If the previous games like "Red Dead Redemption" were serious books,
Then "Super Mario Odyssey" is a fairy tale that both kids and adults love, like a big bell.
And the whole game sounds very simple, just a 3D platformer.
But the game involves some complex moves that Lucas mentioned, like triple jumps, wall jumps, ground pounds, backflips, etc.
Which makes the game much more complex, because if these moves are in the game, there will definitely be matching levels.
From a single move to the combination of all moves.
You could say just thinking about it is amazing.
This is relative.
Because how hard it is mainly depends on how evil the designer is.
Especially for platforming games, just a little change can turn a relaxing hot spring into a hellish difficulty.
For example, add a time limit, no save points in the middle, and more enemies on the way.
Of course, that's not possible in "Super Mario Odyssey."
Because for "Super Mario Odyssey," the story is just a little appetizer.
When you finish the whole story, you pretty much understand what the game is about.
And when you look back at that time, you realize that you only collected so few elements, and that's when the game really starts.
Players need to search in each area for the Power Moons they haven't found yet.
Some of them require players to solve puzzles with a lot of effort because they are hidden very deep.
And some require players to have certain skills because they are right there, but you can't get past them without any ability.
Easy, normal, hard.
The collectibles are divided into three levels, with about 60%, 30%, and 10% respectively.
"Regarding the development of 'Super Mario Odyssey,' everyone needs to remember one thing: the game is fun, easy to pick up, can provide immediate satisfaction, and can be played and put down at any time." Lucas gave a simple introduction to everyone.
You could say this is the characteristic of all Nintendo games: easy to pick up but hard to master.
For players with more free time, the game has enough depth for them to explore; and for players with fragmented time, the game's features of being easy to pick up, fun, and play-and-put-down are the same way these players can pick up their Switch and play those games from time to time.
And being easy to pick up also means that some players, even after a long time, can quickly understand how to play again, using their previous memories.
Obviously, other games can't do this, because with complex settings and content, sometimes you don't play for a long time, and you even forget all the buttons.
This is why some big-budget games, after a while, you don't want to play them again, and they end up just being added to your library, and you, as the player, can only laugh and say: I bought the game, do I still have to play it?
Of course, it's not about which is better or worse, it's just different.
After giving a simple introduction to the core of the two games to the team, Lucas first made the corresponding art and complete design concepts.
............
After returning to the office from the meeting room, Lucas started writing the concept drafts.
"Animal Crossing" is actually relatively simple because its core is filling in some details, such as various animals and decorations.
As for the 'Happy Home Paradise' DLC from the past life, Lucas doesn't plan to include it in the initial version.
Of course, it's not for making more money later, it's just that the content of the main game is already enough for players to play for a long time.
Adding too much content at once is not good.
The main focus is on decorating, designing, and arranging.
Besides that, there are some detailed settings.
On the other hand, "Super Mario Odyssey" is more difficult and complex.
The total number of moons reaches 880, and some moons cannot even be obtained in the first playthrough.
Plus the normal coins and the local currency in each area, you can say the content is very rich.
Also, as a sandbox game, the game's levels are the most important, and some parts are even more complex than the previous "Red Dead Redemption."
After all, in "Red Dead Redemption," Lucas only needs to give an outline of many of the content settings for the team to be responsible for, and he just needs to oversee the main content.
For example, Lucas would design Valentine, but he couldn't do all the outdoor scenes himself.
But "Super Mario Odyssey" is different. Every path and every level are very carefully designed, which is also a biggest feature of Nintendo games: the attraction anchor.
The player is walking along, and suddenly thinks... I see something good!
I need to find a way to get to it.
Additionally, each themed area in the game has a lot of secrets.
New Donk City, based on New York, has an English name called 'ne donk iyt'.
And this English name is made up of New York and a game called Donkey Kong.
And it is also the origin of Mario, the main character in the Mario series.
At first, this red-hatted plumber wasn't called Mario, but Jumpman.
Besides that, there are many references to Mario and Donkey Kong in this area.
For example, posters of the first Mario game on the streets.
There are also various small levels based on Nintendo's first Mario games, which are full of nostalgia for loyal fans of the Mario series.
But players in the parallel world obviously can't understand these secrets, which is a pity.
And besides "Super Mario Odyssey" and "Animal Crossing,"
Lucas also has some plans.
But this part won't be done by Nebula Games.
Instead, it will be outsourced to third-party game companies to make them for Nebula Games.
For example, adding some classic NES and arcade games from the past.
Although it's hard to create an amazing effect in the parallel world, the level design and replayability won't change.
The first Mario, Contra, Tank Battle, and arcade games like Metal Gear, Ikaruga, Snow Bros, Knights of Valour, and Journey to the West: Super Story.
Lucas will gradually commission third-party game companies and studios to make these classic games from the past and put them on the Switch platform.
As for these games, Lucas doesn't plan to sell them separately, because from a cost perspective, they aren't that expensive.
So Lucas plans to launch a Switch membership service later, which will not only provide features such as cloud saves, but also include these games in the membership pool for players to play.
As for the price, it is temporarily set at 5.9 yuan per month, and the annual fee is discounted to 60 yuan.
At the same time, like in the past life, the family membership setting is retained, with an annual fee of 220 yuan and the ability to invite up to five family members besides yourself.
(End of chapter)
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