Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
addinG sUBTasKs
Another way you can make the mechanics for the flower-collecting mission more
interesting is by adding subtasks that must be completed to achieve the goal. In
Figure 10.6
, the goal is still the same: collect ten flowers. However, in this exam-
ple, the player must perform three subtasks to unlock all the flowers to be able to
achieve the goal. In this case, every subtask is represented as a simple gate but can
be replaced by a more complex mechanism. For example, you can use the enemy-
avoiding mechanism to create a subtask. To create variation in the game, it is best to
create subtasks that offer the player different gameplay experiences, perhaps because
they have unique mechanics or because they emphasize different structures in the
general mechanics of the game.
FIGURe 10.6
Performing subtasks
necessary to collect all
the flowers
aVoid creatinG too many indiVidual mechanisms
When creating missions that rely on a number of subtasks that the player must com-
plete, you have to be careful not to create too many individual mechanisms for all those
subtasks. This creates a lot of work, because all those mechanisms have to be designed
and tested. it also introduces a risk: all those different subtasks must be fun. Generally
speaking, players perceive your level as just as fun as the weakest mechanism in the
mission (people remember negative experiences more vividly than they do positive
ones). To avoid having to design too many individual mechanisms, create a solid core
of mechanics for your game first, and then zoom in on certain parts of that structure
for individual tasks. This is very similar to our advice about using a different focus for
each level, as we discussed in the section “Focusing on different structures in Your
mechanics” earlier in this chapter.
