Normally Game Save Systems aren’t a prominent part of game
design but the two games being examined over the next two posts use their Save
Systems to enhance the overall game experience. The games Limbo and Flotilla take
different approaches to utilizing this system and both approaches contribute to
their respective games differently. This post concerns Flotilla’s Adventure
mode which is unique in that the game does not provide any kind of Save System.
But somehow this choice works in the game’s favor.
It’s difficult to think of another modern game that doesn’t
provide the option to save your progress. However, from my experience Flotilla is
a game that favors short bursts of play referred to as ‘snacking’ but can also
support hours of continuous play or ‘binging.’ The choices to not include a
Save System and to randomize story events in Adventure mode allows players to
enjoy the game in short spans of time with no real need to save their progress.
Each Adventure as its own confined space means the player is free to explore,
make choices, and make mistakes without the worry of long term goals. In my
opinion taking away game saves encourages players to make riskier decisions as long
term repercussions are no longer a factor. Whether the Captain is defeated or
his terminal illness reaches its final stages players can always start up a new
adventure. And that new adventure’s randomly determined story events will chain
differently than any previous adventures did.
There is enough variance in the story sections to warrant
multiple adventures. The “choose your own adventure” style of interaction with
these story sections will keep players coming back to try all the different
options available. The simple combat controls and steep difficulty also provide
incentive to play and remove barriers from coming back after a long break. All
in all I’d say Flotilla’s Adventure mode is about creating unique stories
between the two fixed points of the Captain being diagnosed with his illness
and then going off to die in space.
Not including saves was a risky decision. The lead designer
and one man development team Brendon Chung said in an interview that players
didn’t understand the concept during play testing. He went ahead regardless of
these concerns and published Flotilla on Steam. For what it’s worth I believe
he made the right choice.
