Styles of
Feedback Interface
Visual
Visual information is needed for the player’s survival in
game, and/or winning the game, through text, colour and size.
Iconic
This visual information can be manifested in different ways
on the games screen. These manifestations can represent such things as; Health,
Experience or Ammo. But this information cannot be displayed in the same way as
everything else on the screen, so the best way to display this information is
through colour. ‘The Legend of Zelda’ series uses these methods to their full
ability by displaying information on how much health the player has, how much
ammunition they wield and how much magic they have. The health bar is
represented as hearts which indicate to the player that they must be vital for
their survival.
Colour Psychology
Colour psychology is a huge part in the development of a
video game. Colours can foreshadow what may happen in the game, such as
displaying the colour red to infer that the player is in a dangerous situation,
or increasing the intensity of calm/harmonious colours such as blue or cyan/ beige
or cream. It can also be referred to
what’s important within the game, such as health bars and experience bars. Take
the Pokémon franchise for example. These games use an array of colours that
humans use as a reference to danger or progress. When the chosen Pokémon’s
health is full, the health bar is green; green is a cool, natural colour. It
represents nature and well-being, once the player notices this they will realise
that they are safe and will be able to survive in battle. Once the Pokémon’s
health is half way, its health bar will turn orange; orange is a more alerted
colour as it is a combination of red (a colour that displays danger) and yellow
(a colour that creates joy and amusement). And finally when the Pokémon’s
health bar is nearly empty, it will glow red, which indicates danger. There are
other games that can be frustrating with how they display their health bar and
how they indicate to the player that they are in danger. I find that Skyrim has
a very annoying health indicator; the bar is constantly red, which is
understandable. But during combat, I don’t have time to pay attention to my
characters health. And when I’m in danger of dying within the game, I have no
opportunity to check whether or not I need to replenish my health. It would be
much more helpful if the health bar changed colour or even at least glowed a
little.
Inference
Inference is the variable that interprets actions within the
video game depending on the player’s actions (trying to guess the players next
move). This can involve generating the world around the player depending on the
player’s direction; a game that incorporates this method of inference is
‘Minecraft’. The game generates ‘chunks’ (16 by 16 block sections) of the
Minecraft world depending on which direction the player walks. The game doesn’t
generate the whole world because that would be using too much memory and could
lead to game becoming glitched, slowing down or it could even damage the game
platform. Another method of inference is the video controlling particular none
playable characters so that the player has a challenger whilst playing single
player. This method of inference is used in games like the Fifa franchise. The
opposing team is completely controlled by the game’s artificial intelligence
system, so it has to decide and control the direction of none playable
characters and what they do to challenge the player.
Player Viewpoint
The player is also given feedback depending on their
characters viewpoint which can either be used in first person or third person.
First person allows the player to become more engrossed in the game as it
replicates how the player views the real world. It can be used to create ease
or fear for the player as the entire screen is almost identical to how humans
use peripheral vision unconsciously. Games like Bioshock use this viewpoint to
create intense fear of the unknown. The game uses movements at the edge of the
characters peripheral vision to create fear and confusion. I find this an effective
use of first person viewpoints however third person viewpoints can also be used
in an effective way. Third person viewpoints allow the player to have more
scope of the gaming environment; this is a much better choice for games that
involve complicated combat screens where multiple enemies are attacking the
player. This allows the player time to evaluate their situation whilst keeping
an eye on the task at hand. Games such
as Gears of War use this method to its full effect. The player can rotate
around the character and view to environment on a wider scale, and can also
zoom in so that the player is viewing just above the character’s shoulder.
Camera Techniques
Games have started to become more complicated during
development, and this has often led to games appearing more like movies. This
is because game developers include more camera techniques and cut scenes during
story line development in their games. Their technical camera angles can be
used in various ways to change the player’s feelings towards characters or
inspire them with beautiful cut scenes.
The Professor Layton series uses complicated camera angles to create
suspense and awe. Developers use close
ups to express how a character is feeling or wide camera panning to show the
player an enormous environment in the game. My favourite camera technique is
when developers use ‘over the shoulder’ camera angles to show an important
character smiling deceitfully behind the protagonists back, moments like that
drive the player forward to find a solution
or answer to the mysterious events that happen in the game. However,
these camera techniques shouldn’t just be used during cut scenes; they should
be used during gameplay as well. This is where I believe the Professor Layton
series suffers. Professor Layton’s strongest point is the puzzles that the
player must solve to advance through the storyline. But to find these puzzles,
the player must explore every section of the environment, so exploration
shouldn’t just be a key feature within the game, it must also be aesthetically
satisfying. But exploring the environments in these games is so plain and
simple. The player is presented with a section of the environment on the screen
through the eyes of the protagonist, and the player can explore the next
section of the environment by tapping an arrow in the direction that they want
to go. It is understandable why the developers have made it so simple, but that
in itself takes away from the exploration of the game. If you could change
camera angles or rotate in the centre of the environment the player would feel
much more satisfied finding a puzzle they didn’t see beforehand.
Lighting Effects
Lighting effects can be used in various ways to change the
player’s feelings whilst playing games.
Dark environments create fear of the unknown, and light environments
help the player feel safe. But I have experienced games that use these effects
in opposite ways to terrify the player. Take the video game Half-Life 2 for
example. Half-Life 2 has small sequences placed throughout the environment
where the player must survive a minor zombie attack. Now the player has an
array of weapons and a torch at their disposal, but all the weapons can run out
of ammunition and the torch can run out of power (for a short amount of time
before it charges back up). There will be certain times in the game that the
player is in a well lit room and they can replenish their ammunition, health
and shields. This gives the player a relaxed feeling and a place where they can
calculate their next move. This is the moment where the player is most vulnerable
and susceptible to fear, and so, this is when a group of zombies burst through
the doors and windows and slowly drag themselves towards the player, the player
cannot keep up; they aren’t prepared, and because of this the player might lose
valuable health and shield stats. The developers use moments like these to
catch players off guard and so this acts as a punishment. If the player doesn’t
want to lose their health or ammunition they have to always be prepared for the
worst case scenario. But there are games where lighting doesn’t become a big
part of the game play, and just ends up frustrating the player. LittleBigPlanet
is a good example; there are parts where the developers felt they needed
different lighting effects within the game which can be understandable as it is
to act as a game play method or it changes the mood of the levels, but there
were times where is seemed unnecessary. There are parts in the game where the
player might be in an underground environment, so naturally it’s going to be a
little dark. But seeing as it’s a platformer and there is a lot of jumping
involved, it came to a point where the player has to decide where and how far
they’re going to jump to advance. There was a large hole in the floor and there
where platforms that rotated quickly in-between five second intervals above
this hole. And although it was pitch black on the screen there where small
lights in the background so the player could see the outline of the platform
(only slightly as the light source was placed further up above the platform).
So the player has to determine the best time to attempt to run and jump onto
the platforms before they start spinning. I found this part so frustrating and
tedious because I had no clue how far apart the platform and the ledge I was
jumping from was. I couldn’t even see my own character standing there. So the
only thing that was going to help me get across this giant hole was pure luck,
and that is never something the player should have to rely on.
Physical
Vibration
Controller vibration is a good way of keeping the players
interest whilst playing video games. When used effectively it can make the
player feel fear, sorrow or even feel heroic. Developers usually assign rumble
features to create a realistic feeling whilst playing games, such as using the
vibration feature when an explosion occurs in game, or when firing a gun. ‘The
Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask’ was one of the first game titles (if not the
first) to use a vibration feature during gameplay. And considering there was such
contrasts in horror compared to the other Zelda games, the rumble features
really made the game seem scarier. Especially since the rumble features where
used during fight scenes against the games main antagonist, the possessed child
know as the ‘The Skull Kid’. Sections of the game were full of demented
chuckles and screams that already scared the player, but adding the rumble
features terrified them into a state of not knowing what to do or where to go.
I believe that this is a successful use of the feature, the fact that it can
toy with the player’s emotions seems like an appealing use of the technology.
But games that over use the vibration feature to a point where the player can’t
feel their hands can be infuriating. Super Smash Bros. Brawl uses this feature
a lot when the player uses their ‘Final Smash’ move. The final smash is a move
that is specific to the player’s chosen character. The vibration features are
used on both the player using the move and the player on the receiving end,
however in contradiction to how I have described the rumble feature during the
final smash (which was infuriating), the player who is initiating this attack
feels as though a goal has been accomplished, in other words; the vibration
feature creates a euphoric feeling within the player. But the way in which this
rumble feature is infuriating for the player on the receiving end is because
the player has no control during this process. If the final smash is already in
motion they have no choice but to watch what happens. And whilst this is going
on, the player’s controller is vibrating viciously and is a reminder that the
player has failed.
Haptic
Haptic controls add a realistic effect during gameplay. They
are usually incorporated into joysticks that are supposed to be used during
games that use a form of vehicle, for the majority of the time the vehicles
that the player controls are planes or jets. This is mainly because the joystick
can easily be calibrated to the controls of a jet as they are a little similar
in comparison. Haptic applies a form of resistance against the players control,
for example if they push forward onto the joystic they will fell resistance the
opposing direction. The resistance will bring the joystick back to the centre
of the stage. Again the reason for this
is because realistic controls help the player feel as though they are actually
controlling a jet or plane.
Audio
Ambient & Foley effects & mood
Sound is an incredibly important factor in games. It can
increase the pace of certain scenarios, make environments epic and leave the
player with a philosophical outlook on events that happen in life. But there
are smaller clips of sound that can create spine chilling effects. These
ambience sounds are used throughout the game industry. They are commonly used
to induce fear in the player whilst they are exploring unknown territory; a
game that uses this feature to its full ability is ‘Slender’. In Slender the
player must explore a dark forest with nothing but a flashlight in order to
find eight pieces of paper with hidden secrets about a paranormal entity that
abducts people in the night. This paranormal entity is commonly referred to as
‘Slender Man’. The game uses normal everyday ambience sounds such as footsteps
on grass when the player walks through the forest, and piece of paper being
picked up once they find a page and a click when they turn their flashlight on
and off. This is to create a feeling of realism whilst the player is playing;
they feel a connection between them and the game because they recognise these
sounds. But as the player collects these pages, small ominous sounds will play
in the background of the game, such as a drum beating very slowly and quietly.
The player will begin to feel anxious as they continue to explore the forest,
and will on occasion, turn around out of curiosity. This is when they’ll see
the games antagonist ‘Slender Man’. Once Slender Man comes into view on the
screen, the game plays a loud chord which sounds as though it is from a piano.
So ambience sounds are perfect for creating anxiety, curiosity and fear.
Music & Emotion
Music can be an amazing feature in video games. In the
recent years it has become a huge asset in how developers want to make the
player feel and has progressed to a point that major orchestras or bands have
started developing music for huge game projects. The Portal franchise has
always had an interesting collection of music, but it is very rare when it
comes to game play. On occasion the player might find a small hole in a wall
whilst they are navigating a test chamber. There are many secret rooms dotted
about the portal games which have a sad story behind them, and better yet, in
these rooms the player will hear music played in a minor key. This is an
effective way to create sorrow and curiosity and will lead to discovery later
on in the Portal franchise. But the music isn’t the only thing that creates
sorrow and questions, at the end of both games the credits have been sung by
the antagonist known as ‘GLaDOS’, which is very interesting in my opinion. The
lyrics from these songs are in the format of a monologue; this can lead to
intense character development and will definitely create a form of empathy in
the player. After I played this game and heard the music, I felt the need to
replay it and whilst playing it a second time I felt bad for GLaDOS. This is my
favourite form of music in a game; I think that it helps the player understand
the characters and also helps create an emotional attachment to them.
Dialogue
Dialogue is an asset that is used to carry the player
through the story of a game. Depending on the characters, Dialogue can vary
differently in many forms such as accents, tempo and length. I’d like to
reflect on the content of dialogue that the Portal franchise contains.
Throughout the game ‘Portal’ the player must listen to the voice of an
artificial intelligence system that is in control of the facility in which the
player must navigate to escape from its clutches. The voice that is in control
of the facility is sarcastic, robotic and malicious. Seeing as though it is the
voice of a robot, there isn’t much flow in the voice, it sounds like a ‘text to
speech’ simulator is present. It’s only later on when the player confronts the
deranged computer that we really get to hear he free flowing voice and it’s
terrifying. She goes from something sarcastic to something with a deep slow
voice. This is a very effective use of a voice. Plus using the dialogue, which
I often find quite comical, adds an enjoyable route in the game. I often find
myself playing it again and again just because I like what Portal’s antagonist
say’s during the game.
