The navigation tools used in Bioshock are particular with directing the player to their destination using various landmarks and signposting. Bioshock draws highly on lighting techniques such as rim lighting around certain objects that you need to interact with and highlighting places that you need to go. Since Bioshock is a first person rpg which draws attention to the player through the use of light and monument placements. For example, at the start of the game there is fire is surrounding the player which acts as an invisible wall leading the player. In the distance a pale white plane wing which has a point or spot light cast above it. This draws the player's attention with a recognizable difference within the setting. Upon reaching the plane's wing your attention is lead towards a lighthouse. Cascading in front of the moon and clouds which convey the mystery of the situation. The light house has steps that are clearly seen. Atop is a huge door that allows the player to enter the monument, this is easily navigable from the player's perspective as the game leaves breadcrumbs for the player to nibble upon (lights that light up when near). Once inside you are greeted by flickering lights and a huge statue with a tie like figure in the shape of an arrow that points towards two doors making it apparent the player must head down. The game further uses lights as the main guiding system with the use of shadow silhouettes, colors and reflections. After the initial story telling from the mysterious character on the radio you’re able to move around a dark and gloomy area which is clearly leading the player with the use of carpets and broken doors. With only one possible way to go I navigate myself through to another small cinematic. At which a monstrous human diver kills a splicer in front of you. Going further through you are confronted by another splicer but he gets chased off by some kind of robot thing. The game drops for you a Wrench at which you gain the ability to attack, again through the use of a spotlight pointing out the weapon. A short cut-scene happens and you are told to break through into the next area of the level. This implementation got me thinking that there might be multiple paths within any area thus forward. I found myself hitting random objects to see if there is anything I can go though. After a kerfuffle with some splicers (enemy within the game) another signposting happens and draws your attention to a crazed woman speaking into what appears to be a cot with a baby inside. After defeating the lady you notice that within the cot is a gun at which point empowering the player to feel less afraid to proceed to explore. I found myself surrounded by robots and other splicers and died at this point as I rushed in feeling “Strong”, since the demo set me back a fair bit this is where I ended my experience. What I discovered however is that Bioshock plays heavily on lighting and very little to no writing to tell the player where to go, it all seems apparent which is a great use of world design.
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World design theory (WDT)DevelopersThe goal of this blog is to relate current and past attempts at world design to further improve our understanding. Archives
October 2017
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