What is crucial to make a good game?

I might be a video gamedesigner someday so I'd like to know your favorite thing in games, what's the main thing to focus on during the process?What is crucial to make a good game?
Gameplay. You don't need billions of dollars to create a masterpiece. You need creativity, and the ability to think outside of the box. What is crucial to make a good game?
Originality, as in, a good idea.For example: Portal = A good idea.
Control. That is the basic principle of any game in existence. The character(s) should feel like an extension of the self, not something you have to control. If you can add a cool an original idea to that, you've created something truly special.



Those are the basic principles, but to make a blockbuster hit, the gameplay needs to be challenging, but not to the point of frustration. Make a lot of different difficulty levels. Cater to everyone, not just the casuals or hardcores.
I'd like to say many elements I think is important to make games, but reality is harsh and stupid. In reality, only thing that matters to make good game is following.Trend, budget, and hype.Once you get those 3 down, the media will do the rest.Just look at how many overrated FPS out there.
[QUOTE=''TriangleHard'']I'd like to say many elements I think is important to make games, but reality is harsh and stupid. In reality, only thing that matters to make good game is following.Trend, budget, and hype. [/QUOTE]

No, that makes a quick sell. You're too pessimistic. ;)
[QUOTE=''Bulldog19892''][QUOTE=''TriangleHard'']I'd like to say many elements I think is important to make games, but reality is harsh and stupid. In reality, only thing that matters to make good game is following.Trend, budget, and hype. [/QUOTE] No, that makes a quick sell. You're too pessimistic. ;)[/QUOTE]Quick sell that is backed up by review scores. And these days it seems like good review score = good game.
Gameplay. You don't nead a army of designers, coders to make a great game. Just look at Crayon or original Alien Hominid for Liquidgeneration.
[QUOTE=''shinian'']Gameplay. You don't nead a army of designers, coders to make a great game. Just look at Crayon or original Alien Hominid for Liquidgeneration.[/QUOTE]false. Gameplay? What is a good gameplay? People say Gears of War had good gameplay, and look what's happening. Just clones after another. Sure if you copy good gameplay from another game, the game has good gameplay, but is it a good game? Heck no. It's just same game over and over and over again. Good game = fun. Same game over and over and over again = not fun. First Medal of Honors was fun, but by Call of Duty 3, it's just sickening and boring.There are more to making good games than that. Even with slightly broken gameplay, a great game can come out like Valkyrie Profile.
Well personally I think that every part is important.
[QUOTE=''TriangleHard''] [QUOTE=''shinian'']Gameplay. You don't nead a army of designers, coders to make a great game. Just look at Crayon or original Alien Hominid for Liquidgeneration.[/QUOTE]false. Gameplay? What is a good gameplay? People say Gears of War had good gameplay, and look what's happening. Just clones after another. Sure if you copy good gameplay from another game, the game has good gameplay, but is it a good game? Heck no. It's just same game over and over and over again. Good game = fun. Same game over and over and over again = not fun. First Medal of Honors was fun, but by Call of Duty 3, it's just sickening and boring.There are more to making good games than that. Even with slightly broken gameplay, a great game can come out like Valkyrie Profile. [/QUOTE]Just gotta correct this- If Infinity Ward would have made Call of Duty 3, it would have been amazing.Almost all games besides the totally ineptcan get the basics down. It's just that you have to have something that makes your game different AND awesome. Halo, for example, is for the most partwas nodifferent than any other shooter. It was the little things that made it awesome. Having regenerating shields was huge, and has since been seen in tons of other games that even those who profess their hate for Halo play and enjoy. You gotta have the basics, and then that something to show why your game is better than all the others, or at least solidify its niche.