Pure brainstorm here, but some nights at 3am I'm stuck waiting in a lobby for a game to begin for l4d. Granted I'm an impatient type, but wouldn't it be cool if:
(Examples for Left 4 Dead)
The lobby itself could provide some level of entertainment... (I specifically like the banter between the survivors, maybe they could be in a safe room:
sleeping if they haven't been selected (bots) maybe they talk in their sleep
talking to each other if they have been selected.
maybe there is some radio broadcast or television show on that could be telling you things (i.e. giving you hints or tactics) this could be dynamic, i.e. some DJ named Crazy nick on a HAM radio that is talking and telling you things, or a television broadcast from someone
Alternatively you could have some "televised" best of moments of teams in verses having great comebacks or funny other things that occurred from teams ingame.
Of course all of these things are just of the distraction variety, so you might run into people who are easily hypnotized...As soon as the game starts/ the door opens, it ends the broadcast
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
All Hail Pac-Man Championship Edition DX
If given the task of "rebooting" Pac-Man, I'm not exactly sure what I would do, probably spend a good deal of sleepless nights trying to figure out how I might refine the best designed video games of all time. One thing is clear though, I would not have been able to come up with something as awesome as Pac-Man Championship Edition DX.
Here's a few quotes I pulled from Wikipedia (from Game Editiors) about the game:
"a master class in game design."
"more thrilling and addictive than ever."
"insanely addicting."
"a game you'll want to instantly evangelise to anyone with even the vaguest sense of what makes a game good."
"one of this year's best and purest arcade experiences and definitely a must-buy."
"sensory overload of the highest order, the kind of game that leaves your eyeballs dry, your nerves shot, and every last bit of you wanting more."
I couldn't agree more, the game is stellar... Kudos to producer Nobutaka Nakajima and director Tadashi Iguchi
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3867/reawakening_the_sleeping_giant_.php
I really think they did an awesome job of distilling the game down to it's essence: "I think one of the major reasons why Pac-Man is still a very good game and a very compelling experience is the whole "tag" aspect, between Pac-Man and the ghosts."--Tadashi Iguchi
You know for years I've played the game, and I never thought about it that way, it's just a game of tag...
"the only things we should be changing are the game tempo and the map design."
I'd love to hear theories to why the team decided to do what they did with the game. All of the additions (from a gameplay perspective) are just awesome, some of the things you'll notice right off the bat:
1) Bombs
2) Sleeping Ghosts
3) Slowdown Effect when close to ghosts
4) Ghosts with Power Pellets and Bombs
...fit so well into the overall package, and the pacing is just so stellar.
From a game design perspective the whole package just kills.
From the start you only have a few levels unlocked, and many of them are short (1 minute or less) and very simple, so instead of a boring tutorial, in seconds you are chomping down ghosts and immediately unlocking new levels. (And you aren't trying to figure out the control scheme, or going through some tutorial or story cutscene intro)... Bravo, just bravo.
The fact that the game is non-linear is a big win, I love how they bring you into the game Only a few levels are unlocked from the git-go, and immediately (within seconds) you are chomping ghosts, finishing levels and unlocking other parts of the game.
Levels that take under a minute, it's like a hit off a crack pipe, it's so easy to approach the game, "Oh I'll just jump in and get my fix, then get out... 3 hours later..."
They took the core of what makes Pac-Man fun and amplified it to astronomically insane proportions. I dare you to play for 30 minutes and not have a few moments where you smile or feel the tension, but overall you walk away feeling better.
They really took a page out of Toru Iwatani's book and frankly the guy says so many things that are noteworthy he needs his own post
“The development of the hardware, and the greater ability to express every idea that flies into a programmer’s head, mean that game creators have made the new games congested with every technique in their power. The basic games behind all this are so blurred that people can’t catch up. We should go back to basics — like Pac-Man — and play in an easier, more relaxed way.”
Here's a few quotes I pulled from Wikipedia (from Game Editiors) about the game:
"a master class in game design."
"more thrilling and addictive than ever."
"insanely addicting."
"a game you'll want to instantly evangelise to anyone with even the vaguest sense of what makes a game good."
"one of this year's best and purest arcade experiences and definitely a must-buy."
"sensory overload of the highest order, the kind of game that leaves your eyeballs dry, your nerves shot, and every last bit of you wanting more."
I couldn't agree more, the game is stellar... Kudos to producer Nobutaka Nakajima and director Tadashi Iguchi
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3867/reawakening_the_sleeping_giant_.php
I really think they did an awesome job of distilling the game down to it's essence: "I think one of the major reasons why Pac-Man is still a very good game and a very compelling experience is the whole "tag" aspect, between Pac-Man and the ghosts."--Tadashi Iguchi
You know for years I've played the game, and I never thought about it that way, it's just a game of tag...
"the only things we should be changing are the game tempo and the map design."
I'd love to hear theories to why the team decided to do what they did with the game. All of the additions (from a gameplay perspective) are just awesome, some of the things you'll notice right off the bat:
1) Bombs
2) Sleeping Ghosts
3) Slowdown Effect when close to ghosts
4) Ghosts with Power Pellets and Bombs
...fit so well into the overall package, and the pacing is just so stellar.
From a game design perspective the whole package just kills.
From the start you only have a few levels unlocked, and many of them are short (1 minute or less) and very simple, so instead of a boring tutorial, in seconds you are chomping down ghosts and immediately unlocking new levels. (And you aren't trying to figure out the control scheme, or going through some tutorial or story cutscene intro)... Bravo, just bravo.
The fact that the game is non-linear is a big win, I love how they bring you into the game Only a few levels are unlocked from the git-go, and immediately (within seconds) you are chomping ghosts, finishing levels and unlocking other parts of the game.
Levels that take under a minute, it's like a hit off a crack pipe, it's so easy to approach the game, "Oh I'll just jump in and get my fix, then get out... 3 hours later..."
They took the core of what makes Pac-Man fun and amplified it to astronomically insane proportions. I dare you to play for 30 minutes and not have a few moments where you smile or feel the tension, but overall you walk away feeling better.
They really took a page out of Toru Iwatani's book and frankly the guy says so many things that are noteworthy he needs his own post
“The development of the hardware, and the greater ability to express every idea that flies into a programmer’s head, mean that game creators have made the new games congested with every technique in their power. The basic games behind all this are so blurred that people can’t catch up. We should go back to basics — like Pac-Man — and play in an easier, more relaxed way.”
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
"Perfect" Video Game (Mechanics)
So looking back over the years I've played games, I can think of a few games which I would define as "perfect" in the sense that :
1) the control scheme was intuitive (to the point that you don't need to read the manual, you just feel the game)
2) the game's incentive/risk structure is appropriate (the incentives to do things are clear, the risks are also clear)
In general you want a control scheme that doesn't require a manual, that if you look at gameplay footage you already know how it works. or if you were to walk up to an arcade cabinent you could play immediately
Best joystick
Better joystick/button
Good 2 thumbsticks (thumbstick shooters)
Ok 2 thumbsticks 2 triggers
joystick/thumbstick movement
Honorable mention (and why they aren't winners)
Gauntlet : the magic button seems superfluous, only because it's only used a small fraction of the time
Double Dragon: damn jump button and platforming sections... killed me more than enemies, no real incentives I think Final Fight is an improvement (much like many other Capcom beat em ups)
Golden Axe: I like the magic incentive, more potions = more powerful magic, joystick, attack,jump,magic (run double tap) but the magic button is underutilized, and platform sections kinda hurt this game (you jump to high, and fall down pits easily)
1942: joystick/shoot/bomb (although bomb is underutilized)
OK, from the top of my head
Geometry Wars: Incentive Multiplier, dual stick controls, awesome
pong: Perfect because it is exactly the minimal of what it needs be
Space Invaders : left/right fire (bonus ship also interesting risk/reward)
Galaga: Love the risk reward of enemy ships getting closer to you
Pitfall: left/ right/ jump
Final Fight: Jump, attack, move (simple) incentives (meat, points) grab (get close)
Tetris: left rotate/right rotate drop
Diablo: point and click at it's finest
Life Force/Gradius : move/shoot/missles
Donkey Kong : controls joystick, jump, that's it...
Marble Madness: the ball controls the ball... brilliant
Pac man: the brilliance of just a joystick controls ... the progressively multiplicative value of eating ghosts is brilliant
1) the control scheme was intuitive (to the point that you don't need to read the manual, you just feel the game)
2) the game's incentive/risk structure is appropriate (the incentives to do things are clear, the risks are also clear)
In general you want a control scheme that doesn't require a manual, that if you look at gameplay footage you already know how it works. or if you were to walk up to an arcade cabinent you could play immediately
Best joystick
Better joystick/button
Good 2 thumbsticks (thumbstick shooters)
Ok 2 thumbsticks 2 triggers
joystick/thumbstick movement
Honorable mention (and why they aren't winners)
Gauntlet : the magic button seems superfluous, only because it's only used a small fraction of the time
Double Dragon: damn jump button and platforming sections... killed me more than enemies, no real incentives I think Final Fight is an improvement (much like many other Capcom beat em ups)
Golden Axe: I like the magic incentive, more potions = more powerful magic, joystick, attack,jump,magic (run double tap) but the magic button is underutilized, and platform sections kinda hurt this game (you jump to high, and fall down pits easily)
1942: joystick/shoot/bomb (although bomb is underutilized)
OK, from the top of my head
Geometry Wars: Incentive Multiplier, dual stick controls, awesome
pong: Perfect because it is exactly the minimal of what it needs be
Space Invaders : left/right fire (bonus ship also interesting risk/reward)
Galaga: Love the risk reward of enemy ships getting closer to you
Pitfall: left/ right/ jump
Final Fight: Jump, attack, move (simple) incentives (meat, points) grab (get close)
Tetris: left rotate/right rotate drop
Diablo: point and click at it's finest
Life Force/Gradius : move/shoot/missles
Donkey Kong : controls joystick, jump, that's it...
Marble Madness: the ball controls the ball... brilliant
Pac man: the brilliance of just a joystick controls ... the progressively multiplicative value of eating ghosts is brilliant
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