Ubisoft revealed in a recent interview that they have been looking at ways to help make the promising Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown more accessible to players. As fans of Metroid, or any games of the genre know, there is a tendancy at times for the player to become lost when working out where to go. To change that, senior game designer Rémi Boutin, says that they have implemented a feature which they have named Eye of the Wanderer. The Eye of the Wanderer allows players to take in-game screenshots and then pin them to the in-game map to help remind them where that blocked entrance etc was, so they don’t spend an hour running around the map trying to remember where said location was. Here’s what he says:
Does the game’s genre bring any unique challenges?
RB: Games with similar mechanics to Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown are not always known for accessibility, so we wanted to explore ways to make our game enjoyable by the greatest number of players.
We identified exploration as a key part of this. Ensuring players can feel the thrill of free exploration without the frustration of feeling lost was a strong area of focus for us from the very start of development. We have an optional guided mode to help with this, which shows objectives and blocked/available paths. But we also approached it through design, in particular with a feature that we hope our players will enjoy – Eye of the Wanderer.
The genre is quite dependent on being able to “take mental notes”; remembering and visualizing things like blocked paths, or situations that need tools or powers that you don’t have. We know that can be a barrier for some players, so to assist with this the Eye of the Wanderer feature allows you to take a screenshot and pin it to the map as a visual reminder.
Our game offers combat depth, and we’re aiming for a challenging game, for players to experience the satisfaction of overcoming dangerous enemies. But we know that people are varied and that challenging means different things to different people. So, we are providing both difficulty presets and a range of individual parameters, so that more people can experience a challenge that fits their capabilities.
That’s a clever addition! Being able to pin screenshots to the map in the new Prince of Persia game sounds like a fantastic way to personalize the gaming experience. It’s like leaving little visual notes or reminders in the game world, helping players navigate and remember important spots or moments. It adds a touch of creativity and practicality, making the adventure feel even more immersive and tailored to each player’s journey. Want to know more about Prince of Persia