The year was 1987. Nintendo and Sega would soon be locked in an epic rivalry. Each would bring their weapon, the SNES and the Sega Genesis. Both systems would armed with the highest graphics available, 16-bit. This style would define the generation and open up new doors for designers and artists to tell their digital stories. Indie developers have been taking pages from history and applying this style to their own modern games to rousing success.
And I wish they would move on already.
I'm tired of so many games using the old 16-bit or 32-bit art style for their games. I understand how nostalgic it feels and some of the excellent art that can be made with it. It has its place, I know that, but indie games now seem to all be just grabbing at the old styles instead of trying something new. Often, the excellent art that came out of that era was because the hardware was restricted and there was only so much they could do with their tools. They had to make what they had do more than they thought it could. These days, developers aren't developing their own signature styles for art and design. They cling to old ideas without adding to it with their own innovations.
This is one of the reasons that I am really interested in the game A Hat In Time. This game is a fun, cartoony came styled after games like Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie. This game seems to have its own styles and originality, while still holding to an older style of design. It looks fun and charming, but more than anything, it has a design philosophy that I appreciate. I liked those collect-a-thon games of old, and I'm glad to see them coming back. And it is coming back in a way that isn't just aping everything about the classic. It is possible to take what we have learned from old games and apply older design theories to new games.
As a basic rule, I think that we need to stop looking at the small aspects of the games we loved and look at the bigger picture. There is a deeper theme in the old games that is oft overlooked when designers start a project, and it suffers for it. Understanding how all the parts work together to influence the final project should be the main purpose in game design.
And can we stop ripping off Final Fantasy for every RPG story line, please?
Just something to chew on.
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Non-Combative
The first game that I bought for my 3DS was Monster Hunter 3. For a long while there, I was the epic adventurer. I scoured forests and deserts, fought giant beasts, and crafted devilish weapons. Still, I find that there is more to my hunt, stronger beasts that I have yet to vanquish. And how have I been spending my time? I fish, and am the mayor of the small town of Sindane. I have been playing way too much Animal Crossing: New Leaf.
There is a lot to be said for non-combative gaming.
For those of you who don't know, Animal Crossing is a game unlike many others. It is a life sim, with anthropomorphic animals as your neighbors (figure that one out). It's about living day to day, making money, making friends, and customizing your home and character. You can fish, hunt for insects, dig up fossils, and interact with friends in town, as well as visitors. The most "intense" moments are when you're trying to real in a rare fish, or when those bloody tarantulas start chasing you down. It has none of the adrenaline pumping flash and spectacle that a lot of games have, but I still find myself engrossed in it.
This is something that I believe a lot of game publishers need to start figuring out. The market is saturated with hyper-violent and combat intensive games. Try to think of the games that don't have you slicing, punching, shooting, or otherwise ending someone's life prematurely. We've got a pretty small list. Harvest Moon, the Sims, maybe a few others, but the pool is pretty small. Yet, Harvest Moon and Animal Crossing have been very popular, at least in Japan. While I am not saying violence in a game is inherently bad, an excellent game can be made without serious and bloody combat.
Violence is often one of the biggest complaints that this industry gets. How often have we heard games like Call of Duty being associated with school shootings and violence. They've been called terrorist simulators even. Rough criticism, (and mostly stupid) but they point at the violent trend that we have in this medium. So, I think it is time for developers to look at some non-violent methods of design.
I have had in mind a project that I want to work on with simple tools like the RPG Maker. RPGs, in the old Final Fantasy styles, are pretty easy to adapt to some non-combat elements. It isn't hard to image switching attacks and spells to arguments and word choice. What I want to design is an RPG where every attack and spell is named for some element of speech. While the mechanics function the same, the theming will make all interactions like a conversation. The overall goal will be to convince someone of a higher social standing than you to think your way. It is a small step toward making a game that is not focused on the violence. Let's be honest, arguments can be just as heated and adrenaline pumping as combat.
Maybe I'll add the option to pull a gun on someone if things get hard...probably not.
Just something to chew on.
There is a lot to be said for non-combative gaming.
For those of you who don't know, Animal Crossing is a game unlike many others. It is a life sim, with anthropomorphic animals as your neighbors (figure that one out). It's about living day to day, making money, making friends, and customizing your home and character. You can fish, hunt for insects, dig up fossils, and interact with friends in town, as well as visitors. The most "intense" moments are when you're trying to real in a rare fish, or when those bloody tarantulas start chasing you down. It has none of the adrenaline pumping flash and spectacle that a lot of games have, but I still find myself engrossed in it.
This is something that I believe a lot of game publishers need to start figuring out. The market is saturated with hyper-violent and combat intensive games. Try to think of the games that don't have you slicing, punching, shooting, or otherwise ending someone's life prematurely. We've got a pretty small list. Harvest Moon, the Sims, maybe a few others, but the pool is pretty small. Yet, Harvest Moon and Animal Crossing have been very popular, at least in Japan. While I am not saying violence in a game is inherently bad, an excellent game can be made without serious and bloody combat.
Violence is often one of the biggest complaints that this industry gets. How often have we heard games like Call of Duty being associated with school shootings and violence. They've been called terrorist simulators even. Rough criticism, (and mostly stupid) but they point at the violent trend that we have in this medium. So, I think it is time for developers to look at some non-violent methods of design.
I have had in mind a project that I want to work on with simple tools like the RPG Maker. RPGs, in the old Final Fantasy styles, are pretty easy to adapt to some non-combat elements. It isn't hard to image switching attacks and spells to arguments and word choice. What I want to design is an RPG where every attack and spell is named for some element of speech. While the mechanics function the same, the theming will make all interactions like a conversation. The overall goal will be to convince someone of a higher social standing than you to think your way. It is a small step toward making a game that is not focused on the violence. Let's be honest, arguments can be just as heated and adrenaline pumping as combat.
Maybe I'll add the option to pull a gun on someone if things get hard...probably not.
Just something to chew on.
Sunday, June 23, 2013
The Creeping Curse of Nintendo
E3 has come and gone. Big console news was announced, games were revealed, fanboys have been baited, and the dust is settling. With arguments back and forth about who won, Microsoft or Sony (Sony), the power of Nintendo has crept by, seemingly unnoticed. I'm here to tell you a truth, however. Despite all the fan fare and chest pounding of some of the big names out there, we all recognize one absolute truth.
Nintendo gets to us all.
The first system I owned was an N64 that my parents bought us one summer. One Christmas, my grandparents sent the money that got Kyle and I GameBoys. Some years later, my brother and I bought a PS2 a little after it came out. I then saved up and bought myself a Gamecube. When the Nintendo Wii was released, it was my Christmas present one year. I would go on to buy DS. This last semester, I bought the 3DS. Nintendo has been a part of my gaming log book for years, and that won't soon change.
My story isn't unique. Look at some of the big YouTubers out there who play games and a lot of them can tell you about their times with Nintendo. That is Nintendo's biggest strength. They become a part of your life. The characters in their games are as much a part of your childhood as Snow White and the Trix Rabbit. For many of us, Nintendo has always been there.
And they always will. This last E3 showing, and their 3DS focused Nintendo Direct, has shown how much fight is still in this company. So often we see others who want to write them off as a casual company, pronouncing casual with the same tone they might describe dog vomit. Yet despite that, the Wii was a massive seller, the 3DS is the most prominent handheld system, and fans across the globe still rally to them. For some reason, Nintendo has always been slow of the gate with their releases. The Wii U's launch line up was pretty paltry, as was the 3DS's. The same can be said of the Wii, and the Gamecube. But we've seen what Nintendo has up its sleeves and what they can do with their IPs.
Nintendo really is a creeping curse, a shadow that slips past all the hustle and bustle that comes with much of the gaming industry. And they do it in the most ethical way possible, by creating great games and being a company that is endearing. Though they tend to hash out their same franchises over and over, you can always expect real quality out of them. Reggie Fils-Aime, head of Nintendo of America, is a well known face in gaming and is often very vocal about the company. There are countless interviews with him talking about the passion he has for games. He was recently quoted as saying that if developers wanted to cut down on used game sales issues, then they needed to make better games. A ballsy statement, but one that Nintendo often backs up.
The reason I'm talking about this is two-fold. The first being, I was skeptical about the Wii U. In all honesty, it seemed gimiky and with little value. But like always, I'm seeing what Nintendo is putting out of it, the development and games going into it, and I have to say I am interested. In time, I will probably end up buying one. Take this as a recommendation from me to look into the system at a later date. Second, I look at this as an amazing trend in the industry and indicative of who we are as consumers. We walk a fine line. Companies like Nintendo don't venture into new IPs very often, and we don't fault them too greatly for it, but others send out similar games and they become the villains. As consumers, our dollar has a lot of power, unfortunately, I don't know where to tell you to use it. While it is true that we shouldn't buy up every shoddy sequel that comes out, how can we tell what makes a Good sequel? Do we wish that companies would only make one of any title? Who knows? But what I can say is this. There are some companies that we can turst and some that we know will turn out good products. No matter what and fanboys, haters, or PC master race says, Nintendo is here to stay and will continue to influence gaming for years to come.
Now I just want a new iteration in the Mischief Makers franchise.
Just something to chew on.
Nintendo gets to us all.
The first system I owned was an N64 that my parents bought us one summer. One Christmas, my grandparents sent the money that got Kyle and I GameBoys. Some years later, my brother and I bought a PS2 a little after it came out. I then saved up and bought myself a Gamecube. When the Nintendo Wii was released, it was my Christmas present one year. I would go on to buy DS. This last semester, I bought the 3DS. Nintendo has been a part of my gaming log book for years, and that won't soon change.
My story isn't unique. Look at some of the big YouTubers out there who play games and a lot of them can tell you about their times with Nintendo. That is Nintendo's biggest strength. They become a part of your life. The characters in their games are as much a part of your childhood as Snow White and the Trix Rabbit. For many of us, Nintendo has always been there.
And they always will. This last E3 showing, and their 3DS focused Nintendo Direct, has shown how much fight is still in this company. So often we see others who want to write them off as a casual company, pronouncing casual with the same tone they might describe dog vomit. Yet despite that, the Wii was a massive seller, the 3DS is the most prominent handheld system, and fans across the globe still rally to them. For some reason, Nintendo has always been slow of the gate with their releases. The Wii U's launch line up was pretty paltry, as was the 3DS's. The same can be said of the Wii, and the Gamecube. But we've seen what Nintendo has up its sleeves and what they can do with their IPs.
Nintendo really is a creeping curse, a shadow that slips past all the hustle and bustle that comes with much of the gaming industry. And they do it in the most ethical way possible, by creating great games and being a company that is endearing. Though they tend to hash out their same franchises over and over, you can always expect real quality out of them. Reggie Fils-Aime, head of Nintendo of America, is a well known face in gaming and is often very vocal about the company. There are countless interviews with him talking about the passion he has for games. He was recently quoted as saying that if developers wanted to cut down on used game sales issues, then they needed to make better games. A ballsy statement, but one that Nintendo often backs up.
The reason I'm talking about this is two-fold. The first being, I was skeptical about the Wii U. In all honesty, it seemed gimiky and with little value. But like always, I'm seeing what Nintendo is putting out of it, the development and games going into it, and I have to say I am interested. In time, I will probably end up buying one. Take this as a recommendation from me to look into the system at a later date. Second, I look at this as an amazing trend in the industry and indicative of who we are as consumers. We walk a fine line. Companies like Nintendo don't venture into new IPs very often, and we don't fault them too greatly for it, but others send out similar games and they become the villains. As consumers, our dollar has a lot of power, unfortunately, I don't know where to tell you to use it. While it is true that we shouldn't buy up every shoddy sequel that comes out, how can we tell what makes a Good sequel? Do we wish that companies would only make one of any title? Who knows? But what I can say is this. There are some companies that we can turst and some that we know will turn out good products. No matter what and fanboys, haters, or PC master race says, Nintendo is here to stay and will continue to influence gaming for years to come.
Now I just want a new iteration in the Mischief Makers franchise.
Just something to chew on.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
What's In A Second?
Well, thanks to my friend Patrick, I've found myself digging deeper into the gaming world. I have bit the bullet and began playing League of Legends. With it, I have begun to recognize some important components of game design. Comparing it against some other games that I have played, I have noticed something interesting.
A lot can happen in one second.
League of Legends is packed with spells and actions that last only one second. Some of the unique spells can last as long as 3.5 seconds. Now this doesn't seem like a long time to those outside the game, but in League, 3.5 seconds can be an eternity. What we see in this game is how much can be packed into a few seconds.
One of my first, and still favorite champions, is a girl named Annie. She builds a stun that lasts 1.75 seconds. In that time, games can be won or lost. Her spells allow for plenty of damage in a short time, and in a team fight, if you catch a few champions with it, an entire team can be wiped out. But look again, that's not even two seconds. What this illustrates is how important managing the flow of a fight can be. Riot, the company that develops League, makes its players capitalize on the short bit of time that is given to them.
In gaming, the flow of the game is crucial. The players need to feel in control at all times. In Annie's case, her stun takes away that control and can change up how the game plays. Many other champions have similar abilities. Another champion of mine, Morgana, has a spell that holds opponents in place, though they can still attack. The two are used in different ways to change the game. To players, time is essential.
As a facet of game design, understanding how players use the time and the breaks you give them is necessary to getting to the heart of how your game is played. If there is wasted time, or time that is used unfairly, the player feels cheated. Look at Donkey Kong Country Returns for the Nintendo Wii and 3DS. This game shows how time can be used incorrectly. In some levels, platforms fall from the sky. When I was playing, I noticed that there were times I had to wait for the platform to fall because I had made it to the section faster than the developers had anticipated. Because of this, I had to wait for one or two seconds for the next to fall. For me, this broke my flow in those levels and sometimes ended up causing me to fail. Instead of rewarding the player for reaching an area faster, he or she is punished with either wasted time, or if they tried to continue early, failure. The developers did not understand how time influenced their players.
While there is a major difference between MOBAs like League and Platformers like Donkey Kong, the same principle holds to each. Time is a resource for the player and when they can't use it like they want, there is an issue. This isn't to say that the player should always be allowed to do as they please when they please, it is important to note that they should never feel like their investment is being ignored. In League, when a stun or other spell influences their play, they know that the developers knew how long it would take and thus they can relax a little. It wasn't the game just wasting time, there was a reason. Donkey Kong could take some notes.
I'm sure that I could spin this idea into some life lessons, but we'll leave that for another day.
Just something to chew on.
PS. I've started another blog called Pipes and Poetry as a place to just throw around some new writing. It is mostly just emotion and whatever I happen to be feeling, so don't give it too much credence as I write. It's more for me than anything else.
A lot can happen in one second.
League of Legends is packed with spells and actions that last only one second. Some of the unique spells can last as long as 3.5 seconds. Now this doesn't seem like a long time to those outside the game, but in League, 3.5 seconds can be an eternity. What we see in this game is how much can be packed into a few seconds.
One of my first, and still favorite champions, is a girl named Annie. She builds a stun that lasts 1.75 seconds. In that time, games can be won or lost. Her spells allow for plenty of damage in a short time, and in a team fight, if you catch a few champions with it, an entire team can be wiped out. But look again, that's not even two seconds. What this illustrates is how important managing the flow of a fight can be. Riot, the company that develops League, makes its players capitalize on the short bit of time that is given to them.
In gaming, the flow of the game is crucial. The players need to feel in control at all times. In Annie's case, her stun takes away that control and can change up how the game plays. Many other champions have similar abilities. Another champion of mine, Morgana, has a spell that holds opponents in place, though they can still attack. The two are used in different ways to change the game. To players, time is essential.
As a facet of game design, understanding how players use the time and the breaks you give them is necessary to getting to the heart of how your game is played. If there is wasted time, or time that is used unfairly, the player feels cheated. Look at Donkey Kong Country Returns for the Nintendo Wii and 3DS. This game shows how time can be used incorrectly. In some levels, platforms fall from the sky. When I was playing, I noticed that there were times I had to wait for the platform to fall because I had made it to the section faster than the developers had anticipated. Because of this, I had to wait for one or two seconds for the next to fall. For me, this broke my flow in those levels and sometimes ended up causing me to fail. Instead of rewarding the player for reaching an area faster, he or she is punished with either wasted time, or if they tried to continue early, failure. The developers did not understand how time influenced their players.
While there is a major difference between MOBAs like League and Platformers like Donkey Kong, the same principle holds to each. Time is a resource for the player and when they can't use it like they want, there is an issue. This isn't to say that the player should always be allowed to do as they please when they please, it is important to note that they should never feel like their investment is being ignored. In League, when a stun or other spell influences their play, they know that the developers knew how long it would take and thus they can relax a little. It wasn't the game just wasting time, there was a reason. Donkey Kong could take some notes.
I'm sure that I could spin this idea into some life lessons, but we'll leave that for another day.
Just something to chew on.
PS. I've started another blog called Pipes and Poetry as a place to just throw around some new writing. It is mostly just emotion and whatever I happen to be feeling, so don't give it too much credence as I write. It's more for me than anything else.
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