Are training levels good? Or is it better to design an in-game tutorial system where the things that you encounter at the start are fairly easy to do / use? Exo is foregoing the "training-level" to increase the dramatic impact of the game. Arx Fatalis ("a spiritual-successor to Ultima Underworld") is also doing this check the new fansite at www.stygianabyss.com

quote: Original post by Ketchaval

Are training levels good? Or is it better to design an in-game tutorial system where the things that you encounter at the start are fairly easy to do / use?

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This is different how?

I think starting a game off with "training" levels is a much better idea than a "tutorial" option. If done correctly, you can pull the player into the game world to the player in a more dramatic way, while at the same time making for a more pallatable introduction to the game''s controls.
Tutorials can, of course, accomplish this too, but having the tutorial be part of the game is much more immersive.

Ie. Do they go through a Now click on the Training Dummy to shoot it level, Try again, Good player. = Not very dramatic.

Or do they learn as they go (with a bit of guidance).

I definitely prefer "learn as you go" from a player''s perspective.

However, considering how poorly recieved Black and White''s integrated tutorial start was, I may be in the minority.

I think a training level is better, because you can condense all the training into one part. Then when they play the first level of the game you can get right into the fun stuff.

In my opinion games should not have training levels nor should they immerse you right into the fun. What I would do is to give them players a small quest where they learn basic controls but not advanced ones which he doesn''t need yet. Because some controls and game options are only used later on the game. This quest would give the player enough experience with the controls to start learning by himself new techniques and advanced options of the game. But all this would have to be done by an in game assistant and not by the game program itself.

Like in Mario 64 where Toad tells you about the special moves Mario has. And in Zelda 64 where NPC''s give him hints on how to use his abilities. All this adds the fun to it.

In Zelda 64 the training quest is where you need to get the basic Sword, making this a small rewarding quest where the player learns about basic moves.

And all this without any Tutorials that only give a bad look about the game itself.

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I kind of like training levels. At least the ones I found in games such as Thief and Myth. I'm not sure why. It seems like it would be less immersive, but I don't really find it so. Just my opinion.


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Edited by - Nazrix on June 3, 2001 7:20:15 PM

I find the problem with training levels is that since the situations are not "real world" you often don''t grasp their importance or really remember them all that well.

A lot of it depends on your type of game. But I would say a good method is to introduce things as you go along. For example, the first time a player makes it to a place they have to long jump over tell them about the long jump. That way they will remember because the long jump was presented as a solution to a real world problem.

The main difficulty with doing this is if the game is too free-form or is primarily multi-player. In those cases you may have to have a training level.

The other thing is, allow people to skip the tutorial stuff if they want! They may be starting a second game or have played at their friend''s place!

quote: Original post by Ketchaval

Are training levels good? Or is it better to design an in-game tutorial system where the things that you encounter at the start are fairly easy to do / use?

Exo is foregoing the "training-level" to increase the dramatic impact of the game.

Arx Fatalis ("a spiritual-successor to Ultima Underworld")
is also doing this check the new fansite at www.stygianabyss.com

The major problem I see with in-game tutorials is that they hurt replay value. You have to play through a babysitting level or two just to get into the real action. For the more experienced gamer, this is annoying.

I''d rather see very well integrated training levels like the competition rounds in Tachyon: The Fringe or rebel training camps in the X-Wing games; or the Black Mesa Hazard Course from Half-Life or boot camp in Opposing Force. They make you feel like you''re already in the game, and for freaks like me who like to replay, don''t get in the way the second time around.

OTOH, if the training aspect were optional, then I''d have no opinion either way!

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yes, like in Thief and Myth, they are optional.


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