Formal Abstract Design Tools from Star Control 2

Written 02.01.2011 - Uploaded 02.01.2011

This short analysis extracts some formal abstract design tools from my all-time favourite game Star Control 2. FADTs are introduced in this article. In short they are design tools that are abstract enough to be used in different types of games as well. This is my first FADT analysis of a game.

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Event-Based Time Limit

In Star Control 2 things happen at certain points in the timeline unless the player has prevented them. The game can even eventually end if the player doesn't proceed in a timely manner. These time limits are not strict, but give a certain sense of urgency when they happen. Most typically these are races starting wars thus moving onto new areas, and races dying out. Some of these events influence completion of certain parts of the game while some prevent the player from getting particular allies. Furthermore, because each race's ships need native captains, once a race dies out their ships can no longer be built.

In its abstract form, this tool means making certain game events happen on their own when enough time has passed, forcing the player to be either proactive earlier or reactive in a hurry. This tool can be used to guide player decision making or put more weight to decisions (i.e. can the player risk going to the other side of the galaxy while some of their friends might go to war in the meanwhile). It can also make the world feel less static and player-centered.

Economy-Limited, Spatially Arranged Story

The story in Star Control 2 is mostly non-linear. Its made of many independent storylines, all of which contribute something towards the ultimate goal. Spatial arrangement means that each storyline happens in a certain area of the galaxy, giving the player freedom in choosing the order. However, it is also limited by the game's economy: fuel for instance is not free and to travel long distances, lots of fuel is required. Traveling across hostile territories with a slow ship is also suicide. Ditto for doing so without a proper fleet or a heavily armed flagship.

This can be considered as two tools which work together in Star Control 2. The first tool. economy-limitedness, means that in order to go to places in the game, certain resource requirements need to be met. Traveling can cost something or there can be obstacles. Note that this is different from requiring a specific item or ability. Spatially arranged story gives the player more freedom in selecting what to do next. It can be used if most of the storylines in a game do not intertwine.

Optional Storylines with Big Contribution

Many of the storylines in Star Control 2 are not mandatory. However they contribute a lot to the main story. By following these optional storylines the player can discover more information about the main plot, gain new allies and learn of new places of importance. Since the game itself is made of independent storylines, these optional storylines add into the story. For example, after forming a new alliance, the player can receive news from their new allies or even information related to other storylines.

The point of this tool is that subquests are made to contribute to the main story heavily. They can reveal more information upon completion or allow the player to receive more information in the future.

Exploration-Based Economy

Economy in Star Control 2 is based on exploration. The player can harvest minerals from any encountered planets and take them back to the starbase in Sol to trade in for resource units. The player can also hunt biological lifeforms to gather data from them and trade these in for credits with the Melnorme, a race of space merchants. Credits can also be gained by discovering locations of rainbow worlds. This arrangements fuels the player's desire for exploration - an activity that is also required in order to complete the game. It is an ongoing interesting sidequest, because mineral values of planets vary highly.

If the player needs to explore the game space in order to complete the game, this tool can be used to make that exploration more important to the player. It cuts down the needle-in-a-haystack factor of exploration by making the haystack much more tempting to search. This tool is useful for games where the player does not have a clear idea of where exactly to go.

Multi-Faceted Economy

Getting resources in Star Control 2 is not one-dimensional. There two types of resources, resource units and credits, both gained in different ways. Resource units are base cash and used for buying more of same things such as flagship modules, ships, fuel and crew. They are necessary to keep the fleet going. Credits can be used to buy new technology, making new kinds of modules and upgrades available. Planets can have highly varying minerals, but they also have varying threats. Some planets are high-risk to explore unless proper technology is first obtained. Minerals also have different values. This becomes meaningful because the flagship only has limited storage space. More storage modules can be bought but at the expense of not having that space for other modules.

When using this tool in a game, gaining resources can become a subgame in itself. Effective ways to gather resources require the player to make meaningful decisions. This tool can make resource collection an integral part of the game and keep it interesting.

Skill-Based, Easy-to-Learn-Hard-to-Master Battle System

Battles in Star Control 2 are skill-based, lacking randomness almost entirely. A skilled pilot can defeat a lot more enemies (theoretically infinite number of, but everyone makes mistakes) with one ship. The battle system uses only five buttons (thrust, left, right, attack and special) but effectively learning to use abilities of all ships takes time. A skilled player can take more risks in exploration (i.e. going around with a smaller fleet).

In general, all games should have at least some skill-basedness in their combat systems. This tool means making the battle system entirely skill-based. Typically this should mean that skilled players need less resources to complete the game.

Rock-Paper-Scissors in a Skill-Based Battle System

Star Control 2 has over twenty different ships. Not all of them are available to the player in the story mode, but most are. The ships have RPS relations to each other, with varying strictness. For pretty much any ship in the game there is always at least one that will simple annihilate it without much effort no matter how skilled the player. Most of the time one ship has an advantage over the other but it's not entirely hopeless for the other ship. Having a fleet of many different ships allows the player to survive against a wider variety of enemies.

This tool is most useful in games where teams of units fight one another. This makes team selection a series of meaningful decisions. While a skilled player can overcome certain disadvantaged matchups, there are always some that are simply impossible to win and should be prepared for. It can also ensure that in games where there are multiple unit types, all of them are useful.