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This leads into many intriguing topics. "game feel" as a conversation is complex and relies heavily on one's understanding of what game mechanics even are, as well as how used to movement, gravity, friction etc one can be. Learning about what we call "janky" is super important. https://twitter.com/JordanOloman/status/1253128288337383429
I think about this all the time. One fun example I think about is the way the Mario Kart series handles drifting. What is drifting?
When approaching a turn, you press and hold the right trigger and then steer to dictate the angle of the arc you're making with your Kart.
When approaching a turn, you press and hold the right trigger and then steer to dictate the angle of the arc you're making with your Kart.
Sounds simple right?
But there's so much more to it. You can change your angle and come at a turn in a variety of different ways. If you drift for long enough, your tires begin to spark. Different colour sparks indicate differing levels of speed boost you receive when you let go.
But there's so much more to it. You can change your angle and come at a turn in a variety of different ways. If you drift for long enough, your tires begin to spark. Different colour sparks indicate differing levels of speed boost you receive when you let go.
Now! Where am I going with this?
Choosing to drift in the exact opposite direction repeatedly after gaining the maximum speed boost is a legitimate strategy people use when racing, this is called "Snaking". (this is a crude diagram I grabbed from Google). Take a look at this.
Choosing to drift in the exact opposite direction repeatedly after gaining the maximum speed boost is a legitimate strategy people use when racing, this is called "Snaking". (this is a crude diagram I grabbed from Google). Take a look at this.
I used to play a LOT of Mario Kart DS and MK7 online, I noted even back then that Snaking looked very strange. At first seeing a Kart turn left and right so quickly in rapid succession seemed "janky" to me. Little did I know that it was just an extension of a useful mechanic.
Sometimes when we first see something we don't understand we can see it as a cjanky exploit" but many times they are systems of the game literally steps away from mechanics we already understand. I quickly learned how to Snake and used it to improve my racing and it helped a lot.
The ability to make these mechanisms palatable to both the first time player and avid MK racer doesn't come easily. I think with a slightly different approach to tutorials/explanations, a lot of what we consider "jank" in some games could be explained and understood far quicker.
Anyway, that's my chat out of the way, there's so much more I could say about this game and this mechanic but I'll leave it here.
I love seeing people break these topics down, if you made it here, follow @JordanOloman and @_SteveThornton for top tier thoughts on games and design.
I love seeing people break these topics down, if you made it here, follow @JordanOloman and @_SteveThornton for top tier thoughts on games and design.
