{"assets":[],"author_link":"author\/themeorch\/","author_name":"TheMeorch","cat":"LD #35","categories":["LD #35"],"comments":[],"epoch":1461283200,"event":"LD35","likes":6,"metadata":{"p_key":"83552","p_author":"TheMeorch","p_authorkey":"0","p_urlkey":"294290","p_title":"Theseus: The Risks and Rewards of Continuity","p_cat":"LD #35","p_event":"LD35","p_time":"1461283200","p_likes":"6","p_comments":"0","p_status":"WAYBACK","us_key":null,"us_name":null,"us_username":null,"event_start":"1460678400","event_key":"33","event_name":"LD35"},"source_url":"2016\/04\/22\/theseus-the-risks-and-rewards-of-continuity\/","text":"

Early on in development of Theseus<\/a><\/strong>, I made a simple decision: the character\u2019s shape at the end of each level would be maintained at the start of the next level. I wanted to give the journey continuity and make it feel less like just a collection of levels.<\/p>\n

So I set up the system that would save your shape between levels and started designing puzzles. Initially I wanted some\u00a0levels to solvable with the character in a variety of shapes. However, levels that might start with many different shapes were hard to make solvable\u00a0and even harder\u00a0to make quickly. I had to give\u00a0each puzzle a unique solution. The character\u2019s shape would be maintained between levels, but I\u2019d make sure I knew exactly what that shape would be.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The\u00a0continuity between levels\u00a0made it necessary to design levels in order, and any changes I made to a level had the potential to affect the levels around it. This was manageable in a small game \u2014 in a larger project, this could have been very cumbersome.\u00a0One advantage to controlling the shape at the start of each level was that I could ensure a nice variety of shapes throughout the game.<\/p>\n

As the jam neared its end,\u00a0I was pleased\u00a0with\u00a0the 22 levels and how they explored the 3 main mechanics. Then, with 1\u00a0hour left, a playtester\u00a0found an alternate solution to a puzzle\u2026 And I realized I hadn\u2019t\u00a0removed the system that maintained the character\u2019s shape between levels.<\/p>\n

I had designed the levels to control\u00a0the character\u2019s shape, but\u00a0any\u00a0alternate solutions I hadn\u2019t found could put the player into a level in a shape that\u00a0made\u00a0that level impossible! This is particularly bad\u00a0in a puzzle game, as players expect to get stumped\u00a0and are less likely to realize they\u2019re totally\u00a0stuck.<\/p>\n

\"TheseusUnsolvable\"

An unintended impossible situation.<\/p><\/div>\n

I rushed to remove the shape-saving system and make each level start with a predetermined shape. As a result, it\u2019s possible your shape might change from the end of one level to the beginning of the next. In those cases, congratulations and apologies \u2014 you found a solution that I didn\u2019t see during development, and the illusion of continuity between levels\u00a0might have been broken.<\/p>\n

After the jam, I found 4 unintended solutions. I\u2019ve uploaded a Post-Jam version with level tweaks that prevent them. It\u2019s possible that more exist, though, and I\u2019d love to hear from anyone who finds one.<\/p>\n

Thanks to everyone who has played Theseus and left comments\/criticisms.\u00a0You can play Theseus here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>","time":"April 22nd, 2016 12:00 am","title":"Theseus: The Risks and Rewards of Continuity","title_was_empty":false}