User:NaTaHu/sandbox

Game Feel

Game feel (sometimes referred to as "Game juice") is the intangible, tactile sensation experienced when interacting with video games. The term was popularized by the book Game Feel: A Game Designer's Guide to Virtual Sensation [1] written by Steve Swink. The term has no formal definition, but there are many defined ways to improve game feel. The different areas of a game that can be manipulated to improve game feel are: input, response, context, aesthetic, metaphor, and rules.

Game feel is usually attributed to spatial games whose mechanics involve controlling the movement of objects or characters. Since the majority of games are spatial, studies involving game feel mainly focus on the movement and physical interactions between objects in games. The goal of good game feel is to immerse the player in an engaging and rewarding experience. This means removing unnecessary annoyances or distractions. Although the term "game feel" is difficult to explain, players experience good game feel when they do not feel restrained by the any aspect of the game.

Input

Input is the means of connecting player expression to the game's systems. With most video games, the player controls input through a dedicated controller, but in other situations the player can use devices like a touch screen. The implications of which controller is used has a massive effect on game feel. For instance, using a controller's joystick to move a character onscreen has a better tactile feeling than using a virtual joystick on a touchscreen where there is no physical feedback. Classic arcade games, like Centipede, came with unique controls designed specifically for the arcade cabinet; they gave a unique tactile feel that improved the way the player could interact with the game.

Games that rely on good input controls also need to make sure that the player's command are easily repeatable. In most cases, buttons are dedicated to one action so that pressing that button only produces one action; having one button control multiple actions can be confusing and hard to control.

Response

Response is how the game interprets and reacts to player input. When the player presses the jump button, presumably the game character should also jump. If the delay between button press and actual jump action is too large, the jump can feel sluggish and unresponsive. In games where quick reflexes is the main drive, the response from the game should be immediate and blur the difference between pressing a button and simply willing it to happen [<-- fix this].

A critical component to a game's feel is how deliberate the player's actions must be. Reflex-based games require quick, tight controls schemes, but certain games rely on the opposite effect. Games like [game] and Dark Souls famously introduced games where the player's input isn't met with and immediate response from the game.

Context (interaction)

The control of the character must be tight and responsive (or deliberately not so), but in addition, the world the character inhabits must be in tune with the available mechanics.

In terms of spatial games, the motion of the controllable character should be meaningful in its environment. In the Super Mario series, Mario's main action is jumping and his environment is a space which requires it; Mario jumps over pits, he jumps on enemies' heads to kill them, and he ends the level by jumping as high as he can on the flagpole [make diagram]. In racing games, the steering of the cars is equally important to the design of the circuits the car drives on; for instance, a realistic driving simulator would be disengaging if the roads never had any curves.

Aesthetic

Aesthetics (also referred to as "polish") add details that affect the senses of the player.

Visual

Visual aesthetic detail subconsciously informs the player of the subtle interactions between objects in the world. Simple examples include adding particle effects that illustrate dirt being kicked up by a character's feet or water splashing up from a pool when the character jumps in. Another technique for adding visual immersion is to add effects like camera shake to emphasis the weight and vibration when large objects collide.

Visual effects can be added to wow the player instead of immersing them. Games that utilize stylish light effects like bright flashes and bright colors can dazzle the player and add dimension to otherwise boring events. These effects add emphasis to important events.

Audio

The audio in a game should reflect the interactions between the virtual objects.

Metaphor

Metaphor in game feel refers to the

Implications of pre-conceived notions.

External Links

http://www.game-feel.com/ [1]

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/130734/game_feel_the_secret_ingredient.php [2]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fy0aCDmgnxg [3]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=216_5nu4aVQ [4]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmSAG51BybY [5]

Notes:

- "player" or "user"?

- Replace "polish" with "aesthetic"

- Should there be transitions between sections?

Peer Review Group:

- Marvin (Tessiro), Ben (TeaglesCS), Nic (Pickyt), David (Glibjibb)

- Review: Nic & David