guide to understanding fun mini-games

epicstonemason · Before February 2015

Minigames are based on motion, so for this guide I will be using arrows drawn on pictures of minigames to describe these motions. Each blue arrow represents one fluid motion, a motion that cannot be broken apart and still retain it's purpose (you can't stop mid-way between two blocks, so you must make one continuous movement from one block to the next). Each red 'X' represents a jump.

Lesson 1: Motion and Jumps
Examine the mini-game below complete with arrows and red Xs.

Notice how the red X is halfway through the blue arrow. The point of this lesson is to show you that each motion (blue arrow) doesn't have to start with a jump, and the motion doesn't have to end for you to make a new jump (a jump can be included as part of the fluid motion). As you can see in this example, the player would not be able to clear the second gap if he/she were to stop on the middle block.

Lesson 2: Motion and Speed
Any noob can jump slowly from one block to the next without falling, but it takes some skill to control the smiley at a high speed. The following sub-lessons will teach you how to deal with speed.
Lesson 2.A: Speed Checks
If you want to make a minigame that forces the player to maintain a certain speed, then you must create something to stop slow or fast players. Examine the mini-games below.

Minigame one uses the method called "large gaps". A slow player won't be able to clear the gap.

Minigame two uses an "arrow wall". This wall of gravity arrows will push away any player that lacks the velocity to clear the wall.

Minigame three uses a "ceiling block". A slow player will hit the blocks above and will fall to the floor. A fast player will be able to move out from under the blocks before his jump causes him to hit the ceiling and fall.
Lesson 2.B: Speed Maintenance
Speed maintenance has two parts: not stopping (the obvious one), and avoiding obstacles. I'm not going to teach "not stopping" again because it was taught in the "fluid motion" section. The minigames below deal with obstacles.

Minigame one uses blocks for obstacles. If the player hits these blocks he/she will lose his/her speed and will be unable to clear the arrow wall. Another way to use block obstacles (the wrong way) is to make a "tight fit" where the player must go directly between two blocks to clear an arrow wall.

Minigame two uses arrow obstacles. If the player is unable to avoid the up-facing arrows, then he/she will lose too much speed and won't be able to clear the arrow wall.
Lesson 2.C: Gaining Speed
The easiest way to gain speed is to jump. Examine the minigame below.

The player must jump off the left-facing arrow and then quickly jump again without stopping. The player has gained speed in the direction right by jumping off the arrow facing left (just in case you didn't get that from the picture). Another way to gain speed is to fall (in whatever direction the gravity may be). Examine the minigame below.

The player gains speed in the direction up by falling in a zone with up-facing gravity.
Lesson 2.D: Reducing Speed
In some places the player may need to land on some arrows without falling completely through them. To do this, the player must reduce speed while traveling towards the arrows. Examine the minigame below.

Notice how the player must go left to hit the arrows and reduce his/her speed so that he/she can land on the arrows at the finish. The player can also use blocks to reduce speed (next picture). Examine the minigame below.

That was the first compound minigame that I have shown you. The player must maintain speed the the direction left to clear the gap and reach the blocks that stop the player from hitting the arrows on the ceiling (the "obstacles" are for the player to prevent himself from jumping too high and failing the mini-game).

Lesson 3: Mid-points
When a gap is too large or an arrow wall is too thick to clear, a mid-point should be put in to help the player. Examine the minigames below.

Minigame one has an arrow wall that is too thick to clear, and the player must land on the block in the arrow wall and jump off it to finish. The block is a "mid-point".

Minigame two has a line of arrows that the player must aim for and use to gain speed that will allow him/her to clear the gap.

Lesson 4: Combining Blue Arrows (the ones I draw for motion)
Examine the two versions of the minigame below.

Notice how the first version has three blue arrows (motion arrows not gravity arrows) and the second version has only two blue arrows. This means that in the first version the player can stop on the second set of up-gravity arrows and still complete the mini-game (which is easy). Combining the second and third blue arrows (second version of mini-game) means that the player must make one fluid motion from one set of gravity arrows to the next to complete the mini-game (more of a challenge).

Don't let your players go too fast or too slow, and always combine your blue arrows. Your minigames will be great! Also, feel free to use the mini-games I have as examples.

Last edited by epicstonemason (Jul 10 2011 7:28:16 pm)

Oturan · Before February 2015

This is to compact, You should break it up in pieces. Since it's a pain in the ****, reading something this compact.

supadorf24 · Before February 2015

The pictures aren't working. Try using this guide, although I find using Snipping Tool easier than using prt sc.

JadElClemens · Before February 2015

tl;dr

Organize it, make it prettier to look at, then I'll read it.

32OrtonEdge32dh · Before February 2015

Below is what your post should look like. Copy and paste this and replace your original post with it:

Minigames are based on motion, so for this guide I will be using arrows drawn on pictures of minigames to describe these motions.  Each blue arrow represents one fluid motion, a motion that cannot be broken apart and still retain it's purpose (you can't stop mid-way between two blocks, so you must make one continuous movement from one block to the next).  Each red 'X' represents a jump.  [quote][b]Lesson 1: Motion and Jumps[/b] Examine the mini-game below complete with arrows and a red X. [img]Link to your image[/img] Notice how the red X is halfway through the blue arrow.  The point of this lesson is to show you that each motion (blue arrow) doesn't have to start with a jump, and the motion doesn't have to end for you to make a new jump (a jump can be included as part of the fluid motion).  As you can see in this example, the player would not be able to clear the second gap if he/she were to stop on the middle block.[/quote] [quote][b]Lesson 2: Motion and Speed[/b] Any noob can jump slowly from one block to the next without falling, but it takes some skill to control the smiley at a high speed.  The following sub-lessons will teach you how to deal with speed. [quote][b]Lesson 2.A: Speed Checks[/b] If you want to make a minigame that forces the player to maintain a certain speed, then you must create something to stop slow or fast players. Examine the mini-games below. [img]Link to your image[/img] Minigame one uses the method called "large gaps".  A slow player won't be able to clear the gaps. [img]Link to your image[/img] Minigame two uses an "arrow wall".  This wall of gravity arrows will push away any player that lacks the velocity to clear the wall. [img]Link to your image[/img] Minigame three uses a "ceiling block". A slow player will hit the blocks above and will fall to the floor.  A fast player will be able to move out from under the blocks before his jump causes him to hit the ceiling and fall.[/quote] [quote][b]Lesson 2.B: Speed Maintenance[/b] Speed maintenance has two parts: not stopping (the obvious one), and avoiding obstacles.  I'm not going to teach "not stopping" again because it was taught in the "fluid motion" section.  The minigames below deal with obstacles. [img]Link to your image[/img] Minigame one uses blocks for obstacles.  If the player hits these blocks he/she will lose his/her speed and will be unable to clear the arrow wall.  Another way to use block obstacles (the wrong way) is to make a "tight fit" where the player must go directly between two blocks to clear an arrow wall. [img]Link to your image[/img] Minigame two uses arrow obstacles.  If the player is unable to avoid the up-facing arrows, then he/she will lose too much speed and won't be able to clear the arrow wall.[/quote] [quote][b]Lesson 2.C: Gaining Speed[/b] The easiest way to gain speed is to jump. Examine the minigame below. [img]Link to your image[/img] The player must jump off the left-facing arrow and then quickly jump again without stopping.  The player has gained speed in the direction right by jumping off the arrow facing left (just in case you didn't get that from the picture).  Another way to gain speed is to fall (in whatever direction the gravity may be).  Examine the minigame below. [img]Link to your image[/img] The player gains speed in the direction up by falling in a zone with up-facing gravity.[/quote] [quote][b]Lesson 2.D: Reducing Speed[/b] In some places the player may need to land on some arrows without falling completely through them.  To do this, the player must reduce speed while traveling towards the arrows.  Examine the minigame below. [img]Link to your image[/img] Notice how the player must go left to hit the arrows and reduce his/her speed so that he/she can land on the arrows at the finish.  The player can also use blocks to reduce speed (next picture).  Examine the minigame below. [img]Link to your image[/img] That was the first compound minigame that I have shown you.  The player must maintain speed the the direction left to clear the gap and reach the blocks that stop the player from hitting the arrows on the ceiling (the "obstacles" are for the player to prevent himself from jumping too high and failing the mini-game).[/quote] [/quote] [quote][b]Lesson 3: Mid-points[/b] When a gap is too large or an arrow wall is too thick to clear, a mid-point should be put in to help the player.  Examine the minigames below. [img]Link to your image[/img] Minigame one has an arrow wall that is too thick to clear, and the player must land on the block in the arrow wall and jump off it to finish.  The block is a "mid-point". [img]Link to your image[/img] Minigame two has a line of arrows that the player must aim for and use to gain speed that will allow him/her to clear the gap.[/quote] [quote][b]Lesson 4: Combining Blue Arrows (the ones I draw for motion)[/b] Examine the two versions of the minigame below. [img]Link to your image[/img] [img]Link to your image[/img] Notice how the first version has three blue arrows (motion arrows not gravity arrows) and the second version has only two blue arrows.  This means that in the first version the player can stop on the second set of up-gravity  arrows and still complete the mini-game (which is easy).  Combining the second and third blue arrows (second version of mini-game) means that the player must make one fluid motion from one set of gravity arrows to the next to complete the mini-game (more of a challenge).[/quote] Don't let your players go too fast or too slow, and always combine your blue arrows.  Your minigames will be great!  Also, feel free to use the mini-games I have as examples.

Preview the way this will look here.
Wherever it says "Link to your image", follow these steps:
1. Go to tinypic.com
2. Click "Browse".
3. Locate the image on your computer.
4. Click "Upload Now!"
5. Copy the DIRECT LINK to your image.
6. Post it in between the
7. Be amazed as your image appears!

Last edited by 32OrtonEdge32dh (Jul 3 2011 6:09:41 pm)

Greenzoid2 · Before February 2015

Hmm...there aren't even any failed img tags. He didn't even try to put the images in.

epicstonemason · Before February 2015

I finished the images!

Last edited by epicstonemason (Jul 10 2011 7:28:42 pm)

ThuggishPrune · Before February 2015

Hey wait a second. You used arrows! That's a luxury!

ONTOPIC nice guide

Tako · Before February 2015

I personally am getting a bit tired with these blunt challenges like the one's you have up there. I like things that take a minute to figure out, where you need to plan a path-while being interesting at the same time [not brutal difficulty or tediousness]. I like minigames that are so unique and alien that it takes more than skill to complete, but a strategy.

I often ask myself while creating a level: what makes this level any different from everything else? If I can't answer that question, the pride I will have when I'm finished will drop. In other words, I'm saying to myself "Congratulations, you've made another level with nothing remarkable or memorable. I've shown skill that anyone can show."

So, yes, I'm saying that this is the wrong approach at minigames. Instead, make something that will really 'wow' the player-something that nobody has even seen before.

Greenzoid2 · Before February 2015

@Takoman02

These are the very basics to making minigames. Any of the minigames shown in the OP won't make a good minigame, but using this guide will help you to make your own fun minigames.

Helvi · Before February 2015

I like this guide Great work

epicstonemason · Before February 2015

This guide was made mostly so new people would learn how to make good mini-games and why these mini-games are better than hook-jumps and stairs.

Oturan · Before February 2015

This is a good guide :3 Will be useful for beginners.

Last edited by Oturan (Jul 11 2011 2:47:14 pm)

epicstonemason · Before February 2015

I think it is time for the beginners to learn what makes a good mini-game. I see far to many levels comprised of sub-satisfactory mini-games.

Chimi · Before February 2015

Supadorf24 wrote:

The pictures aren't working. Try using this guide, although I find using Snipping Tool easier than using prt sc.

Dude, you linked him to my crap guide? Ugh. I'm gonna go remake that.

sephiroth · Before February 2015

welll some mini games are hard to one another:/

32OrtonEdge32dh · Before February 2015

Thanks for organizing it how I suggested. Nice guide!

tokebot · Before February 2015

good guide,
i dont agree with taco. ee is too old to wow anyone with anything challengerelated.

epicstonemason · Before February 2015

I just want new people to know how to make basic fun mini-games.

supadorf24 · Before February 2015

Chimi wrote:

Supadorf24 wrote:
The pictures aren't working. Try using this guide, although I find using Snipping Tool easier than using prt sc.
Dude, you linked him to my crap guide? Ugh. I'm gonna go remake that.

I linked him to the guide that was linked in the Ultimate FAQ, which happened to be your crappy guide.

Tako · Before February 2015

tokebot wrote:

good guide,
i dont agree with taco. ee is too old to wow anyone with anything challengerelated.

Are you sure? I have a few ideas for a challenge nobody has done yet.

epicstonemason · Before February 2015

I don't know why this keeps going down on the list instead of staying up by the other guides.

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