Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
many keys for a single lock in a maze, even though the actions that the player per-
forms (navigating through a maze) are almost the same.
You don't always have to create the dynamic lock-and-key mechanism for each
single level to structure a level around it. If the game you are working on already has
dynamic core mechanics, it makes sense to look at those mechanics first. Perhaps
there are already structures in them that would function perfectly as a dynamic
lock-and-key mechanism. If there are, it allows you to create levels efficiently, because
you don't have to add extra mechanics to create locks and keys (assuming you want
them), and you can keep the game focused on the core mechanics. In other cases, a
few simple additions or changes do the trick. In those cases, you could add different
mechanics to the core to create different levels. When done right, this creates games
with variations in their gameplay and in which each level has its own unique feel.
Another advantage of using dynamic lock-and-key mechanisms to control pro-
gression, rather than simple static ones, is that you can change the difficulty of
the challenge by adjusting the numbers in the mechanism. One of the weaknesses
of simple lock-and-key adventure games is that it's almost impossible to offer the
player a choice of difficulty levels because the relationships in the game are purely
binary: Either the player has the key or he doesn't. A dynamic system is adjustable.
Structuring levels around a single lock-and-key mechanism is more common
than you might think. It works even for lock-and-key mechanisms that are not so
dynamic at all. For example, the level structure of dungeons in
The Legend of Zelda
is
built around the weapon you win from the midlevel mini-boss and the way it func-
tions as a key to several doors. Most levels simply add one mechanism that requires
the player to collect multiple keys. Of course, lock-and-key mechanisms are not the
only form of challenge found in these levels, but they do play an important role in
creating the right structure of progression for the level. This combination of mental
and physical challenges creates the excellent gameplay experience of being a heroic
adventurer.
In many games of progression, the goal of the game is to reach a certain location
(and perhaps to perform an action there). Progress in these games is mapped to the
game space; the game is a journey.
Figure 11.16
represents this type of progress in
its simplest form. The game informs the player of his progress, either directly with
a measure of distance traveled or indirectly by exposing the player to novel and
interesting locations. In designing a game that maps progress to space, lock-and-
key mechanisms are the most important tool you have to structure the gameplay
experience.
