This week our class did an exercise in understanding our target audience, and then researching similar games to our own, and seeing how well they were received.
Who is your player?
PC players, maybe mobile as well. Younger audience, preteen. People who don’t have a lot of money (game will be free).
How do they play?
Session length can be relatively short; level-based so maybe game you play between other bigger games downloading, or playing in a little break on your phone.
What motivates them?
People who like scores/getting bigger numbers than other people for bragging rights.
What other games do they play and why?
Other rhythm games, such as Rhythm Heaven and Friday Night Funkin’. People who find it satisfying to press buttons to a beat.
Why would they choose your game?
My game is slightly different, the main game loop consists of not only clicking buttons in time to a beat, but also reaching a goal via movement. I think people may find that interesting, makes it a Rhythm/Puzzle.
What might stop them from playing?
Getting frustrated that they keep losing by bumping into objects or getting caught by spotlights. They may also find it unsatisfying missing beats on purpose to avoid obstacles.
Using Steam Database, I had a look at other comedic indie games (available on PC) with one main mechanic, and had a look at their stats.
Though there are not many people actively playing them unlike AAA or online games, their ratings are all very positive, which gives me hope for my possible game.
Ricky Haggett Lecture
Game studio founder Ricky Haggett came in to give us a lecture about his experience with making games. Though he made it clear that he can’t speak for everyone, his advice and insight was incredibly useful.
Unlike many other game studios it seems, his studio (Hollow Ponds) seems to have a very relaxed workflow compared to the stereotypical ‘crunch’ AAA games are well known for.
He put a big emphasis on not forcing ideas, letting everyone chip in with ideas they had, and never putting anyone on a pedestal.
After letting him play my current prototype (see end of Week 4) without telling him any context other than using arrow keys to move, he (to my surprise) had a lot of positive things to say:
- Liked the camera angle.
- Thinks I should lean in to the sound effects and add even more, for example, adding ‘ouch’ sound randomly to movement to make spamming forward funnier (spamming will be needed to avoid spotlights).
- Should change level design slightly to make it clear where players should/can go.
- Add shadows to boxes.
- Overall found it funny, “I have no notes”.
Before this I was pretty put off and sick of my prototype as I couldn’t get the rhythm mechanic to work, but after giving Ricky the context for my game he told me that he doesn’t think I even need to make it a rhythm game.
Mason agreed, saying that she thinks that the HUD for the rhythm mechanic would actually obscure the players vision and take them out of the funny 3D experience, which would go against what I want for the game.
For sound effects, Ricky recommended looking at Baby Steps, a comedic game in which the main character will moan and complain sometimes when walking.
This is a similar thing I may want to add to my game, adding sound effects that only play every now and then to catch players off guard and hopefully add comedic value.
For pacing of the game, Ricky recommended I have a look at Johann Sebastian Joust, a physical multiplayer game in which players have PS motion controllers, and their goals are to knock each other out whilst listening to music by Johann Sebastian Bach.
As seen in the video below, how fast the players move depends on the music tempo. If the music is slow, they must be slow, if the music is fast, players can be fast too.
I think this will be an incredibly good and funny thing to consider for my game, as it will allow for strategy without worrying about a rhythm mechanic.
Prototype Update
- Added more sound effects; turning left and right makes bone cracking noises instead of shoes squeaking, added ‘urgh’ sound effect that has a 15% chance of playing every 10 steps.
- Added placeholder ‘Audience Notice Meter’ (doesn’t function).
Playtesting Feedback
Below are the write-ups of my classmates playtesting my prototype one final time before I make my final adjustments and upload it to itch.io. I watched them play, mode notes of behaviours, patterns, and commentary they made, before asking them two final questions at the end:
- Is it funny?
- Is movement fun? If not, any suggestions on how to make it more so?
ECHO:
He was laughing, but also thinks the gameplay might become tedious/repetitive. Thinks I should add more safe points. Could also try holding button instead of spamming? Found fingers were going numb. Can also make it a little easier for first time players.
XIAOLIN:
Thinks I should add a map to see birds eye view of stage to judge where lights are. Vary movement speed. Beginning tell player the aim. Make more interesting things happen cause after 5 mins they might get bored after failing many times. For example, maybe add a banana peel, you can press the peel to slide or something.
TONY:
Was also laughing. Liked the movement/spamming but joked about needing bigger keyboard. Thinks it’s slightly too difficult, often didn’t understand why he had been reset/sent to beginning. Was surprised I could complete it.
ISSY:
Admits she is easily irritated, so maybe not target audience. Was trying same path over and over again. Agreed with XiaoLin, thinks it needs a mini-map. Even in frustration she thought it was incredibly funny. Thinks movement is good, but found level slightly too difficult.
MARK:
Laughed. Hurt his finger to spam. Suggested I make the path more clear. Was a few times he didn’t understand why he died. Often thought he couldn’t go the way where you actually could go/is the correct way (he found that the gap where the player is meant to go too narrow). Said the same as Echo, thinks maybe holding forward would be better instead of spamming. Got annoyed that he couldn’t complete it.
In summary, most people thought the game could become repetitive, that I should change/improve the level design, and that the movement controls could be altered.
However, that said, everyone thought is was funny and was laughing at some point during their playthrough, which was my design intention.
Final Prototype Update
- Added placeholder mini-map.
- Background track now speeds up and slows down.
Given more time, I think I would have liked to play around more with level design, and make it more clear where players are meant to be going (more distinct paths rather than large empty spaces).
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