Level Up.pdf

A Nice Little Calm Spot 345
The whirling saw blade in this chamber will cut the player in half if they
collide with it, which makes fighting these multiple enemies a challenge; the
player has to dance between combat and avoiding the hazard. However,
the blade should also kill the enemies, which makes the player feel clever
when he lures them to their death by saw blade. Give the player plenty of
opportunities to turn the death traps against their makers. It ’ s all about the
villains getting their comeuppance!
Fire pit, moving obstacle, whirling blade; there are many more combinations
you can do with just these three mechanics. As these examples show, you
really only need a few mechanics and enemy types to make a rich play
experience. A well - designed game uses a handful of mechanics. The key is
how you combine them. Play any game by developers Treasure ( Gunstar
Heroes, Dynamite Heady, Ikaruga) or Naughty Dog (Crash Bandicoot,
Uncharted) to see some great examples of how to get the most out of your
mechanics.
Be mindful that it is possible for players to get bored with mechanics if they
are repeated too often, so think about the context in which they are used.
Think of a good mechanic like a baseball pitcher. You need to rotate them
in and out of your game to keep them fresh and effective.
A Nice Little Calm Spot
Now that we ’ ve gotten past the
hazards with our lives, let ’ s talk about
a friendlier mechanic: checkpoints.
Checkpoints are predesignated
locations within the level where the
player can save their progress, take
a break, or reassess their choices
of equipment, route, and so on.
They can be invisible to the player