Plan for Phil Carlisle
by Phil Carlisle · 12/16/2004 (3:25 pm) · 9 comments
Why does everything have to happen at once? and specifically when your ill??
Why?
I'm so bloody busy right now. What with getting the AI pack polished off, getting the sheep game polished off, getting another game in-progress and whatnot.
Ive come across an interesting little problem that I cant fully illustrate yet.
Basically, the sheep game is a game about herding (of course), but its also got gameplay modes which are more puzzle oriented. Now one of the things is, part of the puzzle is working out how to herd your sheep to get them to activate certain contraptions.
Now one problem Ive got right now is that I want to indicate to the user the number of sheep required to activate something (imagine a conveyor that only switches on when you collect 10 sheep in an area). Now.. how do I show this requirement (10 sheep) to the user?
Its an interesting problem. Ive thought of having a number as part of the sheep-holding-area, but thats not obvious. Ive thought of having a number float up when you get a sheep in the area (now does that go down or up?). Ive thought of a billboarded icon near the object which flashes as you get sheep.
I just arent sure :)
On another note... man I'm coding like a trooper this last week or so!!! yayy!
Phil.
Why?
I'm so bloody busy right now. What with getting the AI pack polished off, getting the sheep game polished off, getting another game in-progress and whatnot.
Ive come across an interesting little problem that I cant fully illustrate yet.
Basically, the sheep game is a game about herding (of course), but its also got gameplay modes which are more puzzle oriented. Now one of the things is, part of the puzzle is working out how to herd your sheep to get them to activate certain contraptions.
Now one problem Ive got right now is that I want to indicate to the user the number of sheep required to activate something (imagine a conveyor that only switches on when you collect 10 sheep in an area). Now.. how do I show this requirement (10 sheep) to the user?
Its an interesting problem. Ive thought of having a number as part of the sheep-holding-area, but thats not obvious. Ive thought of having a number float up when you get a sheep in the area (now does that go down or up?). Ive thought of a billboarded icon near the object which flashes as you get sheep.
I just arent sure :)
On another note... man I'm coding like a trooper this last week or so!!! yayy!
Phil.
About the author
#3
One thing I do recommend is having some kind of counter that let's the player know how many sheep he currently has the attention of. If you didn't want to be exact, you could use a bar that is slightly hard to read and call it "herd power".
12/17/2004 (12:37 am)
This is really a question of what type of guesses you want the player to try and make. It may not be that giving them the number in an obvious way makes the game more interesting. In a puzzle situation, it's often the case that the less information the user starts with the better...simply make the user earn information to decrease his %Guess for any question at hand...in the case of a conveyer belt switch...which is really just a cumulative mass switch that could be used for anything.....you could perhaps color or shape code the switches and either teach or let the player discover how many sheep it takes to setoff a certain colored or shaped switch.One thing I do recommend is having some kind of counter that let's the player know how many sheep he currently has the attention of. If you didn't want to be exact, you could use a bar that is slightly hard to read and call it "herd power".
#4
Shayne: I'm not so sure about giving them something so non-obvious in an action puzzle like this. You make a good point though, about colour coding the puzzles.
I guess I'll try the fraction idea and see if that gives a good indication. Or if its even needed. Seems interesting though. I'll post a movie when Ive implemented it, see if it works.
12/17/2004 (12:51 am)
#Gary! thanks... that pikmin example is a good one. If its good enough for shiggy, its good enough for me.Shayne: I'm not so sure about giving them something so non-obvious in an action puzzle like this. You make a good point though, about colour coding the puzzles.
I guess I'll try the fraction idea and see if that gives a good indication. Or if its even needed. Seems interesting though. I'll post a movie when Ive implemented it, see if it works.
#5
If you're going with a number floating up I'd say Gary is right, the fraction would work better. There isn't much point to a number that increases because it really doesn't tell the player anything unless the know how many sheep they need in the area in the first place. A number down has the problem of the user has to figure out on their own what the number means because the first time they see it they will have no way of relating it to anything.
12/17/2004 (12:57 am)
My suggestion would be a platform or sign the player could click on to learn about the task itself including the number of sheep require to complete the task. If the theme is common (ie. you use the same graphic for the sign every time) it should be obvious enough to the player that the sign has meaning. At that point it becomes a matter of what graphic to use to stand out enough that the player is curious about it. Or the sign could glow when you roll over it. And if you feel like being witty then this is a great way to add a little spice to the game in describing a puzzle.If you're going with a number floating up I'd say Gary is right, the fraction would work better. There isn't much point to a number that increases because it really doesn't tell the player anything unless the know how many sheep they need in the area in the first place. A number down has the problem of the user has to figure out on their own what the number means because the first time they see it they will have no way of relating it to anything.
#6
* when first sheep enters
* display empty placeholders (like an transparent outline of a sheep) for the number of sheep
* put in a real image of a sheep that enters the area
Hard to illustrate, but if you e.g. need 5 sheep, you could show (X=real image, O=outline)
XOOOO
and then another sheep enters
XXOOO
And when last sheep enters
XXXXX
and let it flash+ play sound - then activate whatever you need in the area.
12/17/2004 (1:02 am)
Or do something like * when first sheep enters
* display empty placeholders (like an transparent outline of a sheep) for the number of sheep
* put in a real image of a sheep that enters the area
Hard to illustrate, but if you e.g. need 5 sheep, you could show (X=real image, O=outline)
XOOOO
and then another sheep enters
XXOOO
And when last sheep enters
XXXXX
and let it flash+ play sound - then activate whatever you need in the area.
#7
12/17/2004 (3:41 am)
another game eh, intriguing. :D
#8
When they get close have it display:
"Only 3 more!"
"Just 2 left!"
"One more to go!"
That kind of thing.
- Brett
12/17/2004 (6:39 am)
I like the fraction idea... and here's another:When they get close have it display:
"Only 3 more!"
"Just 2 left!"
"One more to go!"
That kind of thing.
- Brett
#9
12/17/2004 (8:31 am)
Maybe a big glowing "10" decal laid down on the platform or ground, right where the sheep should be herded. 
Torque Owner Gary "ChunkyKs" Briggs
The first sshot that comes to hand is:
www.nintelligent.net/screendisp.php?src=gamemedia/17/18800-11-2.jpg&title=Pikmin
Witness the 7/11
Gary (-;