With innovative origins “back in 1974”, experiments such as “Maze War and Spasim” (Videogamesdaily, 2009) and a journey manifesting icons such as Half Life, the First Person Shooter (FPS abbreviated) retains relentless energy through trademark mechanics, proven by the upcoming Bioshock Infinite. The genre is, “the beast” (Videogamesdaily, 2009) of the industry, inspiring other genres and in turn, itself. Consequently, “the future is bright for the biggest gaming genre of all time” (Beefjack, 2009).
There’s identifiable praxis within each genre as “The genre category represents the majority of gameplay interactions...” (Train2Game, 2008, p. 26). The Shooter has sub-genres, the pinnacle is the FPS – populated by games such as Rage. Regardless, genres are “...distinguished by their camera view.” (Rogers, 2010, p. 9). Along with the camera view, the FPS retains its soul - a soul tracked back to 1974 when the “the seed of what the genre will become” (Danny Moore, 2009) was planted where “two ambitious programmers – Steve Colley and Jim Bowery” (Kristan Reed, 2009) stitched together the original FPS Maze War that had players “… searching for other players who were represented as eye balls. They could then shoot their rivals and score points … but also lost points by being shot themselves.” (Beefjack.com, Danny Moore, 2009). This concept still thrives.
According to Scott Rogers, the FPS is “...a shooter as seen from the player’s perspective” that is “...fast-paced and “twitch” oriented, like action games...” (Rogers, 2010, p. 9). It’s immersive, as “This genre uses the camera to create the illusion that the player is actually seeing from the characters point of view” (Train2Game, 2008) – hence, ‘first-person’. Though, key to a FPS is that “...gameplay is centred around a gun or any projectile weapon combat” (PGT, 2010) where players fire at opponents to deplete health. Asking a casual gamer what a FPS is, the answer “you see through the eyes and shoot... with your health around you” was given. This ‘health’ is in reference to the heads up display surrounding the players view with Train2Game supporting “A relevant feature for the FPS is the HUD” (Train2Game, 2008), representing attributes (health, ammo count etc.) which effect player dynamics. However, the FPS evolved through technological progression as the insightful retrospect from Fragged Nation shows.
(The History of the First Person Shooter!, 2010)
http://www.fraggednation.com/articles/The-History-of-the-First-Person-Shooter-698Exploring linear or open environments, players use new mechanics – Iron Sights, the Class System, Perks and Multiplayer. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare perfected the Iron Sight, where “...the player is aiming through the actual sights of a weapon.” (Giant Bomb, 2009) for precise aim - it is now being adopted by every FPS. It’s the identifier of the genre. Firing through iron sights, players now control personally tweaked avatars using the standard ‘class system’. They can “...choose from a selection of classes to play as in order to complete objectives, or support their team in the most effective way.” (Giant Bomb, 2009). Featured in “188” games with the choice and variation of the Solider, Medic, Engineers and Support classes, players can choose a class that fits their play style or strategy to co-operate with team members. Again, Call of Duty was the pioneer of this modern mechanic along with another – Perks – a “variation of the power-up mechanic” (GiantBomb, 2009). Appearing in over 68 games, Perks can be added on as permanent buffs, benefiting the player in game to further facilitate personal play style.
So, take the FPS, update the graphics, add in the Iron Sight, the Class System and the Perks and remaining, is the modern FPS. However, one revolution changed the industry – Online Multiplayer - pitting the player against players online, rather than AI offline. Unlike Single Player, players join an online arena to fight towards one objective. Through a plethora of modes such as Deathmatch and Capture the Flag, players battle each other to reach the variant’s objective - the class and perk systems are most effective here - sometimes exclusive too.
Through its transition from 2D to 3D technology, the immersive FPS genre thrived at every milestone, as proven by the timeline and in cases, revolutionised gaming. Even now it grows as it implements mechanics from other genres such as the cover system as Giant Bomb defines it being “used in first-person and third-person shooter”. In all, with defining mechanics and evolving gameplay, it comes down to the quote “the future is bright for the biggest gaming genre of all time” (Beefjack, 2009).
SECTION TWO: IDENTIFICATION OF SKILL ELEMENTS
“On a small island off the coast of Papua New Guinea, the dead walk” (Greg Miller, IGN, 2011) – this concept is the conduit for Dead Island. An 18 plus, Role Playing Game (RPG) / FPS, which asks the player to survive, master and escape the island. Without attempting these demands, the player cannot ‘play’. How the player survives, masters and escapes, however, are all down to using the skill elements resident within Dead Island’s mechanics. What these are lies within the target audience, the genre and as a result, the game itself.
Scott Rogers defines the RPG as where “Players choose a character class and increase their statistical abilities through combat, exploration and treasure finding.” – All present in Dead Island as IGN’s Greg Miller reviews Dead Island as “a world rife with quests, interesting environments, and a character progression system”. Scott continues on defining the FPS as “seen from the player’s perspective… more personal than in a third person shooter.” (Rogers, 2010, p. 9-10) Again, part of Dead Island’s gameplay. These two statements reside within Dead Island and match it to its audience – an audience identified as ‘hardcore’ gamers who have “excessive amount knowledge of videogames…” (UrbanDictionary, 2011). Both genres cater for the hardcore, minimising chance mechanics usually suited to children, in favour of skill mechanics which place the outcomes in the player’s hands. It comes down to Raph Koster’s quote “We play games because we seek to master the pattern.” - A quote that defines the mind-set of the hardcore gamer, therefore the RPG, the FPS and finally, Dead Island and its audience.
Twitch skills such as Speed, Precision and Timing, along with Strategic Skills (key characteristics of both genres) are the building blocks of Dead Island’s gameplay. In game, the player is posed against hordes of infected. Overwhelmed, twitch gameplay ensues. When observing an averagely experienced player, they swung their weapon aimlessly in panic, highlighting the main skill element - speed. If they hadn’t of, they would have died - proving speed is a must when the infected are sprinting towards or after the player, as players can either go on the offensive or defensive as supported by Greg Miller stating, “I sprinted away from a zombie and heard its growls directly behind me.” (Miller, 2011) – The infected are fast, so the player must be – whether sprinting past or swinging at them.
However, Dead Island also has context sensitive combat. The infected have damageable limbs, introducing the next skill element – precision. Players can precisely aim for the leg, the head or so on – each with their own outcome as Gametrailers declares, “headshots do more damage…” (Gametrailers, 2011). Precision also makes itself known with ranged weapons, whether throwing melee weapons or with the scarce fire arms. Enemies “drop more reasonably, with a well-placed headshot” (Gametrailers, 2011). Infected or not and becomes, precision becomes a required skill later on when enemies present more challenge both in level and their persistence in a chase. When caught, the infected lunges onto a player, forcing them to deal with that situation. Being a desperate situation, the next skill element, timing, is crucial - players need to press the right buttons within a set amount of time to counter the infected, knocking them to the ground to break free.
When the foe is defeated, the player evaluates the upcoming situation(s), prompting strategy elements, as “…there’s a skill tree to fill out…” (IGN, 2011) that shape character abilities through skill trees – the Fury, the Combat and the Survivor. Did the encounter risk death? Level the survivor tree. Grinding away at enemies? Level the Combat tree. “That’s what Dead Island is all about – experimenting to make it your own.” (IGN, 2011) - how and why you level are influenced by the encounters. This strategy flows into other mechanics - quests and crafting benches. With quests, “Some are vital for progressing the paper thin plot, while some are just there for loot and experience” (Gametrailers, 2011). The choice is down to whether the player needs the benefits of the side quests. Do they want the new weapon? Or do they grind through the next quest for that experience boost? In the crafting bench. “…you can use cash to repair, mod or upgrade” (Gametrailers, 2011), the weapons. Again, the choice comes down to whether the player wants to spend to benefit - it’s a balanced system which exists for players ahead of the infected.
Offence isn’t always the best option however. Becoming overwhelmed by a horde presents players with further mechanics - sprint and kick - both examples of the avoidance. “Sometimes zombies will be avoidable, you can often run around them” giving you room to reassess the situation or flee for recovery. Players also have the kick mechanic, where players can “push zombies back with a well-timed kick in the face…” (Gamestop, 2011). Both used for advantages in times where player face a disadvantage.
Finally, Dead Island features chance in its statistics. If or when they can land a ‘break’ or ‘critical’ is determined by a percentage improvable by the player. As the player levels up, the chance to land a critical or breaks weakens the foe for good, giving you the “satisfaction when you cut of a limp with one perfectly placed swipe” (Gamestop, 2011).
Overall, Dead Island features skill, strategy and even chance elements in its gameplay. Yes, skill elements are a requirement that is governed by strategic elements, but it’s a game that is varied, ticking the boxes the two genres present the game. With a focus on twitch and strategy mechanics, only players with experience can really play Dead Island, but that’s the purpose of such elements, “We play games because we seek to master the pattern.” (Koster, 2010). The question is: can more enjoy this mastery?
SECTION THREE: APPLICATION OF ACCESSIBILITY
This is not about accessibility for one audience, but for gamers - accessibility “can improve game play for all gamers.” (Microsoft, 2011). What is fantastic about that article is its focus on the disabled community, highlighting that accessibility is not ‘reliant’ on interaction, but in visuals, auditory and mobility.
“Visual learners learn best by looking at graphics, watching a demonstration, or reading.” (LearningRx, 2012) – This quote aids in rendering Dead Island accessible, with its “flat start” (Gametrailers, 2011). Video games use the start as a tutorial, as “This section should familiarise the gamer with the game and its mechanics” (Train2Game, 2008). For this reason, a waypoint would be visible in-environment. Players would see, understand and follow it, directing them to their quest goals – especially with Dead Island’s “...temperamental waypoint system, especially in vertical structures.” (Gametrailers, 2011) - Dead Island is ripe with scalable environments, gamers may find it overwhelming and confusing. The flat start, according to Game trailers, references the lack of combat and when it arrives, it’s overwhelming, giving players too many choices over desires – frustration ensues. Single enemies that demonstrate different possibilities, could fix this so that when they find themselves in an overwhelming situation, the game abides to the quote by Raph Koster - “We play games because we seek to master the pattern.” Along with this, the hints would be a dominant part of the screen, by pausing the game temporarily so the gamer can soak it in and then practice. It is then we come to the “First Person melee combat” (Gamestop, 2011).
The auto-aim mechanic would be sensitive to the limbs, changing colour on the strength of the limb. This way, players would know which limbs were sensitive due to what they already know as precisionintermedia.com discusses how colour is perceived. With green, orange and red for the limbs, players would understand the mechanic works. This leads us to the combat.
Often, players become overwhelmed through infected lunging onto them. The issue is, in these situations, the player is powerless and has no retaliation besides aimless swinging. To balance this, the player would have symmetrical power – they can attack following infected attacks with automatic, critical, counters that daze the enemy to make room. The accessible aspect of this is that the inexperienced would often accidently perform this counter through aimless swinging – they are rewarded instead of punished for negligence in combat.
The experience points could be spent on the fly, upgrading the skill tree for larger benefits rather than waiting to level up to upgrade – instant gratification. Experience points would still amount to a ‘level-up', but this would slightly increase vital statistics such as health and act as a measure of progression. The strategy would be spending the experience on the right skill, keeping the game’s spirit – strategy from skill. The problem is that the infected work off the player level. Skill through mastery is needed to earn that experience - if the player is level 3, the infected are level 4, presenting fairness. However, the infected are in great numbers, even in the first quests; therefore, quantity and strength of the infected will be reduced to level 1 or 2 to start so the player can “master” mechanics before challenging quests. This slightly balanced system is fine until later levels where more infected types show up. Here, the infected are 5 or 6 levels higher, posing challenge. Bringing this level down but removing easy evasion as IGN states “you can choose evade if you wish” (Gamestop, 2011), will make challenge less rewarding but give players smaller but more frequent rewards, allowing them to master a style and achieve the reward of levelling up - which takes at least two play-throughs the max out. This modification prevents the need to increase the experience the player earns from a kill, keeping the main balanced structure intact as Gametrailers states “there is never a moment of grinding” (Gametrailers, 2011).
The only remaining major mechanic that needs a touch of accessibility is the crafting benches. Here, rather than spend all of your money earned through looting, you could craft your weapons on the fly. To limit this power, the player would now have an entirely new skill tree named “Entrepreneur” of which is dedicated to crafting capabilities. The player could spend their newly found increase in experience points on this tree – only if they spent these points could they take full advantage of the crafting mechanic’s newly found benefits. Why do this? Well, as Clive J. Fullagar states in his book “Challange/Skill Balance, Flow, and Performance Anxiety”, “...when flow was highest, performance anxiety was lowest” (Fullager, 2012). With the crafting bench only being accessible at milestones in the game, players would keep pushing onwards with a weapon not offering the power required for the enemies. With this modification, players can continuously upgrade the weapon to suit their current dilemma, preventing anxiety – which, as Fullager states, effects performance and in turn, the accessibility of Dead Island. Furthermore, players would also feel satisfaction upgrading a weapon whenever they wish. This way, if players forget to upgrade before quests, they wouldn’t be punished for negligence - rather, they could rectify it.
The issue arising with this modification, however, is that looting becomes pointless when the items aren’t used for crafting, as the currency rewarded for these items are spent on two things – items and weapon upgrades and repairs. Solving this dilemma would require the loot to be minimised to ensure the player never has too much money; after all, Dead Island is a game of skill and strategy.
SECTION FOUR: MODIFICATION OF RULES
Dead Island has now been revised. In its modification and implementation of new mechanics and rules, the issues arisen have been rectified using balancing methods. What is left is a game that retains its target audience, its key skill and strategic elements and most importantly, its spirit. From that, players have a game that introduces them to the mechanics with ease, allows them to master it and ensures through this understanding, Dead Island flows with balance it already had, but the accessibility it and many RPGs need. Now, players can survive, master and escape the Dead Island easier than they have ever done before.
“Dead Island places the player on an island resort, victim to a relentless
zombie outbreak. Alone in its aftermath, players must survive, master and
escape utilizing intuitive, context sensitive combat, deep and meaningful skill
tress, the ability to craft weapons at any time and exploration to recover
lifesaving and practical loot. “
Through modifications and additions to already existing mechanics. Dead Island has been more accessible through the following;
AUTO AIM: Auto Aim is now more sensitive as well as being sensitive to the individual limbs. As the player hovers over each limb, the crosshair’s colour will change, highlighting the sensitivity of the limb. Green: Strong, Orange: Weak, Red: Critical. This can be toggled on and off.
COUNTER ATTACKS: By pressing the attack button directly following an infected attack, the player will automatically perform a critical counter blow, shoving and dazing the infected away so the player can re-asses their situation.
EXPERIENCE POINTS: Players gather experience points as before, however, these experience point are now the primary levelling currency. The player can spend this experience on the fly on upgrading the skill tree. That is, if they have enough experience to do so.
LEVELLING: Levelling gives players a boost in their vital statistics rather than “Skill Points”, whilst also acting as a measurement of progression.
CRAFTING: Players can now craft on the fly. With a new skill tree named “Entrepreneur”, players can advance their crafting talents and capabilities using the extra experience earned from the increased amount of conflicts with the infected.
MULTIPLAYER LOOT: When an individual player picks up an item drop or loot, all players are given that item(s) when in the same vicinity, so that no player can farm the items for themselves – everyone has an equal chance and reward when playing co-operatively. When a player is on their own however, only they gain the rewards for looting and scavenging.
HEALTH: Player now starts a new game with higher health so that enemies are less a challenge and more a fun training tool. This levels out later in the game.
INSTRUCTIONS: The player must press the “A”, “X” or Left Click the tutorial to confirm that they have read and understood it. This way, players never miss a tip that is relative to their current situation.
 |
| DEAD ISLAND - DEEPSILVER GAMES (2011) |
NEXT POST: OUTLAST - WHY IT'S PERFECT
No comments:
Post a Comment