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A similar technique is used in Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018, Rockstar Games). In locations where local residents are not welcoming to strangers, players can find warning signs indicating that trespassers will be shot on sight (Fig. 44.2).
In the desert level of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (2011, Nintendo), the protagonist travels along a complex rail track in a mine cart. To warn players about danger, the developers placed wooden signs with a bold red cross at the end of each dead-end track (Fig. 44.3).
Fig. 44
Hitman © 2016, IO Interactive
Red Dead Redemption 2 © 2018, Rockstar Games
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword © 2011, Nintendo
The designers of Dishonored: Death of the Outsider (2017, Arkane Studios) integrated warning signs naturally into the environment. Players can learn that the floors in some areas of the bank are charged with high voltage through a notice from the administration (Fig. 45.1). To discourage players from trying to swim beyond the playable area, the developers also placed a sign warning about a dangerous, potentially lethal current (Fig. 45.2).
Fig. 45
Dishonored: Death of the Outsider © 2017, Arkane Studios
Well-designed signs can also serve as motivation to explore. This can be done by placing images of existing in-game locations along with prompts or invitations to visit them.
At railway stations in Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018, Rockstar Games), players can find posters advertising the state’s tourist attractions. These locations can indeed be discovered if the player carefully explores the game world (Fig. 46).
Fig. 46
Red Dead Redemption 2 © 2018, Rockstar Games
Another excellent example of functional signs that encourage exploration can be found in Fallout 4 (2015, Bethesda Game Studios). In the game world, there is a chain of supermarkets called Super Duper Mart, which invites players to visit its stores through large advertising billboards (Fig. 47).
Fig. 47
Fallout 4 © 2015, Bethesda Game Studios
Signs with interaction instructions are an effective way to teach new mechanics without relying on the user interface.
In Firewatch (2016, Campo Santo), the player receives a special device used to locate hidden supply caches. The device emits sounds that become more frequent as the player gets closer to the target. The developers naturally integrated the usage instructions into the environment by placing them on the inside of the container’s lid (Fig. 48).
Fig. 48
Firewatch © 2016, Campo Santo
The developers of Half-Life: Alyx (2020, Valve) also use signs to explain the rules by which the virtual world operates. In the episode “Jeff”, set in an alcohol production facility, the player encounters a blind zombie wearing a hazmat suit. To explain why the monster can pass through force fields while the protagonist cannot, the designers added a sign labeled “Staff Only”. It depicts a character in a yellow hazmat suit freely passing through the barrier (Fig. 49.1).
All doors with magnetic locks in the game are equipped with signs showing interaction instructions. The developers use images of a keycard and a key as hints to indicate what type of access is required to unlock the door (Fig. 49.2).
Fig. 49
Half-Life: Alyx © 2020, Valve
In the opening of BioShock Infinite (2013, Irrational Games), the protagonist visits a fair with shooting attractions where he can fire an air rifle at targets. The instructions explaining the rules of these mini-games are presented as signs and are integrated naturally into the surrounding atmosphere (Fig. 50).
Fig. 50
BioShock Infinite © 2013, Irrational Games
Developers often use signs to give players hints for solving puzzles.
In the puzzles of Rime (2017, Tequila Works), designers mark the correct parking spot for a pushable crate with a special symbol that clearly resembles the object’s silhouette. The crate itself, however, is hidden somewhere in the level and must first be found by the player. This works much like showing the player that a blue door opens with a blue key, while hiding the key somewhere in the level. The player intuitively understands the task and searches for the solution (Fig. 51).
In the puzzle involving a gate and a dumpster in The Last of Us Part II (2020, Naughty Dog), warning signs illustrate how each element of the puzzle works. The solution requires performing a risky action hinted at by these signs: the dumpster can slide down a ramp across a slippery floor and become wedged under the rising garage gate (Fig. 52).
Fig. 51
Rime © 2017, Tequila Works
Fig. 52
The Last of Us Part II © 2020, Naughty Dog
The second type of signal is the marker, which confirms interaction. These are symbols integrated into the environment that highlight interactive elements.
Interaction markers only work effectively if two conditions are met. First, the player must understand the connection between the appearance of an object and its gameplay function. Second, the principle of Consistency must be followed — all objects of the same type must respond to interaction in the same way.
The developers of Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015, Crystal Dynamics) mark all explosive objects in the level with the color red. The variety is quite large — barrels, diesel generators, fuel canisters, kerosene lamps, and more. As a result, players develop a strong association between the appearance of the object (the red color) and its gameplay function (an explosion) (Fig. 53).
Fig. 53
Rise of the Tomb Raider © 2015, Crystal Dynamics
In games with climbing mechanics, interactive ledges are usually marked as well. For this purpose, designers reserve a specific color that contrasts with the environment, using it to highlight all functional elements on the level (Fig. 54).
Fig. 54
Robinson: The Journey © 2016, Crytek
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End © 2016, Naughty Dog
Horizon Zero Dawn © 2017, Guerrilla Games
Cracks are an effective way to mark destructible elements in the environment. They are subconsciously perceived as a structural weakness and suggest that brute force can be applied at that breaking point.
For example, all breakable wooden structures in God of War (2018, SCE Santa Monica Studio) look fragile and unstable (Fig. 55.1). In The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017, Nintendo), cracks mark stone boulders that can be blown up (Fig. 55.2). Similarly, weak sections of walls in Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (2016, Eidos Montréal) are also indicated by visible cracks (Fig. 55.3).
Fig. 55
God of War © 2018, SCE Santa Monica Studio
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild © 2017, Nintendo
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided © 2016, Eidos Montreal
To teach the player how to handle a sword, the developers of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (2011, Nintendo) let players practice on wooden logs. The strike points are marked with notches indicating where the blows should land (Fig. 56.1 and 56.2). Similar visual cues are integrated into the design of enemies. Horizontal lines on an enemy’s body indicate a vulnerable spot and suggest the direction in which the player should strike (Fig. 56.3 and 56.4).
Fig. 56
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword © 2011, Nintendo
The third type of signal is the negative interaction marker. These are symbols embedded in the environment that mark inaccessible areas or deny interaction with objects that might otherwise appear interactive.
To create obstacles or define level boundaries, designers often use threats. This category includes any elements symbolizing danger. Such as fire, lava, gas, electricity, toxic fumes, acid, and so on. Threats instinctively repel players and discourage any attempt to move forward (Fig. 57).
Fig. 57
Titanfall 2 © 2016, Respawn Entertainment
God of War © 2018, SCE Santa Monica Studio
When designing levels, developers frequently use windows with bulletproof glass to show the player the contents of locked rooms with valuable items inside. A metal mesh overlay has become a common visual marker indicating reinforced or bulletproof glass (Fig. 58.1 and 58.2). If a game is set in the future, force fields are commonly used instead of wire fences (Fig. 58.3).
Valve developers often use a simple and intuitive way to mark locked doors. An interactive door can be distinguished from a static one by the presence of a handle (Fig. 59.1 and 59.2). If the handle is missing, the door cannot be opened (Fig. 59.3 and 59.4).
Fig. 58
Control © 2019, Remedy Entertainment
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