 

[AncientBehemoth]

I mostly care if game manages to hook me up be it gameplay, story or OST.

 

[Deleted member 25310]

Gameplay: The most important aspect. If you can say that a game could exist without its gameplay, then it shouldn't have been a game in the first place.
Sound: My hearing is very sensitive, I can even hear ultrasound waves (no kidding), so for me a good sound design is very important to a game.
Writing: My favorite game of all time has one of the most amazing stories I have even experienced... But I'll have to admit that the stories in games only exist to motivate the player to move to point A to B, so a good story that hypes the player to play the game is welcome.
Visuals: Now just because it's at the bottom of the list that doesn't mean it's not important, the visuals are the first thing you see in a game and for many will be the driving force to even give the game a try, but for me? I'm willing to give two pixels on the screen a try if the gameplay is exilirating, and on the topic of "graphics", the state-of-the-art of today will be the archaic of tomorrow, so "good graphics" are temporary but good gameplay is forever.

 

[Mr. Daddy]

Gameplay > Sound > Visuals > Writing.

Gameplay is so far and beyond the most important thing to me. If I don't find a game fun, I see no real reason for me to spend my time with it, and gameplay is pretty much the primary factor that determines that for me. Sound is important too though, mostly because annoying or bad sound design can really easily ruin something I'd otherwise enjoy. I don't really particularly care if visuals are technically good or bad, as long as they don't impede the gameplay. As for writing, it's essentially a bonus to me. If it's really good, I'll be happy with a well told story and characters, and if it sucks, I can laugh at it and probably still find some enjoyment.​

 

[SyphonFilter12]

Story
Environment design Visuals
Game-play
Characters
Soundtracks.

 

[Turbo Kid]

1. Gameplay

Anyone who doesn't have this at number one answered wrong and needs to find a new hobby. That being said, I define gameplay in many ways. I think LucasArts style point and click games and titles like Until Dawn are absolutely games with real gameplay. Not everything in video games is about running around an environment and shooting or stabbing things.

2. Writing

Making me care about the characters and the story goes a long way towards drawing me into a game. This should be considered mandatory for rpgs in particular.

3. Sound

Sound creates a mood and generates emotions. It goes hand in hand with story telling, creating tension, etc. Sometimes even the LACK of sound can be powerful. See the original Tomb Raider and its minimalist use of music.

4. Visuals

Honestly, I don't give a fuck about visuals. If a game looks pretty I certainly will appreciate and acknowledge it, but it's generally one of the last things I care about when I play a game. Getting too obsessed with visuals turns you into those weirdos who can only enjoy games on a high end gaming PC with 8K resolution and 60 fps for everything. I started my gaming life with 8-bit NES games and Atari 2600 games. Visuals be damned.

 

[Graves Ruinwalker]

1.Gameplay
Thats the main-course of the game . The reason why we play video-games . I want to be challenged and even have simulative aspects that only the gameplay can provide .

2.Sound
Does it need to be realistic ? Not really but having good sound that fits the action and indicates the gameplay what kind of attack it is , what enemy i face and what the mechanics are used for sound improves the game immensly and can be very immersive or being upbeat tobplay like arcade-games . Ohh and the soundtrack should be good to remember what kind of game it is , otherwise have fitting and great ambience tracks if the soundtrack isnt needed . It has importance too .

3.Visuals
Having great graphics is nice and all but i prefer stylistic approaches that gives the game a face that holds up perfectly fine instead of photorealistic approaches . And as a phenomenon , older realistic graphics can change into an own artstyle and actually improve its visuals sometimes like SH 1 , Deus Ex 1 , Ps1 aesthetics overall . So its not that important for me but without it stylistics , its still lacking .

4.Writing
I believe John Carmacks quote " Story in games are like story in porn . It is expected to be there but its not that important ." which i very much agree on it . Not completly because storyfocused games can still be a banger if gameplay is the most part of it in the game .
Videogaming is an active hobby not a passive one . The story should improve its gameplay and not replace it . If the gameplay is just a nuisance then why make a game ? There is a place for click'n point adventures and visual novels because its the interactivity of its story and puzzle-like structure that give those games its own spin of the gameplay but the mainpoint is its interactivity aka gameplay still . And since we actually regressed in game-design and especially in Setting-writing , story-focused game mostly in nowadays times are actual horrible turds and became cancer in the game industry . Screw the story and give more setting-writing to make the game actually worth picking up for its gameplay !

 

[Turbo Kid]

I disagree. A game can survive on good gameplay alone. Many arcade games, 8-bit games, and 16-bit titles did. And it's the main reason we play games. However, nothing enhances a game like a good story does. Not even amazing graphics and sound. Story is the second most important thing after gameplay. And while good visuals and sound design can enhance a story, novels have existed for many years without either. Your mind can fill in the blanks.

I also love seeing the way game makers can weave a story and video game interactivity together. Playing a Bioware game is like experiencing a story where you get to decide how everything plays out, and that's probably why visual novels are so popular too

Gameplay first, story second. That would be my template for designing a game. Sound coming in third to enhance my story, because music adds emotion to important parts of a story, and good voice acting can make or break the kind of emotion, tone, and mood your going for in your story. Then I would definitely try to make my game pretty in some stylistic or artistic way (as opposed to just relying on raw graphical power), but it'd be last on my priority list.