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I'm personally a fan of games that sprinkle tiny tutorials throughout the game rather than 1 large tutorial at the beginning. The early levels will only require

I'm personally a fan of games that sprinkle tiny tutorials throughout the game rather than 1 large tutorial at the beginning. The early levels will only require 1-2 mechanics so there's little point in introducing everything and hope the player will remember to use all of them.

bombcar 5y ago
I like it when the tutorial is part of the “story” beyond a simple “learn how to jump” training session. Something akin to an interactive cutscene that also tutorials. Either way you may want a way to skip for those who have played before. (Even more fun are tutorials that instruct you on using basic systems to complete but allow you to use advanced techniques if you know them.)
- zeta0134 5y ago
  I really liked the Codec system from the original Metal Gear Solid, for PS1. It made almost perfect sense in-game, with your tactical team monitoring your movements and able to see what you were doing, and it was done in a clever way. When a codec sequence is unskippable for story reasons, the designers will sneak some tips in that way, but more importantly, if the player takes a long time moving through an area, they might get an optional call. Answering the call will usually explain some new mechanic in the area, and additionally provides some fun side-lore and comic relief, so it can double as a tiny reward. Laid out all at once, these conversations would be an overwhelming amount of information to absorb and exposition to follow, but the game generally nails the pacing. Provided you don't repeatedly call like a goof, the calls all seem like reasonable radio chatter, and hardly break immersion. Experienced players will move through the level quickly enough to miss the more tutorial-like prompts, and can ignore optional calls if they'd rather get on with the gameplay.
  - mattbee 5y ago
    I mean I'm a fan, but about 50% of MGS is being absolutely harangued, at inordinate length, by the codec characters smashing at the 4th wall with a sledgehammer.... so no it doesn't break the immersion when they give you control tips ;) but it isn't subtle and doesn't need to be.
    - Zababa 5y ago
      I like how they directly tell you what to do knowing that you're someone playing on a console instead of trying to awkwardly not say directly things like "use this button". I find that this breaks immersion less than some game that think they can make you forget they are games telling you to do something.

bombcar 5y ago

I like it when the tutorial is part of the “story” beyond a simple “learn how to jump” training session. Something akin to an interactive cutscene that also tutorials. Either way you may want a way to skip for those who have played before. (Even more fun are tutorials that instruct you on using basic systems to complete but allow you to use advanced techniques if you know them.)

zeta0134 5y ago
I really liked the Codec system from the original Metal Gear Solid, for PS1. It made almost perfect sense in-game, with your tactical team monitoring your movements and able to see what you were doing, and it was done in a clever way. When a codec sequence is unskippable for story reasons, the designers will sneak some tips in that way, but more importantly, if the player takes a long time moving through an area, they might get an optional call. Answering the call will usually explain some new mechanic in the area, and additionally provides some fun side-lore and comic relief, so it can double as a tiny reward. Laid out all at once, these conversations would be an overwhelming amount of information to absorb and exposition to follow, but the game generally nails the pacing. Provided you don't repeatedly call like a goof, the calls all seem like reasonable radio chatter, and hardly break immersion. Experienced players will move through the level quickly enough to miss the more tutorial-like prompts, and can ignore optional calls if they'd rather get on with the gameplay.
- mattbee 5y ago
  I mean I'm a fan, but about 50% of MGS is being absolutely harangued, at inordinate length, by the codec characters smashing at the 4th wall with a sledgehammer.... so no it doesn't break the immersion when they give you control tips ;) but it isn't subtle and doesn't need to be.
  - Zababa 5y ago
    I like how they directly tell you what to do knowing that you're someone playing on a console instead of trying to awkwardly not say directly things like "use this button". I find that this breaks immersion less than some game that think they can make you forget they are games telling you to do something.