Your typical, average amateur game always makes the same mistakes. They forget to plan out their game. Way too many programmers overlook the fact that you have to think about every angle of what your game is going to represent.

Let's say a new programmer made a RPG, most of the time it wouldn't have a complex or detailed storyline. The author would forget certain dialogues, events, important scenes, and heck maybe even a clue as to how to figure out where to go. It's too easy to download a free game off the internet and then sit there pondered because you don't know what the hell you are or what you're doing there. Amateurs will typically rush a storyline giving no reasoning to the character's actions. Often, you'll see your quest/adventure going from dot to dot almost like a jigsaw puzzle. There will be very little motivation or interaction as to why the characters are going to these places. It's just something that newbies need to learn, make a decent storyline.

Professionals know that the storyline is the key to whether or not a game will be a hit or a miss. Your plot is the main reason as to why gamers come back and continually play your game. Many pros sketch down ideas that come to their head, and then form a nice little outline of how their story goes. They come up with descriptions for each of their characters and even come up with attitudes for each.

If you ever plan on becoming a professional, master the storyline making of games. You'll soon find out that if you can master the plot making of games, you can make Sponge Bob look like a masterpiece. Try to provide character backgrounds and reasonings for each of the characters joining your party. It wouldn't look right if John the Sniper joined your party because he wanted a box of saltine crackers. Come up with something innovative, like a tax man who was fired for the government after working loyally for eighteen years. The Pros always come up with something that catches the eye, or seems pretty cool. Please remember, try not to mimic another FF storyline or save the world theme. Think of something that would seem reasonable, yet, willing enough so that the player seems intrigued to finish the game.

One of the smaller, yet noticeable mistakes that n00bs make is the use of default graphics. There's nothing wrong with using the sprites that came with a certain program, but does it really offer any new look to a game? If you sit there using red bouncy balls as lamps, and diamonds as meatballs, then you probably won't get a very good appeal to your game.

Creating graphics is one of the hardest operations for making games. You're either going to need someone who is good at editing/creating images, or you're gonna have to learn yourself. It's not an easy process either.

Every work of art has always used custom-made graphics. Even if you edit original images, make them unique. A typical pro knows that giving his game a fresh look is the way to get good ratings. People love things that appeal to the eyes. That's why many people love watching colorful movies with special effects, or DVDs in their spare time. Try to mimic these effects in any way possible. Even if it means flashing a sprite, try anything to give your game a fresh look.

Remember, custom menus, battle systems, characters, and effects make people think of your game as coolness. You'll get many positive feedback ratings if you have a game that both looks good, and can play on the computers with some of the lowest specs.

In my opinion, sound isn't the most important thing in a game. Most amateurs would agree. Sometimes you can get away with a sound being used for two different purposes, but most of the time no one will care.

The only problem is that too many people use the ever popular video game MIDIs. I've heard about fifteen games that use the FF theme, or something from an action game. Please, if you're going to use midis, find some original ones that no one has heard of.

Professionals shouldn't have any problems with sounds. There are so many files related to sound effects that you should have no problem finding the certain one you need.

Most pros know that MIDIs don't cut it. Many will use MP3s or WAVs and I praise them for doing so. Sometimes, a catchy theme or song that has clearer bits and a neato guitar will catch the attention of many more gamers. If you have the extra space, try to cram a good remix or some techno song in there to really get your gamer into an action sequence.