Good balloons, bad balloons, toxic clouds – The Points System

In this post I will introduce the points system connected to the game mechanics and levels organization previously presented. In the project of the game, the points system represents an essential feature, on one side it integrates the individual gaming experience, on the other it will be a useful to the community building, providing a means to articulate competitive aspects of the game, which represent an essential instrument for the engagement of players.

As previously illustrated, in each level our traveller pigeon will fly over the area of a particular cultural site, trying to eradicate irresponsible tourist practices and to establish sustainable ones. When meeting an inappropriate behaviour (which in the game graphics will be represented by a particular symbol within an orange comic balloon coming from the right end of the screen, and connected to a tourist), the pigeon will have to fly inside the balloon, thus making it explode, and steal the symbol (we called this mechanic “the magpie thing”). Each time the pigeon succeeds in avoiding a bad behaviour to reach the left half of the screen, the player will gain 100 points

As specified in my previous post, the main antagonist to the pigeon is constituted by the red toxic clouds, representing collective unsustainable practices threatening cultural heritage. These toxic clouds will form when a balloon representing an irresponsible behaviour will reach the left end of the screen, and to their formation corresponds the loss of 100 points for the player. Once formed, toxic clouds rapidly fly towards the centre of the screen, where the pigeon is continuing its mission. Flying around the pigeon they will obstruct its flight, and thus the possibility of action against other irresponsible behaviours. Each time the pigeon touches a toxic cloud, the player will lose 50 points. Toxic clouds will progressively decrease their dimension, and eventually disappear. However, this will happen very slowly. After the formation of the first toxic clouds, the game undeniably reaches a higher degree of difficulty, the formation of further toxic clouds becoming much easier. In this situation the player will rely on the peculiar resource of pigeon's droppings. Hitting irresponsible tourists with droppings, the player will avoid the formation of a collective behaviour when the balloon representing the irresponsible behaviour will reach the end of the screen. Quite obviously, this kind action has not the same level of effectiveness of “the magpie thing”, and it will increase player's score of only 50 points.

Further 50 points will be gained if the pigeon, flying among clouds, succeeds in grabbing “old lady's boosting crumbs”. Providing increased flight abilities, this gaming element will allow the pigeon to leave behind the toxic clouds formed till that moment.

When the pigeon meets an appropriate tourist behaviour (represented by a light blue/light green balloon) the pigeon will have to avoid to fly into it. In the case this happens, the player will lose 50 points. For every balloon representing a conscientious tourist behaviour reaching the left end of the screen, the player will gain 50 points.

Michele Bruzzi