Over the course of many years I have studied and learnt a few tactics to design a successful adventure game. I am yet to implement all the ideas which are buzzing around in my head, but I hope to some day.
I feel thirsty for knowledge about game development, it's rare you find websites like www.zoonami.com (if there's more please tell me!). Please add your thoughts to what I have below, I know the information I have gathered is missing lots of things, please add to it I'd love to hear your thoughts.
I made a youtube video a while back talking about the things I've mentioned below:
Here are some of the things I've discovered about designing the genre of game similar to Metriod or Zelda.
Anticipation
It's incredibly important to always give the player anticipation in a game. Using the story to create suspense, build up a goal to anticipate. More specifically using obstacles to block areas that look exciting. Using a gate to block off an area like a forest or castle, give the player something to look forward to by overcoming that obstacle (showing the visuals to anticipate on the other side of the obstacle before the player can overcome it). Twilight Princess/Ocarina of Time, specifically use visuals such as showing Hyrule Castle/Death Mountain in the background before you actually get to these areas.
Create a visual anticipation, give each area a new look and make it a step up from the previous area's visuals. Which rewards the player for progressing in your game with impressive visuals.
Reward
Always reward the player for completing a challenge and as often as possible, give the player a glimpse of the reward before the challenge to create anticipation. Reward the player for exploring your world, whether it be a chest hiding in a hard to see location, something hiding behind a building, an entrance to a new area, a shortcut between areas (shortcuts in an open ended world are great rewards), Metroid Prime 3 is a great example of that (and everything else I've mentioned). Reward the player for defeating enemies, completing challenges, running around aimlessly and cutting bushes in search of gems, everything in everyway. If the player wants to fool around in your game and do silly stuff, give them the freedom to do so and even reward them for doing so.
Pacing
Reward the player more frequently during the beginning of the game than the later parts. The player wants to feel good for having to go through your tutorial so give them something special for doing it. Look at rewarding as a time thing, in casual games rewards are usually required every 30 seconds for the first 4 or so rewards, the rewards become less frequent after that.
If it's an action adventure game pace the action, your game needs to have areas fighting enemies but never drag it out too long, always have areas inbetween the battles, and battles inbetween the puzzles. You don't want so many slow paced areas the player feels bored but you don't want so many battle areas that the player feels overdone and needing a break. Half Life series is a perfect example of that (the commentary in episode 1 and 2 cover that really well).
Pacing the difficulty of the game, easier during the beginning and more difficult towards the end.
Obstacles and Tools
Obstacles are a significant part to the game, they cause the player to stop, think and actually spend time playing your game. They range from enemies to environments that are not passable without the right equipment.
Introducing the player to an obstacle before they have the means to overcome it is a given in games like Metriod and Zelda. It's a significant part of the reward system, "now that I have a flame thrower I can not only flame those pestering enemies I had trouble beating with my sword earlier, but I can also burn those webs that were blocking my path to those shiny treasure chests." Enemies that are harder to overcome without a tool, obstacles that clearly block really nice items that cannot be removed without a tool you gain later on. The quantity of tools you give your player, the innovation each tool gives, the uniqueness of each item should be evident, it makes the game more interesting that you always have something new to look forward to. Pacing at which to lay these tools into your players palms at a rate that they will keep playing.
That's all that comes to mind at the moment. Please feel free to add your thoughts. I'd really like to hear them!
I'd love to hear your thoughts.
