Fundamentals of Game Design, 2 nd Edition by Ernest Adams Chapter 13: Action Games

Chapter 13 Action Games2 © 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Objectives Identify the qualities that set action games apart from other genres Recognize the distinct subgenres of action games and their particular features Use the characteristic features of action games, such as levels, lives, and powerups, to design games of your own Know the design limitations imposed by placing the player under time pressure

Chapter 13 Action Games3 © 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. What Are Action Games? An action game is one in which the majority of challenges presented are tests of the player’s physical skills Puzzle-solving, tactical conflict, and exploration challenges are often present as well Fastest action games are called twitch games

Chapter 13 Action Games4 © 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Action Game Subgenres Shooters  Most familiar and popular subgenre  Players use a ranged weapon  2D shooters Top-down or side-view perspective Players are under constant attack so shoot everything Unlimited ammunition Unrealistic physics

Chapter 13 Action Games5 © 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Action Game Subgenres (Cont.) Shooters (cont.)  3D shooters Cutting edge of game hardware Physics are more realistic than 2D shooters Can be first-person or third-person perspective Further subgenres:  Rail-shooters  Tactical shooters  Survival horror  Arena games

Chapter 13 Action Games6 © 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Action Game Subgenres (Cont.) Platform games  Cartoonish games in which an avatar moves through a vertically exaggerated environment, jumping on and off platforms  Most actions are jumps  Highly unrealistic physics  Most 2D side-scrolling games with humanoid avatar are platform games  Super Mario Bros. is the classic example

Chapter 13 Action Games7 © 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Action Game Subgenres (Cont.) Fighting games  Physical challenges test reaction time and timing  Simulate hand-to-hand combat May use a few ranged weapons Two major categories: one-on-one and mêlée. Serious boxing games usually classed as sports games  Actions include maneuvering, attacking, and defending  Combo moves are common  Play is largely 2D in the plane of the video screen

Chapter 13 Action Games8 © 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Action Game Subgenres (Cont.) Fast puzzle games  Require player to solve problems quickly  Simple, abstract, limited control set  Tetris is the archetypal fast puzzle game  Casual gamers enjoy this subgenre  Ideal for handheld devices and cell phones

Chapter 13 Action Games9 © 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Action Game Subgenres (Cont.) Action-adventure  Hybrid combines action and adventure  Games include physical challenge, story, inventory, and dialog Dance and rhythm games  Challenges player’s sense of rhythm  Press buttons to make the avatar dance Specialized hardware common: dance mat, conga drums, maracas  Popular with girls—less pointless violence

Chapter 13 Action Games10 © 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Action Game Subgenres (Cont.) Other action games  No shooting, hand-to-hand fighting, or abstract puzzle-solving  Use skills such as maneuvering and path planning

Chapter 13 Action Games11 © 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Game Features Progression  Levels usually completed in linear sequence Levels often grouped by theme and end with a boss Fixed challenges are easier to build, but repetitious  If killed, avatars reappear at a checkpoint  Level exits, level warps, and teleporters Level exits lead to the next level Level warps exit the level and jump ahead several levels Teleporter jumps within the same level

Chapter 13 Action Games12 © 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Game Features (Cont.) Planning your pacing: 1. Brainstorm ideas for moments of excitement 2. Order ideas by priority 3. Create a story framework 4. Rate key events for intensity, and sequence them 5. Rate and sequence story plot points 6. Set the time between high-intensity events 7. Evaluate the trends 8. Begin constructing levels 9. Iteratively test, review, and adjust

Chapter 13 Action Games13 © 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Game Features (Cont.) Challenges  Avatars typically faced by three kinds of problems Passive obstacle impedes movement without threat (wall) Stationary danger attacks approaching avatar (electric fence) Active dangers attack and move around

Chapter 13 Action Games14 © 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Game Features (Cont.) Challenges (cont.)  Waves—enemies attack in groups  The big boss guards the end of the themed level  Wildcard enemies break up the predictability  Locked doors partition levels and control progress  Monster generators or spawn points cause new enemies to appear

Chapter 13 Action Games15 © 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Game Features (Cont.) Player actions  Routine actions include maneuvering an avatar, aiming and shooting, collecting and selecting, manipulating objects, and fighting moves  Smart bomb clears enemies from the immediate area  Hyperspace escape immediately moves the player at the risk of unexpectedly entering a dangerous area

Chapter 13 Action Games16 © 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Game Features (Cont.) Core mechanics are simple and obvious  Lives provide several reprieves from death  Energy is replenished by collectibles or powerups  Powerups increase strength  Collectibles are common but not required Increase the score Unlock secret levels or cause special bonus events

Chapter 13 Action Games17 © 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Game Features (Cont.) Core mechanics (cont.)  Timer counts down time to events and catastrophes or the amount of time left to finish the level  Score indicates progress

Chapter 13 Action Games18 © 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Game Features (Cont.) Victory conditions  Only arcade (or arcade-like) games don’t have victory conditions  Including a structured story means the game will end Interaction model  Avatar is most common  Puzzle manipulation model (Tetris) or omnipresent model (Lemmings) also used

Chapter 13 Action Games19 © 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Game Features (Cont.) Camera models  2D camera models Includes side-scrolling and top-scrolling perspectives Continuous, variable, and parallax scrolling  3D first person is tied to the avatar with a limited field of view  3D third person lets the player see the avatar Many offer both, switchable at player option  Resident Evil 4 combines these somewhat, moving camera to just behind avatar’s shoulder

Chapter 13 Action Games20 © 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Game Features (Cont.) Camera models (cont.)  Gameplay implications of 2D and 3D In 3D, it is difficult to tell the speed or distance of objects that come directly toward the player 3D games use the environment to present challenges In 3D, enemies can hide and sneak up on the avatar  Context-sensitive models Camera moves depending on the circumstances Not a good model for fast action games  Sudden changes of camera position are disorienting during high-speed action

Chapter 13 Action Games21 © 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Game Features (Cont.) User interface features  Display only as much as the player needs to know  Keep it onscreen  Use indicators rather than numbers or text  Draw attention to critical information  Maps and mini-maps can be shown as transparent overlays; keep them simple  Use color to identify characters and objects  Controls should be as simple as possible

Chapter 13 Action Games22 © 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Summary You should now understand  How to identify an action game  How to recognize action game subgenres  How to identify and use characteristics of an action game  How to describe design limitations of action games