Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
Creating key mechanisms from player abilities, rather than from game world objects,
also has advantages. You can combine these actions in interesting ways with each
other and with other elements in the game. For example, a double jump might be
the key to cross a wide gap, or to avoid creatures that are too tall to jump over with
a single jump. Being able to identify possible combinations of mechanisms in the
game that you can use to create locks and keys to structure your levels is a very use-
ful skill. It allows you to get the most out of a game's mechanics and lets you to
create varied gameplay efficiently.
desiGn challenGe
how many different ways can you think of to use a sword as a key in a lock-and-key
mechanism? (don't design a level; just think of alternative uses for swords.)
lock-and-Key Machinations
In Chapter 6, “Common Mechanisms,” we showed you how you can use
Machinations diagrams to represent lock-and-key mechanisms: A key mechanism
often is a simple state change that unlocks new areas in the game space. Its essential
structure is represented by Figure 11.7 .
FIGURe 11.7
a simple lock-and-key
mechanism (blue) to
control progression
through a space (black)
This structure has a weakness, however. The game can be in only one of two states:
Either the player has the key or he doesn't have it. There is little room for dynamic
behavior. The Machinations diagram reveals that simplicity. The mechanism is built
from two pools and based on a resource (the key) that can move in only one direc-
tion (into the inventory). One consequence of this is that the player can never put
the key down. Many games implement this system deliberately so that the player
can never accidentally leave a critical key behind— The Longest Journey is a well-
known example.
Even if we look at typical variations found on locks and keys, the mechanics do not
get much more complex or dynamic. A few examples include nested locks, such as
when a nonplayer character requires the player to undertake several quests before
providing a key; multiple keys for a single lock ( Figure 11.8 ); or keys that are con-
sumed when they open a door (such as the mysteriously disappearing small keys in
 
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