Level Up.pdf

T
LeveI 12
The Nuts and Bolts
of Mechanics
If you find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn ’ t lead anywhere.
Author unknown
There ’ s nothing worse than an empty level you just walk through 1 , so we
need to start throwing things in the player ’ s way. Good things, bad things,
things that make the player cry with pleasure and weep with sadness. We
need mechanics. Lucky for us, there are four types of these beauties to
work with: mechanics, hazards, props, and puzzles.
Before we dig in, be aware that mechanics is another term that suffers
from MDS: multiple definition syndrome. Board game designers say
mechanics are the gameplay systems used to play a game. These are
things like turns, action points, resource management, bidding, and even
rolling the dice.
Video game mechanics are objects that create gameplay when the player
interacts with them. They can be jumped on, activated with a button press,
or pushed around. Combine them with interesting level layouts and
enemies. Some of the more common video game mechanics include:
• Opening/closing doors • Slippery floors
• Pushable blocks • Conveyor belts
• Switches and levers • Moving platforms.
Platforms are a beloved mechanic of action game designers. They come in
a wide variety of styles and flavors that can be used to bedevil and delight
players. Here ’ s a suitable - for- framing chart that I ’ ve devised to help you
identify platforms in the wild. Be careful, some of them bite!
1 Because WALKING IS NOT GAMEPLAY!!