GDC 2005

1
Innovative Touch Screen Controls SPIDER-MAN 3 DS
Postmortem
Muhammad Ahmed and Leo Zuniga Vicarious Visions
Game Developers Conference 2008
2
Introductions

• Who are these guys?
• Leo Zuniga (Lead Designer)?
• Muhammad Ahmed (Designer)?
• Vicarious Visions
• We also wanted an all access pass!

3
Game Trailer
4
Session Overview

• Well focus on design implementations,
  specifically handling, AI, combat and of course
  the touch screen
• This session is not about
• Technical details of behind DS Touch Screen
• Adapting a movie license into a game
• Although you can ask after the session

5
Let's Take a Step Back

• Redefining core mechanics is not easy
• You will have skeptics, but you can use them to
  your advantage
• Communicate your core vision and stick to it
• Prototype was extremely helpful

6
Franchise History

• Spider-Man 2 DS
• Ultimate Spider-Man DS
• Touch Screen Prototypes
• Spider-Man 3 DS

7
Innovation Risks

• Why change what works?
• This is crazy?
• Please dont mess with the formula?
• Believe in the idea, let it brew (give it time)?
• How did we accomplish this?

8
Prototype

• Quick and dirty
• White rooms
• Prove ideas
• Communicate vision
• Docs only go so far

9
Game Stats

• Development time
• Team size
• Number Levels/Missions
• Open World Feel
• Accolades
• We love reviewers...

• Sometimes....

10
Reviews

• Gamespot 8 out of 10
• Touch-screen controls are comfortable and make
  stringing together attacks easy
• IGN 8.1 out of 10 (.1 woohoo)?
• Stylus control works and works really well in
  this beat-em-up.
• Gamespy 9.0
• But where Spider-Man 3 really shines is in its
  innovative use of the touch screen, which is
  right up there with most of Nintendo's
  first-party DS games.

11
Nintendo DS

• Hardware Overview

12
Project Goals

• Key Features
• Primary Aesthetic Goals
• Players feel that they are Spidey
  
• No Frustration on Controls
• Player exploration of handling within gameplay
  space

13
Adapting a Movie into a Game

• Get movie script from the internet
• Add a boss or two
• Done
• Oh yeah and random side missions
• ... Just kidding

14
Get a real writer

• We have in-house guys to help during the
  adaptation process
• ... but we were not going to talk about this

15
Touch Screen

• Full commitment
• Wanted to bring something NEW to the next big
  Spidey movie game!
• Convince project stakeholders
• Kid testing yay!
• Nintendo Demo
• Got their blessings
• Fit Nintendo DS strategy ( Iwata CEO )?
• We knew we're on the right track

16
Touch Screen

• Top Screen Vs. Bottom Screen
• States
• Tap
• Hold
• Release
• Stroke
• Etc

17
Einstein Quote
Things should be made as simple as possible---but
no simpler.
Made it my self!
.
Nice suit...
...Could have been simpler.
18
Inspiration
19
Iterations of Controls From USM

• Close to 10 alternatives
• Everyone had their favorite
• Lot of feedback during this stage
• End result
• D-pad Traversal
• Touch Screen Combat
• No shoulder buttons in core gameplay

20
Controls Overview

• Shoulder buttons issues
• Mirrored controls
• Who here is lefty?
• Minimal D-pad
• General traversal (right/left)?
• Jump
• Webswing
• Optimal Touch Screen

21
The Webzip Dilemma

• One of Spideys main moves
• What Gesture shall we use?
• Several options
• Tap hold
• Tap drag
• Checkmark Gesture
• Double-tap ?

---gt WTF
---gt WTF
---gt WTF
---gt FTW... FOR THE WIN!
22
Relative vs. Non-Relative Controls

• Touch screens center represents Spidey

23
Handling (2 Spideys)?

• Red Suit
• Acrobatic
• Flamboyant web abilities
• Show off super-hero elements
• Black Suit
• Using more strength over agility
• More brutal attacks
• A sense of rage rather than heroism

24
How to Convey differences?

• Players can see a visual difference on screen but
  handling should equally match visuals
• Most of the moves had similar inputs
• Both suits had subtle but unique gameplay
  differences
• Different set of finisher moves (combat)?

25
Combat

• punch kick
• sweep kick
• uppercut
• webzip
• throws
• air punch
• web retrieve
• web pull
• web throw
• dodge
• circle kicks
• web slams
• web rodeo
• charge attack
• reflex moves
• Lots of Moves and only touch screen??

26
Combat States

• Ground State
• Ground Engaged
• Air State
• Air Engaged
• Ground Web State

27
Gesture System

• 4 Key Gestures
• Stroke (8 variations)?
• Semi-circles (4 variations)?
• Circles (2 variations)?
• Double Tap
• Natural Mapping / Contextual Controls
• Feedback is important
• Player knows success
• No need to look at touch screen

28
The Stroke

• Core Moves
• Punch-kick
• Uppercuts
• Throws
• Dodge
• Etc

29
Gesture Demo

• Video Here

30
Semi-circles and circles

• Semi-circles
• Web slams
• Circles
• The rodeo (everyones favorite sport)?
• Reflex moves (aka finishers)?

31
Gesture Demo

• Video Here

32
Double tap

• Webbing
• Additional traversal
• Webzip

33
Gesture Demo

• Video Here

34
Context controls

• Pickup/Drop of peds
• Valves
• Switches
• Disarming bombs
• Using Warp Zones

35
Gesture Demo

• Video Here

36
If You Can Web it You Can Throw it!

• Consistency throughout the game
• Weak AI
• Crates
• Explosive Barrels (boom!)?

37
AI and Touch Screen Controls

• The players toys
• Must compliment combat
• Otherwise theres little to the game

38
AI Types

• Provided player with a good variety of web
  fodder
• 4 Core AI Types
• Melee Thug
• Armed Thug
• Projectile Thug
• Big Guy Thug

... and there were Lizards as well like this guy
----gt
39
AI Types

• Each AI had a weakness/tactical vulnerabilities
  once exposed open the door for a can of whoop
  ass with the touch screen inputs

40
Hero Points

• Combo counter
• Rewards variety
• New moves unlocked

41
Kid Testing

• Local kids from the area come and play our games
• Great Feedback!
• Idea Generator
• Use the data to improve the game and convince
  stakeholders

(the non-believers ooooohh!)?
42
Final Takeaway

• Quick prototypes are awesome (everyone knows that
  right?)?
• Iterative developments of the concept
• Accept change
• Future?
• Shrek 3, Tony Hawk and upcoming Dreamworks game

• Some great stuff please buy them! ?

43
Best Project Quote

• The team had some good ones but this beat them
  all...
• Will they ever get married? 8 year old girl
  kid tester.
• No sorry out of scope
• Next

44
Now it's Your Turn...

• Seriously ask us something...anything
• Weather?
• Favorite band?
• Spidey vs Pirates vs. Ninjas?

45
THANKS FOR COMING!