[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:00.20,0:00:05.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In 2008, game designer Derek Yu couldn’t\Nfigure out what type of game to make next.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:05.94,0:00:07.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Perhaps, he should make a platformer.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:07.83,0:00:11.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But, despite making a few prototypes - nothing\Nseemed right.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:11.94,0:00:16.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So perhaps he should make a roguelike - you\Nknow, a top-down dungeon crawler, with randomly
Dialogue: 0,0:00:16.77,0:00:17.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,generated levels.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:17.77,0:00:19.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But that didn’t work either.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:19.61,0:00:24.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,His prototypes just didn’t seem to add anything\Nnew to their respective genres.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:24.43,0:00:27.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that’s when it clicked.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:27.26,0:00:32.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What if he made a platformer - with tense\Njumps and scrappy, real-time combat.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:32.58,0:00:37.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But, like a roguelike, the game would have\Nrandomly generated levels, and high stakes
Dialogue: 0,0:00:37.84,0:00:38.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,permadeath.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:38.84,0:00:42.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And thus, Spelunky was born.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:42.09,0:00:45.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And about eight million other games that borrow\Nelements from the roguelike genre.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:45.58,0:00:50.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You see, we like to put games into tidy little\Nboxes.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:50.00,0:00:51.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Platformers.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:51.30,0:00:52.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,First-person shooters.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:52.46,0:00:53.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Racing games.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:53.49,0:00:54.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Puzzlers.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:54.49,0:00:58.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We neatly categorise games based on things\Nlike their mechanics, camera perspective,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:58.97,0:01:01.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,level structure, and rules.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:01.12,0:01:06.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But, brilliant things can be produced when\Nthose lines are blurred, and those genres
Dialogue: 0,0:01:06.28,0:01:07.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are mushed together.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:07.44,0:01:12.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sadly, it’s not at easy as chucking a bunch\Nof things into a pot and hoping something
Dialogue: 0,0:01:12.10,0:01:13.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,good comes out.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:13.20,0:01:16.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Get the mix wrong, and the result can be disastrous.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:16.09,0:01:21.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, in this video let’s look at how games\Ncan shove together radically different genres…
Dialogue: 0,0:01:21.49,0:01:22.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with success.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:22.72,0:01:27.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I’m Mark Brown, and this is Game Maker’s\NToolkit.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:27.24,0:01:31.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Okay, so I think there are three different\Nways to combine genres in games.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:31.43,0:01:35.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so I’ll start with what I’m calling\Nthe “hand-off method”.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:35.90,0:01:40.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is when a game jumps back and forth between\Ndifferent genres, at different times.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:40.52,0:01:46.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, consider Persona - which is sometimes\Na dungeon-crawling JRPG, and sometimes a visual
Dialogue: 0,0:01:46.97,0:01:48.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,novel-like life simulator.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:48.60,0:01:54.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Or Uncharted, which quickly bounces between\Nshooting, platforming, puzzle solving, and
Dialogue: 0,0:01:54.74,0:01:55.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,driving.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:55.74,0:01:59.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The key advantage to this approach is pacing\Nand variety.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:59.09,0:02:03.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It can get boring to do the exact same type\Nof gameplay for hours on end, so if you mix
Dialogue: 0,0:02:03.90,0:02:06.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,up the genre, you can keep players engaged\Nfor longer.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:06.85,0:02:11.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It can also be used to make sure the gameplay\Nalways fits what’s happening in the narrative
Dialogue: 0,0:02:11.18,0:02:16.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,- because tense RPG battles wouldn’t make\Nsense when you’re doing after-school chores.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:16.41,0:02:22.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The biggest challenge here is that some players\Nmay not like every genre in the mix.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:22.72,0:02:26.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If you bought God of War for the frantic,\Nultra violent, button-bashy, combat… then
Dialogue: 0,0:02:26.96,0:02:30.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you might find the slow-paced puzzles to be\Na complete drag.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:30.65,0:02:33.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There are some solutions to this, though.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:33.67,0:02:39.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Like, Uncharted does have puzzles… but they’re\Nnot exactly brain-busting conundrums.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:39.01,0:02:43.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In this series, the combat seems to be the\Nprimary genre - and so that’s where you’ll
Dialogue: 0,0:02:43.23,0:02:45.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,find the most depth and challenge.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:45.42,0:02:49.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The secondary genres are pretty much just\Npalette cleansing fluff - and so they’re
Dialogue: 0,0:02:49.64,0:02:54.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,kept super simple to ensure they don’t upset\Nplayers who only want to do the shooty bits.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:54.82,0:02:58.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Going further, you can make those secondary\Ngenres optional.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:58.39,0:03:02.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In Shovel Knight: King of Cards, you never\Nneed to play the card battler if you’d prefer
Dialogue: 0,0:03:02.89,0:03:05.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to just focus on the platforming.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:05.07,0:03:10.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In L.A. Noire, if you fail at these dopy third-person\Nshooter bits, you can skip right past them
Dialogue: 0,0:03:10.30,0:03:12.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to get back to the detective puzzles.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:12.53,0:03:16.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And in the Yakuza series, you never need to\Nbother with the management side of things,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:16.96,0:03:18.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,after you’ve passed the tutorial.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:18.64,0:03:22.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can also try to pick genres with strong\Nsimilarities, so it’s likely that players
Dialogue: 0,0:03:22.71,0:03:24.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,will enjoy both types of game.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:24.99,0:03:29.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If you enjoy the turn-based tactical battles\Nin XCOM, then it’s not a huge stretch to
Dialogue: 0,0:03:29.34,0:03:32.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,assume that you’ll also like the strategic\Nlayer.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:32.21,0:03:35.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Consider what sort of skills are required\Nin the primary genre, and be wary of asking
Dialogue: 0,0:03:35.87,0:03:38.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,players to suddenly need entirely different\Nones.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:38.23,0:03:41.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I mean, a rhythm-based boss battle.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:41.05,0:03:42.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Really?
Dialogue: 0,0:03:42.18,0:03:46.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Another challenge is that players may be confused\Nabout how they should be approaching the current
Dialogue: 0,0:03:46.31,0:03:47.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,level.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:47.31,0:03:51.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I ran into this problem with the first demo\Nfor my Untitled Magnet Game.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:51.22,0:03:56.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I wanted to include both logic-based puzzles,\Nand tricky platforming challenges - but players
Dialogue: 0,0:03:56.66,0:04:00.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,didn’t always know if the level required\Nthem to engage their brain… or engage their
Dialogue: 0,0:04:00.55,0:04:01.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,thumbs.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:01.68,0:04:05.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One solution to this problem is to simply\Ncommunicate this information to the player.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:05.87,0:04:10.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In Grapple Dog, there should be no confusion\Nabout how to tackle these speed-run, time-attack
Dialogue: 0,0:04:10.33,0:04:15.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,stages - I mean, the door has a fast-forward\Nicon on it, there’s a countdown, Pablo starts
Dialogue: 0,0:04:15.52,0:04:19.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in a sprinter’s pose, the background is\Na racing flag, and so on.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:19.37,0:04:24.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Another solution is to just change the player’s\Ncurrent actions from level to level - or punish
Dialogue: 0,0:04:24.61,0:04:26.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the player for using the wrong ones.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:26.96,0:04:31.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In the Batman: Arkham games, if you try to\Nplay these stealth sections like a beat ‘em
Dialogue: 0,0:04:31.06,0:04:34.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,up, you’ll very quickly end up full of holes.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:34.13,0:04:38.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The final challenge is that the different\Ngenres can distract from each other, or compete
Dialogue: 0,0:04:38.35,0:04:41.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for the player’s attention, or break the\Ngame’s flow.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:41.46,0:04:46.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sid Meier discovered this when making Covert\NAction - a game where you solve a mystery
Dialogue: 0,0:04:46.07,0:04:48.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,by doing various mini-games.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:48.03,0:04:52.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Meier says that when players got sucked in\Nto action scenes that were too long, too intense,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:52.67,0:04:54.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and felt disconnected from everything else...
Dialogue: 0,0:04:54.47,0:04:56.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they forgot all about the mystery.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:56.20,0:05:00.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He says “You'd spend ten minutes or so,\Nof real time, in a mission.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:00.06,0:05:04.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And by the time you got out of [it], you had\Nno idea of what was going on in the world.”
Dialogue: 0,0:05:04.32,0:05:07.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One solution is to keep the different segments\Nshort - so you’re always coming back to
Dialogue: 0,0:05:07.81,0:05:08.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the main event.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:08.81,0:05:14.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Or, to always have the different genres feed\Nin to each other - back in XCOM, the advances
Dialogue: 0,0:05:14.44,0:05:18.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you make in your base will directly impact\Nyour chances in the tactical battles.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:18.53,0:05:23.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the decisions you make on the battlefield\Nwill feed back into your base.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:23.35,0:05:25.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That way you never forget about the other\Nside of the game.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:25.98,0:05:30.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But the main solution is to consider the game’s\Ncore focus, and to make sure everything is
Dialogue: 0,0:05:30.85,0:05:32.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,pointing in that same direction.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:32.80,0:05:37.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In Persona, the games are all about your relationship\Nwith your core group of friends.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:37.49,0:05:45.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that’s a theme that is strongly evoked\Nin both the RPG battles and the regular life
Dialogue: 0,0:05:45.83,0:05:48.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,simulator stuff.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:48.86,0:05:54.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Okay, so the second way to combine genres\Nis to use the “play style method”.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:54.56,0:05:58.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is when you can approach a game in multiple\Nways, using skills and actions that come from
Dialogue: 0,0:05:58.95,0:06:00.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,different genres of game.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:00.89,0:06:06.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Deus Ex was designed as a mash-up of first-person\Nshooter, RPG, and stealth game - and so you
Dialogue: 0,0:06:06.97,0:06:09.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,can play the game in whatever mode you prefer.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:09.86,0:06:15.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And in Skyrim, you can play with magic spells,\Nswords and shields, bow and arrow, and more.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:15.46,0:06:19.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The advantage to this approach is player choice\Nand agency.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:19.88,0:06:23.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You get to pick a genre that you like best,\Nand play the game in that style.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:23.68,0:06:27.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It’s also good for variety, as you can jump\Nbetween different genres when you feel like
Dialogue: 0,0:06:27.87,0:06:32.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it - and it gives you a good reason to play\Nthrough the game multiple times.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:32.12,0:06:35.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The challenge is that your game is going to\Nbe compared to titles that focus on doing
Dialogue: 0,0:06:35.73,0:06:38.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a single thing really well.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:38.28,0:06:43.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Deus Ex is brilliant, but the constituent\Nparts just pale in comparison to its contemporaries
Dialogue: 0,0:06:43.86,0:06:47.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,like Half-Life, Baldur’s Gate, and Thief.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:47.24,0:06:51.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Designer Warren Spector says “if we get\Njudged on the basis of any individual genre,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:51.49,0:06:54.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we’re doomed because we’re just not going\Nto be as good.”
Dialogue: 0,0:06:54.76,0:06:58.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So it’s important to really communicate\Nthe advantages of letting players decide their
Dialogue: 0,0:06:58.68,0:07:02.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,own play style - through marketing and in-game\Nmessages.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:02.47,0:07:06.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Another challenge is that you’re almost\Nmaking multiple games at once.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:06.29,0:07:09.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that means your resources get spread pretty\Nthin.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:09.17,0:07:13.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The modern Wolfenstein games are designed\Nto have three play styles - dubbed mayhem,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:13.46,0:07:15.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,tactical, and stealth.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:15.51,0:07:20.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But Machine Games has admitted that it just\Ndidn’t spend as much time on stealth - leading
Dialogue: 0,0:07:20.23,0:07:23.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to annoying gameplay like guards spotting\Nyou too easily.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:23.49,0:07:28.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In terms of design, another challenge is that\Nwhen presented with multiple play styles,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:28.23,0:07:33.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a great deal of players will just choose one\Nand stick with it to the end credits - refusing
Dialogue: 0,0:07:33.47,0:07:35.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to try anything else.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:35.27,0:07:38.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We see this when players quick load back to\Na previous save file when they get spotted
Dialogue: 0,0:07:38.95,0:07:42.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in Dishonored - instead of switching to a\Nmore violent play style.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:42.75,0:07:46.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Designers should be careful not to compound\Nthe problem, by rewarding the actions made
Dialogue: 0,0:07:46.66,0:07:52.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in a play style… with tools and skills that\Nhelp that play style.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:52.17,0:07:53.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Positive feedback loop right there.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:53.71,0:07:58.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Instead, try giving general skill points that\Ncan be spent on any type of action - or allow
Dialogue: 0,0:07:58.83,0:08:02.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the player to re-spec and try a completely\Ndifferent build.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:02.78,0:08:06.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Designers can also give players an incentive\Nto try out different styles.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:06.22,0:08:11.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In Hades, it can be tempting to stick to a\Nsingle weapon - but the game provides a reward
Dialogue: 0,0:08:11.01,0:08:12.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for swapping to a new one.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:12.95,0:08:18.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can also use the narrative and context\Nto allow for different approaches.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:18.09,0:08:23.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Perhaps Dishonored’s judgmental chaos system\Nstopped you from killing - but in Deathloop,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:23.03,0:08:24.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there’s no such system.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:24.86,0:08:29.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the entire world resets every morning,\Nso if your actions aren’t gonna have lasting
Dialogue: 0,0:08:29.41,0:08:31.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,consequences, why not try something different?
Dialogue: 0,0:08:31.92,0:08:37.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What you probably don’t want to do is force\Nplayers to choose another play style, by suddenly
Dialogue: 0,0:08:37.46,0:08:39.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,making one approach impossible.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:39.49,0:08:45.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In Deus Ex: Human Revolution, you can play\Nin both lethal and non-lethal ways - that
Dialogue: 0,0:08:45.41,0:08:49.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is, until the boss battles which force you\Nto fight.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:49.21,0:08:52.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Even if you don’t have the skills or items\Nto do so.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:52.34,0:08:57.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This was such a bone of contention that the\Nbosses were completely redesigned in the game’s
Dialogue: 0,0:08:57.34,0:08:58.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Director’s Cut.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:58.34,0:09:03.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The solution here is to ensure that each play\Nstyle has a valid, and enjoyable route through
Dialogue: 0,0:09:03.06,0:09:04.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,each and every level.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:04.86,0:09:09.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Then, studios need to thoroughly test the\Ngame in every possible play style to ensure
Dialogue: 0,0:09:09.38,0:09:11.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there are no brick walls.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:11.14,0:09:15.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because if you make the promise of “play\Nit your way”, some players are simply going
Dialogue: 0,0:09:15.03,0:09:25.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to feel betrayed if you suddenly make their\Npreferred approach impossible.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:25.42,0:09:30.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The third, and final way to mix genres is\Nto use the “blend method”.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:30.18,0:09:35.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is when we take aspects from two different\Ngenres, and merge them together to make something
Dialogue: 0,0:09:35.00,0:09:36.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,new.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:36.00,0:09:41.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So Portal has cursor-based aiming and a first-person\Ncamera, borrowed from shooters.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:41.02,0:09:45.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it pairs that with puzzles from, well,\Npuzzle games.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:45.33,0:09:50.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Battlechef Brigade has knockabout combat from\Na brawler, mixed with the puzzles of a match-three
Dialogue: 0,0:09:50.96,0:09:51.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,game.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:51.96,0:09:55.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Rocket League is FIFA meets Burnout.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:55.38,0:10:01.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The advantage to this method is the creation\Nof entirely new games, and perhaps even new
Dialogue: 0,0:10:01.36,0:10:02.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,genres.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:02.36,0:10:07.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so we get wildly novel and inventive titles\Nlike Crypt of the Necrodancer - a rhythm-based
Dialogue: 0,0:10:07.80,0:10:08.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,roguelike.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:08.89,0:10:13.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And Toodee and Topdee - a puzzle game where\Nyou can switch from top-down box-shoving to
Dialogue: 0,0:10:13.55,0:10:16.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,side-on platforming at the press of a button.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:16.34,0:10:22.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It can also be used to freshen up dusty old\Ngenres, by looking outside of current conventions.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:22.49,0:10:27.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,RPGs typically have clunky turn-based battles,\Nbut we’ve seen role-playing games borrow
Dialogue: 0,0:10:27.49,0:10:32.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from brawlers, puzzle games, third-person\Nshooters, bullet hell shmups, and rhythm-action
Dialogue: 0,0:10:32.82,0:10:33.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,titles.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:33.82,0:10:38.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A potential problem with this approach is\Nthat the two genres may end up just being
Dialogue: 0,0:10:38.15,0:10:39.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,incompatible.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:39.78,0:10:42.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The Metroidvania Chasm is a good example.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:42.69,0:10:49.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Perhaps the biggest advantage of the Metroidvania\Nis a richly detailed, handcrafted world map.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:49.02,0:10:54.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But Chasm skips that by pairing up with a\Nroguelike, which has the disadvantage of using
Dialogue: 0,0:10:54.26,0:10:59.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,procedural generation to make worlds that\Nfeel quite bland and impersonal.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:59.00,0:11:03.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Another example is how the RPG elements added\Nto Assassin’s Creed subtly undermine the
Dialogue: 0,0:11:03.92,0:11:08.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,assassin fantasy, by removing instant stealth\Nkills on higher-level enemies.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:08.73,0:11:14.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Or how the loot-based armour system in Marvel’s\NAvengers awkwardly fits with the superhero
Dialogue: 0,0:11:14.00,0:11:15.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,theme.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:15.00,0:11:17.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Did I just upgrade The Hulk’s skeleton?!
Dialogue: 0,0:11:17.40,0:11:21.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, instead, you should use genres that complement\Neach other.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:21.19,0:11:26.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Back to Spelunky, Derek Yu liked how platformers\Nwere easy to pick up and play, but didn’t
Dialogue: 0,0:11:26.55,0:11:30.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,like how the games relied on players memorising\Nlevel layouts.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:30.15,0:11:34.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And as for roguelikes, he loved the variety\Nin the random level generation - but didn’t
Dialogue: 0,0:11:34.82,0:11:37.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,like all the cryptic commands and systems.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:37.01,0:11:42.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But by combining the two, the positives of\None genre managed to actually cancel out the
Dialogue: 0,0:11:42.68,0:11:44.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,negatives of the other.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:44.46,0:11:48.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Derek Yu says “Nothing was compromised to\Nmake something else fit and each part only
Dialogue: 0,0:11:48.63,0:11:51.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,boosted the signal of the other parts.”
Dialogue: 0,0:11:51.06,0:11:55.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can also look for genres with a lot of\Nsimilarities, so that they’ll gel together
Dialogue: 0,0:11:55.03,0:11:56.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,more easily.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:56.33,0:12:01.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When Yacht Club Games mashed up a roguelike\Nwith an action puzzler in Shovel Knight: Pocket
Dialogue: 0,0:12:01.16,0:12:04.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Dungeon, the studio realised that the two\Ngenres have a lot of similarities.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:04.87,0:12:11.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They both operate on grids, have simple controls,\Ninvolve a lot of randomness, feature long
Dialogue: 0,0:12:11.13,0:12:14.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,runs that start from scratch, and require\Nthinking several moves ahead.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:14.98,0:12:20.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It was easy, and natural, to put them together.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:20.43,0:12:23.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, there we have it.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:23.79,0:12:27.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can combine genres by switching back and\Nforth at different times.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:27.49,0:12:29.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,By letting players choose their own playstyle.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:29.98,0:12:33.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Or by blending together different genres to\Nmake something new.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:33.83,0:12:36.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But whatever route you take, there are challenges\Nto overcome.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:36.55,0:12:41.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The games in this video show that the problems\Naren’t unsolvable - you just need to be
Dialogue: 0,0:12:41.23,0:12:43.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,smart about your design.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:43.06,0:12:47.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Let me know your favourite genre mash-ups,\Nin the comments down below.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:47.05,0:12:48.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Hey, thanks for watching!
Dialogue: 0,0:12:48.93,0:12:52.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Did you know that I made a video essay that\Nyou can play?
Dialogue: 0,0:12:52.50,0:12:57.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Platformer Toolkit, now available on Itch.io,\Nis a free game that lets you see what it’s
Dialogue: 0,0:12:57.41,0:13:01.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,like to make your own platformer - giving\Nyou access to dozens of sliders, checkboxes
Dialogue: 0,0:13:01.73,0:13:06.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and graphs that drive the main character’s\Nmovement.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:06.15,0:13:06.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Check it out!