Analyzing Play (Part 2) | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

Analyzing Play (Part 2)

How formal and dramatic elements of an interactive story come together.

6
Analyzing Play (Part 2)
Dinosaur Polo Club

This week I will be analyzing the game Mini Metro for it’s formal and dramatic elements.

The game is a simulation game that involves building subway routes on maps of large cities. The game uses multiple colors and basic shapes and is not going for realism at all here. You are looking from a bird’s eye view on an evolving map of a city that is expanding. You can see your subway lines with the trains moving in real time. You want to get people (various shapes) to their corresponding stations before a station over crowds. These are the game basics.

First, let’s look at what formal elements are present. These elements are the maps, the number of lines, the number of trains, and the passengers, and the building resources. All of these elements are the building blocks to the basic gameplay. When the game was in it’s early stages, I was able to play it during it's early access on Steam. From the beginning, the input has not changed much, but how it is perceived has been continuously modified to engage the player more. When you click or do something, you want to feel a response. At first, there was no response that felt engaging in the long term. Being in control of an active simulation/strategy game, it makes sense that actions you take need to do more than just flash on the screen. I’ll cover more of this in dynamics. As for context, the game is simply a strategy simulation of an interactive subway map. Just picture any subway map, but imagine seeing the trains on there in real time.

It is a cool concept and is simple to visualize and understand. Everything you do it click-based. There are a few shortcut keys but 99 percent is click. Everything you experience is within the context of the game. The motion of the trains, the sounds, the colors, everything goes. Now if the game were going for realism, then those contexts are missing. The game is a black or white backdrop with shapes and lines. That is it. You have to use your association with subways and maps to figure out what everything us. The game’s metaphor is clear. It is real time simulation. Every time you play the game, it is different. No map will ever repeat where the stations are. In some cases, you can play maps with different sets of rules, such as once a track is placed, it cannot be moved. There are also various ways to play, each unlocking different achievements and goals. This lends the game to increased future playability. It is something you can start and come back to versus just playing it once.

Looking towards the games dynamics, these have evolved a lot since the initial beta stages. The game is now finalized, but when I first encountered the game, the dynamic responses were missing. The main problem was a lack of music or any audio for that matter. Subways, as we all know, are pretty loud and noisy and to be playing without that experience present felt strange. It made the game boring. The actual play was fun but lacked response. Over time, with updating the game, more audio was implemented. There is now the sounds of passengers and platforms and a clock that ticks slow or fast depending on when the station is overcrowding. Now we have the feel of the hustle and bustle. The music that was implemented is also unique and changes on play to play. Every time a station is created a part of the melody is added. The same goes for adding a line to the map. Everything is building upon itself. The type of music implemented is algorithmic based interactive music. You can read about that in the game here. There is motion all about the map. Each map slowly grows and grows until a certain point. So in this case our environment is always shifting. The polishing done in this game was mainly the audio. The color schemes went through a few revisions too. Now, each map has its own sets of color schemes. Before, there was a lot less variation. The audio, which is very interactive in terms of this game was the polish that makes it captivating and puts the player in the experience of running a subway line.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

A Few Thoughts Every College Freshman Has

The transition into adulthood is never easy

19618
Mays Island
Courtney Jones

Today I started my third week of college at Minnesota State Moorhead. I have survived welcome week, finding my classes on the first day, and being an awkward loner in the dining hall. Even though I have yet to be here for a month, I have already experienced many thoughts and problems that only a new college student can relate to.

Keep Reading...Show less
Students walking on a sunny college campus with trees and buildings.

"Make sure to get involved when you're in college!"

We've all heard some variation of this phrase, whether it came from parents, other family members, friends, RAs, or college-related articles. And, like many clichés, it's true for the most part. Getting involved during your college years can help you make friends, build your resume, and feel connected to your campus. However, these commitments can get stressful if you're dealing with personal issues, need to work, or aren't sure how to balance classes and everything else going on during the semester.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

9 Reasons Why Friends Are Essential In College

College without friends is like peanut butter without jelly.

8270
Bridgaline Liberati and friends
Bridgaline Liberati

In college, one of the essential things to have is friends. Yes, textbooks, a laptop, and other school supplies are important but friends are essential. Friends are that support system everybody needs. The more friends you have the better the support system you have. But you also have someone to share experiences with. And don’t settle for just one or two friends because 8 out of 10 times they are busy and you are studying all alone. Or they have other friend groups that do not include you. Don’t settle for just one or two friends; make as many friends as you can. After the first couple of weeks of college, most friend groups are set and you may be without friends.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

The Power of Dressing Up

Why it pays to leave the hoodie at home.

6013
sneakers and heels
Sister | Brother Style - Word Press

For a moment your world is spinning. The phone alarm has just scared you awake and you’re flooded by daunting thoughts of the day ahead. You have three assignments due and little time to work on them because of your job. You’re running late because you’ve hit snooze one to many times after yesterday’s long hours. You dizzily reach for a hoodie, craving its comfort, and rush for a speedy exit, praying you will have time to pick up coffee. Does this sound familiar?

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

11 Signs You Live At The Library As Told by 'Parks And Recreation'

A few signs that you may live in the library whether you'd like to admit it or not.

5209
brown wooden book shelves with books

Finals week is upon us. It is a magical time of year during which college students everywhere flock to the library in attempt to learn a semester's worth of knowledge in only a week. For some students, it's their first time in the library all semester, maybe ever. Others have slaved away many nights under the fluorescent lights, and are slightly annoyed to find their study space being invaded by amateurs. While these newbies wander aimlessly around the first floor, hopelessly trying to find a table, the OGs of the library are already on the third floor long tables deep into their studies. Here is a few signs that you may live in the library, whether you'd like to admit it or not.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments