Utilize Accessibility to Cultivate an Appropriate Atmosphere
Consider the following examples of how accessibility can contribute to evoking specific emotions:
Confidence
Provide players with the ability to achieve their objectives by:
For example:
Ensuring players have sufficient resources to build an army in a strategy game.
Supplying players with ample ammunition and consumables prior to combat.
Equipping players with highly effective weapons, abilities, and powers.
Making it easier to eliminate enemies.
Offering assistance with complex or challenging gameplay mechanics.
Drama
Increase the intensity and urgency of gameplay by encouraging players to:
For example:
Perform tasks under pressure.
Engage in combat.
Pursue or be pursued.
Escape from threats.
To enhance tension:
For example:
Distribute the same types of rewards in varied locations, making them harder to find.
Players could locate ammunition not only in crates but also on shelves or in drawers.
Allow players to choose which rewards to keep during gameplay by limiting inventory capacity or the number of usable skills and abilities.
If you choose to provide a limited number of weapons for combat, avoid making them too effective. Instead:
For example:
Design weapons that can only eliminate certain types of enemies.
Extend the time needed to neutralize threats by offering weapons with:
Low rates of fire.
Long reload times.
Small magazine capacities.
Difficult handling.
Restrict players to using lethal force only as a last resort, as this may trigger additional enemy encounters and significantly increase the game’s difficulty.
Combat should be challenging and require more than merely shooting.
If weapons, ammunition, or tools are required to overcome enemies, place these resources sparingly throughout the game world.
Emphasize the vulnerability of the player character by making them considerably weaker than their adversaries.
Restrict camera movement when the character is:
For example:
Injured.
Inside a damaged vehicle.
Remove combat options altogether to encourage stealth and environmental navigation as primary strategies.
Let players experience chaos.
Introduce delays.
For example:
Require players to wait for essential components necessary to complete a task. Use timers or progress indicators to reflect this waiting period.
Force players to hold out against enemies until reinforcements arrive.
Excitement
Create exhilarating moments by:
For example:
Introducing formidable opponents.
Empowering players to feel invincible.
Providing players with abundant resources or wealth.
Fear
Loneliness
Reinforce a sense of isolation by placing players in a world where no assistance is available.
If non-player characters are introduced, ensure they are rarely encountered.
If considering the addition of cooperative gameplay, evaluate whether the inclusion of other human players supports or diminishes the game’s intended atmosphere. For games designed to evoke fear, the presence of multiple players may undermine the desired emotional tone.
Uncertainty
Create suspense and unpredictability by:
For example:
Displaying an almost depleted health bar.
Supplying minimal ammunition, encouraging careful and deliberate use.
Withholding information about upcoming challenges to surprise players, such as:
Enemies feigning death.
Sudden jump scares.
Traps or ambushes.
Entryways that close behind the player.
Hidden hazards like bear traps or glue traps.
Sudden falls or blocked paths caused by obstacles or enemies.
If your game features automatic saving, avoid notifying players when progress is saved. This encourages more cautious decision-making.
Make enemies less predictable by:
For example:
Varying their tactics.
Randomizing their equipment.
Altering their positions with each gameplay restart.
Concealing information about their attributes, including strengths, weaknesses, tactics, equipment, and abilities.
Uneasiness
Evoke discomfort and vulnerability by allowing players to:
For example:
Limp due to injuries.
Struggle against strong water currents.
Navigate zero-gravity environments.
Become surrounded by fire.
Move through areas flooded with hazardous liquids or gases.
Swim underwater or in oxygen-deprived environments while running out of air.
Create unpredictability in enemy behavior, such as:
For example:
Attacking from multiple directions, leaving no escape routes.
Appearing suddenly and without warning.
Pretending to be dead, then launching a surprise attack.
Invading typically secure areas, such as elevators.
Safety
Establish a sense of security by:
For example:
Removing threats posed by enemies.
Eliminating environmental hazards.
Ensuring enemies are far from the player’s location.
Preventing enemies from detecting the player’s presence, position, or actions.
Satisfaction
After a challenging task has been completed, give players the opportunity to enjoy and appreciate their success by allowing a brief moment of respite.