Mini Metro
A game studio that makes Mini Metro and Mini Motorways.
Where Mini Metro comes up3 episodes and tests
GMark Brown is the creator of Game Maker's Toolkit; Luke Muscat is the designer of Fruit Ninja, Jetpack Joyride and Feed the Deep testWhat's the Point of Prototyping?
Gcreator of Game Maker's Toolkit testCan we Improve Tutorials for Complex Games?
Gcreator of Game Maker's Toolkit testThis Psychological Trick Makes Rewards BackfireDinosaur Polo Club built almost 20 small Mini Motorways prototypes before production, and Mini Metro starts with almost no interface, adding the line menu, clock and passenger counter as you play. Unlockable cities were meant only to limit early choice, yet some players who unlock them all feel finished. Lesson: prototype many small ideas, reveal UI gradually, and favor open-ended scores over completable checklists.
- Meant to limit early choice
- Players unlock next city, then stop
- Ends once everything is unlocked
- Measure your skill
- Personal bests can always improve
- Have no finish
Scores keep players going after unlocks end
From Jamie Churchman on Mini Metro
What was said about Mini Metro
1Unlockable cities and the finish-line problem
Mini Metro's city unlocks were meant to limit choice, not motivate play. The unlockable cities exist only to limit player choice at the start. Even so, some players play each city to the threshold, unlock the next and stop once everything is unlocked.
UI designer Jamie Churchman says the team tried to avoid goal and reward meta structures. Unlock structures can become a "means to an end" that replaces the game's own appeal.
Open-ended high scores keep playing going where unlock checklists end. Players who unlock every city can feel they have finished the game, while high scores keep going.
Goals are a checklist that can be finished, but scores and personal bests never end because you can always improve. Quote: "measurements of your skill - such as leaderboards and scoring systems, have no finish".
2How Mini Metro reveals its interface
Mini Metro starts with almost no interface and adds it as you play. The game begins nearly bare, then introduces the line menu, the clock and the passenger counter later.
A complex UI is one of the most overwhelming things for a new player. The design question is how many buttons and panels need to be there at the start, letting the player set the pace for adding more.
3Prototyping Mini Motorways
Dinosaur Polo Club made almost 20 Mini Motorways prototypes before production. Each of the nearly 20 versions gave the team a new insight into the game.
Prototypes are kept small, specific and separate, each a tiny sample of one feature, mechanic or idea. Fiddling in the engine can spark ideas that brainstorming would not. Quote: "A prototype is not just a crap version of the whole game."
What's the Point of Prototyping?
It made almost 20 prototype versions of Mini Motorways before production, each giving a new insight.
Dinosaur Polo Club made almost 20 Mini Motorways prototypes before production. Each of the nearly 20 versions gave the team a new insight into the game.
Prototypes are kept small, specific and separate, each a tiny sample of one feature, mechanic or idea. Fiddling in the engine can spark ideas that brainstorming would not. Quote: "A prototype is not just a crap version of the whole game."
Can we Improve Tutorials for Complex Games?
It begins with almost no interface, then adds the line menu, the clock and the passenger counter as you play.
Mini Metro starts with almost no interface and adds it as you play. The game begins nearly bare, then introduces the line menu, the clock and the passenger counter later.
A complex UI is one of the most overwhelming things for a new player. The design question is how many buttons and panels need to be there at the start, letting the player set the pace for adding more.
This Psychological Trick Makes Rewards Backfire
Unlockable cities were meant only to limit choice at the start, yet some players unlock every city and feel they have finished the game. UI designer Jamie Churchman says the team tried to avoid goal and reward structures that become a means to an end.
Mini Metro's city unlocks were meant to limit choice, not motivate play. The unlockable cities exist only to limit player choice at the start. Even so, some players play each city to the threshold, unlock the next and stop once everything is unlocked.
UI designer Jamie Churchman says the team tried to avoid goal and reward meta structures. Unlock structures can become a "means to an end" that replaces the game's own appeal.
Open-ended high scores keep playing going where unlock checklists end. Players who unlock every city can feel they have finished the game, while high scores keep going.
Goals are a checklist that can be finished, but scores and personal bests never end because you can always improve. Quote: "measurements of your skill - such as leaderboards and scoring systems, have no finish".
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