Merry christmass

I won't be around for the next weeks, so new articles might become rare.

Meanwhile, I wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy new year full of gaming fun :)
(I hope Santa won't have forgotten my Elite Dangerous copy :P)

Cheers!

About Coop - Part 2

What makes multiplayer game interesting is (Ta-Da!) the human factor, and if you especially enjoy the cleverness and unpredictability of your human opponents in a versus game, I strongly recomand you work on building an emotional connection between players in a coop game.


SHOW IT!

It's probably THE most important point.
ANY important coop action from one of the partners should be obvious for the others.
It can come from direct sight, from sound clues, from a short camera cut, from UI signs and feedback, from NPC barks, etc, but it should not stay unnoticed.
i.e. If your friend opens a sliding door for you, make it so you can see him turning the crank from where you stand.
Note : While it can spice things up to to separate people on special occasions, this should be kept as the exception, the special (and short) moment where you play with your players nerves before re-uniting them for a stronger coop feeling.


CREATE AN EMOTIONAL CONNECTION
To go beyond a simple "side by side" play, it's important to work on some GD mechanics and LD situations that create some emotional connection between players.
The stronger the link, the better the coop experience.

Do it together

You are part of the same world, you share the same fate and you must play, win and lose together (rather than, side by side)

• Make it so the other's presence is always there, close and visible.
• Have some situations where players need to synchronize or exchange informations to be successful.
• Provide communication tools : voice chat, laser pointers, pre-defined command lists, chat, etc.
• Make the action "breath" so players have time to talk about tactics and what they want to do.

Rely on your friend

Helping each other strengthen the bounds.

You have to rely on the other to progress, sometimes you'll save him, sometimes it's the opposite.

You are a team.

• Players have to share resources : ammunition, medi pack, xp points.
  --> i.e. Thanks to the help of player A, player B reaches a cache full of ammo.
  He will be able to give back some of it to player A as soon  as they are together again.
• Share information : I've witness something you haven't (because of my abilities, because I was the first to enter the room, etc)
• I'm dead, revive me
• I'm wounded and I can't run, protect me until I can heal (next time it could be you!)
• I can't follow you (missing equipment or ability) : go and open the door for me
  i.e. You picked up the jet pack : fly other the canal and lower the bridge.
• I'm the eyes, you are the arms. i.e.I have the torch light, you have the gun, I have night vision goggles, but you have the rocket launcher.
• I drive, you shoot (buggy, boat, cable car, whatever...) I point the canon, you press the fire button, I align the antenna, you adjust the frequency, etc.
• I have skills you don't have : I can hack the door (but you can heal me), I can see through walls (but you can intercept the enemies communications), etc.

You could not have make it alone

This is a critical point.

Players should NEVER have the feeling that they don't need the others.

A coop level should always be built so players feel like : "I could not have made it alone"

• It's too hard for one. i.e. Too many enemies, hitting too hard, with too many HP, etc.
• Players need to cover each other (i,e, shoot while I climb)
• You need to stand or watch to different places at the same time. 
• Special "coop gates" : coop moves or coop mechanics where both player are required
  i.e. One use the crane to lift the other...who will then throw down a rope for the one still in the crane.
• I'm stuck, free me.
• Have a player in a dangerous situation while the other is in an overpowered situation.
  i.e. one is carrying the crate of dynamites to the door, while the other clears the way with a mounted machine gun.

If you can create this connection between players, your Coop experience will for sure feel much stronger.

>> The 3rd part of this coop articles will talk about specific LD points.

About Coop - Part 1

I'm the kind of player who would like every game to be coop :)
But this being said, beyond the technical challenge, cooperation in video games is more work than just adding multiplayer and a friendly spawn point ^^

As usual in this blog, the goal isn't to write the most complete article on coop.
I mostly want to highlight the basics and help our brain to start working with good references.

Today, the topic is more about Game Design than Level Design, but hey...as I like to say, GD and LD are just 2 sides of a same coin, so it's better to understand one to better do the other (and vice versa ;) )


HIGH LEVEL COOP CONCEPTS
...or why do you need others? Why would you cooperate?
(beyond the pleasure of sharing the same experience)

More people = More power

• More guns, more fire power
• More strength to move heavy objects around
• More hands to carry supplies
• More friends to resurrect you if you fall
• More eyes to search / scout an area
• etc.

You get it...basically, it's the idea that even with the exact same characteristics, the more people together, the stronger they are.

It's pretty much the classic Left for Dead experience :)

Positive : lighter dependency on special coop game systems  // everyone is equal

Negative : less opportunities to make each player "shine" in his role // Chaotic in nature

We are different

• I have the light, you have the gun
• I can heal, you can kill
• I'm armoured and slow, you are weak and agile
• I can scan the enemy, you can aim for its weak point
• etc.

We are talking about the notion of personality and complementarity.

It's your traditional MMORPG group experience :)

Positive :  powerful and strong coop concept // we like being different from each other // naturally organized based on each player's characteristics // you are the specialist and the star of the group in your field of competence

Negative : problem if there's a role nobody wants to play (or everyone wants the same role)  // more work to make sure the gameplay is interesting for everyone // heavy dependency on GD specific coop mechanics 

Situational Gameplay

• I'll hold the door open while you pass through
• Climb on my shoulders to reach higher heights
• Defend me from bad guys while I fix the truck
• I'll deal with enemies comming from the right while you cover our left flank
• etc.

It's all about situations where players stands in various locations, doing different activities or watching different directions to progress together.

It's mostly LD related and can be build indifferently based on the 2 previous concepts.

It's the core of the Portal 2 coop gameplay :)

Positive : lighter dependency on specific coop systems // You still have clear roles where each player can shine

Negative : risk of more scripted / pre-defined situations // Situation specific = make sure the players understand what they have to do

Of course, it's not one OR the other and the 3 concepts can (should?) be merged together for a better and more diverse experience.

Don't miss the next post >> in "About Coop - Part 2" we'll get emotional...

Challenge on demand

Difficulty balancing is never an easy task : too easy and the game gets boring, too hard, and most players won't enjoy it.
Worse than that, everyone is different and some enjoy hard core difficulty while others prefer a smooth ride.

 VS

Who else better than the player himself knows what he is ready to face?
That's where the concept of "Challenge on Demand" comes from.

The idea is to have an average difficulty on the critical path but offer the exciting spikes of extra optional challenges to those who want it :)

BIOSHOCK
One of the best idea of Bioshock is exactly that : Big Daddies are challenge on demand.
You explore a level, work on your objectives, cross the path of the dreadful big daddies, defeat splicers, collect ammo and plasmids...and wait...you cross the path of big daddies, you see them, but you don't have to fight them!

Of course killing big dadies will allow you to reach the little sisters and either harvest their adam or rescue them and there's no advantage to leave them alive.

But they key point here is that big daddies are not initially aggressive + they move around.
What it means is that the player decides WHEN and WHERE he'll attack.
You can wait to have more ammo, or just try to fight the beast in an environment that suits you well.
As a player, the choice is yours.

DO IT!
Adding challenge on demand in your level provides the following benefits

• Extra challenge for players who enjoy it while not breaking the critical path for others
• Extra player motivation : to succeed, you must be prepared. It's a non mandatory goal, but it's teasing the player...especially as you are not forced to do it :)
• A way to put emphasis on some interesting gameplay mechanics that didn't fit on the critical path for technical/creative/narrative reasons. (stealth, platform, puzzle, etc)
  You don't like it as a player? Just don't do it :)

Of course it doesn't have to be a boss, it all depends on your game and its gameplay.

OPEN WORLD

They are the perfect setup for it as the player is usually free to go when and where he wants, hence being able to come back to the challenge when he feels ready for it.

RPG and MMORPGs are good at that : you don't have to do group dungeons to reach max level, and you don't need run raids to play, but they are here at your disposal when you have the time and feel ready for it.

Just make sure that they are easy to spot and reach when the player decides he is ready to go for it. (map icon, special landmark, vfx,etc)

OPEN LEVELS

As long as you can backtrack and there are some large bubbles of gameplay available to the player at once, it will work well. 

But make sure that the points of no return (if any) are obvious so the player doesn't miss the opportunity to do the challenge inadvertently. 

LINEAR MISSIONS

In a linear / scripted mission, it can be more tricky to add challenge on demand, but it's still feasable.

Drop your challenge as a "super obvious" dormant threat on the critical path so the player can't miss it but might think twice before attempting it.

Or just build it on the side of the critical path making sure it's easy to notice.

Of course, It's best if you can replay the mission later on.

As a general conclusion, I'd like to add that as long as the player knows what he has to do and what he can do in the game, it's always better to give him more freedom than not enough :)

Level Design Checklist

This is the big check list I go through from time to time when I work on a level, just to make sure I haven't forgotten something important.

Not all the points apply to any map (i.e. What about emotional involvement in a death-match arena ^^) but I'd rather skip it upon reading than not finding it or having to browse through various lists.
Some of them are just there as a reminder that "It can sometimes be fun...just think about it" (i.e. Reuse space and backtracking)

• Check level versus blueprint and initially defined core values?
• Orientation : Where you are, where you go, what are your options
• Strong and Memorable moments : Identify them. Tech + prod feasability.
• Pacing and Game Rythm in line with high level intentions
• Diversity : avoid tasteless, repetitive and monotonous action
• Create motivation, goals, and give back rewards
• Surprise the player, make him wait for the unexpected
• Emotional Involvement : choice for the player, powerful situations
• Don't do everything at the same time (narrative, gameplay, tech show off)
• Define the passive narrative of your locations (Every place has a story to tell)
• Reuse space and backtracking : once a place is learned by player, reuse it with new objectives and challenges
• Layered Gameplay (game on demand) : Deliver the core experience, and think of bonuses and extra / side missions. (Bonus narrative, Bonus difficulty steps)
• Half the player choices should come from the level itself : positioning yourself, choosing your path and challenge, using interactive element to modify the area (close/open access or covers, switch On/Off gameplay modifiers, hinder your opponent and make it your place, etc)
• No dead ends (backtracking with new gameplay can be OK)
• Clear Objective and sub goals. Is pacing OK ?
• Always something animated / moving in the scenery
• Identify choke points, attractors and repulsors
• Learning setups (teaching new stuff to the player)
• Check contrasts : layout and volumes (big / small), action pacing (quiet, frenzy), lonely vs busy nest, player in control or not
• Objective and sub goals accomplishment feel cool (special setup, cut scene, etc)
• Present the rewards, tease the player with it
• Narrative twist, Action twist (things don't go as expected)

As a lead, it can be useful to add your specific project points, remove those irrelevant and build a grid to share with your LD for easy tracking.

General Pacing Guidelines

In any mission or story driven game, pacing plays a big role, and a good level starts with a good pacing structure.
You don't want your level to feel flat and boring and you can't expect the player be at
200% tension level for hours.
More than that, it's contrast in your pacing that will make the powerful moment even more powerful.

There are countless ways to arrange the pacing of a level, and the game blueprint / narrative will of course drive the experience, but unless you are following something special, you can rely on the following structure as a base.

ABOUT OBJECTIVES
In a traditional story driven game, objectives not only guide the player, but they are directly link to gratification and the feeling of accomplishment.

Two simple guidelines here : don't make it too long, and keep it clear and simple.

• LONG TERM OBJECTIVE - 45 mins max
  They are usually key objectives leading to some big adventure progression step.
  They are long enough for the player to feel like they've done something and long enough for the game to deliver a lot of experience.
  i.e. Destroy the nuclear weapon factory (35 mins)
• SUB GOALS - 15 mins max
  Those are the sub steps of the Long Term Objective, delivered in bite size format.
  They are short enough so the player is constantly feeling like "I'm alost done...just a couple more minutes".
  Sub Goals will drive the player AND provide small victories/gratification for the player.
  Note that sub goal should individually follow the same pacing structure : Exposition > Build Up > Climax > Breath!
  i.e. Infiltrate the factory perimeter (5 mins) // Sabotage the power generator (10 mins) // Place explosive Charges x3 (10 mins) // Free the Prisoners (5 mins) // Blow up the factory (5mins)

TYPICAL TENSION TIMELINE

Exposition

• Safe Place to present the next objective
• "Sell" what's coming next

i.e. In our "Destroy the weapon Factory" example, we could find our player gliding from a parachute and landing close from the facility while being briefed about the mission.
The player would then have to deal with patrols, find a breach in the wall, kill sentinels and get in.
In this exposition section, we can build up on the same curve and our climax would be the fight against sentinel while a safe place would be available right after you break in.(--> get inside the perimeter through a building, good for streaming...good for pacing ^^) Notice the sense of accomplishment when you get inside and the sub goal updates itself.

Opposition

• Damn it! Bigger problems than expected...
• ...but wait...there's a solution
• This is where the mission core gameplay begins

i.e. In our example, we would discover that the factory is protected by heavy automated turret, requiring an extra step : cutting the local power generator to ease things a bit.
Player would have to fight it's way to the generator (side building) before destroying it.
Again, build up as you fight to reach the protected generator, and brief moment of calm when you destroy it. (sense of accomplishment upon destruction)

Spice Up / Ramp Up

• Player is now familiar with mission core gameplay, time to shake him up!
• Let's introduce some new challenge / gameplay modifier / more difficult setups

i.e. In our example, we could introduce a new Shield enemy + blockades choke points protecting the bombing sites. --> need to adjust your tactics a bit to defeat the new NPC + sense of accomplishment every time you pass a choke point and place a new explosive.

Climax

• Make the player feel it's spiralling out of control...
• ...you reach a tension plateau
• Should be short and powerful

i.e. In our example, right when the player triggers the last bomb timer, he learns there are friendly hostages being held in the facility.
There are just a few minutes left to free them and protect them against waves of enemies while the bombs you placed detonates one after the other.

Breath!

• Backt to safety : player needs to catch his breath...
• ...and get emotionally ready to face next challenge.
• It's important to get back to the lowest possible tension.

i.e. In our example, you barely made it alive to the extraction chopper...but can relax a bit as you fly away in the dying sunlight over the sea ^^ Mission accomplished!
But wait...what's this red dot blinking on the radar ?

The overall curve would probably look something like that.

Stealth multipath in small places

Today I'll give you some tips to build multiple paths and rich gameplay in small areas.
Typically, a small place would be corridor of 8m x 8m x 30m which, by video game standards is a really small gameplay space.

Basically it comes down to two things : Verticality and Visual occlusions.
It's mostly about breaking down space into multiple logical gameplay paths and it's a technic I developed and used successfully more than 10 years ago to build Splinter Cell multiplayer levels :)

VERTICALITY
Stop thinking about ground floor only and create paths at various heights.
Layered paths at various heights have the advantage of being easy to read by the player + it usually feels normal that NPC don't see you when you aren't on the same layer.

Note : you might want to break the "Stealth" paths into pieces to force the player into dangerous territories.

OCCLUSIONS
A simple panel, a curtain or a big pipe can create a good occluder creating new paths and places to hide in your layout.
One of the benefits of visual occluder is they are less dependent on light and shadow, and they tend naturally create nice and inviting dark places if you place your lights correctly :)


TYPICAL PROCESS
A - General Layout
Block out the logical flow and layout so your volumes and general connectivity make sense.
In our example, will take the example of a large corridor (Military base?, Warehouse?, Factory?).

B - Add vertical layering
Think of what your place is and how you could add more paths at various heights.
In our case, it will be mid height walkway and a large ceiling pipe.

As  you can see, instead of one single way, we now have 3 potential paths to reach the exit door : ground, walkway, and the pipe under ceiling.

C - Add occluders
In this next step, I've carved some space the area under the walkway and added occluders (crates, car, curtain, etc)
This way, I created an extra path without even eating any space and the area now offers much more potential than the traditional and empty corridor we started with while still having the same footprint.

Note that one benefit of this method is that you naturally build places with inter connected paths that are all sharing the same action space.

C - Balancing Paths
At this point the upper path on the pipe, and the one under the walkway behind the crate would be super safe, so you'll probably want to "cut" those path to force the player out into the dangerous areas.

This can easily be achieved by simply cut the continuous stealth paths and to refine the balancing, you'll want to identify the dangerous areas (typically, the drop at the end of the upper path) and add a few extra occluders / hiding place for emergency situation.

CONCLUSION
Try to think in terms of paths and layers of navigation.
Not only will you get the most out of otherwise boring areas, but it will help you structure your work (connectivity, flow, paths) and have an easiest time balancing your level. (adding/removing access, cutting/adding connections and paths)

Of course, no stealth layout would be complete without an emergency escape path for the player, but this will be for another topic ;)

Memorable Moments

Every game, and every level needs memorable moment.
They are small nuggets of game goodness and I'm sure those old enough still remember the fight against Psycho Mantis in MGS the ascension of mount Hrothgar in Skyrim, or the first time you went "behind the scene" of Aperture laboratories in Portal.

As always, you should first ask yourself : what's the meaning of it? Does it support the game vision?
Memorable moment, should be considered as a tool to deliver the game experience (narrative or gameplay) and for maximum impact, it's always better if it comes in contrast with the previous game area.
i.e. You are winning the war...when the place is shattered by a nuclear explosion // You were crawling through dark tunnels...and you exit in a majestic valley // You were in total control...you loose contact with friendly NPC and you are forced to flee. etc.

POST CARD

One of the easiest MM (memorable moment) to set up is probably a post card, a place where the player will stop a few seconds to stare at a beautiful vista. (can be reinforced with a small cut scene)
I imagine the artists frown at reading the word "easiest" :) but I consider them "easy" in the sense that they usually only involve the Art dept and as long as you don't go crazy on tech constraints, it's not something you'll come back ten times on and you'll still be debugging a week before the gold master ;)
You should check with your art team (or work yourself to find some nice composition) but there are a few easy rules to remember to make it work

• Must be in a quiet place : you'll less likely enjoy the scenery while fighting for your life ^^ + no gameplay = more freedom for artists.
• It's a big reveal : not a vista that slowly reveals itself.
  Typically, you'll want it where : a door opens, you turn a corner, you reach the top of a climbing, etc.
• Send the player in the post card : you've presented a "big tasty cake" and chances are good that the player will want to touch it, visit it.
  The effect will always be stronger if later in game you can reach this beautiful vista you were shown earlier, even if it's just about playing in small chunk of it :)

MEMORABLE GAMEPLAY MOMENT

• Boss Fights First thing that comes in mind when talking about gameplay MM are boss fights.
  They are the best example of something memorable you'll remember and talk with your friends.
  But boss fights represent A LOT of work and they should not be treated lightly.
• Game ModifiersThis being said, you can create memorable gameplay moments with much cheaper ideas.
  Usually, the best is to twist normal setups by adding a momentary special rule (game modifier)
  i.e. You are in the middle of a fight, and when suddenly the lights go OFF. Now you can only count on your flashlight to orient yourself, and check the muzzle flashes of your enemies to spot them. This unexpected "dark level" could be a memorable experience for your player.
• Introduction of New NPC or new Player tools
  When you want to bring in a new NPC, it's always a good idea to give it a special treatment, highlighting its strength.
  Note : New enemies can often (should ?) be presented as Mini Boss the first time they appear, especially if the player doesn't have the proper tool to defeat it yet :)
  It can create a MM, and it will make the player feel even better when he finally masters the way to defeat them.

SPECIAL SETUPS

It's usually about going extreme, and at the opposite of what the "regular" action is in a section.
Note : be especially careful with that and as always, make sure it highlights and serves the game experience, as there's nothing worse than being forced to do the opposite of what the game you bought is supposed to deliver. (i.e. not sure anyone would like a stealth section on Serious Sam critical path, or some frantic shooting range gameplay in Thief ^^)

• Think of extreme layouts : you were racing at 300kph for the 1st position on a highway...you are temporarily forced to cross a small village with narrow twisty roads and chickens on the streets. (think Contrasts!)
• Think of interactive objects : you are used to fire your machine gun at hordes of enemies...when you enter a building full of highly explosive canisters. (again, think contrasts)
  You were used to take cover at walls corners, but you find yourself in an open space where walls are made of glass...
• Think of dynamic Layouts : you were running in ancient underground ruins to escape danger when a big explosion (an earthquake, or a powerful enemy, etc) shakes the area, tearing the walls and floors down, leaving you only with a narrow path and a few small islands of floors to move forward.
  A note about the previous example : it's must easier/cheaper to just "flip" the level in one big event (use a cut scene to make it more powerful) compared to building a full scripted escape scenes with triggered collapsing and dynamic path changes every 2 steps. (tip : keep the triggered scripted elements for visual event not affecting gameplay ;) )

NARRATIVE

Story twists and introduction of new characters are obviously memorable moments and should be treated accordingly.

And don't forget that passive narrative (when the setup itself let the player imagine what happened here) can be as strong as a cut scene.

MERGE IT ALL !

Of course, you can merge some or all of those categories and try to build super powerful moments but this will raise the complexity and difficulty level exponentially.
In fact, those incredible memorable moments are very complicated to build and they usually end up being the work of specialized multi talented strike teams spending months just to build a few minutes of those exceptional moments. Know your limits ;)

Orientation

A game is about having fun playing with the rules and given constraints to reach a goal.
How can you have fun if you find yourself lost ? You won't play with the game, you'll endure it.

WHERE'S MY GOAL
As much as possible, the player should see the goal (or the next mission step) from where he stands.
Not that I don't like UI markers, but it's always better if you can make it feel natural and transparent in Level Design.

• Make the goal stand out>> i.e. a distant tower, smoke raising in the sky, or any visible landmark that stands out.
• Make the goal close and visible...
  but the gameplay to reach it is long : chasm to cross, defence system to first neutralize, or any logical key you need to reach it.
  i.e. the precious crown jewel stands right in front of you, but it's protected by a glass dome, an alarm, guards and I first need to unlock doors on my escape path.
  Note : you can use this to create interesting twists. i.e. "I was about to free the prisoners when a patrol came in. Now I need to get rid of guards and shut down the alarm system."

You get the idea : for a player, seeing the objective builds up motivation. "I'm almost there..."

That's definitely something you want ;)

HOW DO I REACH IT

It always helps if you can build a progression logic to drive the player.
The idea is to link progression toward the objective with some recurring and obvious element in your level setup.

i.e. If the goal is to sabotage drain pumps deep in the sewers network "going down" could be the progression logic element.
The player will naturally realize that the deeper he goes, the close he gets from his goal.

You can do this with any progressive visible (or audible) element like light / darkness, fog, etc. that the player can easily associate with his current goal and measure in terms of progression. (I'm getting closer!)

WHERE AM I ?

Nothing worse than ending a fight, and wondering where to go next.

So here is a list of things you can use for orientation and how well they work followed by things you should avoid and how badly they affect orientation.

The Good +++

• ++++++ Slopes and steps (a way up, and down) : often forgotten, but super powerful. Works everywhere (even in a tube!)
• +++++ Visible Landmarks : Obvious, natural, efficient. Use it :)
• +++ Lighting : if you have a nice sunset (or any directional light setup) it will help.
• +++ Foreseeable Path : It's about putting visual clues allowing the player to guess what comes further down the path . i.e. I see some ice on this entrance, it's going to the cold side, I see some fish nets hanging in the street, it's leading to the docks, etc)
• +++ Bright / Animated highlights : use light and animated visual to drive the player attention to things you want him so see (exit to the next section, objective, etc.)
• ++ Color codes : they usually tend to be abstract and blend into the scenery. It night be clear for you, but not for the player.
• + Signs : it costs to read it (not pleasant), and usually, player don't pay attention to it.

The Bad ---

• ----- Symmetry : It's especially true if the dressing is the same all around (i.e. Big room)
• ---- Twists and turns (especially when in narrow passages). I know, visibility and streaming sometimes needs it, but it hurts ^^
• --- Illogical layout setups that defy common sense / knowledge

All those orientation problem are especially important in Open Levels and Multiplayer maps.