iPhone Game Development - Chris Craft [26]
Minesweeper. http://enwikipediaorg/Minesweeper_(computer_game
Bomberman. http://enwikipediaorg/Bomberman
The Incredible Machine. http://enwikipediaorg/The_Incredible_Machine
Sudoku. http://enwikipediaorg/Sudoku
Luxor. http://enwikipediaorg/Luxor_(computer_game
Pipe Dream. http://enwikipediaorg/Pipe_Dream_(video_game
Portal. http://enwikipediaorg/Portal_(video_game
Bejeweled. http://enwikipediaorg/Bejeweled
Lemmings. http://enwikipediaorg/Lemmings_(video_game
You've probably played at least one game in this list. You may even have them on your iPhone now. If so, identify the attributes that make the game fun and exciting for you. Now with these elements in mind, dig deep and try to develop an idea that will keep a player occupied time and time again. If you look at the list, the most addictive element about these games is the fact that they become increasingly challenging the longer you play them.
Here are three techniques you can use to present challenges, which we'll discuss in detail in the next section:
Create time pressure. When solving the puzzle, make sure gamers have only a limited amount of time to complete the task.
Limit number of turns. Some puzzle games are turn- or step-based applications. You can limit the number of turns allowed to gamers or base their score on how few moves they can complete the level in.
Limit space. If you allow blocks to fill up all the space at the top of the screen, the game ends. Tetris is a perfect example of this.
The best bonus concerning puzzle games is they can be easy to develop. Most of them have a very small code base compared to other game types that can take so long to pull together that they become a full-fledged production. However, do not let this trap you into taking the easy way out. You still need to spend plenty of time polishing up the menus and screens to get noticed when you get to the App Store.
So, what can you learn from the previous examples and other puzzles that will help ensure that your game is successful? Make sure your puzzle game . . .
Is user friendly and easy to learn.
Makes a good first impression and has an attractive overall appearance.
Engages the gamer in an increasingly challenging series of stages or levels.
Is addictive enough to keep the gamer coming back and telling his friends about the game.
Cross-Reference
See Chapter 8 for an in-depth discussion on turn-based games.
Understanding Game Design: Presenting Challenges
It is a fact that the human mind likes challenges. Very early in our lives we are presented with learning challenges. When we were toddlers we liked to play with learning toys. You have probably seen the shape-sorter cubes that toddlers play with, such as the one shown in Figure 3.1. The cube has different-shaped holes in it and it comes with matching plastic or wooden shapes that will only fit into the matching hole. At this age most children cannot talk much, yet they love to be challenged.
FIGURE 3.1
A shape-sorter learning toy
Preschool children like to play games that require them to recognize patterns, match similar items, or follow a mechanical process. As we age we continue to crave challenges. This drive compels us to stick with a challenge until we can defeat it. Infusing these challenges into your design is what creating puzzle games is all about.
Earlier in the chapter we mentioned the three different ways puzzle games can present challenges. Let's look at each of these ways in more detail.
Create time pressure
It is always beneficial to analyze a system that is not software based to help understand a concept before committing it to code. With applying this concept to games, browse through the board game section of your local toy store. Here you can find a bounty of rich examples. For time-sensitive games, take a look at the game Perfection.
Perfection requires the player to locate and fit odd-shaped pegs into their matching holes before the timer runs out. Does this remind you of the sorter cube we just