Development Adding a tutorial to my game... How to?

Hi all,
I'd like to add a brief 'how to play' interactive tutorial to my game but haven't got the foggiest clue as to where to start with it. Could anyone give me any pointers (maybe even to a tutorial on it).
Thanks in advance.
 

woods

Member
maybe add a few "instructional textboxes" and "press this button to do X" type overlays to the HUD.. and turn them into mini-quests..
once the player passes whatever you need them to, to qualify as "being taught" move them on to the actual game.

ex:
when the game first runs, and the player can move..
a small overlay pops up with "WASD to move"
as the player presses each of the keys, set a flag variable to true
"press space to shoot"
after they shoot once, set a flag variable to true and move on to the next..

the flag variable is simply a T/F boolean so the tutorial popup doesnt happen everytime they start the game.. also could be used to limit the scope of what the player CAN do until they complete the task at hand.
 

FelipeSan

Member
In my game i have created objects, and when the players collides with them, shows a box with commands that is possible to do in game. Like the screenshot below:

tutorial-ninshi.jpg

I don't know the complexity of your game, but i think bad stop the player to show how the game works. Then a litle box can help the player to understand what he can do in the game.
 

Spam1985

Member
Introduce the various elements of the gameplay one at a time, and then give the player a simple challenge to overcome that involves them having to use their newly-learned ability. For example, you might start with some text explaining how to move. The player then uses this knowledge to navigate to the next area, where they are taught how to jump. The player must then jump over some obstacles to move onward.... etc.
 

Yal

šŸ§ *penguin noises*
GMC Elder
The gist of interactive tutorials is:
  1. Put the player in a situation where they MUST use the thing they're supposed to learn to proceed, and
  2. Make it OBVIOUS what they're supposed to do
Many metroidvanias will have a non-obvious point of no return when you get a new item, and then the item gives you an ability that lets you bypass it. For instance most Metroid games introduces the Morph Ball by dropping you down a steep wall too high to jump back up, but there's a hole under it which you can pass through once you can turn yourself into a ball.

That's the gist for a single lesson, but it gets more complicated when you have more things to teach. You need to reinforce the lesson by having the player overcome the obstacle multiple times. (Tons of people miss that point).

Typically, Mario games introduce new obstacles three times with rising difficulty, this is called the "rule of three". For instance you could have the tutorial version, "this is a goomba", then "sometimes the terrain around the goomba is different", followed by "sometimes you need to fight more than one goomba at once", and after that you get curveballs like "this is a goomba that can jump" or "when you enter this room you get ambushed by a goomba from above, think fast!".
(This template is basically applied to every World 1-1 in the entire franchise, try replaying one of the games and actively look for it!)

Since you need to reinforce lessons, it helps to teach only one thing at a time, or as few as possible at once. Don't teach the player about something 5 hours before they're gonna use it for the first time, only teach stuff the moment they need it. Introducing new things as rewards also makes it more likely the player will mess around with them, this is why basically every metroidvania game frames new gameplay mechanics as a cool upgrade.
 

shandor

Member
but what does a tutorial really serve, it's allowing people to not read before playing a game. Imagine if the board game, monopoly had no written rules, but annoying popups that disrupt a real time playthrough, that's why I hate them ;) <3

I plan on writing a manual instead, that you read, prior to first playing, so you aren't rudely interrupted.
 
but what does a tutorial really serve, it's allowing people to not read before playing a game. Imagine if the board game, monopoly had no written rules, but annoying popups that disrupt a real time playthrough, that's why I hate them ;) <3

I plan on writing a manual instead, that you read, prior to first playing, so you aren't rudely interrupted.
Games generally moved beyond manuals because players don't like having to literally stop playing to go read something in a folder/on their desk in order to continue playing, they prefer to have a cohesive experience that exists within the game. On top of that, intrusive popups or halting play aren't the only way to handle tutorials, the classic example is the early Mario games. No text, nothing telling you what to do, just good game design built in a way that forces the players hand into learning the mechanics. That is a tutorial, and one that doesn't use manuals or popups, but most players don't see it as such.
 

shandor

Member
Games generally moved beyond manuals because players don't like having to literally stop playing to go read something in a folder/on their desk in order to continue playing, they prefer to have a cohesive experience that exists within the game. On top of that, intrusive popups or halting play aren't the only way to handle tutorials, the classic example is the early Mario games. No text, nothing telling you what to do, just good game design built in a way that forces the players hand into learning the mechanics. That is a tutorial, and one that doesn't use manuals or popups, but most players don't see it as such.
i think there is a major issue in english. in latin, it's a emanuel, in terms of this type of game where you discover a control. it's elvode (which is to be discovered.) that's all I'm saying. but if you want pedantics, lets switch to greek and pretend we're stoics or something.
 

PinkySwear

Member
hell0,
For us, what we do, is adding a ''guide'' icon represented by a ''?'' , that once you click on it, it opens a sprite showing instructions.
Depending on the kind of game you are making, you could go the same way, or, if it's an action game, i think it would be good to make an icon triggered when approaching new features, wich will give instructions once you click it.

But again, i think it all depend on what kind of game you are making.
 
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