Level Up.pdf

We Are Not Alone 111
player, who is looking at the same character for the entire game. Even
better, take a page from World of Warcraft and allow players to dress up
and customize their characters whenever they gain new gear and
abilities.
Weapons
• Rather than just adding a +3 upgrade to a weapon, give it a
physical manifestation of that new power. Have it glow, gout flame,
add runes, sights, nozzles or other “ bits ” to reflect the weapon ’ s new
capabilities.
• If you don ’ t want to change the weapon ’ s appearance, consider
changing the animation of the player character. A more powerful gun
requires a different shooting stance than a lighter one.
In short: keep it clear, expressive, and visual and you can ’ t go wrong.
We Are Not Alone
In early video games players were a single hero battling against computer
enemies or a human opponent. Games like Double Dragon and Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles allowed a friend to help out, as long as you didn ’ t mind
them bumping into you as you played. While cooperative gameplay with
multiple players has advanced greatly in the MMO and FPS space, console
games have pushed the envelope in the other direction; the second
character. When creating gameplay with a second character, you have to
decide whether the character is playable or a companion.