Whats in a town?

A great number of games have some form of town that the player will find themselves returning to often, whether it's a village or a city. But what makes a town in a game?

In order for a player to want to return to a certain town, it needs to have a certain amount of significance. Whether it is the capital city of the land, or it simply contains all the best shops, the player needs some form of motivation to return. Such towns can often be referred to as a hub town, as it acts as a focal point for the game and the player.

With my idea to create a town for Bible characters, I effectively want it to act as a hub town, where the player will return to often for various reasons. Though I will likely have time to build only the town itself, if I was to continue the project, I would create a number of levels where the player would play through the story lines of each of the bible characters, returning to the town at the end of each.

I have searched for images of towns in games, particularly ones that act as a hub. Some of my findings are shown below. (References and more information: https://uk.pinterest.com/erworrall/masters-degree-games-design/)


Animal Crossing - New Leaf: Animal crossing is nothing but a town, yet though it does not have any particular story line, it still contains all the fundamental aspects that a town should include. (Wong. C, 2013)

Bastion: This area is upgraded as the player progresses through the game. Here the player can purchase items and upgrade their weapons. This area also acts as a safe area for the player, where they don't have to worry about enemy attacks. (Adamski. B, 2015)






Dragon Quest 9 - Sentinels of the Starry Skies: (Stornway) Every town in Dragon Quest generally has everything the player would need. It provides a safe haven, shops, save points, re-spawn points and areas to regenerate, as well as numerous tasks and missions to add to the story. (Laika. 2010)

Kingdom Hearts: (Traverse Town) Multiple areas of the town contain a number of enemies, yet there is one district which is safe. Here the player can find the shop, synthesis area, and save point. (drag0n2. 2015)

Dishonored: (The Hound Pits Pub) The player plays through a story set tutorial, and end up in back here multiple times. This is where the player will find out their next task, upgrade their equipment, and the like. Though this isn't specifically a town, is does act as a hub. (Fox. 2012)

Legend of Zelda - Skyward Sword: (Skyloft) This town is the area that the player starts in. It is also a place that the player returns to numerous times throughout the game, for gameplay purposes, to purchase items as well as other reasons. The island is built on multiple levels, and there are also multiple places to leave the island. (Hagopian. M, 2012)

Pokémon X/Y: (Lumiose City) This city is not where the player starts the game, but it is a central area of the land. There are multiple routes into and out of the area, and the tower in the middle is the main focal point of the circular city. (Abcboy. 2015)

Borderlands 2: (Sanctuary) 'Sanctuary is the hub town of Borderlands 2 that you'll return to often to fulfill your many needs and desires like receiving quests, getting new guns, and stocking up on ammo.' (ign.com. 2012) As the quote says, the town is a place that the player will return to multiple times. This particular town is built in a circle, which draws the player's attention to the centre of the town, the focal point. (ign.com. 2012)

From my research I have discovered that there are a number of aspects of towns that are particularly common.

Height - Most towns tend not to be on one single level. There are generally a number of height changes, with the most interesting having a range of height levels to make traversing the town more interesting.

Shop - A place to purchase weapons, armour and various other items that would be needed to play through the game.

Save Point - A place where the player can save their game. This is sometimes disguised as a hotel, church or other building of significance. This can sometimes be a place where the player respawns when they die, and can also be a place to regenerate health.

Junctions - A hub town generally has a number of different entrances/exits to the town. This is generally if it is positioned in a central area, the player can easily access other areas outside of the town.

Area of Importance - In every town there is generally an area of importance. Whether this be a castle, temple, church or other distinctive building. This is an area that the player may find themselves needing to return to quite often, in order to progress further into the game. This is also the focal point of the town.

Secrets - There are often areas that are hidden, or areas that cannot be accessed until later in the game. These areas encourage the player to return to the town once they have completed certain tasks. Secrets create curiosity in the player, and the desire to know what is hidden within.

Start - A hub town is likely to be an area that the player starts at, making the player feel at home, and desiring to return, as in real life when we long for home. The start may not necessarily be such a town. The player may reach the area later in the game, but it will likely have the same effect on the player.

Sanctuary - A town or village essentially provides a safe environment, where the player can escape from enemies, particularly in a hub type town. This is another reason why the player will return here.

A hub may not necessarily be a town. It can be a cave, a tower or a secret hideout. A hub is a place where the player desires to return to, and a place that caters to all the character's needs.