DoW2: Level Flow

In the 1950’s, psychologist Abraham Maslow introduced the concept of a Hierarchy of Needs. This Hierarchy prioritized the basic needs that are consistent across all humanity, and organized them into a pyramid. In understanding this Hierarchy we are able to understand human motivation, and this can be translated into understanding player motivation, which in turn we can then use to create certain types of experiences for the player when designing a video game. In the Prelude level of Dawn of War 2, we can see how Maslow’s Hierarchy can be translated into a Hierarchy of player needs, and when applied correctly can create a fun and effective experience for the player.
 Maslow’s original Hierarchy (Chapman, 1995) was broken up into five steps. These were;

• Physiological needs; primarily relating to the supply of food and water
• The need for safety; protection from the elements
• Love; interpersonal affection
• Esteem; related to personal status
• Self actualization; the need for personal growth.

Figure 1

The Hierarchy showed that humans prioritize these needs in this particular order, and they will not seek a higher step without the lower one first being realized. For example we will not seek peer recognition if we do not have adequate food or shelter. These steps can be directly translated into a pyramid of player needs which can be applied to game and level design (Feil & Scattergood, 2005). The steps in the Player Hierarchy (Figure 2) are;

• Interface; understanding the basic mechanics and controls of the game world
• Safety; application of the mechanics when action is required
• Understand the Goal; player needs to understand the immediate goal of the scenario
• Story; more complex understanding of the overall story.

Figure 2

In the Prelude level, Dawn of War 2 (DoW2) introduces the player to the game interface slowly. First, the player is shown a brief cut scene which sets the stage for later introduction of goal and story, but is not needed to be understood initially. The player is then given movement control of the avatars. The movement controls and where the player needs to move to are displayed clearly on screen (Figure 3).

Figure 3

Once the player has successfully moved to the target, the remaining visual interface elements are introduced (Figure 4). These include more detailed information about the units under the player’s control and the ability to access more advanced movement and attack commands, although the player is not required to understand them at this point.

Figure 4

By gradually introducing the different interface elements to the player and only allowing access to these elements once the player has mastered the basic tasks, the designer has ensured that the player will not be overwhelmed. The player also feels empowered and in control, which makes the transition into the safety section of the pyramid easy and seamless.

In the Prelude level of Universe at War: Earth Assault, quite the opposite of this occurs. Players are thrown into the game with only a very vague understanding of the control system, and are immediately ordered by NPC actors to hurry to their goal. This means that the player is disoriented from the beginning, and so their likelihood of moving into the higher sections of the pyramid and therefore fully appreciating and enjoying the game are severely diminished.

Once the player has been made comfortable with the interface elements, DoW2 then increases the difficulty of the game by introducing enemies. This is done in a way that the player cannot avoid, but allows them to adapt their knowledge of the interface to solve the game scenario. Initially the player is warned that there is danger up ahead, and the enemies are visible on the screen. For this first encounter, the enemies will wait for the player to engage them, and the player has access to a many cover objects to hide behind. Once these enemies have been killed, the player is ushered forward by NPC actors to the second encounter. The difficulty is again increased here, as the enemies will rush the player, and the player is given less options for cover (Figure 5).

Figure 5

If the player can successfully navigate these encounters, they are aware that the difficulty has increased, but they are still empowered and in control. This gives the player a feeling of safety, instead of constantly feeling in danger. Balancing challenge and player empowerment with a clear interface and mechanics is what makes a game fun. Once the designer has achieved this, and made the player comfortable, they can then move the player upwards on the pyramid by introducing goals and storyline (Byrne, 2005).

The player is next gradually introduced to the storyline of the game, by giving them the order to support allied troops. The goal is made clear by visuals onscreen (Figure 6), as well as NPC vocal instructions.

Figure 6

When the player reaches Thule, their avatar enters a scenario more advanced and complicated than before (Figure 7). Here the difficulty increases again, and there is a mood of urgency, but the application of the mechanics that the player has already been taught can be applied here as well. The player must use the provided cover and offensive tactics to rescue the other units.

Figure 7

This goal is immediate and clear, and while it relates to the overall storyline of the game, does not require the player to have any prior understanding of the story for it to make sense. The primary goal of this section of the level is to introduce to the player that goals will exist throughout the game that they will need to accomplish. Giving the player the tools and knowledge required to accomplish this first scenario continues the empowerment of the player, and encourages them to continue further in the game. The player is also rewarded for completing the goal by being given their first equipment drop.

The completed goal is then linked directly to the introduction to the storyline, as Thule, who the player now has a connection with, ushers the player onwards. The player is instructed to follow up their role as protector by investigating nearby ruins. Within a few seconds, the player is given three different cues, both visual and audio, indicating their next goal (Figure 8).

Figure 8

At this point the player still has control over the progression, as the next segment of the level will not initialize until the player reaches the ruins. Once there, the player is shown a short cut scene of the Orc Boss. The importance of the Boss does not need to be explained to the player, as he is in a vehicle, which is the player’s first encounter with anything other than infantry. The vehicle also spawns ground enemies, which the player needs to react to.

After fighting through a few waves of enemies, and being introduced to more complex strategies like the use of grenades, the player is able to complete the level. However the NPC’s explain to the player that the Boss has escaped, and their next goal is to hunt him down. This continues to lead into the main story, and gives the player an overall purpose, but does not reveal all of the story elements and therefore doesn’t overwhelm. The player is then encouraged to continue in the game so that they can repeat the process.

When analyzing the level layout, it is clear to see how these sections lead into one another. As the player moves from the bottom to the top of the relevant map section, they are also progressing up the pyramid (Figure 9).

Figure 9

This method was also successfully employed in the Prelude level of Warcraft 3. While the level moves at a slower pace, and the enemy encounters are further spread out and less intense, the same basic structure can be seen (Figure 10). The player is given multiple opportunities to use the interface throughout the first section. They are then given additional troops in the second section. The third section is primarily made up of enemy encounters, with the first equipment drop towards the end of the section. The fourth section then leads the player directly into the main storyline. This leads to another rewarding and empowering experience, which leaves the player wanting to keep playing.

Figure 10

By giving the player the illusion that the level has progressed at their desired pace, and by allowing the player to believe that the encounters occurred as a direct result of their actions, the player feels empowered, and as though they have ownership over what happens in the game world. Successful application of the Player Hierarchy has meant that in the DoW2 Prelude level, “the player experiences the best of both worlds; the player gets to the carrot on the end of the stick, and feels like he made the right decisions on where to go.” (Bleszinski, (2000).

(Full list of references available upon request)