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Confession: Extra excited about this session.
Jugglin' shown in 2006, unable to attend.
Session Hideo packed. Record 60 submission received, chose 10.
The Unfinished Swan - Ian Dallas
- Completely white world revealed via black paintballs
- Players understand quickly, and lose interest... quickly.
- Gameplay too pure, too powerful, too intense. good in short bursts. need more to do.
- Future lies between the first 5 minutes of Portal and Shel Silverstein's "The Giving Tree"
- Trying not to wimp out and use puzzles
- Used word "affordance", that word should be outlawed.
Shadow Physics - Steve Swink, the underappreciated Scott Anderson
- Platformer with a twist: Play as Mario's shadow, jumping on shadows from 3D platforms
- Mario's shadow can interact with real world 3D objects
- Repositioning a light source, or changing a camera angle,
changes the shadow which changes the gameplay
and makes things really, really interesting
- Shadows falling on a corner hurt brain
- Why is this a platformer? [See comments below]
Miegakure - Marc ten Bosh
- Platformer with a twist: Playing in 4 dimensions.
- Playing 3D slice of 4D world no different than playing 2D slice of 3D world
- 4D hard to grasp. Marc did admirable job of explaining.
- Moving 3D slice in 4D essentially changes 3D world completely.
What's in the 4D world? Switch to find out!
- Chaos is controlled by:
a) 3D world composed of LARGE 3D squares that snap to 4D grid.
Staying within same 3D square, or along same 3D row,
helps player predict/learn 4D transformation.
b) 3D shadows (cast from 4D objects) that hint at what 4D change will cause
- Lots of applause. Curious what reaction would have been without explanation.
- Why is this a platformer?
Spy Party - Chris Hecker
- 20 people at cocktail party (some players, some A.I.). 1 is a spy.
Assasin observes party, attempting to determine who the spy is. Bam!
- Spy can only be distinguished by subtle "tells".
i.e. spy reads book from bookshelf, but places it back strangely
i.e. spy secretly slipped a piece of paper from someone
i.e. spy wears a T-Shirt saying "spies do it in the dark"
- "affordance" and "actors" mentioned. must... remain... calm.
[Chris has would like to know
- Game demoed. Audience plays assasin watching 20 people, attempting to finger the spy.
Laser pointers highlight innocent man. Audience shoots - "you killed a civilian"
Audience quickly picks someone else (game developers are cold hearted bastards)
- Most memorable moment: When civilian was shot.
Ambient chatter stopped, replaced by piercing female scream, everyone ran from victim.
[Shocking. Can't remember last time I felt bad for killing someone.]
Reminded me of wedding.
Stuff - Daniel Benmergui
- Daniel demoed some short "art" games that featured utterly brilliant ideas
and empathetic characters.
- "I Wish I Were the Moon" - Take snapshot to capture moon, use results to impress sweety.
IGF "Snapshot" eat your heart out.
- "Trials" - Take photos of yourself to make clones, create human pyramid.
- "StoryTeller" - Show Past, Present and Future of 3 characters simultaneously.
Moving people in past immediately impacts present and future.
- "Fate" (prototype) - Mario's entire path is laid out for a level.
Tweak Mario's path for perfect run while fate interferes.
- "Today I Die" - text poem is displayed, along with related game.
Player can change the text, which changes the game
- I like the cut of this boy's jib.
Flower - Jenova Chen, the overlooked Nick Clark
- You're the wind. aka. a floating camera.
Extremely atmospheric, attempts to make my dead heart feel something
- "we start with the experience first"
- showed all the prototypes that led to Flower.
- after discovering "it was kind of fun to fly around", attempted to add more mechanics.
mining sunflowers to grow flowers everywhere you travelled - fail!
land petal in grass while avoiding desert - fail!
travelling in roller coaster tubes - fail!
teleporting via a focus mechanic - fail!
time limit - mega fail!
- First prototype looked like the closest match to final Flower,
doubt another company could have tossed out all that prototype work/ideas
- Jenova re-used colour wheel slide from this morning - felt robbed
Achron - Hazardous Software
- RTS that allows players to travel backward & forward in time.
It's multiplayer. I repeat... it's multiplayer.
- Started by explaining game design complexities. They were... complex.
- Gameplay Example:
In 1960, Andy builds base + units.
Mike heads to 1980, creates nuclear weapons, brings them back to 1960
Mike wipes out Andy's base + units using nuclear weapons.
Andy goes back in time, changes history so he never builds base + units.
Timeline changes, Mike now winds up destroying himself with his own nuclear weapons.
Mike lacks time energy to pull same trick.
- Supports time paradoxes. i.e. You can go back in time and kill yourself.
In the future, Player needs to fix repercussions.
Explains why game has taken 10 years.
Closure - Tyler Glail
- Platformer with a twist: You carry a torch and can only be blocked by what's lit up.
i.e. Leave your torch behind to walk through walls.
- Great ambiance. Amazing integrated Tutorial + Credits
- Only adding mechanics that adhere to the core rule: what you can't see doesn't exist.
Too confusing/overwhelming to add lots of light based objects
- Mechanic lends itself to level solutions designer didn't expect.
i.e. Lighting half a wall provides a platform, but can still be jumped
- Why is this a platformer (complete with precision jumps)?
Where is My Heart - Bernhard Schulenburg
- Platformer with a twist: Screen is collage of different sized panels,
each showing different fragments (usually overlapped) of a level.
- Collage of viewpoints makes simple world artifically complex.
Adds interest to Lost Vikings style gameplay.
- Polished Pixel art. 8 bit music (why god why).
- Inserting the 3 dwarves into the final tree got the biggest reaction.
Utterly charming. More of that please.
- Why is this a platformer (complete with precision jumps)?
Rom Check Fail - Farbs
- Take 7 famous retro gaming heroes (PAC man, Asteroids ship, Space Invaders ship, Zelda),
multiply by 7 famous enemies (Defender aliens, Pac Man ghosts, Asteroids).
Mash them together into 49 possible gameplay combinations.
i.e. Asteroids ship fighting Pac Man ghosts
i.e. Space Invaders ship fighting Zelda enemies
- Spacer Invader ship caused controversy since it sucks so badly (can only shoot up)
Some people found it hilarious, others found it annoying
Since it "evoked a strong, emotional, response", Farbs kept it.
- Game constantly switches between random variations.
Some hard. Some easy. Players anticipation of the change, and consequent adjustment,
keeps the game pacing extra interesting.
Extreme Consequences - Derek Yu
- Overview of Rogue (1980) style games and what they had in common
- 2 Things Rogue's do well: Procedurally generated levels and Permanent Death
- 4 Things Rogue's do badly:
Complex interfaces, Micromanagement, Poor presentation, and Slow Moving
- With this in mind, Derek created Spelunky.
Platform game with a twist: Procedurally generated, terribly hard, only 1 life.
While death is permanent, and often, it is FUN. Dying means whole new adventure.
- Quickly highlighted other Rogue-Likes, time was not on his side.
Demoed variation where player and monsters were chess pieces.
Read a morbid-but-hilarious passage auto-generated by Dwarf fortress ending with
"the baby committed suicide"
Finale
For GDC 2010, plan to submit platformer featuring mutliple simultaneous zoom levels,
5D to 3D projection, and ability to walk on flashlight beam.
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I also thought that there was a certain (somewhat disturbing) convergence in terms of "experimental" ideas and how they were expressed this year. Ian is trying not to make a puzzle game for this very reason, but pragmatic concerns may defeat him. Shadow Physics became a puzzle platformer almost by default, though some other tests were created. Dan's stuff and Checker's stuff were the most experimental I thought. At least in terms of the zoomed-back question: does this create a totally new kind of experience?
Achcron looks cool and I'm excited to play it but, again, it seems to become another hypercomplex mind-expanding puzzle to figure out what's going on. Layered with feeling clever for out thinking your opponent, which is cool, but still a similar experience.
Are we now defining too narrowly what experimental means?
Le sigh.
I'm with you on the somewhat disappointment in the amount of platformers -- maybe it have something to do with the moderator, hmm? -- and I thought Daniel Benmergui's work was a standout, although I'm not a "jib" kind of person.
"I like the cut of this boy's jib." I assume 'the jib' is the name you've given to his haircut? ;)
Such a cool series of posts, Jim!
Well worth the read.
Informative, entertaining, win.
The game was initially imagined as a platformer. We have (and still are) discussing other game types. The game could be more of a "pinball" game with no direct control and using light movement to control a ball. Like Raigan said, there is something appealing and "pure" about platforming.
I think yes. Having said that, I was still excited to see all of these games.
I found the new ideas (even when wearing a familiar coat) experimental & brilliant
I'm unsure how you broaden the definition without ruining it.
Would these games be considered experimental? I would say No.
i.e. Drama featuring Peanuts-style cartoon characters. Interaction is limited, but evokes strong emotion
i.e. MMO version of Jeopardy, featuring instanced, broadcast shows with a variety of Trebeks
i.e. Interactive comedy about hitting rag dolls (who feel pain) in the groin with various objects
i.e. Perfect physical slow motion simulation of the world's most comfortable couch. You can only sit
While these are new & experimental in games (Indie or AAA), they're old news outside.
I expect future GDC experimental games to be more impenetrable, a la modern art.
i.e. A game that features no obvious interaction. It ignores input 99% of the time - game plays you.
i.e. A game that interprets your dance.
i.e. A game that requires you to bake your Wii controller in the oven.
Controller detects impending death, and launches into a procedurally generated soliloquy
about the preciousness of life. The other controllers hear this... and are moved.
i.e. A game where movement is metaphor, and jumping manifestation.
"You're not supposed to understand... you fools!"
Scott > You now receive proper credit for Shadow Physics. No disrespect intended. A thousand apologies.
Jaime > Rorschach's was the goal, although text often sounds like Bigfoot
Raigan & Scott >
How does jumping benefit any of these concepts?
i.e. I'm a shadow, even perspective is my enemy... AND I jump.
i.e. I can move in 4 dimensions, space is meaningless... AND I jump.
i.e. I can walk through walls if I can't see them... AND I jump.
i.e. I see myself as fragments of a greater whole... AND I jump.
versus...
I am plumber who jumps over things or I die.
I am a Ninja who jumps over things or I die in horrible ways.
I move around a blinding white world throwing black paintballs. Thankfully, there are no gaps to jump.
I had more, but this response is already a novel.
I shall create a separate, hopefully thoughtful blog entry later.
Top-down 2D just really feels boring, which is fine if movement isn't a focal point or needs to be very easy (RPGs or Geometry Wars), but if the core action the player is involved with is moving around the world, side-view seems like it's much more conducive to generating interesting scenarios.
I guess you could use a grappling hook, ability to make ladders, ability to fly, etc rather than jumping, but jumping is the easiest and most familiar thing. All the non-jumping alternatives are a lot more complex in terms of interface too (i.e flying rather than jumping in that 4D/3D platformer would be awkward.. how would you specify the direction you wanted to fly?!).
So I guess it's not jumping/platformer so much as side-view 2D, which tends to require (or at least strongly suggest) jumping/platforming. Plus the context is familiar.
I bought it at GDC and carried it back to Canada. It better be good :)
I do agree that top down 2D feels quite boring (for the reasons you mentioned).
It's not the 2D profile / Side-view that's the problem... nor is it jumping per se. It's having to MAKE the jumps. Having to jump gaps, or struggling to jump on top of platforms sucks. During their experimental gameplay demoes, a few of the game developers MISSED their jumps (redid them quickly). Unless precision platforming is the focus, why is it there? It doesn't add anything and limits your audience to people who grew up with Mario (which defeats the purpose of experimental games).
I disagree that non-jumping alternatives are more complex. They are simply no longer explored, so they seem more complex. #1 thing preventing a Wii size audience for these games: The Assumed Jump Skill. Some Side-View Alternatives to Jumping:
Flap. As seen in Joust.
A context senstive action button (stolen from 3D Zelda).
Press action near your obstacle, you climb it.
Press action near edge, you fall.
Hover. Even works for flying in 4D/3D. "Hold button to hover" solution.
It just replaces jump. Direction is always up, let go to fall.
Can move while you hover. Limit height.
Level design has ladders, elevators and slides.
Don't allow player to fall, so there is no need for jumps.
Hard to imagine with current jump addiction,
but once attempted believe it might be amazing.
- - -
If jumping is required, DON'T do hardcore Mario or N style jumping. Instead:
No-momentum jumping. aka. Crappy old school predictable jumps. aka. Hunchback
Doesn't matter how fast you're moving when you jump, you always jump same distance.
No-one ever wants the short jump, now that's not an option.
Don't allow adjustments during jump, you're committed once you jump.
Level designers will ensure that mid-air adjustments will never be necessary.
Level designers ensures gaps (meant to be jumped) are never larger than 3/4 jump distance.
Level designers ensure platforms are never small (minimum twice the size of your character).
Don't allow player to walk off edges (Tomb Raider 1 proved this works).
Above should ensure predictable, easy jumps (which will still be hard for some people).
Removes focus away from platform skills, and back to what the game is really about.
If you take simplification of jumping to the extreme, are you left with top-view? (i.e if your "hover" ability is unlimited and easy to control -- has no inertia -- you're just like the geometry wars character, you can move easily and arbitrarily along both axes)
I guess the thing about jumping is that it's a learned skill, if you remove it then most of the "interesting mechanic+platformer" games just become pure puzzle games with no skill-based element.
The thing about puzzle games is that solving them is purely about determining the correct solution -- with the addition of skill, success requires both the correct solution and the flawless execution of the correct solution. Architecture is surely rewarding, but so is actually physical construction.
Also if movement is meaningless/trivial the actual layout of the world becomes a lot less interesting/meaningful.
Anyway, this is an interesting topic.. can't wait for that blog post ;)
Thinking about it, I am advocating changing these games
into pure puzzles with few skill-based elements.
However, I believe it can be done in a way that keeps the world interesting.
i.e. Less interesting due to less freedom,
but more interesting due to focus on new idea/mechanic
I'm thinking Flower, as opposed to Echochrome.
If Shadow Physics revised the jumping (see earlier ideas),
they could do more with the shadow idea. Platforms could be...
... changing shadows from a flickering campfire
... stretching shadows as the sun sets behind a city
... shadow puppets generated by human hands
Current jump mechanics would probably render the above scenarios unplayable.
Casual game makers appear to be leading the charge
in making world's interesting with no skill-based elements.
I'm looking for a happy medium.
Some skill based elements that add, not detract from the new stuff.
Definitely an interesting topic.
Alas, this quality discussion may have made my blog post moot.
Beyond more detail, I don't have much to add :)
I don't see how the current jumping mechanics would render any of the examples you mentioned unplayable? There are other issues with dynamically changing levels in Shadow Physics (mainly that its a little too easy to get crushed), but the examples you gave are all easily controllable and would work well in the game as is.
Of course, we might still implement some of the jumping alternatives you mentioned. I want to go with a Peter Pan-ish theme for the game, and flight\hover mechanics fit very nicely into that. Thanks for the feedback.