Saves Part 2

 The next save method I would like to discuss is the use of checkpoints. I like to break checkpoints into two categories, the strict checkpoints and random checkpoints. A strict checkpoint is a checkpoint that is triggered whenever the player meets a certain criteria such as completing an objective or clearing a room full of enemies. These checkpoints will always occur in every game as long as the criteria are met. Random checkpoints are not set in stone and every user will have different checkpoints. I’m not really sure what the criteria behind random checkpoints are but it seems to do with staying out of combat or letting enough time pass. The final save system that I will describe is the ability to save anywhere at anytime.

       
Checkpoints are controlled by the game and require no assistance from the player. Thus the player never has to worry about remembering to save when they are fully immersed in the game’s atmosphere. Checkpoints also save the player some time if dying is a natural part of game progression such as Limbo where death lingers in every shadow. However my experience with strict checkpoints has been awful. Strict checkpoints suffer from the same problem that plagues manual save points. The designer has to place the checkpoints where he or she believes the player will need them the most. However since most players generally have different levels of skills when playing a game, they will essentially get stuck at different parts of a level. Again you can propose the idea to add in more checkpoints throughout the level but then the player is rushing to the next checkpoint and not really learning why they are failing.

      
Gears of War utilizes this strict checkpoint system but fails at utilizing the system to its fullest. Gears of War on the hardest difficulty forces the player to play defensively and rarely allows for mistakes. I believe the player can only take a few hits before the crimson omen splashes on their screen. I’m generally not a fan of harder difficulties that only change how much damage the player can take and deal but I still managed to play through all the Gears of War games on insane. The problem I had throughout the series was the terribly placed checkpoints. I would usually do fine through an entire segment of a fight but then at last wave of enemies I would get obliterated. It is understandable that I didn’t account for the new type of enemy or maybe I became too aggressive towards the end which leads to my downfall. The last checkpoint is at the beginning of the fight which means I have to sit through an entire fight that I already am capable of defeating. Since I barely had time the first time to see what killed me due to the harsh nature of getting two shotted in the game I try to prepare my self. However I end up dying again trying to learn where the new enemy formation is attacking from. I am again forced to repeat the same battle but this time a bit more weary of doing the same area over and over again which means I’m bound to make a mistake. This cycle repeats it self and leaves a bad taste in my mouth for the series since it has occurred throughout the entire series.

         
Limbo on the other hand has a wonderful strict checkpoint system. Limbo is a platformer with puzzle based elements. While the game is short, the checkpoints are placed strategically at the beginning of every puzzle so that player rarely has to redo an entire puzzle. Strict checkpoints work remarkably because the game’s atmosphere was exceptional. With a simple artistic design and the use of ambient sounds, the automated saving from checkpoints allows the user to play continuously without worrying about pausing the game to save and losing that strong sense of immersion.

           
While I do not know of many games that use a mix of random checkpoints and strict checkpoints, it seems to be a much better system than the strict checkpoint. Randomness is usually looked down upon by players because there is nothing that skill can do about randomness but I believe adding in random checkpoints can help alleviate the frustration of repeating segments. The Halo series seems to use this mix of random and strict checkpoints. After playing through the entire series on Legendary, I found that the check point system is definitely more complex then just stationary checkpoints. I remember quite a few times that after failing about three to five times in a single area that the game would remarkably give me another checkpoint right before the part that I was having trouble in. This has happened many times in all five games which makes me think that Bungie has really worked on making checkpoints work with the user. It seems like the game might run some sort of mini program that checks to see how many times a user attempts a battle and the increases the probability of a checkpoint if the player is slowly progressing. But then again this could all just be in my head and I got really lucky when those checkpoints appeared.

           
The last saving method I can think of is the ability to save anywhere at anytime. This save relies heavily on the user remembering to save or all progress will be lost. This method allows for the most flexibility that can cater to the needs of more players. However remembering to save can be a difficult task especially in games like the Elder Scrolls Series where you become fully immersed in the lands of Vvardenfell, Cyrodiil and Skyrim. I have many accounts of forgetting to save for a few hours and then having an untimely death that forces me to repeat the last few hours of exploration. Fortunately Bethesda has thought of this and added in ways to counter the forgetful player’s dilemma with an autosave feature. They have even improved upon it with their latest installment Skyrim. Autosave would only save when you would rest, wait or entered a building. There was only one auto save file in the earlier games which meant if you rested at the wrong spot and did not have a save for a few hours you were stuck. Skyrim tackles this by allowing up to three autosave files that rotate every time the game autosaves which means there is a higher chance that you won’t lose all your progress. Another game series that uses this save anywhere system is the Pokemon series. This is probably by design of how the games are meant to be played. All the traditional Pokemon games have been on handhelds which meant the player was usually on the go and had play time experiences between a five minute train ride to maybe an hour long bus ride. Thus designers allowed the flexibility to save anywhere so players could pick up right where they left off and play for either a short amount of time to battle a few trainers or for a longer amount of time to actually progress through the story. While the save system did not allow for saving in mid battle, most battles only took maybe a minute to two minutes depending on the difficulty of the trainer which meant that the player could save shortly after.

          
 I believe that should cover most of the save methods used throughout various game genres. I’m sure I have left out a couple that if I ever remember will try to address in a future post but I believe this should be enough on just describing the save mechanics. 

Save that Game!

Disclaimer – I will try to touch upon as many saving methods as possible but most of my knowledge comes from my memory which can be faulty.

Designing a game is really just making decisions about that game. Most people think that a game designer only designs combat systems or player interactions. However a designer has to make sure that all the other aspects are appropriate for this game. These aspects are often over looked by the player when they are done well and are usually reasons for hating a game when they have been implemented poorly. The aspects of game design range from designing the user interface for menus to creating a useful world map. This and the next few entries will focus on discussing the various methods of saving in video games.

Save systems have been around in various forms since the NES days. However many games for the NES did not allow players to save their progress and thus developers had to create games based on this limitation. Developers knew that players should be able to finish the game in one sitting but had to find some way to make sure the games felt long enough to justify a purchase of somewhere between $40 to $60. Some developers tried to increase a game’s longevity through frustratingly difficult gameplay (the original Ninja Gaiden comes to mind, along with Contra). Other developers pushed for more levels but were relatively easy so the player could finish the game in a reasonable amount of time. However to add in replayability developers could add in secret items or collectibles that affect high scores so friends can compete for top scores.

One of the earliest save systems I can think of is the use of passwords. I’m sure many people can remember using passwords in Mega Man X. The password system was great at that time. It allowed players to continue previous plays with most of their abilities intact. Developers could take advantage of this through creating elaborate levels that would be larger since time was not a significant limitation anymore. Players would receive a password after they finish the level and can return the next day to play the next level. The password system had other advantages such as allowing for friends to share passwords and the ability to have passwords work on other cartridges. If your cartridge was lost or broke and you acquired a new copy of the game, passwords ensured that your save file would allow you to continue your progress regardless of what happened to your previous cartridge. One of the main disadvantages of the password system was the complexity of the passwords. The amount of character used for passwords could range from 9 to 20 characters and a single error would often make an invalid password. Also it can be easy to lose a piece of paper with some random letters on it because your mom thinks its just some garbage. Eventually cartridges were equipped with a battery backed RAM that allowed for saved games to be stored after the console was turned off. Nintendo used this technology to allow adventurers to save their progress in their quest to save Princess Zelda in the Legend of Zelda on the NES.

Another save system used frequently is the manual save points. RPG’s use manual save points along with the ability to save anywhere on the world map. The manual save point is usually some spot or item that allows the user to save their progress as many times as they want as long as they can continue to access the save point. Designers could use manual save points to break up a larger dungeon into smaller sections or use it to alter the difficulty of an area. RPGs tend to allow users the ability to fully recover either through an innate ability of the save point or through an item such as a tent. This allows designers to place save points right before a tough boss battle to ensure that the player had a chance to recover from all the battles throughout the dungeon. The only problem is that the designer has to assume where the player will need the save point. Different players get stuck at different places when playing through a game. Thus it is the job of the designer to make sure save points are dispersed at strategic locations by understanding the players need. A designer could place a save every few feet but then the player will feel that the game is more about saving then actually playing. Designers need to justify using save points by placing them either before or after a tough battle or puzzle because nobody likes to do the same thing over and over again.

One of the flaws found in Ninja Gaiden II is the improper placement of save points. During the start of one of the later chapters, the player has to fight about five alternating battles between two enemy types. Each battle is self contained and only features one type of enemy. At the end of the gauntlet is a large circular room with both sets of enemies. While from a design perspective this is great. The smaller sets of both enemies fought individually allow the user to have an idea of what waits for them at the end. However fighting both types of enemies at the same time is a different experience. After losing the battle, I find my self at the start of the gauntlet. I have to fight my way back to the final room through the same enemies that I have already mastered because of the lack of any save point before the end of the gauntlet. This only frustrated me since I was wasting my time fighting the same encounters that I have already mastered when I should be at the final area. Fortunately there is a save point after the final fight so I never had to repeat that fight.

I originally intended this entry to incorporate all my ideas for the save methods but I think it might be better to break up the entry into three sections. The next section will discuss saving anywhere and the usage of checkpoints.

Microsoft's Future

The Xbox 360 debuted late in 2005 and offered two different packages for consumers, a pro console and a core console. The pro bundle came with a twenty gigabyte hard drive and one wireless controller while the core console only came with a wired controller. The only aesthetic difference that I know of is that the pro console had a chrome plated DVD tray while the core console’s DVD tray was white. What is so important about selling two slightly different packages of the console? Well it showed that Microsoft knew that there was a market for people who only needed a basic version of the console. This two product segment approach allows for an increase in sales since people who normally would wait for a price drop have a cheaper alternative from the start. However Microsoft didn’t need any incentive in selling their console since it was sold out for a few months after launch. According to rumors it seems like Microsoft might try something similar to this strategy again with the next generation of consoles.

Supposedly Microsoft plans on releasing a compact version of its current Xbox 360 that will focus on arcade games, Kinect apps and media apps. According to the same rumor the next Xbox will launch a year after this mini version and will play all the same arcade games and apps.  It seems apparent that Microsoft has created an all-in-one entertainment hub with its Xbox 360 at the center. Microsoft has been inching its way to this media focused console ever since the introduction of the Xbox 360. From the start the Xbox 360 was able to stream audio and videos from computers connected to the same network. Eventually through Xbox Live, Microsoft was able to secure a type of On Demand movie service that was eventually incorporated into Microsoft’s Zune Media network and Netflix. With the latest dashboard upgrade Microsoft has updated the user interface to match the Windows 7 Mobile phone interface (which is also the style used in Windows 8) and allowed for various media firms to develop apps to run on the Xbox 360. Apps include things like Facebook, HBO, Netflix, SYFY, Hulu and ESPN. Microsoft understands that customers want the convenience of having all your favorite television programs, music and games in one simple package. Consumers are going to be demanding this sort of device because Xbox Live users are spending more than 50% of the time on Xbox Live watching videos and listening to music

        
Well what should Microsoft focus on doing in the future for this compact Xbox 360? I think they should price the device somewhere around $100 to $150 to compete with Apple TV. Microsoft should also try obtaining more Cable Television Networks to display their content on the 360 eventually allowing the device to be a substitute for cable television boxes. The gaming aspect of the device should not be limited to Kinect apps or arcade games but should embrace new technology. They can essentially use this device to enter the cloud gaming market and compete against OnLive for a part of their market share. Cloud gaming allows the consumer the option to play traditional games if the demand ever arises and lets the customer have a sense of safety if their future demands are uncertain.

It seems that Microsoft has a first mover advantage over Sony and Nintendo in providing an all-in-one media package. It is quite odd to find that Sony hasn’t tried to embrace all these media apps considering the Playstation 3 slogan was “It only does everything.” Sony has however begun using these various apps within its latest handheld, the PS Vita, which indicates that Sony may incorporate apps into future Playsation 3 firmware or the next Sony home console. Nintendo has always been cautious in approaching a media centered device and has tried to keep its consoles strictly as a gaming medium. Microsoft’s future in the gaming industry is going to be determined on how well they can balance providing quality gaming content while still maintaining their advantage in a convenient all-in-one media device. 

About Me

I'll continue with the theme of the last post and describe a little about myself and the types of games I enjoy.

The name of this blog comes actually from something a friend called me in freshmen year of college. One of our friends asked if I was some sort of hardcore/professional gamer type of person and my other friend responded "No hes more of a video game connoisseur" and I guess that thought really stuck with me years later. I believe my skills in playing video games vary somewhere between average and slightly above average. The only games that I'm confident in saying that I'm significantly above average would be the Splinter Cell series and the Batman Arkham Asylum/City games. The earliest console I can remember playing and owning was the NES with games like Super Mario Bros., Batman (1989), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Little Ninja Brothers.  Turn based RPGs are one of my favorite types of games to play but it seems that these types of RPGs are not in popular demand. First person shooters are great but I've gotten to the point where I've played so many that I haven't found any that set themselves apart by innovating the franchises. I enjoy watching and playing survival horror games and I hope one day firms will return to what made the original Resident Evil and Silent Hill so popular and avoid this rush to create games that are heavily action based. I have been a fan of stealth games since I've first played Splinter Cell back in 2002. Most people like to compare Splinter Cell to the Metal Gear Solid series but I feel that both are stealth games that approach the genre differently. Splinter Cell really focuses on using the shadows to remain invisible while the Metal Gear series is more about avoiding line of sight of enemies along with camouflage to blend in the user's surroundings. I will probably write a piece on the differences between the two series and their strengths and weaknesses some time in the future. I try to keep an open mind about new games and will usually try any game that has seemed to have thought out the game mechanics.  Well that's all for now. I'll leave you with some Batman NES music which had an awesome soundtrack but was probably one of the hardest games I've ever tried to play (keyword is tried to play, I don't think I have ever beaten this game).

Enjoy!

I am alpha and omega....

Well I guess the first post I make should be less about video games and more about why I am writing in this blog and what I might end up writing about.

The reason I am writing about the video game industry is to keep a coherent document of all the ideas and thoughts I have of video games. It will also help me to see how my thoughts have changed over time and what I've learned from the past. Its always interesting to see how things have changed over the years by keeping some sort of log or journal entry. Another reason is to gain some feedback on the ideas I have about game design. The feedback will help me when I begin to develop games because I will have already hammered out some of the flaws that people may point out.

I plan to write mainly about various video games and the design behind them. Game design in my opinion includes things such as level design, character design, story layout, user interfaces and game play. I will also discuss my thoughts on new information released such as the specs for the new generation of consoles, cloud gaming, and other related business decisions that firms make. I am a little skeptical about writing reviews since they usually end up being subjective but I'll try to be objective when I do write a review (Batman games are usually going to be heavily skewed to the right, just a little warning ahead of time...). One of the reasons I do not like writing reviews is because my feelings for a game can change with subsequent play through and as the years go on my rating of a game can change drastically. Thus I will most likely forgo the use of a numbered system to avoid putting any superficial number that will probably change by the end of the week. Another topic I will write about is video game music. I've been listening to video game soundtracks as far back as I can remember and I believe they are a large part of developing a game. A soundtrack can make or break the mood for a game and can set an emotional theme. On that note I'll end this entry off with one of the opening songs from Xenogears (the title of the post is the opening lines for this game).