Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
player
moving platform
pendulum
cannon
laser
blizzard
Figure 9-6.
The obstacle course redivided into zones of similar size
The moving platform doesn't need a larger zone, and the pendulums are bigger obstacles in a fairly
reasonable size zone, so these obstacles and their zone boundaries can stay as is.
Now that the zones are marked, it makes more sense for a number of reasons to have zones of
obstacle types rather than just one of each kind. Using zones populated with similar obstacles is a
more efficient use of time and assets. In this case, you can use a collection of cannons and lasers in
their respective zones, while the blizzard can simply be resized to fit a zone. Before assigning these
zones, there are a few more game design factors to consider.
Pacing
Human brains are pretty good at adjusting to just about anything. Even if you design a game to be
a mind-blowing warp-10 hair-on-fire action-packed experience from start to finish, once the player's
brain has adjusted to the pace, it may be perceived as boring because it feels “flat” (Figure
9-7
).
High
Intensity
Low
Game Progression
Figure 9-7.
Continuous high intensity appears flat over time
The player's mind will be more involved and stimulated the more it has to adjust, so you want to
integrate emotionally intense highs and lows into the game experience (Figure
9-8
).
