Game Developers Reveal Hidden Tricks

Game developers took over Twitter, revealing design tricks used in games which are hidden and can’t be discovered when playing. The trend was started by Jennifer Scheurle, the design lead on Opaque Space’s Earthlight, asking other developers to share examples of some of the ways to manipulate players’ perceptions. Here is a small example: Assassin’s Creed and Doom have your last shred of life slightly more durable to keep things tense without triggering defeat.

System Shock and some other shooters prepared the last bullet with multiplied damage. Enemies in Bioshock will always miss their first shot to give the players a chance to fight back. What a great way to start a conversation!

Some platformers (Braid, for example) have a window where you can still jump if you fall off of a ledge. Shadow of Mordor gives additional health to dueling Uruks, increasing the length of the fight, to present a spectacle. 

Silent Hill: Shattered Memories lies too! The game removes one physical sense of an AI when you respawn in a nightmare run, slowing down enemies if you look over the shoulder with only a bunch of the enemies allowed to chase you at once while the rest would flank you.

Let’s continue. Gears of War provides significant buffs to new players in multiplayer that wear off after a few kills. Half-Life 2 prepared ledges and railings set as ragdoll magnets for enemies to fall over them more often. Ratchet and Clank scales enemy damage and hid enemies depending on time played and total deaths. Well, that’s a common trick. Developers of Jak and Daxter found a way to trip players to mask the presence of loading.

Love taking time when making a choice? The Bureau/XCOM’s enemies get more aggressive if you don’t make a move every 15-20 seconds. Thief: The Dark Project’s sword make you visibility, making you choose between stealth and better preparation.

F.E.A.R games tend to bent bullets towards things that explode. Alien: Isolation taught the Xenomorph to study player habits, so don’t hide in lockers too often. What is more, the thing has two brains. One of them will always know where you are, and the other controls the body using hints from the first brain.

Far Cry 4 controls the damage and accuracy of NPCs based on how many are near you. Left 4 Dead makes enemies deliberately target players the furthest away from the group or with the least aggro. Enemies in Arkham Asylum will never perform 180 degree turns, giving you a stealthier life. Elizabeth in Bioshock: Infinite throws resources based on the player’s current state. Well, that’s not so difficult to figure out. 

Guitar Hero rates you out of 5 stars, but the system will never give you lower than a 3. Counters to your current class in Overwatch sound louder. Oh, that’s useful! 

And two more examples. Spec Ops: The Line changed stuff in the scene suddenly to make you question your perception. Finally, Firewatch counts silence as a player’s choice in dialogue conversations and this decision affects your relationship. 

You can find more hidden tricks here and there. Did we miss something special? Let us know in the comments below.