- Grapple / platforming warmup
- New mechanic introduction (barebones “you can’t pass until you know how it works”)
- More advanced short mechanic bit now that it’s understood
- Short bit not related to the mechanic (movement, combat, puzzle, or NPCs)
New mechanic template
Mechanic combo template
At this point most main mechanics should already be introduced. Interesting gameplay arises from how mechanics interact with each other in unexplored ways.
- Grapple / platforming warmup with first mechanic mixed in
- Second mechanic is introduced in conjunction with first one
- Ideally done in a way that requires user to understand how the two mechanics work together before being able to continue
Mechanic combo examples and ideas:
- “Mechanic matrix” from GMTK video
- Thrusters and items
- Grapple cart over pits
- Grapple cart and laser
Trampoline intro
First mechanic to be introduced once entering the jungle
- Simple trampoline intro: Jump on to get to higher ground
- More complicated platforming bit, maybe to avoid spikes (or maybe: bounce once, get to higher ground, bounce again)
- Do a bit of platforming / grapple puzzle stuff without trampolines - introduce main hub
- Introduce ENEMIES - lock player in a room with doors that don’t enter until enemy is dead
- Platforming + enemies occasionally interspersed
- PUZZLE: Punch enemies, bounce them off trampolines to open passage
Ends at big playground bit just past bridge
Go a step further: After the player goes through the intro linear path showing off a new mechanic, find a more obscure way to work the mechanic into the overarching world - for example, to access a secret path, shortcut, hidden dialog exchange, or XP cache
Kind of like what The Witness does, introducing puzzle bits in their own environment and later combining them in more tricky ways
Ex: Lone trampoline cart you can position and way later loop back around to
Notes:
- Find a way to differentiate rope and grapple point
- Lots of things involve being hung from a grapple point - cage item that auto-connects to points that you can put items into?
- Ranged weapon
- Rifle with a scope
- Doubles as pair of binoculars
- Make sure to limit range of prism
- Not quite sniper rifle range, like covenant carbine or DMR - but still only holds 1 round and has slow reload
- flintlock Jäger rifle
- Could get a funny animation out of it - 15 second reload was absolute maximum, could just do it in a fraction of the time in-game
- Blows down the muzzle instead of using the push rod (“phoomp” sound)
- Drop held tool with G
- Launches it away with some force - can dome enemies?