in ,

When “easy mode” isn’t enough: An analysis of unclear lessons in video games, Ars Technica

When “easy mode” isn’t enough: An analysis of unclear lessons in video games, Ars Technica


    

      Loading ready run button? – Hey.

             

Detailed analysis answers why even classics likeSuper Mario Bros.can confuse.

      

          –

  

        

Photoshopped image of Q-Bert video game.

Enlarge/Even the most renowned video games don’t teach their players as well as we all assume, according to a surprisingly comprehensive video cited in this article.

For years, we at Ars Technica have discussed how the video game industry might benefit from tearing down its oldest traditions. This November’sDeath Strandingwill ship with a “very easy” mode, and that inspired us towonder whether other video games should do the same thing. And we loved how theHalo: Master Chief Collectionlaunched in 2014 with an option to hop to any moment within its multi -game library. That prompted us tosuggest that more games should let their owners flip to any ” page “in a game as they pleaseinstead of forcing players to earn their way via challenge.

This week, a gaming and pop-culture critique channel on YouTube looked at the existential question of “video game access “from a wholly different perspective: a year-long analysis of an adult trying video games for the first time in her life. The results, as posted by the channel Razbuten, have been embedded below, and the 20 – minute analysis is fascinating on both a macro and micro level.

Even Mario could learn a thing or two

“What Games Are Like For Someone Who Doesn’t Play Games, “posted by YouTube channel Razbuten.

Instead of calling the video “I made my wife suffer through video games for her first time ever,” Razbuten opted for a title that speaks to the inherent learning curve for anyone new to the hobby. “What Games Are Like For Someone Who Doesn’t Play Games” came as a result of a full year of the host’s wife testing nine video games she’d never played before:Super Mario Bros.,Celeste,Shovel Knight,Portal,Doom(2016),The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim,The Last of Us,Uncharted 2, andDark Souls.

Those nine games were chosen due to their “diverse set of genres and gameplay mechanics, and, well, I liked them, “Razbuten said. The host made clear that no guidance would be given to the player. (This was followed by a joke about the couple’s marriage ending, along with a quickly stated asterisk of “That’s not true.”)

While we’ve seen essays and thinkpieces about the obfuscating “language” of video games and how that can be a barrier for those who didn’t grow up with the hobby, Razbuten’s video shines because it collects and presents clear video proof of his concerns. It starts withSMB‘s Level 1-1, often cited as a masterstroke in game design to teach players how to do things like jump, run, face enemies , and collect a power-up. Razbuten’s video points to the lack of clear “running” instructions inherent in the act of play, however, while he also examines one way that players could organically misunderstand how the iconic Super Mushroom moves around.

The other side-scrolling games in the test revealed their own awkward moments. InCeleste, the crucial act of air-dashing, required to reach distant ledges, is taught to the player with a seemingly innocuous prompt: press a button and an up-diagonal direction at the same time. As a result, the tester thought this was theonlydirection she could dash in, until an accidental button tap showed otherwise. And inShovel Knight, the death condition of having a bag of money appear as a “ghost” confused the tester and left her thinking this was an enemy to be avoided or attacked, not a helpful way to recoup lost items.

Overload

Meanwhile, the tester unsurprisingly got lost in 3D games for various reasons, most commonly due to information overload and unclear onscreen markers. (The video also noted confusion over the fact that, in one computer game, a mouse was needed to move the tester’s perspective, which she didn’t realize was required for nearly five minutes of play.)

More surprising than that was the tester’s issues with a lack of openness and possibility in terms of completing apparent objectives. InDoom 2016, an onscreen marker hints to a required step: walk up to an object, then press the “interact “button to move along. But this test’s player saw the onscreen marker on top of a scary-looking object and tried something else: awkwardly kicking an explosive barrel in the direction of said object, then blowing it up. It didn’t work.

To be fair, a huge number of genres, particularly puzzle, strategy, and sim games, are missing from this video, as are examples of touchscreen games whose inherent tactile perks may solve some of these concerns by default. Still, the video does an interesting job of selling the tester’s familiarity with computers, phones, and technology but not necessarily with the dense, underlying language of how traditional video games work. What’s an “L3” button? Do all games have “run” or “sprint” options built in? If something in the game world looks destructible, why can’t it be destroyed?

The resulting perspective is an interesting mix of rigid and wide open, and it speaks to how even seemingly “accessible” games can stand to make a little more room for brand-new eyes, especially as services likeApple Arcade,Google Stadia, andMicrosoft Project xCloudloom as gaming entry points for people who have otherwise never owned a console.

                                 

                  

Brave Browser
Read More
Payeer

What do you think?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings

We Decided to Go for the Big Rewrite, Hacker News

Misery of a nuclear war between India and Pakistan would be global, Ars Technica

Misery of a nuclear war between India and Pakistan would be global, Ars Technica