How the path to making people play your games starts with ease of use.

When we harken back to the days of classic video game consoles, one thing that always struck me is how quick it was to just boot up a game and actually play it. That is primarily because gaming consoles were just gaming consoles. There was not multimedia, no online component, and the technology was just not as complex. For the longest time, I would say that I did not necessarily care about the box that played my games, as long as the games themselves were good. Yet, I was proven wrong on many occasions.

 

I used to be a Nintendo only kind of person, and so, I first experienced what it was like to play games on the Playstation 1 and Playstation 2 during the Wii/PS3/360 era. I went back to play many of the RPGS that these consoles had to offer, and enjoyed quite a few of them, but I was always bothered by one aspect of these systems: Loading times.

 

Smoking is indeed bad for you.

There are many times, while I was visiting the vast catalogues of these consoles, where I would stand in front of loading screens long enough for me to grab myself a glass of water and come back, or worse. I vividly remember playing Tales of the Abyss, and thoroughly enjoying the game, but dreading going through doors. It may sound like a silly nitpick, but when every action that leads to loading times leaves you enough time to start getting bored, it grates over time in an 80 hours game. Yet, when this game was re-released on 3DS with significantly shorter load times, I have found myself appreciating it far more. I felt the same when I tried Tokyo Mirage Sessions on Switch as opposed to Wii U. It really helps move things along when the battle transition screen takes a lot less time.

 

This screen stays on noticably longer on Wii U during battle transitions

Speaking of the Wii U, this console represents one of the worse examples of poor ease of use. The first issue begins with just booting the console. It takes a very long time to boot the system, boot your game, and actually start playing. Furthermore, a lot of the menu navigation, prompts, and even some games require the use of the large, cumbersome Wii U gamepad. If you are not keen on using the pad and prefer using a Pro controller, you need to keep it next to you while playing games on the off chance that a notification pops up and the console’s UI won’t let you click “Ok” using the pro controller. What makes matters worse is that the gamepad has a very poor battery life and must be plugged into an outlet at nearly all times. If notifications, or the need arises to go into the menu to change basic functionality, and your Gamepad does not have a charge, you must wait a few minutes until it has enough charge to be used to continue. Since the battery tends to drain when not in use, the gamepad will often end up completely drained when you need to use it. Because of this, I am often hesitant to even want to boot up this system, as I just can’t be bothered to deal with the hassle of setting it up. Comparatively, I look at the Switch, which is loads quickly to the menu, and I can start playing almost right away. Furthermore, I have invested in multiple docks, so I can just set it up on every single screen on my living space right away without dealing with cables. It is seamless, and it feels great to take my Switch from the living room, bring it to my bedroom, and continue my game while in bed. As such, I am often drawn to want to use my Switch as my primary system, just because of how painless the setup is. Of course, the console is not the only factor.

 

You can only press "Ok" using a Gamepad. You can't even press A to dismiss it on a Pro controller.

While this is more of a personal taste, I have never been very fond of the Wii Remote, which has made me hesitant to even want to boot my console. One can get around that by plugging a classic controller to it, but it still requires a set of double A batteries, and I generally would rather be able to control the menu with a Gamecube controller since I only use my Wii to play Project M nowadays. The idea that you need to have one set of two controllers out just to start a game, then switch to another controller after the game starts up, is pretty silly if you think about it. Hackers have fixed this issue with a custom firmware that allows you to just use a Gamecube controller, and that alleviates many of the issues that come with booting up a Wii, but the fact that we needed hackers to fix the issue is a problem in end of itself. 

 

Sometimes, ease of use issues happen even without a console. Phantasy Star Online 2 is a game that I have been asked to play by a friend. Wanting to spend some time with him, I decided to go download it on the Windows Store… only to realize that it just would not boot up no matter what I did, and uninstalling it corrupted a partition in my hard drive. The inadequacy of the Windows Store was so evident that it has been review-bombed not because of its inherent quality, but because of how the store prevents people from playing it. With the announcement of a Steam release, people will finally be able to play it (hopefully), and the game might be given a second chance to perform well in North America.

 

Source: PCGamer.com

Steam itself is great proof that ease of use has quite a bit of power. The store tends to make it far easier to access games on a PC, to a point where many people who would have otherwise resorted to piracy now actually buy their PC games. People are willing to pay for convenience. As much as I tend to try to buy most of my games physical for games preservation purposes, I can see why people choose digital libraries.

 

I’ve been surprised with how many examples I could find where I was looking at my console or PC and said “Nah, I’ll just play on this instead”. I feel like this pertains to many things in life. When I lived with my parents, they had a fridge with a water dispenser, and because of how easy and instantaneous getting a glass of water was, I would stay hydrated more consistently. Now that I need to boil water before drinking it, it adds a pretty long step to the process, and I often resort to drinking other things instead. Henceforth, when I move into a new home, I will install a fridge with a water dispenser, as it will lead me to better life habits. In other words, the first step to making people want to engage in an activity is to remove as many obstacles as possible leading to it.

Mega Evolutions VS Dyna/Gigantamaxing

Pokemon is a franchise that has been known to not rock the boat too much and stick to what they know. The franchise has evolved over time, and things were added to try and spice up the formula, but very often, these innovations feel more… tacked-on and easily-disposable.

 

One such addition was Mega Evolutions, in which you could use a Mega Stone to temporarily evolve Pokemon beyond their final stage, akin to a Digivolution in Digimon. In essence, it was a power boost to one pokemon in a given battle. Mega Evolution was very powerful, with the only downsides being that it was only usable on one Pokemon per battle, and it used up an item slot.

 

There was some strategic process behind Mega Evolutions as it would normally not be advisable to put a Mega Stone on every Pokemon in your party, since only one of them could Mega Evolve in a given battle. That Pokemon could only equip that specific item, and so you would strategically build your team around getting them other kinds of items. Your Pokemon would also get a given boost in stats, and could even have a change in type. For example, one of Charizard’s Mega Evolutions actually gave him a dragon type. Furthermore, skills could be changed, such as giving Adaptability to Mega Lucario, which made him do 2X damage with Steel and Fighting type moves, as opposed to 1.5X. It would turn him into a powerhouse, albeit he’d lose his immunity to flinching for example. Kangaskhan could even get a second hit from the baby in its pocket for example, helping to to take down Pokemon with the Sturdy ability, or the Focus Sash item. The implications of using Mega Evolutions led to more than just a stat boost; it led to game-changing elements that could admittedly make battle interesting. The disadvantage is that not all Pokemon have Mega forms, and this can lead to some Pokemon being overly used in tournament settings.

 

On the other hand, Dynamaxing has the ability to be used on every single Pokemon. No matter the Pokémon, it can Dynamax. There is also Gigantamax, which does bring Mega Evolution-like appearance changes that can make these Pokemon look almost as unique. It also only lasts three turns, which means that there is some strategy in when you actually choose to Dyna/Gigantamax your Pokemon, as opposed to Mega Evolutions lasting the entire fight. However, it is also a much more simplified version of the Mega Evolution idea, where instead of still having your general moveset, it gets replaced by a generic “Max-Something”, which does the same thing, no matter which move you use, with only the power changing a little. It boosts your power, makes you hit hard, more tanky and not much else. It is essentially just a stat injection for three turns. Yes, some have slight special effects, but again, most of the time, these are generic. In my opinion, it’s just not as entertaining to use.

 

Still, this is not to say that there isn’t good in both. Personally, I would bring back Mega Evolutions, but limit them to three turns per battle as Dyna/Gigantamaxing does. I would also allow every Pokemon to “get stronger” with Mega energy by equipping a stone not tailored to them (E.G. a Pinsirite on a Mr. Mime for example), in which they would gain stat bonuses, a surrounding glow, but remain in the same form. That would open up options, letting people use their favourites as front-runners even if they lack a Mega Form. I would then add Mega forms over time, letting more and more Pokemon Mega-Evolve, giving better bonuses to Pokemon that are a bit more… underwhelming.

 

By combining the two concepts, we could create a system that has some level of complexity as well as giving players more control over which Pokemon they wish to use. The ability to have multiple Mega stones for one Pokemon means that you could technically have two mega evolutions for different tactics, for example.

 

In my opinion, those added gimmicks are pointless to invest in if they just do not become a long-term staple. In my opinion, Mega Evolution could be used for far more than just being a cool transformation gimmick. It could be a tactical power boost that leads to fun upsets, not unlike what meters are used for in fighting games. It can also be used as a means to balance out the roster a little more. Perhaps a Mega Evolution could take a weak Pokemon like Dunsparce and actually turn it into a legitimate threat. You could even use Mega Stones as a way to learn new moves on given Pokemon to give them some nice buffs if they need it. If a Pokemon is already very strong, the benefits of Mega Evolving could simply be less potent. Clearly, I prefer Mega Evolutions over Dynamaxing. However, it doesn’t mean that you can’t improve on a given option by looking at the alternative for inspiration.

 

Ideally, I would like to see Gamefreak stick to a design decision and to perhaps not introduce new gameplay elements only to remove them one or two games later. It’s okay to sometimes polish over innovating. I would like to see Mega Evolutions taken to the next level and see what they can do with it.

Falco Lombardi, a narrative entangled with gameplay.

Star Fox 64 is a simple arcade style shooter with a simple, story. However, it is told in a very effective and endearing manner, which is why it is so memorable to this day. Ultimately, it is the story of the son of a renowned war hero who must now take over his mantle, but unlike his father who came before him, he just does not have the same pedigree. Fox McCloud is a skilled pilot, but he has never really made a name for himself, and he has much to prove.

 

On his motley crew of pilots, you have Slippy Toad, a genius engineer who is a serviceable pilot, but not exactly the most skilled, Peppy Hare, who is a wise veteran who fought alongside the heroic James McCloud, and Falco Lombardi, a hot-headed ace pilot who values skill above all else.

 

Falco’s personality naturally clashes with Fox’s position, which he would feel is unjustified. Fox is still green, lacking in experience, and Falco starts the game feeling as if he is working under someone who has not yet earned his respect. As such, he is especially critical of Fox, the player, whenever he fails to accomplish an objective, and it takes a lot for him to even acknowledge your accomplishments.

 

Everything comes down to one thing: He values skill intrinsically. He lacks patience for blunders, but it is not as if his philosophy only applies to you. You can tell that he feels shameful whenever you must bail him out of a precarious situation. He teases Slippy, but you can also see that he does show appreciation for his technical skills in terms of engineering. You can also see that he is far harsher with you than he is with Slippy. This very likely stems from your position as a leader. Again, you have not earned his respect; and this is why he sometimes does not exactly listen to you.

 

As you play through the different routes, you may notice that if you keep failing objectives and going on the easy route, Falco will be a lot harsher on you, and upon reaching the end of the game, he will have gained some respect for you, but he will not have completely accepted you as his leader. If you keep beating objectives, and take the harder route, Falco will start working with you more, he’ll show you secret areas, back you up, and you’ll even see a character from his past show up to help; showing a softer side of him. Upon completing the game, his respect for you will have been completely earned as he exclaims “That’s our leader!”.

 

From a gameplay perspective, it is a very good way to give feedback to the player in a believable way. If a character highly values skill, it makes sense that they will react differently to you depending on how much skill you show off. It can be shown off in multiple ways, such as beating a boss or enemies quickly enough to prevent an ally being taken out, hitting switches to derail a train, stopping an onslaught of missiles racing towards your mothership, or just flying under a few arches just for style points. Falco rewards you for playing well, and bluntly tells you when you messed up.

 

Some players have gotten the character entirely wrong and instantly took to disliking him for his harsh rhetoric. They assumed that the character was just being mean to the player just to be mean, and without valid reasons. Yet, this could not be farther from the truth. If anything, you are the leader, and you hold their lives into your hands. A single mistake can cost them their lives, and Falco is acutely aware of this. He will not give you a free pass because you’re daddy’s little boy. Where you’re coming from doesn’t matter; what matters is that you work hard to keep your crew alive. It is a very pragmatic way of seeing the world, but it is not inherently a cruel one. If you stand there complaining that he’s berating you after you have failed to meet his expectations, you are just the kind of person that Falco cannot stand; a person who makes excuses for his shortcomings. If you rise above that, start to understand where he is coming from, and aim to improve, and actually do; he will respect you.

 

For a game with such a simple story, it is surprising how believable its characters feel. With only a few one liners here and there, you can get a very in-depth understanding of how they view the world, and the fact that it affects gameplay is an astonishing realization. Star Fox 64 has always been one of my most beloved games of all time, and one I love revisiting from time to time.