IntoTheVerse — “Balancing Art, Story, and Mechanics in Web3 Games: Lessons from Successful Titles: Part 1.”
Welcome to another IntoTheVerse Journal!
A metaverse that is focused on creating utility, impact and provides players with total control.
“A well designed game is a guided missile to the motivational heart of the human psyche.” (Kevin Werbach)
Ask any gamer about the things that make or break a video game, and more often than not, they will choose between art, story, or mechanics. As the video game industry has evolved, technological advancements have pushed gaming into new frontiers.
At IntoTheVerse, we are building our own RPG game, so we wanted to study how to balance art, story, and mechanics and how we can learn from the gaming titles that came before. By examining these games, we hope to gain valuable insights into creating immersive and captivating experiences in our Web3 games. Check out our two-part article below.
Why are art, story, and mechanics important?
Art, storytelling, and game mechanics are all vital in good gameplay. Here are some of the main reasons why they are so important:
Creating Captivating Art
Art creates a visually appealing experience for players and draws them into a new world of exploration. It involves using unique art styles, vibrant colors, attention to detail, and creative design choices that contribute to the characters, the storyline, and the world.
Well-designed characters with distinct visual traits and personalities can evoke emotions and make players develop a deep connection with them. Additionally, intricately designed worlds with attention to detail make the game come alive, enhancing the player’s sense of exploration and discovery.
Art can also enhance storytelling in video games by visually conveying narratives and themes. It helps present key story moments, cutscenes, and dialogue through visually compelling images.
Crafting Immersive Storytelling
Storytelling gives players a sense of control over the outcome of the game. Immersive storytelling can create a sense of curiosity and a need to know more as they become emotionally invested in the characters and the catalyzing events that form the narrative.
A fun, compelling storyline can evoke a multitude of emotions in a player and enhance the game's enjoyment. When players are engaged in a well-crafted story, they are more likely to invest time and effort, leading to a more fulfilling gaming experience.
A good storyline can also build a rich, diverse universe with its lore, and history, and provide a much-needed sense of progression in a game.
Games with immersive storytelling have the potential to have greater longevity in the industry because it inevitably contributes to the atmosphere, tone, mood, and ambiance of the game.
Creating Complex Game Mechanics
Complex game mechanics offer players a more immersive experience by setting challenges, puzzles, and quests that require continuous strategy, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. By creating achievable obstacles to overcome, game developers ensure players are invested in the game because they are encouraged to learn, adapt and master the difficulty levels or game system.
This also encourages repeated playthroughs and greater longevity in the game because it provides a satisfying sense of achievement when a player overcomes a particularly difficult part of the game and gains subsequent rewards.
Good game mechanics also add depth to a game’s universe because developers can create more immersive environments by including intricate environments and game functions.
Creating unique gameplay systems can also make a game stand out in an already crowded gaming industry, attract a loyal, dedicated fanbase and imprint a distinct identity within gaming genres and, if a game is extremely well equipped, create long-lasting memories for players.
How did Web1 Establish Immersive Worlds through Art, Story, and Mechanics?
Web1 was the epitome of innovation with limited technology. It laid the foundations for creating new immersive worlds through simple art, storylines, and mechanics.
Ahead of their time but limited by technology, the first wave of game developers utilized ASCII characters, Pixel art and Adobe Flash, and Shockwave to create simple animations. They also focused on creating text-based adventure games or web comics to create detailed storylines.
Gaming mechanics relied on JavaScript and HTML, so game developers could focus on interactive text descriptions and web browsing to help players navigate and engage in the game. Message boards and forums were also widely used to encourage collaboration and gain feedback from early gaming communities.
Even with these technological limitations, titles like Final Fantasy VII demonstrated the power of using captivating art, an intricate storyline, and simple mechanics to make a game so immersive players could return to replay different parts it and have a unique and memorable gaming experience each time.
Final Fantasy VII has lived on since its first evolution in 1997, and with the second installment of the remake trilogy being released in 2023, it's clear that it was successful because of its balance of art, narration, and adaptable mechanics.
Another great example of a game that spectacularly combined art, story, and game mechanics in a riveting, immersive world is The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
Using a blend of time travel, puzzles, combat, and exploration mechanics, the game developers laid the foundation for a game that defied time. Combining these mechanics with an epic storyline and fantasy artwork, the Zelda franchise marked the beginning of game studios seamlessly integrating art, narration, and mechanics into a balanced and engaging format.
Diablo II is another game, which excelled at creating a haunting, immersive experience through gothic artwork, a captivating storyline, and engaging mechanics, such as loot acquisition, character customization, and real-time combat.
Click here to access Part 2 of our article and continue reading:
Stay tuned for more tech articles from IntoTheVerse.
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Aimee Gilmore is a Creative Writer at IntoTheVerse. Come say hi to her on Twitter or Discord.
