The art of reduction

By Steven Bailey

Videogame creation is a combination of art and technical skill. It's easy to look at next-gen titles on Xbox 360 or PS3 and marvel at the miracle that is their existence, but many gamers ignore the difficulty and special challenges that come from making a portable game. There is a special art of reduction that comes from a developer trying to make a game that can be enjoyed on the go. To act as a sort of reminder of some of these challenges, I thought I'd highlight a few.

  • Making a game that has substance, but can be played in quick intervals
  • Having the graphics and gameplay at least partially compare to next-gen titles while being created on far inferior hardware
  • Dealing with unruly memory restraints and small media to fit the entire title on
  • Having controls work despite having less buttons and control elements than home systems
  • Balancing amount of attempted loads so that the battery isn't taxed and yet load times aren't too long
  • Ensuring color and lighting allow the game to easily be seen on a portable screen

Then of course there's all the regular challenges of making a game. Like I said, the issues listed aren't all of the issues that come into play, just some of the more common ones. Do you consider any of these elements when you play a game on a portable or is a game just a game to you no matter the circumstance?

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