Sometimes developers put a lot of effort into in-game systems to create the desired atmosphere for the player. For example, in Forza Horizon, they came up with Drivatars – AI with the nicknames of the player’s friends, and in races, they use “rubber banding,” which prevents the bot from getting too far ahead from the player in second place or falling too far behind. In Shadow of Mordor, orcs climb up the hierarchy and remember all battles with the player thanks to the Nemesis system. In many shooters, when health is low, bullets start to deal more damage, giving the player the opportunity to win and be proud of themselves for pulling off the match while on the brink of death. Almost all games do not render what is outside the player’s field of view – except for Cyberpunk 2077, where all cars in the city are always loaded. You can Melbet download and place bets on different sports: from football and boxing to water polo, biathlon, and badminton.
These and other tricks help game developers optimize them or create a sense of superiority for the player. We have gathered 6 interesting examples of implementing clever developer tactics.
Fallout 3 – Train Hat (Actually Not a Hat)
In the Broken Steel expansion for Fallout 3, there is a moment when you need to ride a train. However, the Gamebryo engine couldn’t afford such luxury, so the developers had to cheat – they created a separate NPC and attached a train to it. Usually, this legendary screenshot is only posted from one side, so it seems like the train replaces the character’s head.
But the train car actually belongs to the armor class, and it is worn on the character’s arm.
Therefore, if you look from another angle, you can see that he has a transparent arm, onto which the train car is attached, and his head is in place. But this doesn’t change the essence – the solution is truly ingenious.
Days Gone – Motorcycle is Actually a Car
Days Gone received mixed analysis at launch due to technical issues and subpar graphics, but one universally praised aspect was the motorcycle mechanics. Critics and players alike hailed it as one of the best modes of transportation in gaming history, as its controls and physics were meticulously crafted to resemble those of a racing simulator. However, during a visit to the game’s development studio, it was revealed that the motorcycle was not modeled after a bike at all. Due to limitations in the Unreal Engine 4, the developers took a car model and made it appear as a motorcycle, cleverly concealing half of the vehicle and shaping the other half to resemble a bike. This design choice contributed to the immersive and realistic biking experience enjoyed by players.
Activision – Matchmaking to Encourage Spending
Activision possesses a patent for a matchmaking system that, although unused in their games, has sparked conspiracy theories within the gaming community. The patented system involves matching experienced players, equipped with premium skins, with free-to-play gamers to showcase the coolness of the skins and potentially encourage others to make similar purchases. While this patent has not been implemented in any games, concerns about its fairness and impact on player matchmaking persist.
Alien: Isolation – Dual AI System
Alien: Isolation’s AI for the iconic Alien character operates on two levels: one governs its behavior, while the other manages tension for players.
When the tension scale fills rapidly, indicating heightened player anxiety, the Alien temporarily disappears, allowing players a brief respite before it reemerges. This dual AI system contributes to the game’s immersive and suspenseful atmosphere, providing players with challenging yet rewarding gameplay experiences.
Fallout 4 Mod – Invisible Cats
In a notable Fallout 4 mod, players noticed the appearance of invisible cats when switching between radio stations. This occurrence was intentional, as the modder explained that invisible cat models were spawned at a distance from the player and “bounced” away when detected. Despite some unintended bugs, the mod was eventually corrected to maintain immersion. Similar techniques involving invisible entities have been observed in other games, such as World of Warcraft and League of Legends, where they were used for various gameplay mechanics and events.
