Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction creative director Brian Allgeier

When we're conducting an interview with a developer, the bulk of our time is generally spent discussing their current project. But after the voice recorder is turned off and the liquor is flowing, the conversation almost inevitably shifts to videogames made by other teams working in the same genre as that developer. For us, it's always fascinating to look at games through the eyes of those who make them, because they sometimes see things differently than does the typical gamer; the same can be said of reviewers who are very knowledgeable about a certain genre, or people who have become experts at a particular game or genre.

As part of our ongoing quest to take the best conversations that are occurring in the shadows and bring them to light, we offer you the new occasional series Make or Break, which asks prominent developers, reviewers and expert gamers to share with us via email the five key features, details, techniques or flaws that they look for in games in the same genre. First up: Brian Allgeier, a 15-year veteran of the videogame industry creative director who's led the design for the Ratchet & Clank series since its inception. Fresh off the just-released Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, Allgeier explains what he looks for in an action/adventure game.

Sometimes being a game designer can take all the fun out of a game. When I play, I often find myself in research mode, taking mental notes on how it was put together and the choices the developers made. I think about the game's overall structure, the moment-to-moment gameplay, and where the developers focused their efforts. Looking at all the strengths and weaknesses, I apply this knowledge to each game I work on with the hope that it will push the envelope, be competitive, and become, well, "fun." I typically look for the following five things that can make or break an action/adventure game:

1. A Beginning with a Bang

Why it Matters: Nowadays more and more games are starting off with a heart pounding opening that gets players on the edge of their seats and keeps them there. Other forms of entertainment like movies, books, and theatre have been doing this for years. A classic example is the typical James Bond movie. They start off with a high intensity action sequence that sets the tone for the film before going into the slow expository scenes that set up the bigger story. Players want to jump into the action immediately rather than getting a series of tutorials in a non-confrontational setting like a boot camp or training facility. While tutorials are necessary to get players started with the basic moves, it does not have to feel like eating peas and carrots before getting dessert. A great opening level can both teach and "wow" players at the same time.

The first level can also serve as a technical showpiece for the game. I find it funny that even back in 1929, films would show off new technology to get the audience excited from the start. For instance the Academy Award winner, "The Broadway Musical," was the first best picture film with sound. It opened with multiple bands in a studio performing a cacophony of different musical styles that showed the audio intensity of what a "talkie" could deliver. In games, many people are motivated to buy them based on graphics and new technology. Why not kick it off with a showcase of amazing graphics, physics, sound, and special effects?

A beginning with a bang can both dazzle and engross players by demonstrating what's in store for them. From a game developer's perspective, we think about when to schedule the level so that it can reap all of the benefits from the lessons learned during production. Planning a level based on both the technological and design discoveries results in a polished and tighter experience unlike the clunky levels that are often produced at the beginning of production. As we've found with Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, the first level can also serve as a great demo. It required no previous training and entices the player with some of the best moments of the game.

Who Got it Right: The first level of God of War II is probably one of the most memorable opening levels that wows the players from the start with the battle of the Colossus of Rhodes. Kratos fights a towering statue in various encounters throughout the city. While the level is a technical marvel and graphically impressive, it's not all fluff. The player starts with all of Kratos' powers that were acquired in the first God of War and is taught how to use them. The tutorials are well paced and at times occur in the midst of some very intense moments. By the end of the level, players have felt empowered, witnessed a grand spectacle, and learned Kratos' basic moves. Other great games that have started off with a bang include BioShock, Metroid Prime, and of course, the original God of War.

2. A Compelling Main Character

Why it Matters: The action/adventure genre can be a difficult genre to categorize, especially when the boundaries between genres are getting more and more blurred. One of the key factors that I believe separates it from other genres is a playable main character that is central to the gameplay and story. Like a great opening level, the character's visual design has a lot of influence on shaping player's first impression of a game. Great characters tell a story simply through their appearance. Whether it's their clothing, an interesting gadget, body tattoos, or an eye patch, there are aspects of the character that make them feel unique and compelling to play.

Of course, no matter how appealing the character might be, the real test is how they control. The camera and character are probably the two biggest challenges faced in developing third person action games. Since the controllable character is over 75 percent of the experience and ties into the moment to moment gameplay, it's critical that the character feels just right and is fun to play for many hours. There are many trade offs that developers make to ensure that the character both looks and feels good during gameplay. They must decide whether a character needs to snap into position to give immediate feedback, which does not always look good visually yet feels good for gameplay. Other times the character will have "anticipation"; they will have a wind up before following through with the action which reads well visually, yet might feel unresponsive due to the delay. A great action hero will pick the right times to be showy and when to be quick and responsive.

Who Got it Right: Nariko from Heavenly Sword has both a great visual design and is a lot of fun to play. She has many nuances in her design that connects to her back story and makes her rise above what could easily have been the generic "hot chick with a sword" video game character. In terms of controls, she has a ton of incredible moves and for the most part feels very responsive when battling hordes of enemies. The secondary motion of her trailing sword swipes and long flowing hair make her fun to watch while she's kicking butt. Combined with a moving storyline and strong character relationships, she's a character that you both care about and enjoy playing.

3. The Pace of the Progression

Why it matters: An engaging action/adventure teaches players new skills, gives them interesting ways to use them, and let's them feel the power of having mastered them. The player's skill progression can feel very rewarding in that each situation challenges the player in different ways and as a result they feel empowered with each new accomplishment. A game with great pacing knows when it's time to teach new lessons and when to go out for recess.

I look for how each part of the game ramps in difficulty and how the designers combined the gameplay elements in clever ways. Most gameplay requires repeating actions and elements yet should not feel repetitive. How each challenge uses the same elements in different combinations can keep the gameplay feeling fresh and interesting. Not only does the player feel smart for figuring out different ways to use the same actions, but they become better at performing those actions with practice.

The communication of the gameplay elements is also important. For players to understand what's going on, the gameplay needs to be communicated consistently and clearly. If red switches open red doors, then they should be consistently red and should always open red doors. While this sounds fairly obvious, I'm amazed at the number of times games break these little rules due to something as simple as the level lighting or a game element is modified to support the story. The more the game world feels consistent and clear, the more confident the player feels in executing what they've learned.

While clever skill progression can make each challenge interesting, the overall game needs to mix up the pace and give players a break from performing same series of actions. Cut scenes and alternate game modes can serve as nice palate cleanser before jumping back into the core gameplay. The overall pace of the difficulty should also be considered. It's important that players have moments of empowerment where they feel like they've mastered their skills and are doing incredible things. Too often games can feel like an endless uphill fight as the game relentlessly increases in difficulty. Once the player has developed some skills, they should be given the opportunity to show off.

Could Have Been Better: While I found the pacing between core combat and alternate game modes in Heavenly Sword to be enjoyable, I was surprised at the lack of power I felt at a key moment in the game. The Heavenly Sword had been taken away, and I was forced to fight some brutal enemies in an arena with my weaker swords. During the middle of the battle, a touching cut scene plays where Nariko is given back the sword. A message popped up and commanded me to "Slaughter" the enemies. After feeling the futility of fighting them with my wimpy swords, I was ready to take them apart. Then I then got my butt kicked and died five times due to my inability to counter their deadly attacks! I was surprised that those particular enemies were not given a disadvantage or made weaker so that I could "slaughter" them effortlessly and feel the power of the weapon that the game was named after!

Who Got it Right: In terms of skill progression, I highly recommend Portal. While it's not necessarily an action/adventure game, I think of it as a great lesson in reusing the same game mechanic and a few gameplay elements to create some ingenious puzzles. A very economically designed game that expertly develops the player's skill set and over time gives them the confidence to perform some incredible stunts by the end of the game. Whenever I see a game that can create hours of fun gameplay in a small section of a world or reuses the same assets in creative ways, I can't help but think about the beauty of the design in that it is simple, satisfying, and has saved the team a lot of work!

4. A Strategic Meta-game

Why it Matters: A meta-game is an overarching game system that ties into the player's more immediate goals. Most meta-games involve an economy or upgrade system. As the player progresses they get more money, upgrade points, and other things that can be spent or used to improve their character's abilities. This adds more depth in that it gives players strategies in how they play the game.

While pacing and progression can keep the gameplay fresh, a solid meta-game can further motivate people to get through the game by giving them additional goals. Players can make tactical decisions on how to manage their resources and choose where to use them. We discovered that in the Ratchet & Clank games, many people found the weapon upgrade system to be a huge motivation for why they would finish the game. While some might have felt indifferent to the story or their level objectives, they did want to find out what happened when their Shard Reaper hit level 5. As a result, many players spent time using there least favorite weapons just so they could get all of the weapons upgraded.

Meta-games can also give people an alternate strategy to get past difficult areas. People like having options and if they don't have the reflexes to get past a particular timing challenge, then it's great to have a meta-game route to progress. Take the hacking challenges in Bioshock: if you do not have the skills to beat the pipeline timed mini-game, you can always spend the money to buy your way past it.

Who Got it Right: One of my favorite meta-games in an action/adventure is the buying and selling system in Resident Evil 4. I consider myself to be an average player and found the boss challenges to be far too difficult. After getting repeatedly pwned by the "Bitores Mendez" boss battle that took place in a barn, I was ready to give up. Fortunately, I was able to trade in some weapons for money, find some more cash around the level, and purchase the missile launcher which allowed me to easily take him out. Overall, I had to work harder to find more cash, but if the meta-game opportunity had not existed, I might have stopped playing early and missed out on an incredible gaming experience.

5. Fulfills the Fantasy

I think most people play action/adventures as a means of escape. They want to become a heroic character and act out a fantasy of being on an amazing adventure. A great game can put players under a spell and get them so immersed in the action that they forget they are playing a video game. Maintaining immersion is the result of the overall presentation and how all the elements of the story, gameplay, graphics, and sound come together to create a believable fantasy that the player can get lost in.

While solid and interesting gameplay is essential for a action/adventure, it's impossible to ignore the importance of graphics and sound. Your rocket launcher might do a whopping 100 points of damage, but it doesn't feel awesome unless the enemies give a deadly scream as they fly through the air and there's a massive explosion that sets the surrounding area on fire while the music intensifies in the background. All of these visceral details contribute to the player's experience and can magnify or diminish the impact of the gameplay.

Story and theme are also critical in how the game is presented--especially in creating cohesion. The lore of the worlds, character back-stories, and themes unite all the elements and create a convincing world for players to explore. One of the biggest challenges developers face is how to communicate the gameplay elements clearly without breaking the immersion. Successful action/adventures find a way to tie all of the gameplay, visual themes, sound, and story elements together to provide a seamless and integrated experience.

Who Got it Right: While being trapped in an underwater dystopia is not necessarily everyone's fantasy, I think BioShock is a great example of game that creates a cohesive and fantastic experience. I was impressed with how all of its gameplay devices are so well integrated into the world and story. The vending machines, level loads, and training messages have been cleverly crafted to keep the player immersed in the game world. This was done so well that when parts of the game do break that fantasy, I found it very jarring. When I encountered the first hacking mini-game (which I enjoyed immensely), I did find that the spell that I had been under was momentarily shattered when I began playing the "pipeline" style mini-game!

The Wrap-Up: As an overall example, I'd have to recommend God of War II--in addition to Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction of course :-) --as being an excellent action adventure that delivers on all five of these "things". What's most telling for me is that while playing it, I slipped out of "research mode" every so often, stopped taking my developer notes, and just got lost in an amazing adventure.