A little about me before I start this. I’m Harlan. I’m a game designer. The game industry is relatively small where I’m from, so I’m developing games as a side-thing for the time being. One of my biggest goals as a game developer, in short, is, “To get the broad human population to appreciate artistically significant experiences in video games, even gamers who consider pieces like The Walking Dead: Season One or Life is Strange to be ‘not real games.’”

I’m about to start a new game project! Below are my first reflections on what the game could be. I’ll go over my main focus, limitations, then, finally, aspects of replayability that I may incorporate.

As the main focus, I want to implement a style gauge, like in the Devil May Cry series. Why? Because the mechanic is underused, despite probably being a REALLY effective way to encourage player experimentation, encouraging them to branch out from the critical path and, for example, “attack with the move that leaves me open to attack – but it’ll be stylish!”

However, before I consider more gameplay, I’ll outline other limitations. First, timeframe: as an indie game focused on illustrating the versatility of a certain game mechanic – and developed by a relatively-junior developer – the project will be small with a goal for a playthrough time of a half-hour.

The second limitation is graphics, 3D or 2D? Given artist availability and player expectations, 3D is best. It is true that, in my experience, 2D games are easier; they, at least, seem quicker and the aesthetic is easier to control. Game-based 3D animation, however, is becoming a larger field with more post-secondary programs and competition, so if I go 3D, I can “do more good” by creating an opportunity for a 3D artist or two. Lastly, there is a player base that I hope to reach; they seek AAA experiences and usually avoid “indie-looking” games.

With these limitations clarified. I’m guessing this new project will take 6 - 12 months.

With a style gauge and short playthroughs in my plans, I should also consider replayability.

Various mechanics are used in games – like the Devil May Cry series or The Binding of Isaac – to extent total playtime beyond a single playthrough. Many of these games have short playthrough times and deep systems, so the players hunger for more. Below, I remind myself of some mechanics that make a game feel different in subsequent playthroughs:

- costumes

- new weapons

- new dialogue choices

- new combo trees

- social interactions

- level branching

- plot branching

- companions (with whom do you foster the strongest friendships?”

- different playable characters

- different music

- different environmental effects

- limited time events

- social media or real life integration

- procedural generation

- leaderboards

- deep systems

- cultural or aesthetic characteristics that do not exist in the current game market

After brainstorming some features, replayability seems to come down to aesthetic changes, non-linear gameplay, and deep systems. I’m not satisfied with that, so I found a YouTube video by Mark Brown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5N4U46QOyeA

It brings up the point that repetition in the Hitman games shortens the gap between player and player-character. The parallel between these two parties is one of my favorite topics in game design; it’s a relationship that fosters massive emotions in dramatic moments, so I might write a blog post about this in the future. But in this case, repetition is used in Hitman to strength that parallel, according to Mark Brown.

Hitman does this by allowing players to succeed in missions, but subsequent plays can create more satisfying completions; these bring players closer to feeling like Agent 47, the calculating assassin. The game incorporates unlockables, like weapons, and challenges, like “sniper-only” as the player learns more about how missions branch. Missions branch heavily too; for example, NPCs react to player actions differently from other NPCs, including targets, or certain locations are only accessible when conditions are met. Eventually, the player participates in a sort of “end game” where 48-hour events occur as new targets in old levels, so the players use their old knowledge to take out the new target who has new habits.

This 48-hour target idea is pretty cool. I wonder if the same mixture of novelty and knowledge can be done without limited time events with procedural targets?

Anyway, that’s enough for now. I’m visiting Montreal right now hoping to establish a life and get involved with the development community. Wish me luck!