The point I'm supporting is what I said. Games don't have to be narrow mindedly be limited to light-hearted pleasure, and arcade-like gameplay. Actively doing something while taking in the story is something movies nor books can deliver on. It's arguably the best way to experience a story.
As defined in this video and by me Engagement does mean the same thing as fun. Engagement is having your interest kept and mind stimulated. Fun is light-hearted, thrill based pleasure. Are puzzles fun? Is a mystery novel fun? No, but they keep your attention, and thus engage you. Something that's only fun is not even a tenth as rewarding as something deep and meaningful.
When I think of games that had the cencept of "fun" in mind, I think of the every Mario game Nintendo has made since Super Mario Galaxy 1. I think of Sonic Colors, and Lost World. By focusing on "fun" as the only and core objective, developers end up making a game that provides a shallow experience, and often isn't even that engaging.
Extra Credits makes a lot of keen observations, and puts a lot of abtract concepts into easily understand terms. The writer for the show James has actually spent many years as a developer and observing other developers. Whether or not they accurately sum up individual franchise is not important. Those are just examples and opinions. The design priciniples they establish are far more important, and that's where they excel.
The principle of "Differences in Kind" in this video explains why Sonic Heroes is boring, yet SA2 is fun. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlBR1z-ue-I)
In Sonic Heroes everything in one level feels the same, visually and indiviual action wise. There are almost no set piece moments and few dynamic camera angle shots. Mechanically, you're doing the same tasks in the same way over and over. Punch blocks and enemies with Knuckles, switch to tails to slowly platform, switch to Sonic on straigh aways and to spin around poles. The music is flipping repitive too which only makes the experience worse. Shadow's game basically has the same problem. Unleashed and even Colors are less boring then Heroes because at least in Unleashed the visuals and tasks are dynamic and diversified. One of Color's problems actually is that it put too much diversity into a single level which resulted in a severe lack of flow.
In City Escape of SA2..I start with.boarding down a city street while jumping off jumps and avalanching cars. Then, I'm running around normally, then I'm running on the side of a wall, then I need to go up stairs where I hace to be careful because enemy are blocking my path and shoot at me, then I'm rail grinding done a corridor, then I'm in a park that I can explore and run around in, then I'm doing tricks off of pull up bar, then a giant truck is chasing me with a backwards facing camera. Each moment feels different Unlike in Heroes.
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