Analysis of 2D games
6th Nov. MM XX III
Direct Link/Preview
We had to watch and analyse the video, as well as play the game for a bit in our spare time
Super_Mario.NES
The game stars Mario, and is set in the "Mushroom Kingdom" with the player traversing and platforming across different set locations. On the Game manuel for the game, it is stated he is going to save Princess Peach, who has been captured by King Bowser.
The controls are very basic, as the NES only had 4 directional arrow keys, a start and select button, then the "A" and "B" buttons. So movement was automatically asigned to the d-pad, then the jump key is done by pressing the "A" key. Later in the under water stages, its used for "bobbing up". The fireball power up thats gained later is used for the "b" button input. And that's the majority of the verbs that is used in the game
As seen on the Instruction Booklet for "Super Mario Bros.", it makes use of different Versatile verbs. By pressing the "B" button, Mario moves and jumps further and faster respectively. Which gives and enables the players to have freedom on how they want to play the game, the savy and "professional" players will speedrun and play the game how they want to, meanwhile the more casual and less experienced players wont care, and just play how they want to.
However, the manuel or instruction booklet for the game can be completely disregarded as the game itself teaches the player who they are, what to do, and where to go. Mario is directly placed on the left of the screen, facing right, there is a lot of negative and dead space on the right as well, not overwhelming the player.
This empty space also gives the player to mess around the with movement mechanics, as with the minimal inputs, the player already learns to move right and left with the directional-pad. And then intuitively, the player presses either and/or both the "A" or "B", resulting in them jumping or moving faster, all in the span of the first couple seconds of the level.
This is what a good "Invisible Tutorial" does by teaching the player without any guides or hints. They are now well equiped withe how the game works mechanically.
After the player moves to the right, and is now in the middle of the screen. A mysterious "question mark" block is glowing in the air for the player to see. But immediatley a moving "Goomba" is coming right to the player, this "blocker" is stylised as "aggressive" with the sharp angry eyebrows.
If the player doesn't immediately react by jumping to get out of the way, the player will die. This is the first test for the player, learning to avoid obstacles. After avoiding or stomping on the Goomba, the player will approach the Question block by either ignoring or hitting it, which will reward the player with a coin.
Here, I have hit the second block, and it gave a mushroom block, but due to the limitations of the NES Cartridge, it had to be the same sprite as a Goomba, but the difference being it is more "brighter" and friendly approaching. However a new, "non-experienced" player might associate the mushroom item with a "blocker" and so will try to jump over it, or run back. But the green pipe at the end will bounce it back and Mario will "acquire" the item and become a bigger version of himself. Teaching the player about the difference between "blockers" that hurts the player and "items" that help the player.
The pipes here slowly keep increasing in height, which tests the player's ability on their versitile verbs, which is also in a safe bullet proof environment, with only the time ticking down being an incentive for the player to quickly learn at a more hasty speed. After a couple pipes, it showcases some goombas colliding with eachother.
This shows that goombas are affected by the environment, they can bumb with other goombas and blockers, as well as the placement of how close the goombas are to eachother can almost ensure that the player can jump and hop on both the goombas, giving a score mulitplier.
Here is the goombas placed on different leveling of platforms, gravity effecting the goombas, and the bottomless pit. What this achieves is, one, same like the player, the goombas are not stationary, but rather moving. Two, they go down from platforms, and dont stay on them. Three, if the player waits enough time, the goombas will simply just fall down into the pit.
A simple and effective way of teaching how dumb the goombas are.
Here at the end of the flag pole, it incentivices the player to jump as high as they can to get more points. As the staircase infers directly for the player to reach for the top of the flag pole.
World 1-1 is excellent at teaching the player the fundementals of the gameplay and its mechanics. It doesn't introduce everything all together at once, but slowly bit by bit, the player learns visually with no words. The game mechanics are thaught directly, but hidden in a way that makes it so that the player are learning for themselves without feeling like they are being tutored or forced to go through tutorials.
Rayman.BIN
Analysis_of_the_early_levels.TIM
So having the player gain the ability to fight back, was a refreshing change of mechanics. Here in the level, again, there is no end point at the right most screen to go to the next stage. What the player is meant to do is hit the purple fruit for it to be used as a platform to jump up and then proceed onto the next stage. This again insures that the player has learnt the mechanic, and that it interacts with the environment, but from inference, it can be used for enemy players as well.
So overall, the first couple stages of Rayman on the original PlayStation system introduces its concepts well, as it is a platforming game, mixed in fighting mechanics. It needed a robust system in place by having the level design be excellent and top notch.
Rayman_Legends.BIN
Analysis_of_the_first_level.TIM
Here is the introduction of the punch mechanic, again, a text prompt is used and given to the player on what button must be pressed, this is perfectly acceptable, as compared to the classic Rayman, the player is expected to roughly learn three times the amount of mechanics. By pressing "S", the player hits, and they are given a safe environment to practice this mechanic in. The player then tries out the punch mechanic, leading them to learn the many different versitile verbs
The jump mechanic here, is shown, by telling the player directly, pressing "space" is the button to jump, again in a roughly safe environment, but what's indirectly told, being the invisible tutorial part of the level design, is that previously we were told that we can punch to break objects, using that information, the player is indicated to jump on the platform, jump again and then punch to free the "Teensie", which teaches the player about saving each "Teensies", and also about aiming to 100 percent complete the level.
Megaman.exe
Developed and Published by CAPCOM.
Megaman or known as "Rockman" in the Japan region, is platform shooter, where you play as the main character, a humanoid robot "Megaman", and have to fight against the mad scientist "Dr. Willy" and his six "Robot Masters" under his control. The game was praised for its nonlinear gameplay, which lets the player choose the order to complete its initial six stages. Culminating in a boss battle against one of the Robot Masters that awards you with a unique weapon. Some games like
The main verbs in this game are running, jumping, and, shooting. As seen below:
Basic running is achieved with the use of directional pad. Jumping is performed by pressing A on the game pad, which is used to get to high places. And finally the most important part, which is shooting is performed by pressing B, which is used for killing "blockers" (i.e. enemies) to get through the level.
There are very few "Versitle Verbs", but are still important. You can combine the action of "Jumping and Shooting" by jumping with the A button, then quickly pressing B to shoot in the air. Normally jumping, the developers, (or at least the spirte artists) showed that when you jump, Megaman is holding up his blaster arm.
Mega Man X
It was the first 16-bit Megaman released, being a spinoff, to the original series. Mega Man X reinvents the series, while sticking to its bread and butter, having the original controls, with additional stuff to do. As well as a more mature tone and theme to make it stand out from its predecessors.
Basic plot summary is that it takes place a century after the original game. It is set in a futuristic world populated by both humans and "Reploids", basically slave robots that can become human like its creator(s). And because of its complex nature, "Reploids" can and be "evil", which are referred to as "Mavericks". You are "X", an android member of a military squadron "Maverick Hunters", and must stop Sigma, who wants humans to go bye bye.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Extra History (Extra Credits). (2014). Design Club - Super Mario Bros
: Level 1-1 - How Super Mario Mastered Level Design. [Online].
YouTube. Last Updated: 5 Jun 2014. Available at: https://www.youtube.com
/watch?v=ZH2wGpEZVgE&ab_channel=ExtraHistory [Accessed 6 November 2023].
Nintendo. (1985) Super Mario Bros. [Video game]. Nintendo.
Nintendo. (1985). Super Mario Bros. Manual. [Book]. USA: Nintendo.
pp.1, 3-4.
Ubisoft. (1995) Rayman [Video game]. Ubisoft.
Ubisoft. (2013) Rayman Legends [Video game]. Ubisoft.
Capcom. (1987) Megaman [Video game]. Capcom.
Capcom. (1993) Mega Man X [Video game]. Capcom.
Unit 4 Lesson 1: Developing Contextual Awareness
DDS 5 - Playtesting Video Games The Valve Way
Continuation of: Analysis of 2D games
7th Nov. MM XX III
ODDWORLD: ABE'S Oddysee
Its Gameplay being praised for being too advanced for the time, with Edge saying its "a tight 2D platformer that's packed with great innovative touches and some great character design" But some outlets say the game might be too difficult, I however think that the enough checkpoints sprinkled throughout the game, with the unlimited lives and the puzzle nature of the game forcing you to think more intuitively. Rather than brute forcing answers, which won't get you far in this type of game.
The menu very detailed and has the main protagonist, "Abe", in the middle, reacting to certain things you do in the menu, the presentation it sets for is very dark, almost like the menu is themed around the eventual ruins of what happens after the game's story, building lore and story to within its gameplay.
The game has a dedicated seperate menu for Gamespeak, the in game dialogue tree, where players can interact with his co workers and friends to guide, help and save them. For its time, this was very innovative and different to what other puzzle platformers were offering. Actual player free-dom and the multiple different choices each player can have and complete each part of the game differently, was amazing then, and it is inspirational now.
The game features the standard moving with directional movement, then standard jumping. "Hoisting" occurs from either missing a jump, or hanging off a ledge by jumping up, in which Abe is hanging off a ledge. Interacting, in the game, you can interact with levers to either open trapdoors, disable electricity and definitely a lot more different interactions. This makes the player have to think before they decide as the lever can lead to a bad outcome, an example of this is the first lever that's obviously placed in-front of the player opens a trapdoor killing one of the employees out of the 99 you need to save.
Then the more complex buttons or mechanics, entering is done by pressing up on the controller, which it is shown that by entering certain areas, you come out in different areas inaccessible through "normal" movement. Sneaking, holding R2, to get past gaurds slowly and quietly, while doubling as well as getting into small tight areas inaccessible by just walking.
The Versatile Verbs include the movement having different variations, by holding R1, this allows you to cover more ground, allowing you to run from any hostile blockers the game throws at you. Whilst running, if the jump button is combined while running, a long jump will occur, which covers more distance than jumping by itself. When crouching, and combined with running, the player starts rolling, experienced players will find the best use cases for this move, by returning to an area in quick succession or by luring a friendly or hostile npc into a previous area, which enables more player freedom in the ways, which the player can strategise during the level.
Here I am sneaking past the guards, using the on screen prompts that is baked into the game's background texts and screens. We are given a lot "safe spaces" to test out the movement in.
Overall, I do like how different this game is compared to other platformers, I don't personally enjoy it, but I prefer games not being the same thing every time, allowing different types of mechanics, stories, and gameplay features to be introduced and experimented with. One thing I would improve is the latency or delay between actions, as this is an older game, where the game had to be slower paced due to technical limitations and so on, but I felt like I had to wait a bit to do actions, even if it was small point 5 seconds between each input, however it was still noticeable. I do like the cutscenes, with its disney charm infused with corporate cynicism and malice that I can only think of a couple games that have similar "themes".
DDS 6 - Exploring Game Consoles and Hardware
Platformer Level Design Workshop
13th Nov. MM XX III
Todays lesson, we were to demonstrate our knowledge on platformer designs and levels. As well as apply that knowledge on making our own custom levels that teaches the players the game and movement mechanics
We did three things in this lesson, one was to watch a quick video on how the original levels of Super Mario Bros. was made, second was a practical task in working together on making one consistent level by using pencils and graph paper to make a level, that effectively teaches the player on what the game mechanics were, and how would the player maneuver themselves around the level. And lastly, making that level together in a game software, we had to use "Super Mario Maker" on the Wii U, so that we know our designs actually work and we have applied our knowledge effectively.
Direct Link/Preview
Before watching said video, I already knew that some level designs were already made in pen and paper, before any work starts being produced in a computer. But what I didn't know, how extensively Nintendo used graphing paper, sheets of drawings, concept paper for each level.
When we started working on the level design on paper, in our group project, we focused on three things the player needs to learn. We annotated the different items, "blockers", collectables and the platforms in different colours and shadings. Green is for the platforms, Red is the enemies the player faces, and Yellow is the coins and collectables.
I started work on the latter part of the level, as it was a draft drawing, I didn't need to make it look good, but rather clear enough to be looked at. I wanted there to be different pathways for Mario to go through, as
The first part of the level, we needed for the player to learn how to move effectively in the level, so simple platforming challenges, and if the player fails, he can easily get up and retry.
The second part was that the player is now given blockers to deal with, and an incentive in the middle of all of the enemies. And the third part of the level, which is the one I worked on, I was to challenge the player on what they went through previously, by introuding "blockers" that can not be eliminated easily, but rather have to either dodge or shoot them with the flame ball ability gained in the second stage. And this the part where the platforming skills the player learns is more tested, as the platforms are smaller, and the death zones are wider.
We as a team incorported many invisible tutorials, the increasing height of the platforms in the first level was to show the player that jumping is invaluable, and we added coins to incentives the player to go right. Then jumping on enemy defeats the enemy, and to watch out for the spikey "blocker" in the sky. And finally some enemies cant be defeated, so different paths must be taken in order to reach the end goal or point of the level. But the difficult part, was our design concept and methodologies we all had.
Feedback.
Generally, I think our level was sort of successful in explaining the game and movement mechanics for the player. As this was the first level that the player goes through, people liked the first part, as it introduced the jump mechanic, and safety nets for the player not to fall through. As we discussed about the "bullet proof" mechanics.
But the difficulty slightly ramps up in the middle, and the pacing kinda goes away. As multiple "blockers" are introduced, and different game mechanics are being thrown at the player. But it is quite effecitve, in how it challenges the player.
I think, for my part of the level, I got the "right" difficulty that the player "feels". However, as it was the end of the level, I should have added more "blockers" and ways for the player to go through after acquring the fire powerup in the second part of the level. But the
Overall, I can use this practical work I did in class as good experience for my games and the level design(s) when I start creating them.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Nintendo of America. (2015).
Super Mario Bros. 30th Anniversary Special Interview ft. Shigeru
Miyamoto & Takashi Tezuka.
Apply Lessons of Psychology to game design
16th Nov. MM XX III
The lesson objectives for today were to understand psychology maps and
then use them in game design
Then the second objective was to be able to conduct Player-Acting with
the aim of developing accurate player empathy.
Psychological Models like the ones we learnt today, can benefit in a couple ways to and for game designers. Understanding different personalities, and what type of games they each enjoy is crucial to knowing what "fun" is. As well as, understanding what "motivates" players to play the games they play. Understanding player psychology is fundamental in how game designers learn and see what "gamers" are really into.
Developing accurate player empathy, means overcoming your own personal bias(s). What it means by "personal bias", is how you immediately think or associate with certain people, objects or events. Removing the mostly negative, and sometimes positive attributes to why people play certain games. Is the first step in developing certain player empathy. For example, many people in the world play League Of Legends, a 5v5 hero based MOBA (Multiplayer online battle arena). The game is immediately associated with "chronically online losers", due to the game not being immediately appealing to many players as well as in part, the large "toxic" fanbase that dissuades many players from trying the game in the first place.
Jason Vandenberghe:
Creative director, designer, writer and researcher. He Has been conducting research, developing game design for years and proposed the idea that we play games to satisfy the same motivations that we feel in real life. By using the lessons we learn in Psychology, he suggested that playing, gives people an outlet to express or do things they could not in real life.
We were taught two different Psychology maps, one is Bartle Type, which was developed by Richard Bartle. It defines 4 types of players, Explorer, Achiever, Socialiser, and Killer. And the other is the The Big 5 OCEAN, which encompasses: "Openness to experience", "Conscientiousness", "Extraversion", "Agreeableness", and "Neuroticism".
The different Bartle types can be characterised as:
Achievers, Players who prefer to gain "points", levels, equipment and other concrete measurements of succeeding in a game. A game with a lot of collectables, unlockable(s), and visible progress is the game they prefer. A game like Batman: Arkham Knight has about 243 collectable "Riddler trophies", tons of missions, and achievements for the player to be busy for months.
Explorers: Players who prefer discovering areas, and immerse themselves in the game world. They prefer going out on a different path than the game sets them out on, The Elder scrolls V is a game these players would enjoy the most, as after the beginning cutscene, the player is free to just explore and be who they want in the world.
Socializers: Players who prefer to interact with other players and build relationships. The type to mostly or only play games that have an interactive social element in the game. Roblox or the multiplayer version of Minecraft has many activities and interactive social elements for the players to mess around in or with.
Usually "Socialisers" aren't too keen on playing on single player games
Killers: Players who prefer to compete with other players, and cause as much disruption as they can. Obviously a game like Call Of Duty, Fortnite: Battle Royale, or even Grand Theft Auto Online. These games allow the player to compete with other players, and allow for disruption in their game mechanics or with the items that the game provides for said disruption.
And then the OCEAN and its five factors grew out of decades of personality research, growing from Cattell's 16 factors with its foundations eventually being the most accepted model of personality. Obviously, these five factors do not provide a complete exhaustive report on or of personality traits, features, or on the topic as a whole. But for gaming, and its players, it is a good layer on which to find out why people enjoy different games from one another.
Using this model we can find the type of player a person is and how high or low they range on each scale. This ocean test gives the person taking it an idea of what type of player they are and using this they can also find out their empathy blind spots. My test results were that a high 90 percent in Oppenness to Experience, a middling 40 percent in Conscientiousness, Extraversion being an average 65 percent, and then 75 percent in Agreeableness which is high average.
And with the Test results, you can easily convert the OCEAN result, and cut out the N part, cause that usually isn't needed. So as follows:
Openness to experience becomes Novelty
Conscientiousness is Challange
Extraversion equals Stimulation
Agreeableness can be Harmony
Now with the Player-Acting, which is playing games as though you are someone else, to develop accurate player empathy. Which is important in understanding what makes it so fun to enjoy a specific type of game. And also, from learning your empathy blindspots. For example, I prefer Fantasy and Exploring games, which is 90 percent, and I dont like or prefer much games in the "Architect" area, which is 10 percent. By knowing your empathy blindspot, you can hopefully understand why someone in that specific "class" or "type" of people, likes that certain type of games. And why they enjoy and continue playing that game.