Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 2.2
Rock Band tutorial screenshot. (©2007 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc.)
slower-paced than the rest of the game. If this reminds you of being
forced to learn your times-tables or fractions, or to memorize dates of
battles you can't contextualize or remember, it should. In some games,
the tutorial level is not presented to the player unless he or she goes
looking for it, like in Rock Band ™ (see Figure 2.2).
Problematically, players are often inexperienced enough that not
only do they not realize that the tutorial level exists, they also have
absolutely no idea how to find it, access it, or play it. For those players
who already know how to play the game, this tutorial level is either a
needless tack-on or a mandatory annoyance. Neither of these things
sounds particularly good.
As far as instructional strategies go, the tutorial level varies. Mostly
a didactic exercise, the level often spits instructions at the player in
some way or another. Unfortunately, the optional tutorial level isn't
so much an exercise in good instructional design, or evidence that
the designers have taken a lot of time to get to know the psycholo-
gies of their players; rather, it is an excuse not to do these things. The
assumption is that novice players will seek the tutorials, and experi-
enced “core” players will simply ignore it. Sadly, it is therefore little
more than an afterthought: a tack-on. Furthermore, the tutorial lev-
els often get progressively worse or more absent as sequels in a series
come out. Early Guitar Hero ™ incarnations versus ones that are more
recent are examples.
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