The Game Design Tool that changed how I see my game - Bottled Sky Devlog (April 2024)
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 มิ.ย. 2024
- I made a system and UI for waypoints in game, but then found another use for them.
Check out the full playlist of Bottled Sky Devlog videos: • Bottled Sky Devlog Videos
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0:00 Introduction
0:36 Discoverability Spectrum
3:08 Non-combat off-screen enemies
4:37 Hostile off-screen enemies
6:07 Camera zoom solution
7:26 Minimap solution
8:29 Edge marker solution
9:21 Closing thoughts - วิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยี
"A solved game is a game whose outcome (win, lose or draw) can be correctly predicted from any position, assuming that both players play perfectly"
Perfect Information availability is generally required for a game to be solved, but it does not mean the game is necessarily solved. Tic tac toe, connect 4, and checkers are solved because there is a definitive, algorithmically determined "best move" whereas Chess has not been optimized to that level yet
That's right. That's why I said it was possible without a time limit because I'm also accounting for future advances in that field. It would require a huge amount of computation, which isn't viable for either humans or computers to do with current technology, because of the chess clock.
I have a couple ideas, but I haven't watched your other videos, so I don't know whether they will fit within your game.
You mentioned that as a player gets better at a game and learns about the opponents, information becomes less hidden. You could implement this as a gradual change over time in when/how the markers appear. (This could be automatic or through a skill system of some kind.)
So for a new enemy, if it makes an off-screen sound, let a marker appear briefly with a question mark. At this point the player doesn't know what it is and how it behaves. After dealing with one or two of that type of enemy, have the marker display an icon for the enemy (or maybe just after the enemy making a sound on-screen).
After even more enemies of a type, the marker could last longer or work at larger distances.
Other options could be buffs to attack or defence against that enemy as the player learns about it.
Hey thanks for the suggestions! There's a bit to unpack here so in my next video, which is going to be related to this one, I may go over comments like these and give my thoughts.
The game looks good and looks like it feels good too, nice work bruv, can’t wait to see more.
As you went through the possible options I had the offscreen marker thing ringing in my head, as well as the pan zoom effect (akin to what Brawhalla does). I think if you aren’t going to commit to concise markers then perhaps try a subtle edge gradient (like when you get shot in an fps, which I can barely ever figure out btw😂irony..)
have it blur the screen border with desired colour: wide if the enemy is far and narrow it as they get closer, but keeping it relatively wide so it’s more of a range where the enemy will appear rather than give away precise location..
This may have already been suggested 😂not sure, didn’t read all comments
Haha yeah sometimes edge markers aren't as clear in 3D games. Just like in FPS games, I find that driving games also struggle with trying to point me towards something directly behind the camera. It shouldn't be a problem for Bottled Sky though. The background might be 3D, but the gameplay will remain entirely 2D.
I don't mind the tinted edge idea for combat. I just had initially built the markers specifically for pointing towards destinations and objectives so the current markers made more sense. I didn't get the idea to attach those markers to enemies until after I'd made the marker system, which then spawned the idea for this video. Ultimately, it's a band-aid solution that doesn't fully address the problem, so in my next video I'll be making another feature to do a better job at solving it.
@@Raymoclaus lol, Glad I'm not the only one..
Using a system you already had is great for time and also familiarity for players, it's always good to try with what you already have so I get it. I can't wait to see what you land on in the next video🥳.. .no that was not a spaceship joke 🤣
Really liked the video, thoughtsful and well outlined, didnt realise you were such a small channel til I scrolled to the comments, keep this up!!
I'm glad you liked it. I guess I'm still targeting a niche audience so I'm not surprised the channel is still small.
Nice video and interesting looking game. The waypoint system i think was a great way to solve enemies going off screen and theres so many options there for the future! I will be looking forward to seeing more ❤
This video deserves more attention
And thank YOU for your attention ❤️
Make enemies shoot only when encountered, i.e. were seen. If the time off-screen is too long, they are unflagged (!seen). Also tweak the ranges and behaviours so it feels good and fair.
They could flash the marker to indicate an off-screen shooting by the enemy, but agree that on-screen-only shots would be best.
I really like drill ships, so this appeals to me right away! Anyways I was almost getting ready to suggest the same #3 marker solution that you ended up talking about last, as a game dev myself it is actually my first choice for these kinda moments, even for 2D platformers. I also highly suggest staying away from the zoomed out cam idea, as not only is it unappealing to look at, but it is also extremely easy to lose track of your character when zoomed far out... I seen other folk suggest it as a good idea to devs before, and I simply can't agree with it.
You're right. In the video I implemented a crude solution of just being more zoomed out the whole time, just to prove that exact point. But stick around for the next video which will likely be on this topic 😉
For the algorithm
mvp ❤
I beg you to avoid precise distance numbers unless you're going for realistic simulation game. Having actual numeric "data" clutters player's brain quite a bit while your gameplay looks clean and cartoonish. Changing marker's size, color, opacity or position is more than enough to convey the object's relative distance. Keep it simple and intuitive! The game looks solid so far.
Thanks for the input! I completely agree. I also prefer minimal, non-text UI as the default state during gameplay as much as possible. That was kind of the whole point of the video which was about being more intentional about what information you want the player to see at a glance, deduce based on other known information, or just not have access to at all. That being said, there are no rules and everything in your arsenal is a tool, and you as a designer have to understand who your audience is and what they will like most. It often comes down to striking a balance for your target audience and accepting that your choices likely cannot appeal to everyone. Just do what feels right!
@@Raymoclaus My favourite games (often hidden gems) appear whenever a developer considers their own self as the target audience. I guess this way they trade marketing success for quality and niche focused experience.