Notes on Checkpoints

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Since X-Moto 0.5.3, checkpoints are supported. Checkpoints are level entities, which enable a respawn of the player to its position once the player dies. By using checkpoints, you can prevent a major frustration experience of the xmoto player, since starting from the beginning of a level and doing difficult passages over and over just to get beyond a certain point is not a nice gameplay. For improving that gameplay issue we implemented checkpoints. Nevertheless you have to pay attention to several issues presented here:

Checkpoint placement

As previously stated, checkpoints allow respawn after players death. Since a level has to keep a good balance between demand of the players skill and the ability to proceed in the level parcour, place your checkpoints wisely!
To find a good position for checkpoints, test your level a lot, and find out where the really difficult passages are. Its good to place a checkpoint directly after such passages, because the player will be happy to finally have proceeded over that point (he tried so much), and can concentrate on the further parts, which is fun in gameplay.
Note that its also a motivation for the player, if he just sees, that there are checkpoints in a level, because like this he is aware of the fact, that he may finish the level although the needed skills are pretty high!

Script barriers

Unfortunately theres no mechanism implemented (yet), that allows (re)setting script parameters to certain states. Therefore you have to pay attention to your checkpoint placement if your level is scripted! For example, if we have a level with a checkpoint and an elevator following, it may be impossible for the player to finish the level, because if the elevator got up and never back down after the player died, he will find no elevator after respawn (because it was gone before), so he has no other choice than complete level restart.
Consider this problem in your level design and checkpoint placement!