Hey guys, my team and I are developing a game similar to Plant vs zombies. Anyways we have just finished a featured that enables you to pause the game.
For example the player can pause the game, take a good look at the stage, plan a strategy, etc. He cannot interact with the stage but he can think ahead.
What do you guys think about allowing this feature?
Will it be too much?
Will it cut out the general “fun” of the game?
We are interested in hearing all opinions.
Thanks!
Depends on what you want out of the game. Seems like it’s a strategy game, so two general options: either have quick, fast-paced gameplay where the user has to make smart decisions under time pressure (aka no pausing) or have a longer game that focuses more on planning ahead. If it’s on mobile, I’d definitely prefer the fast-paced game, because mobile games are played usually when you’re short of time.
In any case, there should always be an option to pause the game.*
Whether you can see what’s going on and plan without time-pressure is up to you.
But what I’d rather say is that if the game requires you to pause to be played properly, something else needs to be changed.
*Exception: Multiplayer
You’re the one making the game. Unless the game is supposed to be competitively played (League of Legends, Counter Strikes, Warcraft and all that) you should just make a game to how you like it I think. I mean, if there is no money involved in the game.
The problem is when there is a game released, players start making competitive tournaments, and developers change the game so, that the game becomes unbalanced. If you’re just making a game, you shouldn’t care about such things I think 
Just make it fun or enjoyable to play. Just my opinion though.
mobile devices or PC ?
this matters.
IMO the value and fun of a PvZ style game is having to formulate and potentially modify a strategy under time pressure. Having an unrestricted pause feature has the potential to kill much of the challenge of the game.
I think a good solution would be to allow the player to pause, but completely obscure all gameplay relevant objects (or just the entire screen). This allows the player the convenience of pausing without being exploitable.
Pausing is very essential and useful function when fighting in Baldurs Gate. No need to change anything.
If its a mobile game there should always be a pause. (a call coming, getting into the bus etc)
The question is, if the player can see the gamescreen and interact with it,
or if it should just black out to a pause screen.
“Interaction pause” could be an optional (easy) mode for example.
Hey guys thanks a lot for the ideas.
We decided to make 2 types of pauses.
1-Menu Pause (total pause): You can not interact with the game, the game fades out. Just like plant vs zombies2 pause.
2-In Game Pause (you can still interact and move screen): Given that as you guys say it breaks with the fast pace of the game. We decided to make it a power up.
For example you place a bomb like “time freeze bomb” and it pauses the game for some seconds, in which you can rethink and place new items.
This item will be sold for game coins or real money.
What do you think about it?
Good idea.
providing purchasable items for the gameplay sound like a good business idea.
Just make shure the (free) core game it not broken without the upgrades.
the purchasable items should provide extra fun, but not be a nessesity.
To keep players feels a sense of “fairness”, offer them to purchase the item when earning a certain large amount of
points ingame. Most players will not be so determined and choose the purchase instead. but offering them the
alternative (earning points ingame) will leave them a feeling of having an option to do so.
It’s more than a simple pause as far as I know, I played with it on my PS2 several years ago.