The question is, once you’ve introduced shortcuts, how do you get players to stop using them of their own accord? I wanted players to realize that Spelunky was designed to be played from beginning to end in one sitting, like an arcade game, but I didn’t want to say it explicitly in a text message, since that would rob them of the satisfaction of realizing it themselves. My solution was in two parts. The first was already built into the basic design. How do you convince a kid to take training wheels off her bike? Simple: You don’t need to, because bikes can be ridden faster and with more
The question is, once you’ve introduced shortcuts, how do you get players to stop using them of their own accord? I wanted players to realize that Spelunky was designed to be played from beginning to end in one sitting, like an arcade game, but I didn’t want to say it explicitly in a text message, since that would rob them of the satisfaction of realizing it themselves. My solution was in two parts. The first was already built into the basic design. How do you convince a kid to take training wheels off her bike? Simple: You don’t need to, because bikes can be ridden faster and with more control once the training wheels are off. Once you understand Spelunky well enough, you come to realize that it is a huge boon to start each run from the beginning, because there are more opportunities to prepare yourself for the difficult later sections. Bombs and rope, for example, are easily obtained in crates or from the shop in the second level of the Mines, and these items are crucial to overcoming obstacles later on. Likewise, each level you skip is a missed chance of getting kissed by a damsel or currying favor with Kali by sacrificing monsters on her altars. It might also mean missing a chance to grab a shotgun from the hands of a stunned shopkeeper, along with all of his wares. A new player may barely make it to the Jungle with anything, and that’s when shortcuts are the most useful. But with more experience, they’ll find it a setback to start there with only the basic equipment. ...
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The second part of my solution was added deliberately. Recalling Miyamoto’s saying that “a good idea solves many problems,” I developed something that not only obliterates the long-term usefulness of shortcuts, but also serves as Spelunky’s biggest secret. I call it “The Chain.”
