Level Up.pdf

On Guarding 259
to decide whether a player can hold a block or not. Arm blocks are usually
quick and drop down after a second or so. Other fighting and action games
allow the player to hold the block indefinitely, or at least until an enemy does
an attack that breaks the player ’ s block or knocks them off their feet. Shield
blocks can last longer, allowing the player to “ hide ” behind the shield for an
extended period of time. Some designers don ’ t like letting the player camp
a block, but that can be circumnavigated with breakable shields or giving
enemies knockback attacks. Oh, and don ’ t forget to prevent your shield
from sorting through the ground when the player crouches to block low
attacks.
As a designer, you need to decide whether your shield is breakable or not. It
will make a big difference to how the player uses it. In the first Maximo
game, we had a breakable shield. The player was able to upgrade it to a
stronger shield through the course of the game. However, as it was still a
limited resource we found that players were reluctant to use it, preferring to
jump and dodge out of the way of attacks instead. In the sequel, we wanted
to promote shield usage, so we made it unbreakable. Players were much
happier to block now that the worry of breakage was taken away. But
shields aren ’ t just for blocking anymore:
• Combine with dash move to clear obstacles
• Smash enemies at close range
• Throw a shield as a short- range projectile
• Use the shield as a sled down steep inclines
• Place shield over head to protect from falling debris or lava
• Use shield as a crowbar to move large objects
• Keep shield on back to protect from back- stabbing enemies.
Heck, attach a shield to a chain like in Rygar, and it becomes a whole new
weapon!
If a shield isn ’ t enough protection, then armor will do the trick. There are
several things to consider when giving the player armor. Encumbrance is
one. The more armor the player wears, the slower (and noisier) the player