Road to Valhalla: en 3D, third-person platformer til hardcore gamers

Road to Valhalla: a 3D, third-person platformer for hardcore gamers

Dannevang, Simon Harnisch ; Gamborg, Henrik Rohwer Dahl ; Meerson, Henriette Mejer ; Schrøder, Gustav ; Ottosen, Andreas

4. semester

Interaktive Digitale Medier, Kandidat

2022

2022-06-01

197

Dette speciale fra Interaktive Digitale Medier ved Aalborg Universitet undersøger, hvordan man kan designe et 3D third-person platformspil målrettet hardcore spillere. Med afsæt i en playcentrisk, iterativ tilgang til spildesign udviklede gruppen Road to Valhalla, en digital prototype sat i den nordiske mytologis efterliv. Arbejdet blev forankret i teorier om spilleroplevelse, herunder flow, selvbestemmelse og oplevet nydelse, suppleres af viden om spilertyper og sværhedsgradstilpasning. Forløbet omfattede formulering af otte player experience goals, generering af tre koncepter, og valg af Road to Valhalla gennem semistrukturerede interviews med 13 informanter samt strategisk designtænkning. Via papirprototyper og MoSCoW-prioritering blev centrale mekanikker fastlagt (bevægelse, fælder og udfordringer) og fem baner planlagt (Tutorial, Hub, Niflheim, Helheim, Muspelheim). Prototypen blev udviklet i Unreal Engine 5 over fem uger og playtestet med otte deltagere. Testene gav 69 indsigter, heraf 30 positive og 39 blandede eller negative, fx et ønske om dobbelt-hop eller en færdighedsbaseret sikkerhedsmekanisme. En kvalitativ analyse med KJ-metoden indikerer, at prototypen aktuelt opfylder to af de definerede spilleroplevelsesmål (svære udfordringer og en simpel fortælling), mens resten kræver yderligere iterationer. Specialet anbefaler at fortsætte den iterative, playcentriske proces, fastholde det, der fungerer, forbedre identificerede svagheder og på sigt bevæge sig fra prototyping til fuld produktion for en primær målgruppe af hardcore (og i nogen grad midcore) PC-spillere.

This master’s thesis from Interactive Digital Media at Aalborg University investigates how to design a 3D third-person platformer aimed at hardcore players. Using a playcentric, iterative game design approach, the team developed Road to Valhalla, a digital prototype set in the afterlife of Norse mythology. The work is grounded in theories of player enjoyment—flow, self-determination, and perceived enjoyment—supplemented by insights on player types and difficulty adjustment. The process included defining eight player experience goals, generating three concepts, and selecting Road to Valhalla through semi-structured interviews with 13 informants and strategic design thinking. Through paper prototyping and MoSCoW prioritization, core mechanics (movement, traps, and challenges) and five levels (Tutorial, Hub, Niflheim, Helheim, Muspelheim) were specified. The prototype was built in Unreal Engine 5 over five weeks and playtested with eight participants. Playtests yielded 69 insights—30 positive and 39 mixed or negative—such as requests for a double-jump or a skill-based safety mechanic. A qualitative KJ-method analysis indicates the prototype currently meets two player experience goals (delivering difficult challenges and a simple narrative), while the remaining goals require further iteration. The thesis recommends continuing the iterative, playcentric process, retaining what works, addressing identified shortcomings, and moving from prototyping to full production for a primary audience of hardcore (and to some extent midcore) PC players.

[Dette resumé er genereret med hjælp fra AI direkte fra projektet (PDF)]

game design

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