The Allure of Rotund Throttle: A Personal Reflection

Why I Love is a series of guest articles on GamesIndustry.biz aimed at highlighting the opinions through which game developers appreciate each other’s creations. This contribution comes from Christopher Mathes, the developer behind ‘Agatha Christie in Space,’ a point-and-click murder mystery game called Murder On Space Station 52, now available on Steam.

Growing up in the early ’90s, we weren’t a PC-oriented family. We owned an old DOS computer with its limited screen that sat unused most of the time. Without an older sibling or relative to teach me the ins and outs of DOS, my knowledge of that machine was minimal at best. The only gaming console we had back then was a Super Nintendo. Consequently, I often found myself in the PC game section of the local store, admiring the large, colorful boxes and the shiny CD treasures inside.

That changed one day. Instead of our old DOS computer, we got a sleek new Windows PC equipped with a CD-ROM drive. I started up the shiny machine, which took quite a while, and began clicking away. Soon, I grew tired of Minesweeper and Solitaire and yearned for something more engaging.

A few days later, I was finally able to head to the store and browse that same aisle of vibrant box art. My only assets were a few hard-earned dollars and youthful enthusiasm. While some of the older titles caught my eye, I knew that the box art and labels warning about the violence within would likely scare my mother away from the purchase.

Then, from the corner of my eye, a piece of cover art caught my attention. A goggled, leather-clad man was leaping off his bike away from an explosion raging behind him. The words ‘Full Throttle’ were boldly displayed on the cover.

So, I pooled my hard-earned cash, youthful excitement, and that striking game box and brought home my first CD-ROM game. I carefully placed the disc into the tray and watched it slowly slide into the heart of the PC. I must admit, I had no idea what to expect from computer games or what I was really getting into, but my young mind was ready for an adventure.

A vibrant explosion of colors and pixels filled the screen. Full-screen animations played out like the beginning of a movie. CD-quality music blasted through the speakers. The impressive voice performances by Mark Hamill, Roy Conrad, and others brought all the characters to life. By the time I escaped my first dumpster, I was hooked.

Ben Throttle is a unique character in gaming, even today. His combination of dry humor and raw strength gives Ben an effortless ‘coolness’ that’s hard to define. Utilizing that raw strength also allows for puzzle-solving in ways that are unique to Ben. The door is locked… well, just kick it down.

“We should design our challenges and, more importantly, their solutions, around our characters. This can lead to entirely new ways of thinking.”

There’s a valuable lesson to be learned here. We should always construct our challenges and, crucially, their solutions, based on our characters. This can open entirely new avenues of thought as you begin to think like your protagonist rather than yourself. This is a lesson I effectively implemented in my game, Murder On Space Station 52. Edward Locke, the main character, is a mechanical engineer, which gives him unique insights and informs how he approaches solving puzzles. In Edward’s situation, his attention to detail and mechanical knowledge save the day.

‘Clever design’ is an apt phrase to describe Full Throttle. It’s a game that doesn’t overwhelm you with a barrage of objects and red herrings. Its streamlined interface and chapter-like structure genuinely feel refined and thoughtfully crafted. A prime example of this is the junkyard door puzzle.

Before entering the junkyard, you encounter a chain attached to a garage-style door. When you pull the chain, the door opens, but you must let go of the chain to reach the door. As soon as you release the chain, the door slams shut before you can reach it. Common sense would suggest finding a way to keep the door open. The solution, however, is to use a padlock found earlier in the chapter to secure the door shut and then climb the chain over the wall to enter the junkyard. This clever design satisfying subverts player expectations while also utilizing Ben’s unique brute strength to scale the wall.

Murder On Space Station 52 follows a similar design approach to Full Throttle, embracing a chapter-based structure. The narrative and puzzles are layered within each chapter. Ideally, the puzzles evolve in complexity over time without overwhelming the player.