Research Experiment 00
Research Experiment 00
Welcome guys,
So I have most certainly been sparse on the development side of my work, so here I plan to talk about a recent small project that I have been working on for the last couple of weeks, with the incline to figure out how and if minor subtleties make a significant difference with the level flow. The reason for this is to see how the user interprets data and to see if some hints are needed in the form of clever mechanics or to see what everyone considers to be more approachable and in effect to see if the means of more approach-ability creates a more immersive product.
What I am also planning to do with the additional few days into next month is to try and add in a few extra elements to see if they are truly needed in order for the player to get from A to B in the simplest way possible.
Such as:
What I am also planning to do with the additional few days into next month is to try and add in a few extra elements to see if they are truly needed in order for the player to get from A to B in the simplest way possible.
Such as:
- Simple 2D sprites (Objective markers)
- Simple AI (Someone to talk to)
- Shown Objectives (Is it always necessary to show them countless times?)
Now I would like to speak upon the findings but due to "Reflection Week" looming overhead, there are no timetabled lessons so I will have to wait until the following week to test and conclude my questions.
My Experiment consists of a small level with a very basic switch and door mechanic which is needed to be used in order to progress to the next level. The very reason for using switches to doors, is that it is used in almost most games in one way or another, I know in my initial post I went to go on about lock-picking and how I wish to re-create it, now I will still hold myself up to it as I do plan on in the future, my problem was that I needed something to open in order for it to be anyway useful.
To showcase some examples of this switch and door mechanic, I found 3 varying games that use a similar concept:
Onto the idea...
To showcase some examples of this switch and door mechanic, I found 3 varying games that use a similar concept:
MEDIEVIL (1998)
Now I have always been a massive fan of the Medievil series and this intro video shows the perfect example of the
switch and door mechanic in action, from 6:54 you see the player picking up a
star rune which is then later placed into the holder at 7:13 to which opens the
door into the next level. A simple yet effective puzzle which I know in later
game-play is used but with a variety of rune gates with
appropriate runes in order to progress, the most, if I recall correctly,
was 3 used in one level.
PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME (2003)
As
for this example being from Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, it
is a little different than your usual switch and door puzzle, but this version
is in the form of trial and error, where the player is required to use two
turnstiles in order to move the platform vertically and rotate it, with the
added difficulty of having to keep your successful captures within a bound
track, but it goes give you plenty of wiggle room so you never get stuck, to
which when completed reveals a platform then another smaller switch in order to
open the door.
THE TALOS PRINCIPLE (2013)
Funnily
enough for me to use this as an example as I actually had this bought for me as
a gift, as it has a robot with a kitten on the box, can't deny a great
combination. Anyway to my delight I found it was a logical puzzle game, similar
to the portal series in the idea of using beams of light to aid your success,
in this version in the form of using "connectors" to link up beam
sources to their appropriate counterpart in order to power up gates and
for the player to find pieces in order to progress through doors later in the
game, and similar to the rune puzzle from Medievil.
Onto the idea...
As for my experiment, I have 2 versions of this mini-game along with a control level, one that has just the doors and switches, with a few text prompts in order for the player to have some idea of their goal. The other has a few more personal elements within the game, for starters, it has 1 fellow mannequin character along with your own, another being a changing UI objective on completion of the goal and when you acquire a new objective, along with a few simple animations to give the UI a little life to see if by adding them the player re-reads the information on screen due to its change.
You will also find here a link to my video on YouTube:
With my control version of my project created, I decided to recycle one the camera swapping mechanic from the door in order to show the player if any other objects in the world have also been activated by it.
Hopefully with the thought, that after teaching the player a few basics rules and principals that I can ween them off it so much in order for them to explore and experience their on game. Also with the added bonus of changing the objective once the criteria are met.
With my other version complete, I went out to add more mechanics to breathe a little bit more life into the project. So initially I went by adding in another fellow mannequin into the world to hopefully give it some personality but just by text prompts at the moment, due to having no animations or art at this point.
Along with this, I have also adapted the camera mechanic in order to fade out and pause the level on completion, in order to show the player that their objective is truly complete, opposed to standing at the end as shown in my previous video.
The few elements I have added give the player some indication of their impact in the world and how it has some effect within it, which I do find to be one of the main attributes to any game, the fact that as a player, we have presented and the game responds to that presence.
You will also find here a link to my video on YouTube:
In this map, you will find a player with simple controls and the primary objective to open a door, by turning on various switches. Initially, the bespoke mechanic in this game is currently the camera swapping, which I have developed in order to navigate player through the level successfully.
Although I am aware that this method is somewhat spoon-feeding the player, but I have found that some mechanics similar to this one always help the player to reach the goal, with the hope that the success makes the player eager to play on.
Hopefully with the thought, that after teaching the player a few basics rules and principals that I can ween them off it so much in order for them to explore and experience their on game. Also with the added bonus of changing the objective once the criteria are met.
With my other version complete, I went out to add more mechanics to breathe a little bit more life into the project. So initially I went by adding in another fellow mannequin into the world to hopefully give it some personality but just by text prompts at the moment, due to having no animations or art at this point.
Along with this, I have also adapted the camera mechanic in order to fade out and pause the level on completion, in order to show the player that their objective is truly complete, opposed to standing at the end as shown in my previous video.
The few elements I have added give the player some indication of their impact in the world and how it has some effect within it, which I do find to be one of the main attributes to any game, the fact that as a player, we have presented and the game responds to that presence.
I also have a post that does go on to mention a game that I am currently infatuated with and how its very basis uses the idea of evolving game-play.
Links Here:
What I mean by evolving game-play is by how as your progress through your game it to respond by increasing its difficulty, to adapting weapons or armour so that you can have appropriate equipment to defeat the difficult goal given, even to giving access to otherwise hidden areas due to your progression.
"Additionally does this beg to question that some puzzles applied are merely difficult based on the appropriate objects within a game world, or by adding in these extra bits of content that it creates a harder game, or is it simply based down to level design or time played?"
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