This week in class we discussed how navigable space plays a role in game design, and I returned to Hades to see how this rogue-lite game, with a supposedly randomly generated environment, employed navigable space to enhance interactivity. And I believe the design can be analyzed from two perspectives: the broader map setting and the traps in the randomly generated rooms.
There are four main areas in Hades: Tartarus, Asphodel, Elysium, and the Temple of Styx. They are designed in a way to help players better understand the broader context of the game. Nobody tells the player what the four main areas are, and it is only through exploration can the player gets to know the theme of each area. Asphodel is the typical flaming hell, and the player should stay away from the magma even in combats. In the Temple of Styx, the player’s goal is to find out the smelly meat hidden in the maze to lure Cereberus. Such cute and clever design strengthens the player’s interaction with the NPC. After defeating Hades for the first time, the player wanders into Greece. He can no longer dash or use any abilities, but only walk slowly. This space design allows the player to share the excitement of entering a new world with Zagreus.
Another interesting feature to be noted is that in Hades, rewards are randomly generated, but players can see the reward before entering each room. This is rarely seen in rogue-lite games, and the active choosing also enhances player’s interactivity with the game.
I really loved your spatial analysis on Hades! Having played Hades myself, I really see what you’re talking about. Space within Hades is so important for the game it is, setting has so much to do with the concept of Hades. I also found the rewards being shown for each room to be quite interesting. It really allows the player to think about what space they might be going into next, what they might have to face to get said reward, and what reward is going to benefit them most for their goals of the runthrough.
I like all the little touches on the designers’ procedural level generation to each level. Suppose you get into modding Hades ( which I did). In that case, the Temple of Styx emphasizes the path-finding and backtracking aspect of the “finding a plot device goal” by having tweaked parameters that generate 31% more dead ends and looping rooms on average than other levels. Meanwhile, Tartarus is the beginner area and thus has a more straightforwardly defined room generation, straight lines are more common, and side branches are often just minor challenge rooms and shops. The unseen technical aspect of the level design meshes very well with your argument on spacial narrative to push players towards specific experiences and behaviors.