- The Proposal-
Engaging the Player
Imagine a classic Superman scenario…
Superman is in downtown Metropolis. A giant Braniac robot is on the rampage. The city street is in ruins. Holes have been punched through the asphalt, revealing the sewers below. Water lines are spewing into the air. Devastated emergency response vehicles litter the street. Superman rockets toward the Braniac bot, knocking aside smaller robots leading a charge toward him. As he nears, the giant robot blasts him with a concussive laser, sending him careening into the side of a skyscraper at dizzying speed. Superman recovers quickly but notices now the skyscraper's supports have collapsed, and the building is beginning to topple sideways. People who were moments before spectators of the titanic battle are falling from the windows. At super speed, Superman calculates a trajectory to intercept the falling people, bringing them to safety. Immediately after, he catches the building on one of its supports and struggles to place it safely to the ground.
Now angered, Superman soars toward the robot again at super-sonic speed. The windows of nearby buildings shatter with the force. He dodges another concussive laser and this time, flies under the robot, and punches directly through it from underneath. As he emerges from the top of the robots shell, it sputters and collapses to the ground.
Now, how would you like to play a game where you get to do all of that?
In order to capture the Superman experience, you must address the problems I mentioned before: powers, confinement, and control. Also, the challenges presented to Superman must not only be that of brute strength, but must challenge his mind and his ethics as well. Superman is more than just muscle, and many of his enemies challenge his mind and ethics more than his powers. However, yes, Superman needs some challenges that can go toe-to-toe with him and then some. He needs to be able to let loose for the player to get the full experience. Fortunately, there are plenty of opportunities if you look in the right places.
Simplicity and Ease of Control
Much of the control scheme I propose is inspired by the controls for Batman: Arkham City, hereafter referred to as BAC. Naturally there will be variations attuned to Superman's unique abilities, but the core ideas are from BAC. As a point of reference, I will at times use the PS3 controller as an example.
Basic Movement
Superman can walk using the left analog stick. Hold down the X button to make him run. Double tap and hold the X button to make him move at super speed.
Superman will move effortlessly over obstacles, no jumping required. If running toward a building, Superman will automatically leap up and over it rather than hit the wall. This can be adjusted mid-jump via the left analog stick should the player wish to land atop the building instead. Just press toward the obstacle to scale or perch on it. To drop from a perch, press the Circle button. If a significant jump is necessary when not running, tap R1. Hold R1 to enter Flight mode.
At the top of the screen would be a compass. Top left would be health and Action Points (see Crisis Management below).
Combat
Superman isn't a dynamic martial artist, though he is capable in his own right. Simple punch and kick combos can be assigned to a single button press like BAC and allow for "free flow combos". Superman should also be able to "charge up" his punches by way of holding down the attack button to allow for earth-shattering blows. A second button would initiate stuns for sturdier foes. Instant takedowns can be used like BAC.
Superman needs the ability to block on top of performing counters, so I recommend a Guard button tap for counters and a button hold for overt Blocking. His blocks and counters will vary based on context. There's no need to Block for things such as bullets from thugs. They just bounce right off and cause zero damage. Rockets can be caught in mid-air and thrown back at targets.
To be clear, conventional weaponry does zero damage to Superman. Larger military grade weaponry might knock him back slightly, but absolutely no damage, or even stuns, results from this.
Powers can be cycled through using a directional pad, also like BAC, and executed much in the same way through a careful aiming reticle or quick-fire combo attacks. Superman should have his entire arsenal right from the start. These can be enhanced to even greater heights via training, which I will address later.
The environment can also be used in a battle. Usable objects will be auto-identified and can be equipped or used by an on-screen prompted button press when Superman is nearby. Things like street signs, cars, boulders and even strips of asphalt can be utilized should the player wish.
From a distance on the ground or in the air, Superman can auto-target airborne enemies and rocket toward them with an on-screen prompted button press. This is much like BAC's Glide Kick.
Combat will remain the same whether on the ground or in the air.
Flight
Flight will make or break a Superman game. My proposal takes inspiration from the Dragonball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi/Sparking games. Using the PS3's controller as an example, I propose using a shoulder button like R1 to ascend and R2 to descend. The player may move through the air at an even pace using the left analog stick and move at a swift pace by holding the X button while moving. A double tap of the X button will cause Superman to go to super-sonic speeds. Once super-sonic, simply hold the X button to continue. The player can move up or down while flying in any direction, at any speed, by using R1 or R2. The camera will auto-correct while flying and adjust behind Superman. (This can be turned off if the player wishes.)Double tapping R1 or R2 while flying in a straight line will cause Superman to do a U-turn.
As a note, flying or even flying swiftly will not damage the environment. But if Superman goes supersonic, he is essentially a freight train and will destroy anything in his path.
Targeting enemies while flying goes back to BAC's "Glide Kick" function. Superman will auto-identify potential targets during flight. This auto-ID will give an on-screen prompt/option indicating a button press should the player wish to engage the enemy. With the button press, Superman will change his trajectory to make a bee-line for the enemy. Simply hold the button to continue attack trajectory.
Counters will also be fully integrated into flight. If, as Superman soars toward the enemy on his attack trajectory, and the enemy attempts to shoot him out of the sky, the player can tap the Guard button to allow Superman to dodge the attack and even change his attack trajectory mid-flight if necessary (such as with the Braniac bot's demise in the earlier scenario).
Superman will also be able to carry any targetable object from the environment while in flight.
Quicktime Events
Quicktime events come into play with events or actions that are too complicated for basic play control, or to give a sense of struggle and urgency to a player. An example of a quicktime event might be the collapsing building from our scenario. The player can target and fly to the building to catch it, but the actual support of, and successful prevention of the building's collapse could be implemented by a rapid button press prompt. More dire situations could shake things up by varying, multiple button presses thrown at the player to keep them on their toes.
Managing Powers
Superman's powers have a variety of uses in and out of combat. Each instance must feel effective and intuitive. As stated above, I believe using a directional pad interface to select these individual powers would be the best approach. Also they would utilize either a target reticle or quick-fire combat maneuver.
Combative
Superman's basic combat powers would incorporate Heat vision and Ice breath. Heat vision would be a basic long distance attack, while Ice breath would help with crowd control by freezing multiple enemies in place, or slowing them down.
Using artistic license, you could add in a few extra attacks for quick-fire maneuvers. Adding in a Ground punch to act as a shockwave would help if Superman were surrounded.
Utilitarian
Superman's powers can be used to solve a variety of problems outside of combat. BAC gave Batman a nigh-omniscient means of monitoring his environment using "Detective Mode" and radio monitoring of enemies' communication networks. Superman's super hearing and X-Ray vision would be used in the exact same way. With the quick tap of a button, X-Ray vision would let Superman identify enemies' nature (human, robot, alien, etc.), threat, weapons, position, etc. Superman would be able to see through walls and attack if warranted. His hearing would let him pick up on enemy communication and hear pleas for help from civilians.
Of course, he would be unable to see through lead, so that could be incorporated into various puzzles or scenarios in a limited fashion.
Superman's heat vision can be used to weld metal together, burn out electronics, super heat weapons in unsuspecting thugs' hands, or make precise cuts through barriers if the situation does not merit to punching through them. His ice breath can cool off fires, freeze water, and slow explosive component reactions.
Superman's super strength would be used to open up new paths, build improvised bridges or structures for NPCs' safety, lift large objects, etc.
Next time, I'll talk about Crisis management, skills, and ethical choices.
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