Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
FIGURe 6.34
collecting power-ups
from different locations
in an action game
(lives are omitted from
this diagram)
T IP in Figure 6.34,
the blue power-up and
the task that requires it
constitute an example
of a lock-and-key
mechanism. Lock-
and-key mechanisms
are the most impor-
tant mechanisms that
games of progression
use to control how
a player progresses
through a level. Lock-
and-key mechanisms
rarely incorporate
feedback loops and
so seldom exhibit
emergent behav-
ior. We will examine
lock and key mecha-
nisms in more detail in
chapter 10, “integrating
Level design and
mechanics.”
Power-ups might be needed to progress through a game, and in that case, finding
the right power-ups is a requirement to complete a level. Other power-ups might
not be needed but are helpful all the same; in this case, the player must decide how
much risk she will take to collect one and how much she stands to gain from it. For
example, in Figure 6.34 , the blue power-up is required to perform the final task to
complete the level, while the red power-up makes that task a little easier.
limited-duration poWer-ups
Power-ups frequently operate for only a limited amount of time. The construction in
Figure 6.35 shows how you can use delays to create a temporal power-up to aid in a task.
The power-up respawns to be available again after it has been consumed.
FIGURe 6.35 Limited-duration power-up
 
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