How The Conduit Made Alien Controls Intuitive through Control Customization
Post on 17-Jan-2016
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How The Conduit Made Alien Controls Intuitive through Control Customization
Chris G. DanielHigh Voltage Software Inc.
How The Conduit…
…Made Alien Controls Intuitive…
…Made Alien Controls Intuitive…
…throughControl Customization
High Voltage Wii Releases (pre-Conduit)1. The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy2. Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law3. Ben 10: Protector of Earth4. Go, Diego, Go!: Safari Rescue5. Dora the Explorer: Dora Saves the Snow
Princess6. Go, Diego, Go!: Great Dinosaur Rescue7. V.I.P. Casino: Blackjack8. Gyrostarr9. High Voltage Hot Rod Show10. Evasive Space
Critical Response
The controls options are deep and everyone will be able to find a setting they are comfortable with and find perfect for battle. More FPS titles need this kind of customization setup in place.
~ Matt Furtado (Kombo)
You’re bound to find a control scheme that suits you no matter how meaty and unsightly that thing you call a hand may be.
~Chris Antista (GamesRadar)
In a nutshell, the only way to rag on the control in The Conduit is by looking in a mirror.
~Dave Halverson (Play)
[The Conduit] features the most… precise, enjoyable controls of any
console shooter created.~ Matt Casamassina (IGN)
The Wii, Made for FPSs
Intuitive Interface
The Wii, Made for FPSs
Gun peripherals
The Wii was out2.5 Years before
The Conduit came out!
Tons of Wii Shooters
We understand this
???
[The Conduit] features the most… precise, enjoyable controls of any
console shooter created.~ Matt Casamassina (IGN)
[The Conduit] features the most customizable, precise and
enjoyable controls of any console shooter created.~ Matt Casamassina (IGN)
The Conduit is Ultra Customizable Nearly 30 different controls to change.
Completely interchangeable button/motion layout
Different controls/styles completely change play
Customization ImprovedThe Conduit’s Controls
The Conduit’s Customizationcan make other games
control better.
EmpoweringControl Customization
(ECC for short)
EmpoweringControl Customization
When dealing with new interfaceslet players make their own controls
What Games can Benefit from Empowering Control Customization?
Potential Interfaces for ECC
Motion Controllers
Potential Interfaces for ECC
Touch Controls
Potential Interfaces for ECC
New Tech
High Voltage Wii Releases (pre-Conduit)1. The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy2. Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law3. Ben 10: Protector of Earth4. Go, Diego, Go!: Safari Rescue5. Dora the Explorer: Dora Saves the Snow
Princess6. Go, Diego, Go!: Great Dinosaur Rescue7. V.I.P. Casino: Blackjack8. Gyrostarr9. High Voltage Hot Rod Show10. Evasive Space
None of HVS’sWii releases before
The Conduit had complex control customization
Why did The Conduit need it?
Why The Conduit Demanded ECC
1. Requires a Unique Input Interface2. Requires Precision Control3. Hardcore Demographic4. Genre with a Tradition of
Customization5. Complex Controls6. Mostly Intuitive Controls
1. Requires aUnique Input Interface
1. RequiresPrecision Control
3. HardcoreDemographic
4. Genre with a Tradition of Customization
5. Complex Controls
6. MostlyIntuitive Controls
Intuitive Controls
Pointing to aim your gun
Pulling the trigger button to shoot
Thrusting your hand forward to do a melee attack
Abstract Controls
Moving the Pointer to the screen edge moves your field of view
Analog Stick to strafe
Every button has an action
Intuitive/Abstract disconnect makes control customization
important
IntuitivePlayer wants to
intuit the controls
AbstractPrevents automatic
understanding
Incentives for Empowering Control Customization1. Requires a Unique Input Interface2. Requires Precision Control3. Hardcore Demographic4. Genre with a Tradition of
Customization5. Complex Controls6. Mostly Intuitive Controls
What is Empowering Control Customization?
EmpoweringControl Customization
When dealing with new interfaceslet players make their own controls
4 Rules
4 Rules of ECC
1. Implement Customization Early
2. Include Lots of Options
3. Give Immediate Feedback
4. Make Customization Easy
IncludeCustomization Early
First Playable Debug Control Customization Player Control Customization
- More time to test - Dev team is encouraged to try their
own styles
First Playable Debug Control Customization
First Public Playable Player Control Customization
- The earlier this can happen the more you will benefit from ECC
Most Playerswill never use
Control Customization
You need good controlsout of the box
GoodOut of the Box Controls
Play testers can improve your controls
Community can give you direction
Take Control ofThe Conduit
Button Layout Contest
The Conduit’sControls were Good
BUTThe Conduit’s controls
were too sensitivefor new players
Changes Based on Player Feedback
Lower default sensitivity
Slower default player movement speed
The addition of a 180° turn button
Early Customization Benefits More time to test Makes your controls more friendly out
of the box
Makes your fans more involved/happy - The hardcore love customization - Asking players for feedback during
production gives them a feeling of ownership
IncludeLots of Options
The Conduit’s Customizable Controls Dead Zone X Dead Zone Y Turn speed Run speed Auto Center Cursor
(when off screen) Wii Remote Thrust
Sensitivity Nunchuk Shake
Sensitivity Vertical View Horizontal View
Turn while cursor off-screen
Full button layout customization
Camera Style X Look Y Look
Cannot Invert Y-Axis
What Optionsto Include
1. Start with the debug menu - Everyone had their own preference - Preferences change with
experience2. Open up debug to players
3. Remove Obsolete Options3. Remove/Add Options
Lots of OptionsLeads to Emergence
EmergenceLeads to Bugs Being able to remap paused caused an
unexpected error where you couldn’t use the pause menu
Turning thrust sensitivity too low made it impossible to trigger
Being able to change the run speed made things unbalanced in multiplayer
Full customization requires more testing, implement early
GiveImmediate Feedback
MoreControls
More Confused Players
More Controls+
New Type of Interface
+Menu SystemIn the Middle
ReallyConfusing
!?
In The Conduit you can customize your controls during
gameplay
Changes are felt immediately
(no one expects players to change the sound settings without a sound cue, controls are no different)
Minimum menu learning curve
(Don’t know what an option does, change its value and you’ll see results immediately)
Only need to navigate menus once
(When players make their controls worse they are right there to fix them)
Skeptics are forced to spend time feeling the controls
In The Conduitplayers can…
shoot while customizing controls get shot while customizing controls unlock an achievement while customizing
controls die while customizing controls beat a level while customizing controls beat the game while customizing controls
Implement early to ensure your system has the required flexibility
MakeCustomization Easy
MakeCustomization Easy
Help Text
MakeCustomization Easy
Hierarchy
MakeCustomization Easy
Easy Revert
MakeCustomization Easy
Numbers
MakeCustomization Easy
Visual Feedback
MakeCustomization Easy
Presets
4 Rules of ECC
1. Implement Customization Early
2. Include Lots of Options
3. Give Immediate Feedback
4. Make Customization Easy
Lesson Learned from Implementation in The Conduit
Lessons Learned
Don’t forget Genre Basics
Lessons Learned
Experiment Early
Lessons Learned
Include more control duringImmediate Feedback
Critics Respond to Customization
The controls options are deep and everyone will be able to find a setting they are comfortable with and find perfect for battle. More FPS titles need this kind of customization setup in place.
~ Matt Furtado (Kombo)
You’re bound to find a control scheme that suits you no matter how meaty and unsightly that thing you call a hand may be.
~Chris Antista (GamesRadar)
In a nutshell, the only way to rag on the control in The Conduit is by looking in a mirror.
~Dave Halverson (Play)
Customization Leaves an Impression
It’s nearly as varied in selection as The Conduit was.
~Dustin Chadwell (Gaming Age)
Control is fluid and customizable but not to the same level as The Conduit.
~Jonathan Wahlgren (Nintendo Life)
When it comes to overall options given to Wii users, Reflex is… Trumped by only The Conduit…
~Mark Bozon (IGN)
The Conduit benefited greatly from Empowering Control Customization
HVS’s future games will benefit from ECC
Your games can benefit too
Questions?
Feedback Please fill out the evaluation forms
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