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Can We Make Better Tutorials for Complex Games? (Patreon)

Published:
2021-05-31 15:55:20
Imported:
2026-06
Tags:

Content

Hello Patron people! New episode out very soon - it's about making better tutorials for games in genres like grand strategy and simulation. Hope you dig it!

My recommendation this time is Narita Boy - a trippy, retro-tinged brawler with a killer pixel art aesthetic. It's a minor Metroidvania with a bigger focus on fight scenes: which reminds me of Guacamelee. And the strange, esoteric plot makes me think of Sword & Sworcery. 

The game's not without its problems - including a floaty jump and simplistic level design - but I just found the whole thing enchanting and utterly engrossing. Nartia Boy's on everything - including Xbox Game Pass.

Mark

Files

Can We Make Better Tutorials for Complex Games?

GMTK is powered by Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/GameMakersToolkit Games in complex genres, like strategy and simulation, can be really hard to learn. So are there ways to make the tutorials for these games more enjoyable and more effective? === Sources and Resources === - Sources [1] How I Got My Mom to Play Through Plants vs. Zombies | GDC on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbzhHSexzpY [2] Bruce Shelley | Game Design Workshop https://www.gamedesignworkshop.com/bruce-shelley [3] Mastering Kombat: Designing Mortal Kombat 11's Empowering Tutorial Mode | GDC on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbSyH3lo1Zg [4] How to Make Great Game Tutorials | GDC on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uf7xLHUpKHE [5] The Feature That Almost Sank Disco Elysium | GameSpot https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X0-W5erEXw [6] Evolving the UX/UI of A Total War Saga: Troy using player feedback | Gamasutra https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/373860/Deep_Dive_Evolving_the_UXUI_of_A_Total_War_Saga_Troy_using_player_feedback.php [7] Into the Breach's interface was a nightmare to make and the key to its greatness | Rock Paper Shotgun https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/into-the-breach-interface-design - Additional resources This is a Talk About Tutorials, Press A to Skip | GDC on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VM1pV_6IE34 Should Players Buy Their Own UI? | Gamasutra https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/SebastianLong/20200430/362083/Should_Players_Buy_Their_Own_UI.php === Support GMTK === Support GMTK on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/GameMakersToolkit Use Creator Tag "GMTOOLKIT" when buying on Epic Game Store === Games Shown === A Total War Saga: Troy (2020) Crusader Kings III (2020) Endless Space 2 (2017) Ghost of Tsushima (2020) Fallout 3 (2008) Half-Life 2 (2004) Total War: Warhammer II (2017) Jurassic World Evolution (2018) Arms (2017) Bionic Commando (2009) Rage 2 (2019) Splinter Cell (2002) Portal (2007) Death Stranding (2019) The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011) Returnal (2021) Metroid Prime (2002) Civilization (1991) Civilization V (2010) Frostpunk (2018) Persona 5 (2016) Crusader Kings II (2012) Mini Metro (2015) Animal Crossing: New Horizons (2020) Street Fighter V (2016) Dead or Alive 6 (2019) Mortal Kombat 11 (2019) God of War (2018) Tekken 7 (2015) Civilization VI (2016) Civilization IV (2005) StarCraft II (2010) Devil May Cry 5 (2019) Yakuza 0 (2015) Astro's Playroom (2020) Threes (2014) Total War: Three Kingdoms (2019) Planet Zoo (2019) Offworld Trading Company (2016) Anno 1800 (2019) Skate 3 (2010) Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (2019) Two Point Hospital (2018) Slay the Spire (2019) Hearthstone (2014) Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2003) New Super Mario Bros. U (2012) Luigi's Mansion 3 (2019) The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (2019) The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth (2014) Plants vs. Zombies (2009) Overcooked (2016) Inside (2016) Reigns (2016) Disco Elysium (2019) Heroes of Might and Magic II (1996) Cuphead (2017) Fire Emblem: Three Houses (2019) The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015) Into the Breach (2018) Cities: Skylines (2015) Bayonetta (2009) Minecraft (2011) Star Fox Zero (2016) XCOM: Chimera Squad (2020) Titanfall 2 (2016) Narita Boy (2021) === Credits === Music by Lee Rosevere (https://leerosevere.bandcamp.com) Additional Music: Subject Name Here (Portal) China Theme: Atomic (Civilization VI) The Still, Cold World (Frostpunk) Reflections (Mini Metro) The Last Flame (Frostpunk) Online Menu (Dead or Alive 6) England Theme: Atomic (Civilization VI) Sophon's Prologue (Endless Space 2) Threes (Threes) Parkie's Pieces (Planet Zoo) Martian Mining and Manufacture (Offworld Trading Company) Collection Manager (Hearthstone) Pangolin Waltz (Planet Zoo) The We, Horatio Theme (Endless Space 2) Credits Theme 3 (Starfox Zero) Nartia Boy Theme (Narita Boy) === Subtitles === Contribute translated subtitles -

Comments

SirCalalot

Here’s me, reading the “Game Dev Business Handbook” by Michael Futter on a bank holiday Monday thinking, “hmm, I wonder when Mark Brown’s next video is out...”

Anhel

I had a similar experience when playing CIV 5. Completed a couple of runs on "settler" and "chieftain" difficulty levels, and then hit a skill wall when trying other difficulties. I had a feeling like the game expected me to not only know the basic mechanics, but also more obscure interactions and strategies. Sure, I enjoyed the game. But I did not feel like wasting dozens of hours on youtube videos and tutorials just to progress further, so I dropped it.

Ethan LP

"Inferring" around 2:30 is a weird word choice IMO

Brian M

Yeah, “conferring” maybe?

Tim Rattray

Mark, have you seen Guilty Gear Xrd's tutorial? It's the best I've experienced in a fighting game, teaching you systems through mini-games (that you have to repeat, but with variations). It's a really unique structure for fighting games. Maximilian Dood made a good video about it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oWBwcYr1LM Also, that game has a ton of "missions" that break down character-specific information and counters. GG is a complex series so it's impressive how well they tutorialized it.

Mikhail Krayushkin

Mark, I advise you to take a look at Football Manager. It uses the system you are talking about at 8:50 It hasn't got any difficulty options but it lets you to start a game with Assistants who take control over some of a game systems like transfers, budget, trainings, youth players and etc. But when you are getting more familiar with a game you can take contol over particular systems by yourself

B

my favorite moment in this video 16:13

Matt Hauke

Super interesting video, Mark. I particularly like the idea of stripping the systems away to make it easier to learn. I know as R6 Siege grew they really struggled to entice new players who weren't familiar with the style of the game. Most people get what a FPS needs to do but it has such a specific play style and harsh learning curve they needed to figure out a way to make it more user friendly to newbies. And that's what they did, by splitting the more casual and competitive games modes into these 5: Learning Area, Newcomer, Quick Match, Unranked and Ranked. It's a progressive playlist which ultimately leads you to the latter two which are the best representative of how to play the game which are less and more competitive respectively.

Björn Kaidel

Concerning your "ad break before the game suggestion" idea: When I watched the video after it went public on my TV (which has no ad blocker whatsoever), I got no ad break. Might be a bit confusing for new viewers that you announce an ad, but then there is no ad.

Richard

So I just started playing Solasta Crown of the Magister (clunky name alert) and I suspect it is going to offer rich pickings on this front. Even the title page for the game includes a popup tutorial box, saying that there will be a tutorial. Underneath this is a confirmation button marked "understood". And when you hover over that, you get a little popup box explaining that you click that if -- and only if -- you have understood that there will be a tutorial. My will to live is already severely diminished...