Big Problems

How to find the right-sized solution

Big Problems

How to find the right-sized solution

Hi there,

This week we are talking game design with some experienced experts of the craft! We tackle game-changing issues using approaches big and small with BioShock’s Lead Designer, Paul Hellquist. We also learn how Immortals of Aveum combat is challenging FPS norms with our Senior Combat Designer, Jason Warnke. Buckle in, throw on your favorite design hat, and read on!

Don’t Underestimate a Simple Solution for a Big Problem 

Often, in games and in life, when faced with a problem that seems epic in proportion, finding a similarly sized solution can feel like the only, often very difficult, option. Fortunately, just like a good level in Deus Ex, there can be tons of different ways to solve a puzzling problem. When we sat down with Paul Hellquist, lead designer on the original BioShock and now co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Stray Kite Studios, we not only learned an indispensable troubleshooting technique in game design; we were surprised to learn that one of gaming’s most iconic features, the Big Daddies and Little Sisters dynamic, was almost cut from the game entirely!

“We almost cut the whole feature. I remember, [Big Daddies and Little Sisters feature] wasn’t working, it wasn’t really connecting with players. [Ken Levine] challenged the design team to come up with a replacement. [This feature] was the thing we sold that game idea on, so if we’re going to remove the most important feature, what are we going to replace it with?

We pitched a bunch of ideas and none of them really hit the excitement that we were looking for. I believed that the Big Daddies and Little Sisters could work, but we just hadn’t found the right combination. I knew I couldn’t convince [Ken] until we went through the process of trying to come up with new things. My pitch was what I thought was the solve for the problem.”

Paul Hellquist, Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Stray Kite Studios

A critical game mechanic not delivering the gameplay experience intended is an issue that demands attention. Oftentimes, it can feel like these types of issues require major changes or fixes. Similarly, replacing the feature would probably be expensive and cause significant downstream changes. Paul does two things here: sticks to his guns about a core vision of the game and makes his proposal with impeccable timing. Plus, since his proposal was relatively quick to implement, it’s easy for Ken and others to say, “Why not?”

“All the solve was, was game balance. At the time, you could get ADAM through lots of different places in the game, so no one cared about the Little Sisters. The solve was, what if the Little Sisters were the only place to get ADAM? That completely changed the relationship of the player to the Big Daddies and Little Sisters; it made the player need them.”

“It’s amazing to me how often a major issue in your game might be as simple as the balance of the numbers. That’s always the first place I start if something’s really not working. I crank it way up or crank it way down. Like if someone is saying “ugh this weapon’s stupid.” Well, 10x it’s damage and then see if people have fun with it! So sometimes it’s not that the concept is wrong, it’s that the numbers were too conservative and so it never felt entertaining or powerful or exciting or whatever you were going for.”

Paul Hellquist, Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Stray Kite Studios

We will definitely be sticky noting “CRANK THE BALANCE” to a few of our monitors! There are times when we all need a reminder that the solution to a big problem might be to take a step back and start with an easy change. Watch the full Rise Above episode with Paul Hellquist for more insights into BioShock, Borderlands 2, and his journey in game development.

Available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple, or your favorite audio platform.

If there was a time when you ran into a roadblock in game development that actually needed a small, simple solution, we would love to hear about it. Reply to this email to tell us about it and maybe you’ll be featured in our newsletter!

How Does Immortals of Aveum Challenge Game Design Norms?

Our Senior Combat Designer, Jason Warnke, goes on tour to share the inside scoop on Immortals of Aveum combat.

…Well, he technically didn’t leave his interview area in the Vault of our air-conditioned office, but still! Jason took the time to chat with content creators from all over about how combat works in Immortals of Aveum and tons of other interesting ideas came up, like challenging game design norms and what a combat designer is most excited about in releasing a game like IoA.

“We got to challenge what it means to be a shooter. At its core, we want the game to be intuitive even though it’s not guns. [But we also] got to challenge things like , ‘do we need a crouch? How about instead of a crouch on B, why don’t we put on Blink?’ So now we have a basic mobility [dash] ability, which you can use defensively or offensively in combat. [...] My other challenge was on our left trigger, where we asked ourselves, ‘Do we need an ADS? I don’t think so.’ So instead of doing an ADS we have these things called Control Spells where you have three options, one of which is Lash, where you grab an enemy and pull them close or use it on a larger enemy to traverse the space to them.”

Jason Warnke, Lead Combat Designer at Ascendant Studios

Learn more about what goes into Immortals of Aveum combat in Jason’s interview with Danny Peña. Check it out here.

Additionally, Jason dove deep into the combat mechanics with MasterTainment at New Rockstars. They chat about Immortals of Aveum’s defensive abilities, like the Blink and Shield augment spells that change how you move through the world, and much more. If you want to be blasting away the evil Rasharnians the moment IoA hits shelves, this interview is definitely not to be missed:

“Out of all the spells , my personal favorite so far is the Dominion Ultimate Spell that channels all three magic color types to help you absolutely DELETE those silly soldiers of evil that stand in your way like a bunch of stupid idiots. Like do they not know who you are?! You’re Jak! You’re a Triarch Magnus! You’ve got a face tattoo! You’re a man with truly nothing to lose.”

MasterTainment, New Rockstars

Get a leg up on mastering Immortals of Aveum’s magical combat in Jason’s interview with MasterTainment here.

Keep your eyes peeled for more interviews with Jason and other Ascendant developers soon to come!

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