A user-friendly game development software.
It's easier said than done.
This means they need to consider as many possible scenarios as possible in the game.
And take appropriate action accordingly.
At the same time, all the complex code needs to be converted into a form that a layperson can understand.
To be honest, it's not impossible if you want to do it.
The real challenge lies in the compiler.
How can we make computers understand these complex, modular logical relationships and optimize them in a timely manner?
This is a very complex subject.
It's foreseeable that this will be a project that Activision its full resources to for a long time to come... right?
"Who said we needed to completely package all the program logic?" Lin Lixin waved his hand.
"In fact, we don't need any packaging at all. We just need some basic controls, like buttons and a clock, and that will be enough."
"Then how do you make a game? This level of simple interaction... I'm afraid we can only do some rudimentary interactive animations."
David frowned, puzzled.
Making games is not an easy task.
To think you can do it without writing a single line of code is simply wishful thinking.
Every interaction depends on the operation of the program.
Without programming, you can't even create a character that can control movement.
Even something as simple as wanting your character to move.
Designers also need to have a basic understanding of rigid body physics, input system monitoring and processing, vector mathematical calculations, frame animation matching, and other related aspects.
Should we package them with a usable button?
What's the point of that? Are you suggesting players use the mouse to click buttons to move?
That can be called manipulation?
Okay, that's too absolute a statement.
If there's a button, at least an alamo can be done.
But we can't let ames. cm become a platform full of nooks and crannies, can we?
Well... it's not necessarily a bad thing.
"That's the difference between animators and us programmers. David, what do you think is the biggest difference between games, animation, and movies?"
Lin Lixin closed the webpage and turned to look at the people around him.
In the Kung-Fu Master that followed, the Activision team had quietly gathered around to listen to the fascinating sermon.
"I think it's the interactivity. The difference between games is that players can truly control what happens and personally participate in that world."
"Just like Half-Life! Both are science fiction stories, but while Half-Life's visuals aren't as polished as those of Hollywood blockbusters, its immersive experience Super Nintendo other film!"
"It also has growth potential!" "It has role-playing potential!"
"Degrees of freedom..."
A group of people were chattering away, explaining their own concepts.
It has to be said that Activision's developers are indeed veterans.
Developers from the golden age of Atari had a truly profound understanding of video games.
One of the most fundamental differences between video games and animated films may lie in their interactivity.
Can players change the state of the game world through their input actions?
"Rit, but interactivity has never been determined by complex operating systems."
In game psychology, "control" is considered one of the twelve basic needs of game players.
In Celeste, players use their skillful techniques to perform precise maneuvers on the platform, conquering one level after another – this is the essence of exhilarating gameplay.
In Elden Ring, you can defeat the boss with skillful techniques and just a useless person's big stick, which is also the satisfying feeling of control.
In Hearts of Iron, commanding troops to launch a desperate counterattack and turn the tide of battle is, of course, a form of control. This sense of control is the source of a player's satisfaction and sense of security.
It is also the source of immersion.
A game that is completely out of control is bound to have problems.
but...
"What exactly is control?"
"In my view, any player behavior that can have an impact can be considered a form of control."
The quality of interactivity does not depend on the degree of freedom.
"Indeed, having complete control over a character is very fun and brings a great sense of satisfaction."
"But sometimes, what we really need is for players to see that their actions genuinely impact the game."
"So all we need... is a button."
A game with only a few buttons isn't necessarily less interactive than those big-budget games with elaborate controls.
What players can do and what impact players can have on the world are two completely different things.
Feedback is the key to everything.
"A very simple example, David, look at this pot of succulents."
Lin Lixin glanced around the workstations, then picked up the potted plant that was sitting on the table.
If you were to create a game about growing potted plants, how would you do it?
"Perhaps it will be a management + incremental game... I think it might also have a simulation gameplay, like 'PKEPAL'."
After a moment's thought, David quickly offered several different answers.
Both sound pretty good.
"So tell me... if he were an animator, what would he do?"
"Well..."
Actually, this question is more like asking him about two different design approaches.
In the world of game design, some designers, like Will, tend to observe the underlying logic of things. The growth of a potted plant requires parameters such as water, light, and nutrients that can be quantified by a program.
By influencing the data through player input, the state of the bonsai can be indirectly changed.
However, some people tend to focus more on appearances.
The seed sprouts from the soil, its roots gradually spread, the stem grows taller and stronger, and then leaves emerge and flower buds appear...
Perhaps they will design different lighting effects for different times of day, making this little flower photogenic at any time.
This might add some freedom to potted plants, allowing players to use different flower pots and soil.
Some people focus on visual presentation, while others focus on changes in state.
There is no right or wrong in this matter; it is simply a difference in perspective.
It can be roughly and somewhat imprecisely summarized as "rational thinking" and "emotional thinking".
"Look, we can design a game like this."
Lin Lixin took out a notebook and casually drew a circle on it.
"This is a planet. And this..." he said, drawing something like a Backpack next to him, with all sorts of strange and unusual things casually placed inside.
There are windmills, pickaxes, buckets...
"This is our button."
We clicked on the bucket, "Splash!", water was splashed all over the ground, and then it turned into clouds.
"Then let's put on a windmill. The temperature difference brought by the water creates wind, and when the windmill turns, it generates electricity for this planet."
"Then came the pickaxe, which people used to dig a riverbed."
"Look, like this."
As Lin Lixin spoke, he casually doodled on the planet.
With his Superman drawing skills, he managed to create something quite convincing with just a few strokes.
"Let's try a different approach. This time, let's place the pickaxe first. What will happen?"
"Uh... dig out a riverbed?"
"Exactly! So now if we use buckets again, won't the water stop splashing everywhere and instead become a river on the planet?" "Windmills inspired humans, and humans then developed watermills."
"Now that energy was plentiful, they built boats out of wood, sailed down the river to the other side of the planet, discovered minerals, and then..."
As he spoke, he drew, and a rather unremarkable but interesting little story about the development of Civilization was sketched out stroke by stroke on the paper.
"Wait, what if we set off the windmill first?"
Someone had already been drawn in and waved their hand, asking their question.
"Let's try pushing it. First, we put down the windmill... There's no wind on this planet! Our windmill didn't work, so the angry little people destroyed it and turned it into some kind of religious ritual site."
"The buckets of water were poured on it, and the settlement was destroyed."
"Alright, so now we have a dried-up riverbed and the ruins of a Civilization. Congratulations on achieving a perfect score of level 0 for all items!"
Lin Lixin showed the contents of the paper to everyone, which elicited laughter.
How could someone be so stupid as to not develop any of the necessary items?!
Look at that poor windmill; because it made the wrong choice, it's been transformed into a god...
Huh? "So..."
Everyone present was a seasoned veteran of the gaming industry, and their thinking was remarkably insightful.
After that brief moment of enlightenment, it was immediately followed by a flood, like a dam bursting after taking a large dose of croton oil after being constipated for three days and three nights.
My thoughts have never flowed so smoothly.
"We can create enough interactivity simply by drawing different branch animations for all the possibilities!"
Players cannot precisely control their character's movements as they do in Half-Life.
But he can actually interact with the world by clicking buttons.
"Even with only three items, there can be six different kinds... No, that's not right."
David's eyes widened slightly.
There are indeed six possible combinations if the three numbers are not repeated.
but...
The steps from 1 to 2 and from 1 to 3 are already different branches. Therefore, the combination of 1, 2, 3 and the combination of 1, 3, 2 seem to simply involve adding another branch.
However, because of the differences between 1 to 2 and 1 to 3, 2, 3 and 3, 2 can also be completely different possibilities.
This isn't a combination, it's a state tree!
This is a tree-like structure.
So the real answer should be...
15 types.
With just 3 items, 15 different branching world lines can be created.
But what if this number increases to four?
The world lines would then expand dramatically to a total of 64.
Five of them would make over 300 different kinds!
Each world line corresponds to the player's replay rate.
Each time you play, simply changing the order of events reveals a completely different world. If that's not interaction, then what is?
"This is where animators truly excel, everyone. This time, we're going to do... a ' Grow Sphere Game'."