Today we will tell you about the use of minimalism in games as one of the main trends of game design in 2020.
The concept of minimalism appeared in the middle of the XX century and emerged as a counterbalance for the outdated at that time modernism. The simplification of forms and meanings has reached literalism, in which shapes, colors, and objects denote only the most obvious meanings. At the same time, minimalism is characterized by:
- Limited colors
- Geometric shapes
- Small number of parts
Minimalism in games is the brevity and simplicity of the game’s presentation. Intuitive interface, a minimum of unnecessary details and uncomplicated gameplay – only a superficial characteristic of such games. What does it take to create a game adhering to the rules of minimalism?
Creating minimalistic games
To create a complete minimalist game, it’s important to consider:
- Restriction vs Intention.
Identify the rationale behind the use of minimalism in game design. In the first case, this technique may be a forced necessity. This was the case at the beginning of the history of computer games, when technology had limited capabilities and could not transmit a high-resolution picture. The first consoles only produced 8-bit sounds, and the picture was displayed in black and white. So game designers had to learn how to convey maximum meaning in minimal form.
In the case of the intentional stylization of late 80s games, however, things are a bit simpler. The result was the technodem and retro futurism depicted in games along the lines of Hotline Miami. Modern technodem games are more technologically advanced than their forebears, but their look and gameplay are made based on minimalist concepts. The popularization of the style is also influenced by the development of portable devices, for which the light weight of the game and its mobility are important.
- Color scheme.
Proper color work helps the game designer to get rid of unnecessary details. With color, you can achieve a certain mood and feel of the game. Color conveys temperature, location, character. Drawing an analogy to cinema or the social network Instagram, the mood of a person’s movie or profile is set by the overall tone, the color scheme. In game design, you can safely use this technique.
- Silhouette.
Silhouette is the foundation of readability. To check its understandability for the user is not difficult: take the main character or a significant object, and fill it with one color. Recognizable silhouettes allow you to get rid of unnecessary extra objects, so clear silhouettes are created for minimalist games.
- Point of view.
On whose behalf is the game being played? Seemingly simple shapes can hold a lot of meaning. Even when creating a game with cubic characters with no faces, a game designer can animate them using voice-over text or cut-scenes.
- Contrast.
A standard technique for minimalism is the introduction of the conflict of opposites into the plot and design of the game. Creating a contrasting world, the game designer emphasizes the player’s attention to its most significant details. The contrasting characters and motivations of character and enemy make it easier to understand the purpose of the game. Using hyperbolized large enemies creates a sense of mission significance, particularly if the game’s goal is to defeat a large boss.
The contrast in minimalism should remain obvious so that the player has no doubt as to whether they have gotten the game right.
- Color coding.
In the face of the primitive shapes used to create the world in a minimalist game, marking significant objects with color can make the game intuitive. By designating a single color – such as red – as the goals the player must reach, the game designer eliminates the need for a map.
- Marking by sound.
Marking with sound is a tool that also influences the intuitiveness of the game. It can be used to indicate danger or approach to the target, especially if you use this technique in the so-called “wanderers”, in which the main goal is to search for objects.
- Minimal interfaces.
Minimalism in game design is characterized by a reduction in the number of interfaces. For example, the ammo counter built into the playing field and the equipment, for taking which you do not need to go to a separate screen greatly simplify the perception of the game.
- System Design.
An important part of minimalism in game development was the development of comfortable and intangible hardware. The game joystick should become an extension of the player’s hand and not take time to adapt and learn the controls. The mechanics of controlling a gaming device must be intuitive, otherwise a person will be distracted from the gameplay.
That’s why the Nintendo Wii device became so popular – the creators of the gaming joystick created it with real-world motion sensing. As a result, hitting a ball in a game requires a person to make a corresponding hand movement in real life. This makes it easier to immerse yourself in the gameplay many times over.
- Minimal buttons.
You don’t have to purchase specific gaming devices to comply with the rules of minimalist gaming. The use of a minimal number of buttons in the game mechanics, or even just one (but with different numbers of presses) simplifies the controls. Complex key combinations or using different keys for similar actions in a game is impractical and too time consuming. The minimalistic game is limited to a limited set of keys.
- Minimal training.
Prolonged training doesn’t make sense at the current stage of computer game development. More often than not, players already know the basic ways to control the game, and new mechanics are not difficult to make intuitive. Look at the cinematography – in it, the already understandable scenes from the lives of the characters are shortened or cut out altogether, because the viewer already understands what exactly happened.
- Simplifying motivation.
Clear motivation is the key to a successful game. In order for a person to intuitively understand what is to come, it is important to tie the character’s motivation to images from the real world. This also applies on the flip side – in-game items that can deal damage to a character.
For example, in the game Super Mario, the situation is simple. The creators of the game were looking for an item that would make the player feel the desire to get something. As a result, it was decided to use the image of coins, which the game character should collect.
- As many skills, so many challenges.
You can’t let new tasks level out the skills you’ve learned in the past. The player should feel the development of his abilities, so each game task should become an order of magnitude more difficult. This is accomplished by introducing new skills, or by making tasks more difficult using existing abilities.
- Narrative Design.
Minimalism in game design implies intuitive storytelling. The number of video scenes with explanations should be reduced, and for more authenticity and presence effect, the player can be placed inside the scene itself, giving him a fully circular view. Other elements of the game should also push you to understand the story.
- Development instead of plot.
Not all games are required to have a complex story. To engage the player in the gameplay, provide character and game world development as you move between levels. By emphasizing the individual’s personal sensations, the maximum immersion effect is achieved.
- Minimal opponents.
Opponents are a component of gameplay that is easy to overdo in minimalist games. By shifting the focus from the number of enemies to their importance and scale, the game designer focuses the player’s attention on the main events of the game, eliminating the superfluous. Fights become more entertaining when the number of fights is reduced.
- Minimal cinematography.
Scenes explaining the plot do not have to be done as videos. By depicting them in comic book form, the game designer not only reduces the company’s cost of scene development, but also makes the scene easier for the player to understand.
- Minimal words.
Another technique for creating minimalistic games is to reduce the number of words or avoid them altogether. Silence can create moods, in silence the brain concentrates on other sensations, which is used in the creation of video games. By conveying the essence of the game solely through mechanics, the game designer provokes the creation of a new experience in the player.
3 games in a minimalistic style
To depict the gamedesign trends of 2020, we have collected 3 examples of successful use of minimalism in games:
- Shadow of The Colossus. There are no crowds of monsters in the game and the player’s attention is focused on the 16 main bosses. Opponents are like riddles to be solved. Battles are epic and monumental, and in between, the player travels the world exploring.
- FOTONICA. The gameplay of the game is based on a single button, pressing which with different frequency and duration the player adjusts the speed and length of the character’s jumps. The game is a constant sprint forward. The simplified appearance and uniformity of the task introduces the player to a state of flux.
- Flower. There are no words or purpose in the game. By controlling the movement of the wind and collecting the petals of flowers growing in the clearing, the player moves to a new location only after collecting all the petals in the previous one.
Minimalism in game design is present in many different games. It is used to emphasize certain features of the game or hide others. Minimalism helps make the game concentrated and clear.
You can order the development of a minimalistic game from KOLORO. We create games that are in line with the trends in the gaming industry. Contact us for more details!
