Nintendo Power Method

Classification

#method

• #medium/visual
• #tools/non-digital or #tools/digital

Intent

• To manage the pacing of your level on a macro-level.

Problem

• Similar to the pacing diagram method as it deals with creating an engaging level with essential story points.
• It is important to revise your level with focus on the essential story points, what seems important to the players.
• How do you analyze the flow of your level?
• You need to understand the level from the perspective of the player.

Solution Approach

• The Nintendo Power method originated in the late 1980s in the game strategy and news magazine “Nintendo Power” (Totten 2019 - An Architectural Approach of Level Design, p. 82-84).
• This method involves publishing maps of levels with important gameplay points marked as caption balloons (Totten 2019 - An Architectural Approach of Level Design, p. 82-84).
• Designed as an overview to highlight critical gameplay points.
• It is valuable for game designers and developers, as it facilitates the analysis of player importance.

Application

Input

• Game beats.
• Map of your level.

Application

• Combine the gameplay beats and mark them on the map.
• Analyze if the gameplay points create excessive density or restrict player breathing space.
• If the points densely populate the area, consider reducing them to allow more breathing room for the player.

Output

• A Map with beats marked in your level.
• Spatial layout of your level.

When to Use It

• Analyze the density of your level and assess what’s crucial for the player.
• Add or remove story points to adjust pacing.

Relevant Roles Using This Method

• #roles/designer Designer #used-by/designer
• #roles/engineers Engineer #used-by/engineers
• #roles/player Player

Relevancy in the Following Processes

• Similar to the pacing graph method.
• Game Development designing step, after you already have a map.
• Gamespace Prototyping to evaluate your created map
• Evaluate your Combat Design
• Part of the Iterative Map Design
• Potentially useful in playtesting and post-development iterations to improve the level based on player feedback.

Applicability

• Suitable for managing spatial layout, rather than focusing on timelines.
• Not suitable for pacing time events; use a linear Pacing Diagram for that purpose.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Helps establish spatial relations.
• Allows analysis of player preferences and importance.
• Identifies densely packed areas.
• Facilitates the inclusion of safe spaces for exploration.
• Reveals player shortcuts and loopholes.

Cons:

• Lacks timing relations.
• A 2D map does not represent vertical spacing.
• Considering metrics can complicate and confuse a map.
• Uncertainty about when to use it; in design, after implementation, or during implementation? Decisions regarding the map’s design status must be clarified.

Relation with Other Methods

• Similar to a Pacing Diagram, but with a focus on spatial relations.
• Drawing a Map
• Evaluates Pillars, Goals and Features regarding their significance in the level (are the goals of the level met?)
• Critical Path Analysis is similar to the Nintendo Power Method, as it evaluates the players actual spatial movements
• Behavior Diagram explains the player’s and NPC behavior and can be influenced by the Nintendo Power method

  Examples

• 2D top-down with spawns and walls and paths marked _(Source: Totten 2019 - An Architectural Approach of Level Design, p. 82-84)

• 2D frontal view of Mario level with the varying ground levels and bubbles to mark gameplay beats (Source: Nintendo Power Method, p.82-84)

Relevant Tools

• Digital Art Tools
• Non-digital Design Tools, Pen and Paper
• Digital Collection Tools
• Communication Tools

Literature

Totten 2019 - An Architectural Approach of Level Design

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