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DarkBASIC Professional Discussion / On the design of a game

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Black Hydra
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Posted: 3rd Oct 2003 01:37
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I have noticed that many of the free "demo" games on the download page lack some sort of introduction.

I don't know whether this is a trend but I thought it would be helpful for people who are making games (especially those for sale) to think that the person playing knows absolutely nothing! Even if the programmer himself thinks the intro to the game is ridiculously basic then so be it. Many games, although simple, that I have seen played don't really tell you anything (objective of the game, how to move, ect.) without going and checking the key config or by trying it out and just guessing.

Please if you are planning to sell a game include an intro tutorial to the game or the game will lose a great amount of appeal because you have to get people to play your game. Most often people don't want to waste time trying to learn a game or find out how to do this or that.

I just think that those tips should be included in all games. It will make your game more popular and sell better aswell.
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Dr OcCuLt
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Posted: 3rd Oct 2003 04:25
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a lot of the old games do`t have tutorial thay were pick up and play. a lot of new games do`t have them to like dead or live or GTA becos there very esay games to play you need it on a more complexs games like Age of Empires or splinter cell do you need a tutorial to tell ppl how to play the game.

--Dr 0--
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Black Hydra
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Posted: 3rd Oct 2003 05:11
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The point of my thread was that the person who designed the game because they have spent an intense amount of time making the game so it can be as easy as possible. But they often lose sight of the player aspect and that the player hasn't memorized all the commands or even the purpose of the game. That is why even on a simple game it would be good practice to at least display the objective and controls.
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ReD_eYe
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Posted: 3rd Oct 2003 11:02
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good point, i suppose most programmers just become so used to how their game plays they don't realise other people won't understand


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BatVink
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Posted: 3rd Oct 2003 13:35
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If you have one person requesting this info, then it obviously needs it! It's a valid point in my opinion.

I haven't finished a project as yet, but when I do I plan to give it to someone to test, without telling them what to do.

BatVink (formerly StevieVee)
http://facepaint.me.uk/catalog/default.php
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Mentor
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Posted: 3rd Oct 2003 14:36
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I like the type of game where you have a walk-through tutorial like Warzone 2100 or Halflifes hazard course, that way you don`t need the manual and can learn to play the game in a very short time, the downside is that it extra code for the game maker to write.
if you distribute on CD then you could include a movie with audio narration, the downside of that is that it is not interactive and you don`t tend to learn the controls properly, I prefer the interactive walkthrough, even though it is more difficult to code since you have to check the user has done as you asked before you move to the next step, and you need routines to re-prompt and emphasise instructions and catch crazy errors.
if you want to code routines like that it is easier to code for one action and loop until the player gets it right and then reset the level and start another action tutorial, rather than just continue from where the player got to.
a new user could leave the level all messed up at the end of one tutorial and find himself unable to continue for some reason, if you reset the level each time then you don`t need to check for stalemate conditions at the start of each section (like using all the ammo or the player being stuck in a pit or something)

Mentor.
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Shadow Robert
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Posted: 3rd Oct 2003 15:26
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i kinda thought he ment the games don't have a blurb... like Half-Life would have

"You play Gordon Freeman the everyday man scientist on his first day at the Black Mesa Research Facility in Nevada, New Mexico.
As first days go, yours is about to go totally FUBAR when a routine sample test accidentially ripps the fabric between Black Mesa and an alien world called Xen.
Now Gordon must escape the complex with the help of the Black Mesa employees."

i kinda miss that on the games around here too

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BatVink
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Posted: 3rd Oct 2003 16:47 Edited at: 3rd Oct 2003 16:47
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Quote: "i kinda thought he ment the games don't have a blurb... like Half-Life would have"


You don't need instructions...just download the HL source and see for yourself how it works

BatVink (formerly StevieVee)
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Shadow Robert
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Posted: 3rd Oct 2003 17:59
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lol... its not about howto control your character, its about knowing what the games about.

even if it is a simple explaination like, sure some game like Space invaders and pong are obvious ... but others will like a little introduction on what they're about to download.

Half-Life is an excellent example for this because back in '96 whe i first heard about it, i though "pah, another crappy Quake2 clone" but then more and more was said about it ... although the engine features kinda flew over my head, the story itself compelled me to want it.
FPS up until the had been mindless shooting with very little in the way of a real story and more about just placeing you in an environment with things to kill.

Half-Life's story set it apart from thousands of clones, particularly the ability to talk to people and have them help you like and RPG

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Dreamora
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Posted: 3rd Oct 2003 21:35 Edited at: 3rd Oct 2003 21:37
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It depends on what gametype you have.
If you have a fungame etc an introduction blabla would be more annoying than anything else because ppl start it to have fun

if you have RPG / RTS you need introduction ...

sportsgame: what introduction? "You've to kick the ball in the goal"?
Shooter: depends on type of it ... Multiplayersplatter doesn't need it, storydriven types need.


and the best tutorial is a good designed level 1 where you get test all weapons etc and lose them again ... i don't like this trainingcamp type like in Splinter Cell, i prefer the way the "tutorial" is done in Metroid Prime
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Black Hydra
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Posted: 7th Oct 2003 22:20
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The point should be that even if everyone or 99% of the gaming population understand the game adding in an introduction adds a whole proffessional level to a game.

If you have an intro that (albeit very short) for space invaders or pac-man it will really class up the game. For example:

"Aliens have come down upon earth! It is your job to stop them.
Use the right and left arrow keys to move and the space bar to shoot. The aliens will move faster as they get closer to earth. You must dodge there fire and shoot them all down before they take over our planet!" then show a small demo.

Of course everyone knows this but the game seems so much more proffessional once you do this. Even if I could figure it out in a matter of minutes or seconds or even already know you shouldn't design games like that.

I know many will disagree but putting in a nice intro with full overview of all commands makes it extrememly user-friendly and will greatly increase the fun of the game.

Another idea is to make the first level ridiculously easy so you basically don't even have to play. This way the players confidence in his abilities at the game will grow and he( or she...) will be drawn to keep playing the game.

If you make the game somewhat challenging at the start then if he has a hard time beating the first level then there isn't much fun involved. Make your levels hard once you have them hooked on the game to keep interest. Many people are good programmers but don't know that many things that make a good game (they aren't often that obvious too)!
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