Insomniac Games
A game studio that made the Spider-Man games.
Where Insomniac Games comes up2 episodes and tests
Gcreator of Game Maker's Toolkit testHow Jusant Makes Rock-Climbing More Immersive
Gcreator of Game Maker's Toolkit testShould Dark Souls Have an Easy Mode? (See Pinned Comment)Insomniac built Spider-Man swinging so every player feels like Spider-Man immediately, rather than having to master a hard web-swinging system. Its Sunset Overdrive rewards combos for bouncing and grinding, and swarms players who fight from the ground, which makes the intended style obvious. The lesson: decide the experience you intend, shape each mechanic toward it, and judge mechanics by that intent. The sources give no numbers.
- Combo points for bouncing on car bonnets
- Combo points for grinding on cables
- Enemies swarm you
- No combo points
Intended play style is very clear
From Mark Brown on game design
What was said about Insomniac Games
Insomniac made Spider-Man swinging easy so every player felt like Spider-Man at once. Insomniac wanted every player to feel like Spider-Man immediately, not to master a complex web-swinging system. The traversal was built around that intent rather than around depth or realism.
Mark Brown uses it as a case for judging a mechanic against what the developer intended. He sets it beside the simple downtime climbing in Tomb Raider and Uncharted.
Sunset Overdrive rewards bouncing and grinding and punishes fighting from the ground. The game gives combo points for bouncing on car bonnets and grinding on cables. It swarms you with enemies if you fight from the ground, so its intended play style is very clear.
Brown cites it as an example of mechanics acting as incentives and punishments that steer players toward an intended experience. He compares it with other games that tune damage and rewards for the same purpose. Quote: "A large part of game design is finding ways to nudge a player towards having a certain experience."
How Jusant Makes Rock-Climbing More Immersive
Wanted every player to feel like Spider-Man at once, not to master a hard web-swinging system.
Insomniac made Spider-Man swinging easy so every player felt like Spider-Man at once. Insomniac wanted every player to feel like Spider-Man immediately, not to master a complex web-swinging system. The traversal was built around that intent rather than around depth or realism.
Mark Brown uses it as a case for judging a mechanic against what the developer intended. He sets it beside the simple downtime climbing in Tomb Raider and Uncharted.
Should Dark Souls Have an Easy Mode? (See Pinned Comment)
It gives combo points for bouncing on car bonnets and grinding on cables, and swarms you with enemies if you fight from the ground, making its intended play style very clear.
Sunset Overdrive rewards bouncing and grinding and punishes fighting from the ground. The game gives combo points for bouncing on car bonnets and grinding on cables. It swarms you with enemies if you fight from the ground, so its intended play style is very clear.
Brown cites it as an example of mechanics acting as incentives and punishments that steer players toward an intended experience. He compares it with other games that tune damage and rewards for the same purpose. Quote: "A large part of game design is finding ways to nudge a player towards having a certain experience."
More in Games
GamesNintendo
A Zelda adventure where Princess Zelda copies objects and monsters as echoes to solve puzzles and fight.
GamesThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Nintendo's long-running action-adventure series about Link exploring Hyrule, solving puzzles and fighting Ganon.
GamesDead Space
A major video game publisher and the guest's employer.
G
29 sources · 94 tipsMind Over Magnet
A puzzle platformer where you escape a factory using a magnet and a magnetic field.
GamesFar Cry 2
An open world action game where you recruit and play any of London's citizens.
GamesGod of War
A combat-focused action adventure game from Santa Monica Studio with Norse mythology and light puzzles.
Mind Over Magnet
Mark Brown's first game, a puzzle game he made while learning Unity.
GamesDishonored
A first-person stealth action game from Arkane with supernatural powers and the Clockwork Mansion level.