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I need a list of 2D top-down action-adventure game mechanics.

Started by Stupice Mar 11, 2012 at 4:10 AM 13 replies 16k views

Original Post

Mar 11, 2012 at 4:10 AM

I've looked everywhere and I can't find a decent resource for this! I'm looking for a list of 2D top down (¾ view) platformer game mechanics as applied to tile-based/grid-based level design. Even 2D sidescroller game mechanics would be useful. Everything I've found on this subject is either extremely limited (to only one or two suggestions) or completely esoteric and inapplicable to practical game design (“what is game design REALLY?!?!?!”). I want a list that says things like...

destructible platform, one-way door, pressure plate, damage tile (spikes, poison, whatever), move tile (moves character in one of 8 directions), pit tile, attract tile (pulls character towards center of tile), repel tile, slow tile (slows character movement), jump tile, fall tile, etc.

I've been running through old games to research a few of these mechanics and elements manually but there's got to be an easier way! Thanks for the help in advance, but remember, I'm looking for a large list of these features that's organized and possibly discusses the use of these mechanics, not individual suggestions from forum members.

P.S. If there's a resource that lists and discusses action-adventure game elements, such as items, weapons, enemy behavior, etc., and their applications toward 2D gameplay, please let me know about it!

Acharis

Mar 11, 2012 at 10:43 AM

I guess there is no such list because no one ever needed it. Looking through old games is the best way, because you not only get a dry explanation how it works but you get a first hand experience how it worked, where it worked, in what combination it worked, how hard it was, what your feelings as a player were, etc.

eugene2k

Mar 12, 2012 at 8:01 PM

destructible platform, one-way door, pressure plate, damage tile (spikes, poison, whatever), move tile (moves character in one of 8 directions), pit tile, attract tile (pulls character towards center of tile), repel tile, slow tile (slows character movement), jump tile, fall tile, etc.[/quote]
Game mechanics aren't limited to just tiles, y'know.

Stroppy Katamari

Mar 12, 2012 at 11:45 PM

Björk, Holopainen: Patterns in Game Design (2005)

tony136

Mar 13, 2012 at 7:21 AM

Just out of curiosity - what are you going to use such a resource for?

If it's to add every mechanic in existence into a game you're making, why not start from the basics yourself and work up from there. A proper design, especially in something like a tile based adventure game should be nice and easy to add to as you discover (or invent!) new game mechanics.

Like I said, just curious

Stupice

Mar 13, 2012 at 8:58 AM

I guess there is no such list because no one ever needed it. Looking through old games is the best way, because you not only get a dry explanation how it works but you get a first hand experience how it worked, where it worked, in what combination it worked, how hard it was, what your feelings as a player were, etc.

I agree that first-hand experience is important but books are written on these subjects for a reason. No-one should have to start from scratch if they don't have to. You also have to consider the amount of time you're putting in versus how much you're actually getting out of the experience. One chapter in a good book may be equal to a week's worth of test play/rom hacking/whatever.

Stupice

Mar 13, 2012 at 9:04 AM

destructible platform, one-way door, pressure plate, damage tile (spikes, poison, whatever), move tile (moves character in one of 8 directions), pit tile, attract tile (pulls character towards center of tile), repel tile, slow tile (slows character movement), jump tile, fall tile, etc.

Game mechanics aren't limited to just tiles, y'know.
[/quote]

I wrote the post asking for these "tile mechanics" specifically. I also asked in the postscript for resources on other/related mechanics.

Stupice

Mar 13, 2012 at 9:06 AM

Björk, Holopainen: Patterns in Game Design (2005)

Stupice

Mar 13, 2012 at 9:39 AM

Just out of curiosity - what are you going to use such a resource for?

If it's to add every mechanic in existence into a game you're making, why not start from the basics yourself and work up from there. A proper design, especially in something like a tile based adventure game should be nice and easy to add to as you discover (or invent!) new game mechanics.

Like I said, just curious

Partially to satisfy my own curiosity and partially to help me make a few decisions about what a future project could be (or whether or not it SHOULD be). Right now I'm an artist/designer on a 3-man team working on a mobile point and click style game. This stuff isn't related at all to my current work so I don't have a lot of time to play, just to plan. I definitely wouldn't be silly enough to try to add every feature in history into a single game! Also, "start from the basics?" What basics? Are my basics and your basics the same?

There seem to be some warped perspectives on using authoritative resources here. Like, "figure it out yourself in the dark and it'll be that much sweeter." Sure, you can learn to paint or play the guitar without ever cracking a book or taking a lesson, but you would WASTE SO MUCH TIME. Doesn't game design take enough time as it is? There's a lot of what I call "go with your heart" advice happening here. Advice that pop-philosophically questions the relevance of the initial question itself without working to add anything of substance to the discussion.

Thanks for the question. I hope I didn't sound too negative here and I do appreciate your curiosity!

Hodgman

Mar 13, 2012 at 9:53 AM

I do remember coming across a site that was dedicated to creating a complete database of all game mechanics at one point, but I've forgotten the name and my google-fu is failing.

These aren't exactly what you're looking for, but might be of interest:
http://tvtropes.org/...VideogameTropes
http://www.giantbomb.com/concepts/
http://www.designers...ie_database.htm
http://www.theinspir...ster%20List.htm
http://www.squidi.net/three/index.php

Stupice

Mar 13, 2012 at 11:21 AM

I do remember coming across a site that was dedicated to creating a complete database of all game mechanics at one point, but I've forgotten the name and my google-fu is failing.

These aren't exactly what you're looking for, but might be of interest:
http://tvtropes.org/...VideogameTropes
http://www.giantbomb.com/concepts/
http://www.designers...ie_database.htm
http://www.theinspir...ster%20List.htm
http://www.squidi.net/three/index.php

It wasn't the game design patterns wiki, was it?

http://gdp2.tii.se/index.php/Main_Page

Thanks for the links! They're exactly what I've been looking for in my other research. All of my own searches for game concepts, game mechanics, game features, etc... failed me miserably! Stroppy Katamari's suggestion of looking in "game patterns" brought out a lot of great material.

Stroppy Katamari

Mar 13, 2012 at 3:50 PM

[quote name='Stroppy Katamari' timestamp='1331595940' post='4921510']
Björk, Holopainen: Patterns in Game Design (2005)

THANK YOU! This is exactly what I was looking for. I don't have a full copy of the book to read yet but just having the term "game patterns" to search for has uncovered a lot of the information I needed.
[/quote]You are welcome. While the book is obviously not specific to "2D top-down action-adventure", many/most of the patterns would be applicable to at least some games of that type. It's not a recipe collection, but a catalog of the bigger picture and relationships between families of game mechanics. I suspect it would be most useful when you have at least some ideas floating in your head so you can use it to find complementary elements, or with a more complete design, to figure out what needs to be replaced when things somehow don't seem to fit together.

One of the writers was a friend's colleague.

EpiC Nostalgia

Mar 20, 2012 at 12:15 AM

God, what a whiny, needed bitch.

How about you do your own research instead of asking a community to do it for you. Geez.

Stupice

Mar 21, 2012 at 1:21 PM

God, what a whiny, needed bitch.

How about you do your own research instead of asking a community to do it for you. Geez.

Anyone wanting to respond to this please just ignore it.

Dwapook

Mar 31, 2012 at 3:36 AM

Also, "start from the basics?" What basics? Are my basics and your basics the same?

There seem to be some warped perspectives on using authoritative resources here. Like, "figure it out yourself in the dark and it'll be that much sweeter." Sure, you can learn to paint or play the guitar without ever cracking a book or taking a lesson, but you would WASTE SO MUCH TIME. Doesn't game design take enough time as it is? There's a lot of what I call "go with your heart" advice happening here. Advice that pop-philosophically questions the relevance of the initial question itself without working to add anything of substance to the discussion.

Brainstorm what kind of npcs and objects would appear within the setting/theme of any given level.. What's naturally occuring? Man made? Friend? Enemy? Whatever other category you feel is worth adding!

Come up with various ways they can interact with each other and the player.. How can be they hazardous? helpful? What's inherently interesting about them? Settle on the gameplay mechanics they add..

It can be helpful to look towards other games to help with ideas, but if they're your main source of inspiration.. your game is a lot more likely to be derivative..

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