Recently, it has been announced that ShinyBox will make a follow up to the game, so I tought to propose things that they should/shouldn’t do
Type of game
There is not much to say here, but it is just if ShinyBox wants to take another way for their game. Their game can absolutely keep the same route though. Most of people here already know this stuff.
If it becomes an MMO, it needs at least fields, if not a world to travel. Dungeons can be accessed trough a GUI or an emplacement in the world. It is recommended to have a variety of materials/items and things to do(like perks, jobs, field cleaning, etc.)
If it becomes an Hack&/, it needs different towns or else it is boring and lacking and it can have fields(not needed to have ennemies in them) to travel from towns and/or dungeons. It could also simply be GUIs to do the job, but it is way less interesting. It can also be a GUI for an aspect and a field for another aspect of the game(Ex: Field for towns and GUI for dungeons). GUIs can be drawings of the emplacements where the dungeons are, like as seen in games like Elsword.
It can also be an hybrid.
Story
If the devs really want to add a story, it needs to be tought really well, because it is a big part for immersion, so it is better to have no story than a bad story. I would really like a story in the game though.
Quests
There are many things to talk about in here. First off, good quests are quests that let you explore. Quests should not take hours, but they should certainely take more than two steps. Good quests are always made this way and their creators would say the same. Also, quests that are repetitive or that you can do many times should not be quests. These kind of need do get separated.
Some developpers separate them from real quests by calling them things like missions, achievements(but this is not the best and most used name), mini-quests, etc.
Sometimes, they are activated in certain places, certain moments or just randomly, varying by where you are and what your level is, granting you wanted rewards like money, xp, crafting items or rarely weapons/armor.
Sometimes, it’s the complete opposite, they are done as a big list that you can clear at your rhythm and at your will. What is good about this type is that the player can choose to do a quest if he wants, giving he some freedom. As the last one, this type of mini-quest usually grants more often money, items and xp.
Quest could be started anywhere, but this is not necessary.
Flow
A summary of what flow is is when you do something that is hard to do and you have control and agility over it. It is something to target for a game and it is a good feeling for players. That is why lacks of control and unreactive characters on your character is bad and raging for players, because it cuts their flow and their immersion right out.
It is also good to have a variety of characters ranging from swift characters to characters that needs you to think with your mind fast and use good tactics/combos.
Google/YouTube is your friend
The devs probably already know this, but there is nothing to be shy of finding videos to help making game mechanics. Searching is not copying. Also it is better to take good aspects from other games than to make a mechanic that might be poor, because it wasn’t taken seriously.
Unless you have a really good idea or you are perfectionnist like me, it is not wrong to peek in other games. Don’t try to literally copy though, because that is what is bad to do.