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Oni2:Slaves of War/Design: Difference between revisions
the last of my design notes; moved all discussion of free-agency feature to special section at the end
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(the last of my design notes; moved all discussion of free-agency feature to special section at the end) |
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<div align=center><big>'''''Design Notes'''''</big><br /> | |||
Various thoughts on the design of Oni 2 and games in general.</div> | |||
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'''Show, don't tell''' — Story isn’t meant to just be told during cutscenes. Put the story into the world in bits and pieces: consoles, posters….<br /> | '''Show, don't tell''' — Story isn’t meant to just be told during cutscenes. Put the story into the world in bits and pieces: consoles, posters….<br /> | ||
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*<u>Levels change with time of day</u>. Security in level differs, use of cover is altered; requires truly dynamic lighting. | *<u>Levels change with time of day</u>. Security in level differs, use of cover is altered; requires truly dynamic lighting. | ||
*<u>Memorable boss fights</u>. Every fight is an event with stages, set pieces, and distinct style. | *<u>Memorable boss fights</u>. Every fight is an event with stages, set pieces, and distinct style. | ||
*<u> | *<u>Full interactivity</u>. The player is never restricted by non-interactive cutscenes, and expresses her personality through her play style. See "[[#Free_agency|Free agency]]" below for details. | ||
*<u>Procedural outlying world</u>. This would allow us to avoid worrying about invisible walls or real walls which only serve to pen in the player.<br /> | *<u>Procedural outlying world</u>. This would allow us to avoid worrying about invisible walls or real walls which only serve to pen in the player.<br /> | ||
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One way to emphasize the usefulness of a group is to have them move together in coordinated ways, and perhaps create '''combination attacks with Mai''' that make the player feel like she is glad to be part of a group.<br /> | One way to emphasize the usefulness of a group is to have them move together in coordinated ways, and perhaps create '''combination attacks with Mai''' that make the player feel like she is glad to be part of a group.<br /> | ||
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Your allies can show personality, especially the named characters, by the '''AI showing initiative''' | Your allies can show personality, especially the named characters, by the '''AI showing initiative''' — examples would be attacking the enemy proactively, recommending a plan, laying their hand on Mai’s shoulder, talking to you in the midst of battle, and protecting you when you’re hurt.<br /> | ||
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Getting to know your allies so you can choose them for missions requires having an '''off-mission space''' where you can freely interact with the NPCs, like in Deus Ex, but better. [https://i1.wp.com/metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/artwork_1404833897.jpg This picture] is a great reference for changing to a fixed POV that allows you to better see the NPCs while off-mission. It might be a good idea to give a player a reason to choose an ally that has to do with that character’s interests (they want to go on that mission for personal reasons, they need to get away from the base for a while to do a secret errand, etc.). That opens up the player’s ability to grow attached to the characters.<br /> | Getting to know your allies so you can choose them for missions requires having an '''off-mission space''' where you can freely interact with the NPCs, like in Deus Ex, but better. [https://i1.wp.com/metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/artwork_1404833897.jpg This picture] is a great reference for changing to a fixed POV that allows you to better see the NPCs while off-mission. It might be a good idea to give a player a reason to choose an ally that has to do with that character’s interests (they want to go on that mission for personal reasons, they need to get away from the base for a while to do a secret errand, etc.). That opens up the player’s ability to grow attached to the characters.<br /> | ||
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Taking along allies should make the mission easier, but could also come with a warning that the enemy is '''more likely to detect a group''' and respond accordingly, whereas going solo will allow stealth play.<br /> | Taking along allies should make the mission easier, but could also come with a warning that the enemy is '''more likely to detect a group''' and respond accordingly, whereas going solo will allow stealth play.<br /> | ||
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Mai needs to '''feel powerful''' in combat — more so than in the first game. Daodan overpower mode in particular needs to have a palpable degree of power to it. We may want to ramp up Mai's strength over time, throwing enemies further back with final blows.<br /> | |||
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The player should '''feel connected to Mai''' — it’s problematic that the camera is always over Mai’s shoulder; you never see her face except in cutscenes. We should find a way to counteract this — maybe move the camera during special moves so we can see her face, or move the camera from over her shoulder to in front of her during cutscenes, then move it back (as opposed to cutting). It would be even better if somehow we can show her face during gameplay, but that seems impossible.<br /> | The player should '''feel connected to Mai''' — it’s problematic that the camera is always over Mai’s shoulder; you never see her face except in cutscenes. We should find a way to counteract this — maybe move the camera during special moves so we can see her face, or move the camera from over her shoulder to in front of her during cutscenes, then move it back (as opposed to cutting). It would be even better if somehow we can show her face during gameplay, but that seems impossible.<br /> | ||
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Game designers should ask themselves, What is my game teaching people? All games teach rules to people and therefore have implicit messages, a "'''meaning of life'''" if you will. This is not necessarily connected to the actual story, and may arise from the mechanics instead. See [http://www.whatgamesare.com/2012/05/games-and-meaning.html this article] for details.<br /> | Game designers should ask themselves, What is my game teaching people? All games teach rules to people and therefore have implicit messages, a "'''meaning of life'''" if you will. This is not necessarily connected to the actual story, and may arise from the mechanics instead. See [http://www.whatgamesare.com/2012/05/games-and-meaning.html this article] for details.<br /> | ||
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It should be possible for the player to '''grow closer to each ally''' (member of your AI team). If there is a betrayal later, it won’t be the one you are closest to, because they’ll be too fond/respectful/admiring of Konoko to betray her. Each member would have their own reason to support the group and a potential reason to betray the group. Each has specific traits that can benefit the group more if you bond with them. One might be timid, but with a sharp sense of humor; he might be cowardly in battle but a good hacker. Another might be hard to like, but a strong ally in battle. Given enough variety in the team, different kinds of players will each find someone to relate to on a personal level or admire. Look to Persona 3 or later for an example of a deep relationship system, and look to [http://arstechnica.co.uk/gaming/2016/03/how-xcom-2-made-me-care-about-the-little-guy/ XCOM 2] for an example of getting players to invest in the soldiers she commands.<br /> | It should be possible for the player to '''grow closer to each ally''' (member of your AI team). If there is a betrayal later, it won’t be the one you are closest to, because they’ll be too fond/respectful/admiring of Konoko to betray her. Each member would have their own reason to support the group and a potential reason to betray the group. Each has specific traits that can benefit the group more if you bond with them. One might be timid, but with a sharp sense of humor; he might be cowardly in battle but a good hacker. Another might be hard to like, but a strong ally in battle. Given enough variety in the team, different kinds of players will each find someone to relate to on a personal level or admire. Look to Persona 3 or later for an example of a deep relationship system, and look to [http://arstechnica.co.uk/gaming/2016/03/how-xcom-2-made-me-care-about-the-little-guy/ XCOM 2] for an example of getting players to invest in the soldiers she commands.<br /> | ||
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If we have the resources to spare, it would be fun to add something really exciting to a level but direct little attention to it, and wait for players to find it. Say they exit a base, and notice a stadium nearby with sounds of distant cheering, and upon entering it they find out they can participate in a fighting tournament. (Imagine that music like “Yo Pumpkin Head” from Cowboy Bebop is playing, to set the tone.) This kind of surprise will create a '''joy of discovery''' and lead to the sharing of these discoveries with the community.<br /> | If we have the resources to spare, it would be fun to add something really exciting to a level but direct little attention to it, and wait for players to find it. Say they exit a base, and notice a stadium nearby with sounds of distant cheering, and upon entering it they find out they can participate in a fighting tournament. (Imagine that music like “Yo Pumpkin Head” from Cowboy Bebop is playing, to set the tone.) This kind of surprise will create a '''joy of discovery''' and lead to the sharing of these discoveries with the community.<br /> | ||
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Should '''cutscenes''' be 2D animation? This will avoid boring the player and allow for more artistic expression while also alleviating technical issues with in-game cinematics. Additional info and memories that the player may be interested in (in-game flashback cutscenes) can be found under Diary. The main argument against this feature is cost, as good hand-drawn animation is expensive.<br /> | Should '''cutscenes''' be 2D animation? This will avoid boring the player and allow for more artistic expression while also alleviating technical issues with in-game cinematics. Additional info and memories that the player may be interested in (in-game flashback cutscenes) can be found under Diary. The main argument against this feature is cost, as good hand-drawn animation is expensive.<br /> | ||
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'''Dream sequences''' can presage the development of Mai’s powers with the use of symbols, like animal eyes hinting at a new night-vision power.<br /> | |||
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The console in Oni that talks about operating on a Daodan symbiote says that the skin repairs too quickly for them to do anything. You’d think, therefore, that in Oni Konoko's health would have regenerated constantly, and that this would happen even more so in Oni 2 if she is closer to her Imago state. If we incorporate '''regenerating health''' into Oni 2, we should make sure there’s a cost. Maybe enemies are alerted by your gathering of Daodan energy to heal. If you have AIs assisting you, they can offer to surround you protectively while you heal. Healing should require holding down a button that prevents you from moving for a while, and dims your awareness (most of the screen around Mai turns black).<br /> | |||
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This also leads to a natural question about '''hypos'''. They were never realistic in the first place, or they wouldn't heal people anywhere near that quickly. Presumably they would not be needed in Oni 2 if Mai can auto-heal, but we might want to be able to use them on AI allies, which poses the dilemma of having two competing methods to heal Mai, with hypos being far more convenient. A nice solution to this is found in an old suggestion by a forum member, which is that hypos only have that healing effect on Mai because their sedatives suppress her consciousness, which in turn normally suppresses her Chrysalis. This would also explain why Mai heals under the surgeon’s knife but not when she’s injured in-game: because she was obviously sedated while they operated on her! And as far as the subject of hypos restoring the same amount of health for NPCs, nothing in Oni explicitly says that hypos dramatically heal regular people like they do with Mai, and AIs cannot use hypos, so we never see this happen in-game unless we force it with BSL. So if we ever remade Oni, we would only have to slightly rewrite some text to make it clear that normal people use hypos to recover from injuries over a much longer period of time, and that symbiotes react much differently to them. Then, in Oni 2, Mai can be more in touch with her Daodan, or learn to be at a certain point in the game, after which she can auto-heal. At the same time, hypos may become too dangerous to use by that stage in her progression if she is trying to avoid Imago.<br /> | |||
==Free agency== | |||
Cutscenes are an inevitable part of a game, due to the need for dialogue and exposition. In the industry, they are often referred to as NICs (non-interactive cutscenes). Some games allow you to choose conversational options from a tree, which makes the cutscene semi-interactive. Half-Life sets a low bar for "interactive" cutscenes, allowing you to move freely about a small area while someone talks to you, however the conversant never seems to notice anything you do during the interaction, even if you bounce a paperweight off their face, and weapons are disabled during these NICs. Even Deus Ex, which gives the player lots of flexibility in how they carry out a mission, uses cutscenes to force the player-character to behave a certain way (though some cutscenes have dialogue trees). | |||
The idea behind "free agency" is to never take away control from the player, allowing her to alter the way a conversation or other interaction plays out with her actions, not just by selecting pre-made sentences from a list. If an NPC wants to talk to Mai, the player can ignore them, listen to them (with the push/pull response options described below), or she can even punch the conversant in the face or draw her weapon and use it. An aggressive choice might lead to a fight, or change the discussion in another way. | |||
Rather than the player mentally checking out during cutscenes, or looking for a way to skip them, the interactions with NPCs will become part of the fabric of the game. In some cases, this will create an exhilarating sensation akin to a rollercoaster, as they realize that anything they do (or don't do) will affect the outcome of the scene* in real-time. NPCs feel more real because nothing is strictly scripted and the same scene can play out differently based on player actions. | |||
(*Since the cutscenes will no longer "cut" (move the camera, take away control), the most logical term for any part of the game, whether there are interactions with others or not, is simply a "scene".) | |||
The key in implementing this feature is to think of everything the player can do, and prepare accordingly. Lots of alternate dialogue is needed for each conversation, but within a clearly defined scope, because there are only so many actions the player can perform. Scenes will only have a few possible outcomes, and the story will be written with the need in mind to funnel the player into certain possible actions. This will probably feel quite natural to the player when the scene is written properly. | |||
Since verbal freedom is needed as well as physical freedom when interacting with an NPC, the player will have two buttons for spoken replies, besides the general controls of the game being available to her. These buttons will not equate to “yes/no”, nor to "good/evil”, but to "push/pull". These buttons will encourage the player to think about the effect her response will have on her relationship with each character, and also to consider how real-life conversations work; we often respond to someone the way that we do out of a desire to push them away or pull them closer. | |||
If we are going to feature a lot of AI allies in the game, then we also need team command controls. These will be just as important for the free-agency concept as for basic tactical purposes. For instance, one of the biggest uses of the free-agency concept would be deciding not to attack an enemy, or deciding that someone is the enemy. If you're attempting to spare someone, but your team is still attacking them, it spoils your choice. So you need a button to tell them to stop attacking a target (though if they don’t like you, they may not listen — but that depends on the relationship you've built with that character, and who you chose to bring along on that mission). | |||
One issue to address from a storytelling angle is how to show events that don't involve the player. If we're cutting to a completely different location to watch other characters interact, how can we hold to our commitment to full interactivity? One way to bypass the expectation that the player will have control of any scene is to actually depict those remote events as animated cutscenes — by which I mean traditional hand-drawn animation. The change in the medium of these actual cutscenes will make it abundantly clear that the only control the player can expect to have is the ability to skip the cutscene. A second approach is to commit to the idea that the player only experiences the world through Mai's eyes; anything that happens elsewhere is either unknown or has to be relayed to the player. The downside is that this leads to "telling, not showing" when it comes to events that would be much more interesting for the player to see for herself. | |||
One of the big selling points with full interactivity is that allowing more player freedom leads to greater replay value — even more so when it’s not a simple matter of playing as “good” or “evil”, because it will encourage the curious player to try different things on the spur of the moment without feeling like she knows what the results will be. Although free agency requires creating extra assets for branching scenarios, which will reduce the length of the game (assuming the budget remains the same), there will be great potential for surprising the player with how the game reacts to her, which will cause a lot of discussion and YouTube videos about the interesting experiences people are finding (like my surprise in discovering, after years of playing Oni, that you can interrupt an NPC while they're talking to you and they'll take offense — except on a much larger scale than that). At that point, overall game length decreases in importance, and in fact could even be an asset if its shorter length makes people more inclined to do additional playthroughs. | |||
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Relevant links: | |||
;[http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/2722/video_games_are_dead_a_chat_with_ Video Games are Dead: A Chat with Storytronics Guru Chris Crawford] | |||
:Provocative interview with Chris Crawford on interactive storytelling. | |||
;[http://alivetinyworld.com/2010/11/02/deus-ex-life-liberty-and-the-pursuit-of-happiness-or-as-close-as-well-ever-get-to-it/ Alive Tiny World: Deus Ex: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness - or as close as we'll ever get to it] | |||
:On what made Deus Ex almost unique in the world of games. | |||
;[http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/RadekSmektala/20150423/241726/Tears_in_Rain_Remembering_the_Blade_Runner_Game.php Gamasutra: Tears in Rain: Remembering the Blade Runner Game] | |||
:On the subject of the player’s actions allowing the story to play out differently each time, the Blade Runner video game is famous for this, even swapping roles for NPCs based on the player’s choices. | |||
;[http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/EmilyShort/20150609/245530/Tightening_the_WorldPlot_Interface_or_Why_I_Am_Obsessed_With_Conversation_Models.php Emily Short: Tightening the World/Plot Interface, or Why I Am Obsessed with Conversation Models] | |||
:Emily talks about exactly the kind of challenges I have been contemplating for the Totally Interactive concept. I think that Oni 2 would naturally avoid some of the challenges that she faces with a text-based interface. | |||
<div align=center>{{Pullquote|1=The real question: is game design a hard science (study of things, forces, etc) a social science (study of people), or a humanity/liberal art (analytical/critical study of people)? I'd argue it encompasses all three.|2=[http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/172587/a_way_to_better_games_.php?page=3#comment155730 Lars Doucet]|width=450px}}</div> | |||
[[Category:Oni 2]] | [[Category:Oni 2]] | ||