IntoTheVerse — “Executing Excellence: How To Create Effective Mechanics Behind Your Character Moves in Web3 Video Games.”
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“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” (Mahatma Gandhi)
What are character moves in gaming?
Character moves in gaming are the specific actions, abilities, and maneuvers that a player carries out while using the character in the game. The player sees the world through the character's perspective so character moves encompass a wide range of actions, from basic movements like walking, running, attacking, and defending, to more complex exploration and combat techniques, such as spells, crafting, and special abilities unique to each character.
These character moves are controlled by specific buttons and are vital to the player’s ability to navigate the game, explore, craft, and collect items, solve puzzles, engage in combat, complete challenges, and progress through the narrative.
What impact do character moves have on gameplay?
Character moves are essential in gameplay because they are the way a player interacts and explores the virtual world around them. These moves define a character’s personality, capabilities, and ability to be remembered by gamers, even after they complete the game.
Well-designed characters have moves that increase player engagement through maneuvers that prompt a player to use critical thinking and develop long-term strategies and problem-solving skills. Character moves are, in essence, the building blocks of gameplay and have a profound effect on the overall immersion and enjoyment of a game. Character moves can shape the overall experience of the game in the following ways:
Character moves impact the overall game mechanics
Character moves play a key role in the overall mechanics of the game. They determine what actions a player can take, what movements they need to do to progress through each level, what combat or fighting stances a player can employ in battle, and what moves are needed to successfully interact with the environment, creatures, and people around them.
An example of character moves that had a profound effect on the game was Super Mario 64, where the character moves were revolutionary and shaped the 3D platforming gaming genre. Mario’s responsive character moves ranged from jumps, somersaults, long jumps, backflips, wall jumps, and the iconic triple jump, which enabled players to navigate the 3D environments with newfound freedom and creativity.
Character moves add variety and depth to the gameplay.
Character moves can be used to add depth and variety to a character by aligning with their personality and their capabilities in the game. It also ensures that the gameplay does not get monotonous because characters often have an array of specialized moves and can pick up new abilities as they progress throughout the game.
An example of character moves that add additional depth and variety to gameplay would be the Legend of Zelda series. Players have a range of moves at their disposal, and in games like Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, they are able to add new abilities to their repertoire to solve puzzles, battle enemies, and overcome bosses.
Narrative and Gameplay pacing create Character Identity
Well-set-out character moves that reflect a character’s goals, values, and actions in the narrative and gameplay can immerse players even more in the game because it increases player engagement. Complex character moves are enjoyable to execute, especially combo moves because they give players a sense of achievement when they master them.
Aligning a character’s moves with their personality, backstory, and role in the game will help players connect more with the game because they will either like or dislike the character.
An example of unusual character moves that align well with the storyline is Spider-Man’s acrobatic and web-swinging moves in the Spider-Man games.
Mastering New Skills and Leveling Up
Complex character moves require players to practice how to land the sequence of the move. This adds an additional level of challenge for players. It also creates feelings of achievement and satisfaction when they learn these precise and demanding moves.
An example of complex character moves that are demanding and challenging in a video game is the wall jumps or running along walls moves in Prince of Persia.
Multiplayer Competitive Play
Character moves are crucial in multiplayer competitive gameplay to ensure they are balanced and fair. It is important to balance each character’s moves to ensure that no single character or no single move dominates.
An example of fair multiplayer gameplay, where character moves are celebrated, is Super Smash Bros. because it emphasizes the the importance of character move balance in competitive gaming.
What is required in a video game to create memorable character moves?
Characters must have distinct attributes and qualities
Memorable character moves are usually visually distinct or have a special twist that excites players. They also give players the opportunity to learn and execute complex moves or advanced techniques that encourage a player to level up to master these skills.
An example of a character with advanced techniques would be Ryu from Street Fighter, who is famous for his Hadoken and Shinku Hadoken, or Dhalsim, who is distinct because he has the ability to stretch his limbs in combat.
Alignment with the Character’s personality and Story Arc creates a sense of Connection
Character moves should not only reflect the personality of the character; they should also be used as key moments in the game’s storyline, for example, to introduce a new world or to show their growth as a character.
An example would be the character Kratos in God of War. He is able to gain new abilities as he journeys through the game, to keep it fresh and exciting, and that culminates in his incredible brutal finishing moves.
Ensuring everything with the character moves serves a purpose
Everything associated with the character's moves should have a clear purpose. They should enhance the character’s abilities and contribute to the overall game mechanics. Visual effects and sound design should be memorable by creating a distinctive sound or visual impact effect.
An example of this would be Link’s Master Sword strike in The Legend of Zelda, which is accompanied by a distinctive sound effect and visual flourish.
In conclusion, character moves are at the heart of every game, regardless if it is an RPG, Dungeon Crawler, Shooter, Strategy, or Fighting game. So no matter what the character’s moves are, they are integral to the pursuit of excellent game mechanics. By placing a central focus on character moves, game developers can craft characters and movements that not only entertain but are also memorable to players and elevate gaming to new levels of innovation and excitement.
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.
