Photo by Juan Rumimpunu on Unsplash
Welcome back Players. Had some unexpected events, but here we are for another post. The previous post outlined things I’ve had in mind for my dream game. So from this point forward, I’ll be looking towards identifying some concepts needed to get there and practice. Today the inspiration came from asking some internal questions while listening to music. The overall key question is what should I do to be a smooth operator? If I’m becoming a smooth movement operator for good game feel then I’m going to need to look at my tools and get some practice. So to keep all these things in mind, this post will be focused on what movement is in a game and the differences across genres.
Conceptual Movement
Let’s move to a discussing movement in a more general sense first. Some game design speculations are going to pop up during the course but please bear with the mental flight path going on here. Let’s define movement as the method of how one of you, Players, would take something important and change its’ location. This something could be the playable character on the screen whether it is a simple shape, an object, a 2D sprite, or a full 3D character model. Maybe that important thing is something you have to protect or escort so you have to go around with it. There could even be multiple things under your control at the same time!
Every single one of those options is valid if the game is built for them. In other words, how you move around depends on whatever the game’s main purpose. The game industry seemed to have noticed this too even in its’ beginning period if you put your analytical goggles on while revisiting retro games. So Players, this brings to question how does moving around in all these games and genres feel drastically different?
Movement Types
Each genre of game has their own established thing for zipping around on the screen. It makes sense too. Mario and his platforming doesn’t have that same feel as other big iconic characters. You wouldn’t say that Master Chief from the Halo series feels the same as Super Mario right? Their (official) games are in different genres! But even games with the same genre have those subtle differences in physics or unique features. We have action games, platformers, shooters, fighters, and so much more. However we can get a pretty good idea of what to expect by talking about how mechanics vary in their role for a few of them.
Platformers
Platformers, or at least ones that have this as their number one feature, are all about trying to make it from point A to point B. You see a lot of running and jumping while avoiding dangerous hazards and painful collisions with enemies. Sure some elements also make appearances else where, but that’s really the short and sweet way of describing the main goal from a mechanical standpoint. Games like Mario and Crash Bandicoot thrive on that concept as they literally use platforms to make it to the end of that level.
Shooters
Many of the big shooters or action games in general try to keep a fast pace so you can remain invested in the frequent interactions. It’s not uncommon to see someone sprint into cover or crouch in an advantageous perch with a sniper rifle. Regardless of what your tactics are for that battle, the way you get to your goal feels fluid. You need time to ready your aim after all if you’re playing a shooter. You won’t often see someone with a lot of skill and experience come to a full stop to take their shot with something that isn’t a sniper. The movement is smooth to the point where everyone in the game can stay on the move and still function.
Strategy
Strategy games can vary greatly due to complexity, so this little section will be longer. A lot of the time you will be in control of multiple things at once. Some are real time while others are turn based. Personally I enjoy the turn based variety that involve tiles or grids. These games may seem slower compared to some other games at times, but that is because there are many factors at play. You go through the motions of your turn, make your decisions with your units, and adjust your tactics as needed while you go.
The real time strategy games are more streamlined in the sense that you don’t have turns and tend to be more focused on a larger scale. Maybe you’re playing something like the Civilization series and something comes up that calls for a switch in tactics. Honestly you could even throw some battle arena games like League of Legends in here too. Here your unit or units tend to move on their own to do a task you set for them. So you’re most valuable component is time itself.
Regardless of if the game has turns or not, readability is the most important factor for movement in this genre. You want to be able to look at what happened and hatch up a plan of action.
This is a personal tip but try watching replays or another player’s perspective sometime when things aren’t apparent right away. It can be helpful across many different types of games and genres.
Going to Godot
Photo by Thomas Lefebvre on Unsplash
Shifting gears, let’s see what we can do from a programming perspective. Game engines can give a little bit of a head start by providing access to a quick start on moving a sprite or model around. In my case with Godot, I am working with 2D stuff more than 3D right now but do take note that there are options for both dimensions.
I will jump right in with the terms “nodes” and “scenes” since that’s part of Godot’s interface. To the savvy programmers, these are similar to your Classes. People familiar with working inside other engines like Unity will pick up on how these function rather quickly and figure out the nuances from there.
For those that are newer to programming, nodes are comparable to labeled containers. There’s more to it of course but treat nodes a little like a part of one of those anatomy diagrams you’d see in a science class. It’s a bit odd at first, but there’s great potential past the initial learning curve.
You can click here for a link to a helpful 2D overview in Godot’s documentation.
If you already have experience with animating, you can also use those skills here in your game engine’s animation tree. With your art and models in tow, you can visually build up how characters move and tune the coding part. Building a game takes many skills that come together and compliment each other.
Now for just starting out, let’s stick with smaller arcade style practicing. Trying to make something just like your favorite triple A game right out the gate is like trying to scale Mt. Everest without equipment… multiple times. It takes time to train the skills and level up. I have to keep reminding myself of that too.
Choosing the Next Move
If you have a mechanical concept that you want to practice, it’s likely that you can see if it can be formed into a game. Even a blank project that’s there to act as a playground can do a lot for getting familiar with the tools available. Focusing on the topic, let’s make a practice plan!
- Identify one specific aspect
- Come up with a theme
- Set the genre
- Build from there one little thing at a time
For my next practice session, I want to focus on having something in near constant motion after appearing. I can make this arcade style and go with an aquatic theme. It could be a bubble blaster deal that can take some inspiration from the retro game Asteroids.
It’d be simple, but there’s an impressive list of skills being worked on in the game engine from just that.
- Consistent Movement
- Physics
- Collisions
- Obstacle Spawning
- Scene Management
- Scripting
So if there are Players out there just starting out being a developer themselves, give yourself a pat on the back and a congratulations. Keep growing and let your wings expand for both of us.
Moving On
Photo by Dane Deaner on Unsplash
Alright Players. We did quite a bit of theory crafting, but we spent time thinking about movement in games. It’s varied across the different genres, and there are differences within the same group. Both new and experienced developers can turn to their game engine to really take off with their creativity. It’s a vast world out there.
If you’re hopping in with your own creations alongside me, just remember to start small. It’s much easier to plan and move things around if they’re in manageable sized pieces. Games are complex, so even the little things can make a big impact.
As always you can shoot an email my way for any specific questions or concerns. This month has been a trial update wise, but I thank you wholeheartedly for your patience. See you soon for next month’s post, Players.