Video game developers are grappling with the complexities of creating realistic doors, a seemingly simple task that often becomes a significant design hurdle. Over the past week, numerous developers have taken to social media to voice their frustrations, highlighting the challenges posed by these everyday objects.
Stephan Hövelbrinks, creator of Death Trash, noted that doors can introduce a variety of bugs, complicating gameplay. Kurt Margenau, co-game director of The Last of Us Part II, described doors as “the thing that took the longest to get right,” emphasizing that the best doors in video games are those players do not remember. This sentiment was echoed by Pete Galbraith from Owlchemy Labs, who stated that a well-designed door should seamlessly fit within its environment, functioning as players expect.
Designing Functionality and Realism
Doors must behave differently based on game context, particularly during tense moments such as combat. For instance, Margenau explained that while doors might slowly close automatically during combat, they remain open during exploration. He raised practical concerns about player interaction, stating, “If a player is going to open a door, it can’t just magically fly open; the character has to reach for the doorknob and push it open.” The complexity increases when considering how players might need to close a door while sprinting.
Developers have identified other common objects that also present challenges, such as ropes and mirrors. Following the release of Half-Life: Alyx, one developer discussed the detailed work involved in creating lifelike bottles. Liz England highlighted additional problematic objects like ladders and elevators, suggesting that doors often receive a disproportionate amount of criticism due to their prevalence in both the real world and in games.
Despite being a straightforward concept—an opening for entry or exit—doors present multifaceted issues during the development process. Will Kerslake, game director at Crystal Dynamics, remarked on the myriad complications associated with doors, noting that their animations can vary based on how players interact with them. Whether a door swings toward or away from the character, and how it responds when engaged from different positions or states, adds layers of complexity to their design.
Player Expectations and Design Choices
Players have a well-established understanding of how doors function, which raises the bar for developers. Galbraith explained that players subconsciously absorb details about doors from their everyday lives, leading to heightened expectations in gaming. If a door closes too quickly or lacks the expected sound effects, players are likely to notice something amiss. “Our ideas of how we interact with them are incredibly clear,” he said, underscoring the challenge of meeting these expectations.
Interestingly, some developers opt to avoid the intricacies of door mechanics altogether. Kerslake pointed out that many games feature doorways but lack interactive doors. Instead, these games often rely on doors as progress gates that open without the option to close again. This decision reduces the potential for bugs and simplifies gameplay.
Ultimately, doors serve more than aesthetic purposes in video games; they are integral to level design. They can act as barriers that prevent players from advancing until they have solved puzzles or defeated enemies. Galbraith noted that developers may employ various methods alongside doors to enhance gameplay and mitigate potential issues. He humorously added that unless a door is “really tiny and cute,” it is simply a door, emphasizing the creativity involved in their design.
As developers continue to tackle the challenges of realistic door interactions, the discussions on social media reflect a broader understanding of the complexities involved in game design. While doors may seem like mundane elements of a game, they encapsulate the intricate balance between realism, functionality, and player engagement that defines modern video games.
