PRO DESIGN TIPS - Readability: "Mirror's Edge Catalyst" (EA DICE, 2016)
COMMON GAME DESIGN TECHNIQUE EXAMPLE: "Readability"
This concept, which is a little tricky to figure out before it’s explained, is called “read‑
ability.” It involves having a clear, visible route, path, or goal denoted by some type
of visual cues. In titles like Batman or Assassin’s Creed, this will be via tools such as
detective mode or “Eagle vision” that highlight your objectives in distinct colours, clari‑
fying your next steps. In Mirror’s Edge, readability is based around how colours guide
you through a level. In this game, red indicates paths, like pipes, that you can safely run
along (a slightly odd choice, as red typically signals danger, not safety.) Similarly, yel‑
low is used to denote elements you can jump to and grab onto. This colour coding that
guides you through the level is readability.
WANT MORE TECHNIQUES? this TEXT is an ABRIDGED EXCERPT from the BOOK: Teaching Video Game Design Fundamentals: A Guide for Educating with Practical Examples and Learning Materials. (Andy Sandham, Routledge/Taylor and Francis/CRC Press 2025)
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