Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
fundamental operations and have few if any special items unlocked. Clicking dash-
board icons would occur more frequently than key commands and user-defined
macros. Matches or races might take longer at the end of the game due to the higher
difficulty and closer matching of the player's skill to the in-game opponent(s). Usage
information can be defined and utilized in three different ways:
Mode-based usage
■
Player-type usage
■
Real-life usage
■
Mode-Based Usage
Game usage can change based on which mode the player is using such as single play-
er, campaign, multiplayer, or online.
Single-player mode may involve one or only a few confrontations or missions. The
action usually starts right away so the player is less likely to perform “build-up�? oper-
ations such as building advanced units and spending money or points on expensive
skill-boosting items. Some features may not be available at all to the single player, such
as certain characters, weapons, or vehicles. The single player's character may also have
limited race, clan, and mission options.
Campaigns tend to start the player with basic equipment and opponents and then
introduce more and more complex elements as the campaign progresses. For sports
games, Franchise or Season modes provide unique options and experiences that aren't
available when playing a single game, such as draft picks, training camp, trading play-
ers, and negotiating salaries. RPG games will provide more powerful spells, armor,
weapons, and opponents as your characters level up. Racing games may provide more
powerful vehicles, add-ons, and powerups, as well as more challenging tracks.
Multiplayer gaming can take place on the same machine—usually for 2-4 players,
across two interconnected consoles or over the Internet for more massive multiplayer
experiences. Headset accessories are used for team confrontations, but aren't some-
thing you're likely to use by yourself unless the game has voice commands. Text chatting
also is used in multiplayer games, giving the text keyboard a workout. Game controls
can also be assigned to smack talk phrases and gestures, which you will also use to
taunt your inferior opponents. The time spent on a multiplayer session can be much
greater than what a single player will spend, sometimes extending into the wee hours
of the morning. This also brings up the fact that multiplayer games may involve players
from different time zones and geographical regions, bringing together a variety of
game clocks and language settings.
