RE: Breakout... (was Space Duel mod)

> Arkanoid added complexity in interactions (why the hell does this
> brick
> give me a powerup??), not complexity in the give and take between
> venue
> and interactions. Made the game seem arbitrary and not necessiarily
> fair. Almost like being in a western where all of a sudden Aliens
> appear and snatch the bad guy before the shootout. Yeah, the director
> can do it, but it breaks the "rules" of the illusion.
>
My main rule of thumb for a "fun" game is rather simple: if I die, I
should feel that it was my fault. Random "badness" is usually a cheap
way to add "difficulty" and as such I somewhat frown on it. I'm not
keen on just making things faster until the player has no chance either.
(Actually, Breakout kinda takes this approach depending on the skill
level of the player.)

I don't necessarily agree with your contention that complexity in
interactions is a bad thing though. Similarly, random events (and the
resultant requirement that the player deal with them) can be a good
thing.

Think about Bubble Bobble-- lots of random prizes and whatnot in there
to entice the user to take chances for the possibility of greater
rewards. I felt Arkanoid was the same way-- I can play the game and
ignore the "prizes" that fall down the screen without being penalized.
The "beasties" that appeared to make your life difficult are really no
different than a Baiter in Defender or a Saucer in Asteroids-- they're
something of a "hurry up" penalty.

I know that if I grab the "red" capsule as it falls, I get the coveted
"laser" to shoot bricks. Since I like that device as a player, I'm
willing to take risks to get the laser-- even though I risk missing my
ball as it bounces back to do so. I think it adds a new strategy to the
game. The fact that it appears "randomly" isn't much of an issue to
me-- most people think the fruit travels "randomly" in the maze in Ms.
Pacman, or saucers appear at "random" intervals in Asteroids. For all I
know, the reason "brick X" in Arkanoid drops the laser is because I just
hit my 14th brick from the right hand side in the last 34 seconds and my
score is under 10000 and I've been playing over a minute... Might as
well be random... ;-)

My reasoning about having a bad guy that could snag your ball-- was
kinda like getting a ship captured in Galaga. If you're careful, you
get it back with the reward of having double firepower. Screw up and
your ship is gone... (How many times have you "let" your last Galaga
ship get captured only to realize that you just ended your own game. ;-)

I do *sorta* see your point about old vs. new school, but I'm not sure
that I agree how it applies. You can look at Breakout on a variety of
levels-- one is clear the bricks, one is keep the ball in play.
Arkanoid is essentially the same ruleset and goal, just with more
dressings...

        My 2000 millicents on why old games cool and new games are K00L.
Of
        course, one of the advantages of writing your own games is being
        perfectly justified to ignore people like me ;-)

One of the greater joys of autocracy... ;-) Just kidd'n.

-Clay
Received on Tue May 4 19:31:18 1999