Control Schemes

One of the most essential parts of any game is its control scheme. Being able to accurately control your game character is the difference between a fun and frustrating experience.

Touch screen smartphones allow for a variety of interesting control setups that can used. Using tilt sensitive game controls can be a fun and different alternatives to using standard directional buttons. Other mechanics like having a constantly jumping or running characters can focus the player's attention on other hazards. Most platformers on touch pad based platforms use a scheme where directional buttons displayed on the screen. When touched they move the character accordingly. This is a simple and reliable method for a number of reasons. It is often the most ideal method when precise or careful gameplay is the order of the day. The majority of gamers today, casual or hardcore, would have held a game joypad at some stage in their lives. This method simulates the positioning of the buttons found on most standard game pads and so most people will intuitively know what to do.

One of the most obvious disadvantages of using a virtual directional buttons is that the persons thumbs will physically block portions of the screen, potentially causing the player to miss important hazards or items. Fortunately, there is a simple way to avoid this problem by simply incorporated the virtual buttons into a solid HUD, with a separate game window that has nothing covering it up. This can also be used to store other important information such as the time, player lives and the score. The game Pizza Boy, seen on the right, uses a similar system. There is lots of scope to create an interesting HUD that can incorporate the necessary virtual buttons and places to display information.


Another problem is positioning the areas of the screen that are to act as buttons in a place where they can suit different players. The laws of genetics ensures that people come in all shapes and sizes, so the UI needs to be able to cater for long thumbs, stubby thumbs, extra thumbs and no thumbs. A simple solution to this would be to allow the player to customise the control scheme by being able to place the buttons that suit them personally. This could also help players who are left handed to swap the controls if they need to. Frogatto there on the right has no discernible HUD, rather the virtual buttons are positioned directly on the game window. This has the disadvantage of the players fingers blocking the screen showing whats coming up on the level. This is not an ideal situation and could lead to frustration. The buttons are also transparent, which could be hard to see if the level gets busy or complicated.

There are other control schemes as previously mentioned. They involve a game where the character is constantly moving or jumping, without input from the player. The character is then guided along using the tilt controls. Other controls such as shooting or using items is achieved by simply tapping the screen with your finger. A well known example of this is Doodle Jump. Here the player controls a character that continuously moves upwards up an infinite column of platforms. Tilting the phone allows the player to move left or right. This control method is interesting, however, the degree of accuracy it gives the player could be an issue if the level consists of sections that will block the player from moving continuously upward. Item collection would also be difficult. Another drawback it would limit the level design to vertical columns. If the level changes, requiring the player to to move laterally or at an angle, this could lead to unnecessary complications.

Another form of control would be to have the game character follow the players finger. Similar movement control mechanics can be found in other touch platforms, namely the Legend of Zelda, The Phantom Hourglass on the Nintendo DS. Here the player uses a stylus or their finger to direct the game character by creating a moving point that the character follows. This game is viewed from an isometric viewpoint, however the principle of this control method could be easily adapted for a side scrolling game. This sort of control scheme could be unnecessarily tricky if the player has to jump often. This scheme would also be limited to the capabilities of the individual smartphone being used, so more senstivie touch screens or higher spec hardware could result with some unreliability.

Magma Surge is also intended to be released for PC users. The control scheme using a keyboard would need to be simple and precise. Using the left and right arrow keys and a jump button positioned on the other side of the keyboard such as 'ctrl' would allow a greater degree of precision rather than using left, right and up. Having the player use two hands to control the game rather than one should allow the player more accurate jumping, however this is an option that could left to the player to decide. The controls should be customisable for the user. It is also important that the different versions of the game feel the same to play on each of its platforms.

Presently, the standard virtual button method is being pursued for Magma Surge. These will be incorporated into a HUD set up in such a way that the game window will not be obscured with the players fingers. Some HUD designs will be posted up soon. User testing will be begun soon, different methods will be explored so watch this space.