- Title: Splelunky - Author: Derick Yu - Tags: #summary #llmgenerated #toread #book # Part I: Spelunky Classic ## Beginning of the Adventure - Spelunky is described as "a platform game, like [[Super Mario Bros]]., but with randomly-generated levels" - The game starts in an abandoned mine with the player armed with a whip, ropes and bombs - The player only has one life, so dying results in starting over from the beginning > When I meet someone for the [[first time]] and the topic turns to Spelunky, I describe it as "a platform game, like [[Super Mario Bros]].," because whether or not you play video games, you've heard of Mario. Mario was the face of the art form during the 1980s and 1990s, when platformers dominated the gaming landscape. Unlike movie genres, which are distinguished by similarities in the themes or narratives, video game genres are generally defined by how the games are played. (Introduction, para. 1) - Each time you play, you get a completely different set of randomly generated levels - Elements behave the same but their arrangement changes, distinguishing it from games like [[Super Mario Bros]]. with fixed level designs - This randomization makes Spelunky stand out among platformers ## Puzzle Pieces - [[Creative process]] is like working on a jigsaw puzzle, collecting inspiration and life experiences as pieces - [[The author]]'s previous game Aquaria was challenging to develop with a friend, so he wanted to make something smaller and simpler next - He was drawn to the dense, challenging experiences of games from his childhood and indie games > I've always preferred to chip away on my own part of a project in relative solitude and meet with teammates for discussion when our parts overlap, but that often made Alec, who preferred more steady communication, feel like we weren't acting as a team at all. And although I consider myself to be a hard worker, Alec's capacity for game-making seemed limitless. It's a trait that I still respect, but at the time it was stressful trying to keep up. (Puzzle Pieces, para. 5) - After Aquaria, he started combining his favorite elements of platformers and roguelikes to build something new ## Game Maker - Game Maker software made it easy for hobbyists to quickly create retro-style 2D games - Spelunky's simple graphics would have been difficult in the more advanced engine used for Aquaria - [[The author]] had used Klik & Play game creation tools previously, and wanted to make games in whatever way felt good rather than worrying about "proper" programming - He started by making basic platformer prototypes in Game Maker to learn the tool ## Roguelike - Spelunky was inspired by roguelike games known for randomized dungeons and complex mechanics - Key roguelike elements used: random level generation, permadeath, consistent interaction rules for player/monsters/items - Author played early roguelikes like Hack and NetHack but found them very difficult to beat > What the games and the disks elicited was a real feeling of mystery and excitement that is hard to come by in the era of online trailers, reviews, maps, and walkthroughs. While some of the games, like Hack, were genuine classics, and others, like Madame Fifi's Whorehouse, were little [[more than]] novelties, they all had the air of a real adventure around them, magnified by my youthful exuberance. (Roguelike, para. 2) - Focused on distilling key roguelike elements into a simpler game, but this lacked originality on its own ## EXPLORER.GMK - Earliest build of Spelunky from June 2008 already had core elements like random levels and destructible terrain, despite placeholder graphics - Destructible terrain is novel and difficult to do in games but enables the randomized level design - Caving theme emerged as a good fit for gameplay of descending through tunnels with tools like ropes, bombs > Once I let Jon know I was interested, things moved quickly, and pretty soon I was showing the game to Kevin Hathaway, Jon's producer at Microsoft. He liked it: Within a week of emailing Jon, Spelunky was being investigated as a potential XBLA title. (The Pitch, para. 4) ## Randomized Levels - Spelunky levels are built on a 4x4 grid of rooms made of 10x8 tile blocks - Level generator ensures a valid path from entrance to exit that's traversable without items - Additional side rooms are placed that may be sealed off and require bombs or ropes to access - Enemy/trap/treasure placement also randomized according to chances of appearing on valid tiles > There was some culture shock working with a large company like Microsoft. Before that partnership, I made games in two steps: Step One, work on the game. Step Two, release the game. I had written design documents and set milestones in the past, but it was a casual, organic process. Things were done when they made sense and abandoned as soon they no longer did. Now it felt like we had to chisel our plans into stone slabs on a regular basis. (Explaining the Vision, para. 1) ## TIGSource - Game was developed secretly then shared on TIGSource indie game developer forums for early feedback - Initial response was very positive but also sparked debate between fans, critics, and curious onlookers - Author responded to feedback by fixing bugs and rough edges but preserved core design intent - Drama around the difficult game actually drew more attention and players > While I withdrew from the spotlight and tried to focus on what mattered most to me: game creation. The Gamasutra article had an air of finality about it, but really we were just getting started. Sometimes it takes years after a release for a game to get its due recognition, like it was for Rogue. In our case, we felt like we still had at least one other shot to make it big, on the platform where it all began: the PC. (Expectations, para. 6) ## The Shopkeeper - Shops were added where player could buy helpful items, but money is limited and also acts as score - This creates temptation to steal from shops, angering the shopkeeper who then relentlessly hunts the player - Shopkeeper has simple AI but his manic jumping and shotgun blasts make him threatening - Spelunky aims for high-risk/high-reward choices to engage player creativity in how they use the tools provided ## Feedback Loop - The public release on TIGForums sparked feedback that was positive but also intense debate - Some players bounced off the high difficulty, complex controls, and harsh penalties like the ghost - Author listened to criticism to determine core issues and make careful adjustments to improve without compromising vision - Ultimately the depth is what keeps expert players engaged while still being accessible to new players who get past initial hurdle > Another way to think about interpreting a player's feedback is as a doctor diagnosing a patient. A patient brings his or her symptoms to the doctor ("My stomach hurts!") and may even offer a possible solution ("I think it could be the flu!"). In that scenario, it'd be a bad idea for the doctor to either dismiss the validity of the patient's symptoms or to blindly accept that they have what they say they have. Like patients, players are often most in tune with how they feel about [[the problem]] rather than what is causing it. (Feedback Loop, para. 5) # Part II: Spelunky Unlocked ## Indifference - Hyrule in Zelda games has become less mysterious and more like a theme park in later games - Games often over-explain and guide the player which makes the world feel artificial - Spelunky aimed to make a world that felt indifferent to the player and allowed for genuine discoveries > Hyrule must become more indifferent to the player. It must aspire to ignore Link. Zelda has so far resisted the urge to lavish choice on the player and respond to his every whim, but it follows a similar spirit of indulgence in its loving details, its carefully crafted adventure that reeks of quality and just-for-you-ness. But a world is not for you. A world needs a substance, an independence, a sense that it doesn't just disappear when you turn around (even if it kinda does). (Indifference, para. 4, quoting Tevis Thompson) ## Arcade - Author was drawn to the focused, challenging design of arcade games compared to bloated modern titles - Wanted to capture the arcade spirit of making the most of the player's time and attention - Spelunky is balanced around an average play session of 30min to an hour, the ideal arcade game length - The ghost provides time pressure to keep the player moving and make strategic trade-offs > There's a reason why NetHack includes a special key that lets you "fast move" from one end of a hallway to another, stopping in the middle only if something crosses your path. Whereas the hallways are generally just hallways, a room in NetHack can be many things. At the most basic, they're small chess-like boards that contain monsters, treasures, and traps, but they can also be shops, monster zoos, or throne rooms. Sometimes they're pitch black and you have to bump your way through. (Randomized Levels, para. 4) - Spelunky avoids the arcade "credit feeding" model, focusing on a pure experience that is equivalently difficult for all players ## From Beginning to End - The "chain" of secret objectives culminating in the City of Gold provides depth without being strictly required - Discoverable in pieces by observant players without relying on obvious sign-posting - Provides an organic "hard mode" without needing artificial difficulty settings > I wanted players to realize that Spelunky was designed to be played from beginning to end in one sitting, like an arcade game, but I didn't want to say it explicitly in a text message, since that would rob them of the satisfaction of realizing it themselves. (From Beginning to End, para. 2) - The Tunnel Man helps ease new players into challenges by providing incremental shortcuts - The chain ultimately makes shortcuts obsolete for skilled players who can get further starting from the beginning ## The Joy of Play - Zelda series lost some of its mystery in later titles by over-explaining and hand-holding the player - Spelunky aims to preserve the "joy of discovery" by hiding its depths for players to uncover themselves - Difficulty comes from navigating the unknown and mastering the game's systems, not raw execution > The best games come out of a mutual respect between the creator and the player. The player does not demand a certain experience from the creator because they trust in the creator's expertise and because they want to be surprised. A personal creative vision cannot bloom without the freedom afforded by that trust. At the same time, creators must trust in the curiosity and abilities of their players. Continuously interrupting play to steer players with direct text messages and other obvious hints not only infantilizes them, but it also reveals the creator's insecurity in their ability to design games. (The Joy of Play, para. 3) - Secrets connect creators and players through an unfolding conversation of discovery and mastery # Part III: Spelunky XBLA ## An Opportunity - Positive reception of indie games on Xbox Live Arcade around 2008 presented an opportunity for a bigger Spelunky remake - Could reach a larger mainstream audience while offering fans of the original freeware game something new - Microsoft was convinced to greenlight the game without much initial work needed beyond a design document > By this point, I had started entertaining [[the idea]] of going commercial with Spelunky, but as a handheld console game, not a home console game. Spelunky seemed like the perfect game to take on the go, since the length was short and the pixel graphics would be at home on smaller screens. But it was hard to pass up an offer like this from Jon, given his success with Braid on XBLA. (An Opportunity, para. 3) ## The Pitch - Pitched XBLA game would be an "upgrade" of the freeware original with new content, modes - Aimed to flesh out the basic gameplay with more areas, items, challenges - Online co-op was the biggest new feature to entice console players and promote the game - Estimated a short 1-year development time, not realizing the scope of the project ## Andy - Aquaria partner Alec was busy, so author needed a new collaborator for the XBLA project - Asked his friend Andy Hull, who he knew from communities as a talented programmer - Though less experienced with consoles, Andy's compatibility and shared history made him an ideal creative partner - His programming skills freed [[the author]] to focus more on game design and artwork > Until recently, programming was the crucial gatekeeper to making games. Early in the history of video games, the lead programmer was typically also the lead writer, artist, and designer. If you could program software, you could be a game creator. You may not have necessarily been able to craft a good game, but at least you could try. If you weren't a programmer, you needed to find one. The advent of game-making tools like Klik & Play and Game Maker changed the landscape of game development drastically, putting less of a premium on programming and allowing all kinds of new people to make games. (Game Maker, para. 1) ## Explaining the Vision - Microsoft pushed for features to make the game more approachable for console players - Author wanted to preserve the unrestricted discovery that made the original game compelling - Idea for an in-game "journal" emerged as a subtle teaching tool that fit the game's theme - Struggled with the balance between challenging the player and making the learning process smoother ## New Engine - Braid engine turned out to be difficult to repurpose, risking overlong development or an unstable game - Author and Andy decided to start from scratch on an engine despite the additional work - Gave them full understanding and control over the codebase for the long run - Required porting and re-coding Spelunky's procedural level generation from Game Maker ## Improvements - XBLA version was built as a "fan game" expanding and riffing on the original Spelunky - Pixel art style remained but fidelity increased for the HD console display - Added new areas, items, traps to make the world richer and increase variety - Focused on adding "life" with more complex monster behaviors that create surprising interactions > Tom sees the tiki man pick up a boomerang that's for sale in the shop. "For a split second, I am amused," he writes. "He's going to buy a new boomerang! Silly tribesman, you don't own material wealth!" But then it dawns on him that something terrible is about to happen, and he scrambles away to a safe corner to avoid what he calls the "shopstorm" (Improvements, para. 9, quote from Tom Francis) - Silly/strange stories emerge naturally from the interaction of simple rules rather than complex scripting ## Eirik - Composer Eirik Suhrke joined to create a dynamic, atmospheric soundtrack - Goal was a grounded but distinct sound to match the hand-drawn art style - Inspirations ranged from chiptunes to jazz instrumentation to evoke a mysterious old-school vibe - Unique tracks for areas aimed to be listenable while looping frequently > When I first started out I decided to go with a mix of FM synthesis, sample-based tracker music and live band. In my head I imagine a triangle, where each angle represents one of the above. The tracks in this score vary in sound, but all can be placed somewhere in said diagram. Some tracks are all FM, some are all band, etc., but most are a combination of the three. (Eirik, para. 4, quoting Eirik Suhr) ## Finishing a Game - Dev wrote a blog post "Finishing a Game" mid-development as a reminder about the importance of actually completing projects - [[Key points]]: have clear constraints, prototype early, pick good collaborators, grind through, cut smartly when behind schedule - Aimed to resist temptation to keep restarting when ideas inevitably evolve mid-project - Post-release support and promotion can take as much effort as core development > One day, Andy was working on tracking all of the player's statistics, and we had the following conversation: Andy: ok ugh-- this is a lot more to think about than i thought initially score per level, if you killed a monster or if it just died, etc Me: yes, it's a pain it was a pain the [[first time]] i did it Andy: i thought i would knock this out in a day… : > not so likely now… we'll see (Finishing a Game, para. 12) - Polish, bug-fixing and console certification are grueling so important not to underestimate ## Multiplayer - Co-op aimed to be a more casual "party game" mode to balance the hardcore single-player - Let players help each other with co-op actions like picking each other up or sharing items - Dead players become playful ghosts who can mess with the living to keep them engaged - Deathmatch ended up a curiosity that hardcore fans enjoyed but didn't gain wide traction ## The Damsel - Rescuing the damsel character rewards health but carries risk, suiting the high-stakes theme - Female damsel drew criticism for being a regressive trope, even with an unlockable male option - Author aimed to subvert sexist cliches but recognized it still played into a gendered pattern across media - For the XBLA update, expanded damsel options and made a pug the most beloved choice > It seems strange now, but in The Legend of Zelda no one tells you where the first dungeon is located. It's possible to wander into the farthest reaches of Hyrule before locating it, and when you find the entrance—a gaping black "mouth" beckoning you into a giant tree—you may not necessarily [[know what]] you have found. (Arcade, para. 3) - Realized diverse representation makes games richer even if each instance seems minor ## Last 10% - Derek's dad advised doubling time estimates for how long a project will really take to finish - Team kept feeling they were "six months away" for the entire multi-year project - Last parts drag on as perfectionism kicks in and all the overlooked details demand attention - Microsoft certification process was rigorous, required testing every possible interaction - Passed on second attempt then raced to fix stray bugs and typos before it was truly final ## Expectations - Initial XBLA sales were lower than other big indie hits, leading to some disappointment and worry - Focused on the critical acclaim, IGF awards and recognition that the game received - PC re-release on Steam offered another chance to find commercial success - [[Over time]] the Steam and console versions sold over a million copies total > One might think that a single-player eggplant run would have taken years to complete, but that would vastly underestimate the tenacity and intelligence of Spelunky's best players. It only took one month before the Twitch streamer Bananasaurus Rex, with the help of other prominent members from the Spelunky community, was able to do what I had thought required either cheats or leprechaun levels of luck. It was the holy grail of Spelunky. (An Eggplant's Chance in Hell, para. 7) ## Raising the Stakes - Post-launch, a fan proposed a "Daily Challenge" mode with one chance per day to beat a special level - Feature was tricky to implement but nurtured a competitive scene that kept the game thriving - PlayStation ports followed, fulfilling the original handheld dream and reaching even more players - PC Daily Challenge sparked a race between streamers which drove interest on Twitch and YouTube # Part IV: Spelunky Transcended ## Beyond the City of Gold - To provide a "true ending" for the XBLA remake, a secret "Hell" world was added after the final boss - Reaching Hell required finding more hidden items in a puzzle-like chain leading from the City of Gold - Hell culminates in a second boss, King Yama, who provides a climactic challenge - Though brutally difficult to reach, Hell is balanced to be more forgiving than earlier areas > King Yama, sitting on a throne at the top of the fourth level of Hell, is designed with a similar sensibility. At first glance, the battle seems tricky. Unlike most of the other levels, the Yama fight moves upwards, with iron chains to climb if the player doesn't have ropes or a jetpack. The dangers here are vampires that can spawn on the bottoms of blocks, spikes that can spawn on the tops, and Yama himself, who smashes his fists onto the armrests of his throne, causing skulls to rain down from the ceiling. (Beyond the City of Gold, para. 6) - Beating Yama unlocks the ultimate secrets and the satisfaction of mastering the game completely ## Eirik's Song - As an easter egg, sacrificing a mystery box item in the Black Market triggers a special song and item - The eggplant item seems useless but became central to an arcane fan community challenge - Carrying the eggplant to Hell and using it on King Yama triggers a final easter egg - What the creator thought was impossible became an obsessive "holy grail" to the most dedicated fans ## An Eggplant's Chance in Hell - Fans knew it was nearly impossible to carry the eggplant from the Mines all the way to Yama - Streamer Bananasaurus Rex pushed the limits by exploiting little-known glitches in the game's systems - By manipulating obscure rules interactions, the solo eggplant run was astoundingly completed - Glitches that enable such challenge runs are treasured by speedrunners and hardcore players > Before one could attempt an eggplant-to-Hell run, it could easily take thousands of long runs to get the ideal conditions. In cooperative play, on the other hand, a gift box can be generated by purchasing any item in any shop, making it much easier to sacrifice one on an altar. (An Eggplant's Chance in Hell, para. 7) - These secrets and discoveries by the community make the game feel truly alive and mysterious ## New Adventure - Spelunky represents a period of the creator's life, combining influences and collaborations - Helped establish the commercial viability of the modern indie game scene - Inspired many other games in turn, making the creator part of a larger creative conversation - The eggplant secret was a testament to how the creation grew beyond even the creator's intentions > Like all of my game projects, Spelunky represents more than just another game released. It also represents a period of my life: the end of my time with Alec making Aquaria, a return to solo game development, and a partnership with Andy that was put into motion nearly two decades ago. When I started Spelunky, I was sitting in a pile of puzzle pieces strewn onto the floor—my thoughts, experiences, and inspirations—and not knowing what kind of puzzle I was putting together. (New Adventure, para. 1)