In Lesson 2 we learned how to create structures and spaces that are fun for Mario to move through. Part of the depth of Mario platforming gameplay comes from the variety of speeds, angles, and arcs Mario can successfully use to navigate a course. The problem is, when a course has options, players often skip or miss them. When a course restricts the player's option, the flexible depth is reduced. Design wise, we need to consider an element that floats somewhere in between the mandatory ground traversal and the optional pathing possibilities.

Every Mario coin is a non-physical element for Mario to collect. If you think about it, they really don't do anything to increase Mario's chances of success. Collecting coins is fun for fun's sake. Yet, coins are the design glue, connecting mandatory challenges with optional platforming possibilities.

The Function of Coins...

Coins are not decorations sprinkled on a course to fill up the empty spaces. There are consistent rules that govern the placement and function of coins in every Mario game. If you think about it, you can probably figure out some of the basic coin placement rules.

All coins can...

• Define optional platforming feats.
• Mark areas that are safe.
• Hint at hidden secrets.
• Create shapes that communicate possibilities (e.g. arrow of coins)

Coins Should...

• Always be collectible. If you see a coin there should be some way to collect it.
• Never lead the player into their death or directly into hazards.
• Support and enhance the movement and challenges present.
• Never significantly slow the player down or distract from the current gameplay idea.

Design principles are rules or constraints that games can be built around. They are the most important takeaways in the Mario Maker Workshop. Principles are the distillation of our curiosities, experiences, observations, and thoughts.

Assignment #2 Challenged Us to Design Bonus Rooms

Bonus rooms are feel good secret areas in Mario games. They're feel good because most of them contain valuable coins and don't feature any enemy elements. In other words, all reward and no risk. Bonus rooms are a perfect way to practice basic layout + coin design. With just terrain, blocks, and coins, a staggering variety of gameplay challenges are possible.

The Bonus Bingo challenged us to Design according to constraints.

With so many bonus room combinations possible, we kept things organized using a Bingo Board. After studying the platformer design of classic Mario platformers, we picked 9 collectible reward constraints (top row), and we paired them with 8 different obstacle design constraints (left column). Then we challenged ourselves to create a bonus room example for each combination.

[Constraint based design] ...puzzle-solving was a big part of making Super Mario Bros. games. ~ Iwata

[working within constraints] was fun for those of us making the game, and the resulting levels were fun for the players. ~Miyamoto

The results were some of the most interesting, well-executed, varied, and concentrated platforming gameplay experiences I've played in Mario Maker yet. Assignment #2 gave us rapid fire experience. Each bonus room stretched us creatively, and exposed principles we weren't so good at upholding. It was a great learning experience, and everything was documented in our shared Worksheet.