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Designing Gameplay

  • Writer: Treble Thieves
    Treble Thieves
  • Mar 6
  • 2 min read

Why gameplay design is important (and tough) 


When we look at the games we remember fondly, there are usually two core elements that keep us thinking about them. The first being: The Characters, Story, and Style of the game. These are the things that visually speak to us as the player, and we remember them based on what they convey.  

 

The second, and other side of that, is what we’ll be covering today: The Gameplay. It’s what we the player do and experience, showing off the context behind the design of the game. The Gameplay of a game can be a bit harder to describe passion for when compared to more visual elements such as the Style and Story of the game, but in the end, a game lives and dies by its gameplay.  

 


Even with graphics on par for 2003, Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing was rated very low by both game magazines and players alike, due to its lacking gameplay.
Even with graphics on par for 2003, Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing was rated very low by both game magazines and players alike, due to its lacking gameplay.

Designing gameplay is one of the hardest parts of the game creation process, requiring many iterations via playtesting to get it right. These iterations help lead the team to a firm concept of what the game should be, leaving no room for miscommunication about how the game should be played, and what the players should be experiencing. 

 

So, what does all that mean for Treble Thieves? 


When designing Treble Thieves, many ideas were tried and tossed. Rather than having players crash into Cliff Brasso’s mansion to crash his party, we originally had players make their way from the bottom of Brasso’s replica pyramid going up. Players would be avoiding obstacles and traps similar to the TV show Wipeout!. 

 


The level design of the second floor before the pivot (drawn on the classroom whiteboard). 
The level design of the second floor before the pivot (drawn on the classroom whiteboard). 

 

 Seeing from playtests, and peer feedback, we found that adding many platforming elements took away from the main method of gameplay we wanted to utilize, which was racing and running through the mansion towards the Artifact, with the goal being to be the one leaving with the Artifact. After several concepts, greyboxing, and playtesting, we arrive at our (as of now) current gameplay loop: 

 

Players crash through the ceiling of the foyer, stylishly making their entrance! They race each other down through the mansion, messing up the rooms they go through.  They slide, jump, and grapple their way across the rooms, while knocking into people, chairs, and other props. Whoever makes it out with the Artifact wins.  

 

Unlike our previous ideas, we are now focusing on a stylish race that crashes the party, without the need for much platforming. The gameplay will focus on running through running fancy rooms and messing stuff up, and the race to escape with the artifact starts this may! 3- 2- 1- GO!  

 


Early drafting of our new level design, focusing more on theming the individual rooms and the mansion. 
Early drafting of our new level design, focusing more on theming the individual rooms and the mansion. 

 

See you all next week! 

-Charlie M 


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