Calendar and Day Cycle Updates, Back into Game Jams

Hey all,

So I am still hard at work on on my calendar and day/night cycle editor systems. I have most of the basic functionality working as I want now, and I have added a lot of sanity checks to help prevent myself or others from creating weird dates and times, such as months or time periods with negative lengths, or adding time periods with the same name (you can't have two Junes).

Besides that project, I've got a couple others either out now or in the pipeline. Just this week, I completed an extremely small project for the Shadow Game Jam. I'm planning on updating it with some more sounds effects and some slightly improved controls and graphics, but my main "stretch goal" is to get elliptical orbits working.

I also have another shadow-themed game which Michi came up with the idea for after asking me about the first game. That project is still in its extremely early stages, but I think it could be really interesting.

That's all for now, but I'll make sure to keep everyone update.

Cheers,

NieR: Automata Analysis

NieR: Automata Analysis

David Hunter

August 15, 2018

1 Overview

NieR: Automata is an action RPG developed by Platinum Games and published by Square Enix in February 2017.

2 Formal Elements

NieR: Automata is a direct sequel to NieR, which was released in 2010. NieR itself is a spin-off of the Darkengard series. Much like its predecessors, NieR: Automata combines

• flying combat reminiscent of Geometry Wars and more classic twin stick shooters,
• vertical and horizontal scrolling shoot ’em up gameplay similar to Ikagura, Aerofighter, and others
• platforming action a la Mario Brothers, Castlevania and Metroid
• 3^rd-person action combat in the style of Bayonetta or Devil May Cry
• RPG elements including dialogue choices and leveling mechanics

2.1 Players

NieR: Automata is played from various 3^rd-person perspectives: top-down, side-view, and over the shoulder. Throughout the first playthrough, the player will control several different characters:

• 2B: a female android who can fly a combat mech, and who can wield two different weapons in melee combat
• 9S: a male android who can also fly a combat mech, and who wields one weapon in melee combat. His unique ability is hacking. This allows him to unlock doors and boxes that are blocked to 2B, and in combat allows him to take control of, damage, or use as allies various robotic and android enemies throughout the game
• : A2: another female android with identical abilities as 2B. She can hack under special circumstances
• various robots at certain plot points

NieR: Automata shares several tropes with Dark Souls: although it is a single-player experience, the player may find the corpses of other players around the game world with custom messages left by those players. Further, when the player dies, their android consciousness can be easily downloaded into a new body, however, any experience and custom chips (similar to skills or abilities in other RPGs) remain in the previous body. The player must retrieve the experience and chips from the previous body before dying again, otherwise, they will be lost permanently.

2.2 Objectives

The player is tasked with eliminating a machine threat on Earth. Aliens invaded several hundred or thousand years ago, but have not been seen in centuries. Humans retreated from Earth and (we are told) live on the Moon. Meanwhile, alien-created machines and human-created androids engage in a long drawn-out proxy war on Earth’s surface. Throughout the story, the player will be forced to fight and ”kill” machines, who are claimed to be inhuman, lacking consciousness, etc, but who repeatedly demonstrate just the opposite.

The player may choose to engage in several side quests. These often reduce to fetch quests or kill 5 As, but showcase the game’s generally well-written dialogue.

2.3 Rules

2.3.1 Areas

The game is made of several discrete areas, most of which are interconnected. Some, such as the mysterious tower at the end and the Bunker, can only be reached through a loading screen. In general, new areas are unlocked through reaching plot points.

Although not a rule of gameplay per se, camera control is altered dramatically in certain areas and during certain sections of the game. During the opening, the camera follows 2B’s combat mech around the same as in a top-down shooter: it is stuck in one place while the background and enemies scroll by. The camera later changes to that of a typical third-person RPG, and still later to side-scrolling platformer. Sometimes this is triggered by reaching some story point, sometimes it is triggered by entering and exiting particular areas.

2.3.2 Combat

NieR: Automata was developed by Platinum Games. That by itself should create an image about what combat is like. In more detail, 2B and A2 have light and heavy melee attacks; both can be charged to deal more damage. Different animations are played based on what weapons are equipped. In addition, all three main androids have access to ranged attacked by using pods. Initially, the player only has access to one pod which fires plasma/laser blasts, but may later gain access to a pod with a rocket launcher and another with a lightning-like attack. Pods may be upgraded and modified with different special abilities on cooldown timers.

Players may jump and dodge during combat. An attack immediately following a successful dodge triggers a counterattack. Light and heavy attacks, ranged attacks, dodges, and jumping attacks can all be strung together in balletic combos.

2.3.3 Stats and Leveling

In NieR: Automata, XP, weapons, and chips gained by one character are shared by all playable characters. As the player completes main and side quests, hacks and or kills enemies, they will gain XP. Like many RPGs, NieR: Automata makes use of an exponential equation to determine how much XP is needed to level up: the equation 7.98 * NextLevel².6 closely matches the XP needed to reach the next level. Unlike most RPGs, NieR: Automata has a limited set of stats.

• HP: This is increased by level and determines how much damage the player can receive before dying.
• Melee Damage: Determines how much damage the player deals with melee weapons.
• Ranged Damage: Determines how much damage one’s pod attacks deal.
• Defense: Determines how much damage is absorbed.

Besides the stats above, there are many ”hidden” stats that can be affected by equipping different chips. Movement speed, shock waves to weapon attacks, speed of health regeneration, and the stats above can all be modified by chips.

2.3.4 Crafting and Inventory

NieR: Automata features light crafting elements. In general, the playable characters’ appearances can only be slightly modified by equipping hair ribbons, wigs, or other small cosmetic changes. New weapons may be found around the game world or purchased from weapon vendors, and can also be upgraded by collecting the required number of parts and spending increasing amounts of currency for each upgrade.

Chips may also be upgraded by combining two chips of the same level, producing one chip of the next highest level. Although this does require exponentially increasing numbers of chips, chip drops become increasingly frequent, and the rate at which chips drop can, of course, be modified by equipping a chip.

2.4 Procedures

2.4.1 Leveling and Upgrading

While completing quests and killing enemies, the player will gain XP and collect parts and money to be used for leveling up and upgrading equipment. Leveling occurs automatically, but upgrading chips and weapons must take place at weapon or item vendors.

2.4.2 Exploring

NieR: Automata features several diverse environment types, including a space station, forest, city ruins, amusement park, desert, and a few others. Many of these environments are multi-layered, with several stories both above ground and below ground. Although humanity no longer lives on Earth, the environments are dotted with small android and robotic villages, as well as fauna such as boar and moose, and of course the ubiquitous robotic enemies.

Exploring them works similarly to exploration in some of the best RPGs, such as The Witcher 3, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, or Dark Souls. You can discover new side quests, powerful items or weapons, or simply notice touching environmental details.

2.4.3 Hacking

When playing as 9S, and in limited circumstances as A2, the player can enter hacking mode. This is a bullet hell style mini-game where the player must avoid incoming bullets and environmental hazards, and at the same time destroy enemy units and finally CPUs. There are about 50 different versions and most of these have several stages and time limits. The player usually has three ”lives” to succeed, after which they will exit hacking mode and return to the previous mode.

2.4.4 Boss-Slaying

As a Platinum Games title, NieR: Automata would not be complete without epic boss battles, and it does not disappoint. Bosses vary from huge mechas to single human-sized opponents, and they frequently have several stages which change the approach necessary to pass through or defeat them. Further, the approach is very different when playing as 9S versus 2B: since 9S has hacking capabilities, it is often more efficient to hack the boss rather than engage in melee combat (this is actually dramatically necessary for several bosses).

2.5 Resources

All resources have been described in some detail earlier.

2.6 Conflicts

2.6.1 Stat Point Investment

Through purchasing chip storage expansion packs, the player may increase their equipable chip capacity up to 128 slots. This may seem like a lot, but most of the GUI, including maps, health bar, XP bar, enemy data, etc, are actually chips that take up space. Some of these can be removed to allow more space for other chips, but removing the ”OS” chip will result in player death.

2.7 Boundaries

2.7.1 Chip Slot Investment

The maximum chip slot storage capacity is 128, and as you increase the level of your chips, they begin to take up more and more slots. It becomes really tough deciding which bonuses you want helping you all the time, and which you want to keep for particular situations.

2.7.2 NPCs

Most NPCs are invulnerable to attacks from the player.

2.7.3 Map

The map features high levels of verticality, with tall towers and deep chasms both having important roles in the story and action. There are extensive invisible walls to prevent the player from accessing areas they should not.

2.7.4 Inventory

A limited number of most items may be gathered and held in inventory at a time, usually about 99.

2.8 Outcomes

There are several outcomes. In fact, 26 official endings have been listed, one for each letter of the alphabet. However, the majority of these are for failing at some point or for ignoring a message about not leaving the combat / mission area. Only 5 outcomes really matter:

• A: this outcome is received when you beat the game the first time, playing as 2B
• B: complete the game a second time, playing as 9S
• C: complete the game a third time, playing initially as 2B and 9S, and later 9S and A2. Choose A2 at the end.
• D: complete the game a third time, playing initially as 2B and 9S, and later 9S and A2. Choose 9S at the end.
• E: complete the game a third time, playing initially as 2B and 9S, and later 9S and A2. During the credits, decide to delete your play data in order to help another player.

3 Dramatic Elements

NieR: Automata has incredibly strong story elements.

3.1 Characters

NieR: Automata has three main playable characters, but has an interesting cast of side and supporting ones from both sides of the conflict.

First and foremost is the poster child for the game: 2B. A battle model android, who for unexplained reasons enters combat while dressed as a blindfolded French maid, 2B is an experienced and hardened fighter, taciturn and often unwilling to share her emotions. She does not question things, and simply wants to get her job done, which is eliminating as many alien machines as she can.

Her partner, 9S, is a scanner model, who displays irreverence for authority, questions nearly everything, and is not afraid of showing emotions. He has a crush on 2B, but what exactly and Android crush means is not really clear.

Later, the player mets and takes control of A2, an earlier prototype for the B model. Like 2B, she is terse and competent, and shares 2B’s hate for machines.

Besides the playable characters, there are many others you will encounter through out the game. First and foremost are the leaders of the machine army, Adam and Eve, who, despite their names, are actually both male and possess similar features as 9S and 2B. Their motivation, as is typical of most villains, is ridiculous: they killed their alien masters because they were boring, and they want to capture humans in order to dissect them and understand their interesting behavior. The player will face them in battle several times throughout the game. In addition to Adam and Eve, the player will battle and destroy many different machine adversaries. Most of these lack personality, but the bosses all seem to have some kind of psychological damage.

Finally, there are numerous friendly NPCs throughout the game. The player will get to know Pascal, the leader of a group of communist pacifist robots; Jean-Paul, one of the aforementioned community’s members who enjoys waxing philosophical; Anemone, the leader of the Android resistance, who appears to have some kind of previous relationship with A2.

3.2 Story

The action begins several thousand years in the future. Earth was invaded a great time in the past by aliens, who attacked with a machine army and humans had to evacuate Earth and take up residence on the Moon. A group of androids, called YoRHa, combat the machines in humans’ stead. The androids launch a large attack on Earth to eliminate several ”Goliath” class machines, although the attack is successful, the two ”survivors” of the attack had to go kamikaze in order to destroy the machines. Since the survivors were Androids, their consciousnesses were just downloaded into new bodies.

Following this success, the survivors, 2B and 9S, are partnered together in order to make contact with the resistance and eliminate more Goliath machines. In the process, they discover that the resistance has been working together with a group of machines that appear to be conscious and even sympathetic to the Androids’ plight. 2B and 9S reluctantly agree to help these machines in exchange for information about the machines still under control of the aliens.

After more exploration and boss battles, 2B and 9S eventually encounter Adam and Eve, and later discover that the aliens have been dead for hundreds of years. Adam takes 9S hostage and 2B must kill Adam to rescue him. This leads to a climactic battle against many machines, culminating in 2B and 9S killing Eve.

If the player decides to play a second time, this playthrough allows them to control 9S. As a scanner, he has the ability to hack any machine system, unlocking doors, short-circuiting enemies, or getting access to the thoughts of other machines. This allows him greater access to the background of what is going on the 2B, and he learns much about the motivation for the machine enemies acting the way the do. He also learns that besides the aliens being wiped out, humans are extinct as well. The whole YoRHa program was created as an excuse to keep going and to keep active, instead of sinking into despair and committing suicide.

If the player decides to play a third time, the action picks up after 2B and 9S defeat Eve. YoRHa decides to launch a massive attack on the machines, and the player will alternatively take control of 2B and 9S during this effort. However, it is discovered that there was a timed logic virus, which will be released at certain points in the war, in order to reset everything and keep the machines and androids locked in battle forever. All the YoRHa androids on the bunker base in space become infected with this virus, and even 2B gets infected. When she encounters A2 while trying to get as far from everyone else as possible, she asks A2 to kill her. 9S sees only the last moments of this exchange, and swears vengeance against A2. For the rest of the game, the player will switch between 9S and A2, as they try to give meaning to their lives. 9S attempts to unlock a tower that has mysteriously appeared on Earth. They learn that android’s cores are actually machine cores, although it is not clear who created the androids, the last humans before they died, or the alien machines. The end is kind of a mess: there are more boss battles, and a final confrontation between 9S and A2. The player must choose who to control for this battle. But in either case a main character will die and a tragedy will occur.

4 Dynamic Elements

The game environment itself does not feature a large number of dynamic elements: there is no change in the weather, it is always daytime, enemies do not learn your patterns of attack, etc.

4.1 Patterns

This section focuses on game patterns as discussed by Ernest Adams and Joris Dormans in Game Mechanics: Advanced Game Design.

4.1.1 Playing Style Reinforcement

The player can have two sets of equipment to switch between, three sets of chips, etc. The weapons and chips equipped can be customized to fit the player’s play style: quick weapons for dealing small amounts of damage quickly, massive weapons for all or nothing devastating swings, chips that increase your ranged damage or your movement speed.

4.1.2 Dynamic Friction

The main source of dynamic friction comes from the enemy scaling and from XP requirements. Enemy levels increase as you progress through the game, and the amount of XP required to reach the next level also increases.

4.1.3 Engine Building

There are very light elements of engine building, as the player may equip chips that alter fundamental rates in the game: chips that increase item drops, or chips that increase the XP gained.

4.1.4 Stopping Mechanism

Several supporting abilities are on timers, but these are the only stopping mechanisms in the game.

4.1.5 Trade

The player may farm items and sell them for more cash at many different vendors.

5 Conclusion

NieR: Automata is a grab-bag of many disparate elements which have attempted to be unified and united into a coherent whole. Overall, the elements succeed in gelling, creating an interesting and unique experience. The story elements, although strong, stumble at the end, failing to achieve a relatable comprehensible story arc. Instead, it seems focused trying to cause the player as much emotional trauma as possible, thus showing its hand and making this tactic ineffective and and the story insincere. Still, the unification of the story elements and themes and the gameplay, such the GUI elements being chips you can install or remove, creates a powerful immersive experience.

5.1 Potent Elements

The theme and gameplay unification, along with the combat and RPG elements stand out.

5.2 Areas for Improvement

The story’s structure is revealed to be manipulative and incoherent, near the end, designed only with the intention of making the player suffer.