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| Lock Mechanisms in Game Design |
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Gaiiden GDNet Content Lead Member since: 8/30/2000 From: Lincroft, NJ, United States |
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 Posted - 6/19/2001 2:19:58 AM |
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| *applause* Very well-written article, Jonathan. I must say I never considered such features to be Locks and Keys. Being a long-time Zelda fan I'm no stranger to the topic, but thinking of it like that just escaped me! Zelda is definetly on par with what you described in Castelvania, and makes another shining example of how to correctly use Locks and Keys. Again, good job - hope to see some more good stuff. ============================== "Need more eeenput..." - #5, "Short Circuit" ============================== |
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Anonymous Poster |
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 Posted - 6/19/2001 2:49:51 AM |
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| Indeed, that was a really great article! It was frightening to notice how much games had locks but I just hadn't thought that way. (Zelda, Ultima 8 etc...). |
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Gaiiden GDNet Content Lead Member since: 8/30/2000 From: Lincroft, NJ, United States |
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Posted - 6/19/2001 11:23:49 AM |
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Hmmm... actually now that I think of it I've been asked to write for an upcoming Charles River Media book Game Design Methods. I think this would be a nice contribution to it. Jon if you read this please contact me at gaiiden@hotmail.com so I can give you the info. There should still be some room left for you  ============================== "Need more eeenput..." - #5, "Short Circuit" ============================== |
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ihtamwtf Member since: 6/19/2001 |
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 Posted - 6/19/2001 1:01:28 PM |
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| Hmmm... fairly well-written piece with a major flaw - it didn't mention Zelda at all!?! Zelda was the first game to use what you're calling "locks" as a well-designed, MAJOR part of the game. If you're going to go around writing articles about "locks" you should at least pay passing tribute to the best-ever use of them. Edited by - ihtamwtf on June 19, 2001 1:04:47 PM Edited by - ihtamwtf on June 20, 2001 2:45:23 PM |
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Oluseyi Staff Member since: 5/14/2001 From: New York, NY, United States |
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Posted - 6/19/2001 3:55:01 PM |
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| One interesting modification that I think sees too little execution time is the possibilities of many Keys for a given Lock or Locks. Say there's a big, steel door denying access to a service area; this door is impervious to small firearms, so your pistol and SMG do no good (and possibly harm due to ricocheting bullets). Now you could find the access card that allows you to go anywhere the original owner had permission to, or you could get the rocket launcher, the C-4 plastic explosive or the datacard hack unit. The rocket launcher will give you access to any place that is blocked by a destuctable door. The C-4 will also give you physical access, but you'll need to set and detonate charges each time - which just might advertise your presence (you think?) The datacard hack, OTOH, interfaces with any card system and attempts to spoof a valid id. It could give you physical access as well as priviledges within the complex - systems activation and so on, which will affect how you play the game. Another issue is the linearity that most implementations of Locks force on the player. We're almost all familiar with the old import Adventure/RPG games that wouldn't allow you to go on until you had delivered a letter or seen the "wise old man". Bad uses of Locks, yes, but also perhaps safeguards against the need to backtrack. All in all an excellent article. Well done! |
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Anonymous Poster |
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Posted - 6/19/2001 9:48:05 PM |
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| I enjoyed the article. This is one of the reasons why I never really enjoyed playing most single player first person shooters. They tend to abuse "locked doors" greatly. |
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Outworlder Member since: 3/3/2000 From: Fortaleza, Brazil |
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Posted - 6/19/2001 10:31:51 PM |
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| Somebody mentioned Zelda and Ultima 8 for examples of locks. I would also mention FF3(or 6, depending where you live). Not only it used locks and keys, but halfway through it(just when you think you've explored everything) the world gets "destroyed", meaning that previously open locations were now closed (at least the surviving locations). Not only that but the map changes completely. In my opinion, a great design. You actually have much fun revisiting tha places a year after and seeing how they have changed. Ultima 8 is an okay example. It had many locks, consisting of ordinary keys. The good thing was the introduction of the keyring. You find a key, put it on the keyring, with the others you've already found. When there's need to unlock a door, you just try the keyring on it. If a suitable key is found, it is unlocked. There were also puzzles, locks that required a spell to overcome(like endure heat, to walk over lava, air walk, that enabled you to jump great distances and so on). But it was also a lesson for many people: do not put a lot of places to jump in a RPG game. It makes it BORING. Specially when the spot you're trying to jump to MOVES or keeps SINKING IN THE WATER. Ultima 7: The locks not based on physical keys were awesome. On the bad side, there were plenty of physical keys to find(thanks god most of them were not necessary to finish the game, just bonuses) and on top of that, each and every key were different. At least they had different graphics(sometimes animation, for magic keys). Ultima 9: Okay puzzles. Too much jumping. Too linear. World too small. Okay story. Amazing graphics. The worst inventory system ever. Should I go on? Now, one nobody mentioned: Fallout!!! Yes, Fallout. I've yet to find a more cleverly designed game. It had locks and keys, although physical ones were almost non-existant. Instead, you could use many approaches to get past a situation. If there's a bad guy blocking your entrance somewhere, you could try blowing him up (not always that easy), try talking to him(not always work, and requires a check on your characters skill); if he has a physical key, you could try to steal it, or you could try to lockpick/blow up the door. Most of these were valid ways to get past a given puzzle. Of course, there were doors you couldn't destroy, people almost impossible to kill, etc. But the interesting fact is that the player could try almost anything. Now, anyone remember Doom? Quake? Heretic? Whatever? Compare it to Half-Life. I am a little sleepy, but I can't remember having to find a key in that game. And it was the first First Person Shooter I liked to play single player... Gaiomard Dragon -===(UDIC)===- |
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Just3D Member since: 5/28/2000 From: Houston, TX, United States |
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 Posted - 6/20/2001 1:09:37 AM |
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| I really liked your article, and it played right in to the concept behind two of the greatest games ever made: Blaster Master and Super Metroid. Blaster Master Be Varied - The goal is to upgrade your vehicle to access new areas by means of higher firepower to break walls, the ability to swim, the ability to hover in mid air, and the ability to actually climb up walls. (Now that's varied). Be Efficient - The ability to climb walls is the most exciting aspect of this whole game, because once you do, you are free to travel just about anywhere. Be Useful - The increased firepower lets you take care of your enemies faster, and the wall climbing abilities are applicable in any level. Be Realistic - Well, it was relevant to the game. :-> Relate To Mood - If you are in an underground maze fighting off mutants, why shouldn't you be able to fly and climb on walls? The mood is conveyed nicely. Do Not Overuse - You got seven power-ups, thus seven locks. That is perfect. And then, Super Metroid Be Varied - You can find so many power-ups in this game, the fun never ends! Be Efficient - As soon as you can space jump and speed boost TONS of areas are opened. And the first power-up you get is the one you need for everywhere else in the game, the Morphing Ball. (That's Efficiency). Be Useful - New weapons to take out your foes, space jump to get you to inaccessible places, and a gravity suit so you can move freely in water and resist light lava. Be Realistic - When you are an intergalactic bounty hunter hunting brain-sucking Metroids on an alien planet, I think it's pretty realistic to have super-charged weapons, be able to turn into lightning (Screw Attack), and run faster than light (Speed Boosters). Relate To Mood - Every new power-up adds to the eerie mood of this classic. You must use all of them to defeat the last boss: Mother Brain. And the last level (Tourian) flows perfectly with the creepy mood and the power-ups that you have with you. Do Not Overuse - The locks in this game flow PERFECTLY with the game's story and play. My point is that not only does proper use of locks generate good games, proper use of locks have been the idea behind the absolute BEST games. Thanks again for a great article. (P.S.: I also love Castlevania: SOTN and the others in the series and consider them part of the best also). Edited by - Just3D on June 20, 2001 1:13:49 AM |
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Just3D Member since: 5/28/2000 From: Houston, TX, United States |
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Posted - 6/20/2001 1:27:11 AM |
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| A quick note on Zelda: Zelda was made by Nintendo (of course) and Nintendo shows very good use of this key/lock principle. The original Metroid came out the same year as Zelda (I'm not sure which one was first) which had the same EXCELLENT aspects as Super Metroid. (It ought to right?, it was the original). I guess what I'm trying to say is this: Zelda was a great game too, but it would be wrong to overlook the other great (I consider the original Metroid up there with it's sequals) Nintendo games of the same era. Edited by - Just3D on June 20, 2001 1:28:09 AM |
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furby100 Member since: 3/13/2000 From: London, United Kingdom |
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Posted - 6/21/2001 3:50:18 PM |
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| In Zelda on the Game Boy, certain places were blocked off by pits, so you could only access them after you gained jumping ability. Then, certain areas were blocked by stones/pots you needed extra strength from. Also, before you get a sword you can't get into the mysterious forest. Which is good, because you therefore can't get into the dungeon without a sword. |
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Jonathon Member since: 2/15/2001 From: New York, USA |
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 Posted - 6/22/2001 12:02:02 PM |
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| Hey everyone! Thank you so much for taking the time to discuss the article. I'm pretty new at this writing stuff, and I need all the help I can get. I'm glad to hear games like Zelda, Blaster Master, Super Metroid and Final Fantasy mentioned. It doesn't surprise me that the best games have made good use of lock mechanisms. I think that paying attention to such details is bound to improve the quality of any game. Of course, those games also do many other things well. It's also good to see that you guys are analyzing games in order to assess how what was discussed in the article relates to the real world of game development. I am very happy about that. It makes me feel that I have been able to contribute something. I was pretty surprised to see such a formal analysis, Just3D! But it was certainly good to read. Also, I'm glad that Oluseyi mentioned the possibility of making several keys available for one lock. That is very important, and it is something which I didn't even think to include in the article. But that sort of system can really add to player freedom, which is a very important concept in game design. Furby100 also touched on the idea of using locks to make sure that the player doesn't advance to a dangerous area wholly unprepared. That is an excellent reason to implement a lock mechanism. And I'm glad Outworlder mentioned the way a landscape can change, so that it is fun for the player to re-explore a game area. That's something that Castlevania did well, but I would like to see other games do it as well. Thanks, Galiden, for mentioning the Laramee book project. I'm planning an article for that. Unfortunately, they won't use any previously published work. So this article won't be featured. But thank you very much for considering me! Thanks, everybody, for your feedback. I really appreciate it! Jonathon quote: |
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Gaiiden GDNet Content Lead Member since: 8/30/2000 From: Lincroft, NJ, United States |
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Posted - 6/22/2001 12:33:27 PM |
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quote: Hmmm, that's right, it's in the contributor agreement. I almost did the same thing but got Dave to stop it in time Look forward to seeing your article in the book!============================== "Need more eeenput..." - #5, "Short Circuit" ============================== |
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Conner McCloud Member since: 1/28/2001 From: Golden, CO, United States |
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Posted - 7/5/2001 8:51:09 PM |
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| I'd like to say two things. First, I think it's worth pointing out that, in RPGs at least, 'locks' that further the story are a little different than 'locks' that just open up new areas of dungeons and such. Without overusing these sorts of locks there'd be no story, and in many RPGs the story being told is just as, if not more, important than the gameplay itself. Two, you guys give Zelda considerably more credit than it deserves. Yes, it is one of the greatest games ever made. Yes, it is immensly fun. Yes, at the time it was revolutionary. But not anymore. Each dungeon had 1 special item, which allowed you to get through the next dungeon and get it's special item, which allowed you to get through the next dungeon and get it's special item...do we see a pattern developing? Plus there were several regular old keys lying around in every dungeon to get through locked doors, not to mention the countless doors which couldn't be opened if the opponents in the room hadn't been killed. He was right not to mention Zelda, except possibly to mark the progression games have made since the days when there were *just* locked doors with keys lying around somewhere. Zelda was better than anything out there at the time, but there are numerous better examples available now. CM |
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theta4 Member since: 1/11/2008 |
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 Posted - 3/19/2008 7:40:41 PM |
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| Great article! Well written. It gave me a lot of insight into the lock/key concept. Slightly off topic, but I would like to mention the game "Luigi's Mansion". In my opinion this game overused the lock/key concept WAAAY too much. You suck up a ghost, you get a key. You suck up another ghost, you get a key. Then, you suck up a really hard ghost, and get a really fancy key! But there were other locks and keys. In different parts of the game Luigi gains use of a new ability: fire, water, and ice. You would gain the ability to spray water and proceed to put out a fire blocking a doorway. But then, behind the door is--you guessed it--another ghost and another key. In contrast, there is a game called "Paper Mario TTYD" (no that is not supposed to say TTYL). In this game, the player comes across obstacles that can only be overcome by a new ability, whether it be one of Mario's abilities, or one of the members of his party. However, some of these abilities quickly lost their usefulness because there were no more of such obstacles. For example, in the game Vivian, a member of Mario's party, can disappear into the ground and take Mario with her. But this ability is used very little outside the chapter in which we meet Vivian. Also, certain keys such as the Puni Orb and the Glitzville Blimp Ticket are never used in the story after the point of acquisition. They are used later, but not to progress the story, and become one more "special item" sitting in your inventory. *sigh* Keep up the good writing! --theta |
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