Opinion: Three Dimensional Game Design Part 2

In the first introductory article of the Three Dimensional Game Design series, which was simply a foundation for a much more in depth column. A column which will debate whether games’ success solely depends on its mind, which is responsible for the mechanical design, body, which is simply a game’s audio visual encasement, and last but not least, soul, which is responsible for game’s storytelling and plot devices. Previously I have promised to dissect two titles within a single article, however, because of the amount of words which such requires, I’ll unfortunately have to cut the column, to one game per week. However, this will also extend the column’s existence as it will require at least 8 different games, prior to the release of the final conclusion. Without further ado, the next game which will undergo the dissection, in relation to the three dimensional design this week, is Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege.

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege is an incredibly peculiar game. It’s a mix of so many mind boggling design choices, it makes it difficult to tell how good it truly is. Upon your first encounter with it, it will attempt to force an extremely nickeled and dimed excuse of a plot down your throat, to ensure that all in-game events are situated within some sort of a context.

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege
Ubisoft Montreal

However, as soon as you step away from the Terror Hunt, and fire up the multiplayer component of the game, you realise that Rainbow‘s soul is completely nonsensical. Siege‘s story is based on an international conflict between a mask wearing terrorist organisation, and every form of law enforcement imaginable. It is explained that due to the nature of the risk which the terror cell poses, a group of international operatives has been hand-picked and assembled to increase the chance of success. However, the last three years which I’ve spent studying criminology, have affirmed me that such unit could never exist. In most instances it takes months and thousands of pounds to even establish a two-way cooperative unit between two foreign law enforcement agencies, and even then direct access to operatives which work for both, is out of the question. But somehow, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, manages to outsource operatives from organisation such as Spetsnaz, which most military professionals treat like god-like creatures, and have them face-off against each other in 5v5 encounters.

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege‘s soul is clearly troubled, and some could argue that it is simply unnecessary. It creates a conflict between two units, which never comes to a conclusion, and is mentioned only once throughout the entirety of the game. Multiplayer component also suggests that it might have had a completely different backstory prior to its release, as the way in which all the professional soldier’s face-off against each other, resembles a high end fight club. Maybe, Siege was meant to be futuristic game show just like 1987’s The Running Man. Who knows, maybe Angela Bassett was initially meant to reprise a Damon Killian character.

Ultimately, the soul of Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege is a catastrophic mess. Instead of portraying a meaningful conflict which changes as player makes his/her way through the levels, depicted by a set of cut-scenes or even written, police like reports. It boils down to a single vignette like cinematic, which is absolutely meaningless, and only makes the rest of the game’s composition incoherent, and unintelligible in more ways than one. But thankfully, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, in its entirety, is not a complete mess, far from it. Its mind and body, ultimately save the day and elevate the title through multiple tiers of success.

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege is not the best looking game out there, in fact, the armour which it wears has a fair share of dents and scratches, as lighting in some levels still requires an inch of fine tuning, and couple of levels features a handful of identical walls which carry varied level of destructibility. However, the body of this particular title is one of its main strengths. Unlike other games of this genre, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege doesn’t look like a generic shooter. It doesn’t feature a legion of fatigue wearing 190cm tall U.S. Marines, inspired by Arnold Schwarzenegger. Instead, it offers a catalogue of operatives which is not only believable, but also visually pleasing.

For example, instead of being another Arnold, Ash is a 170cm tall female, who is wearing a lightweight version of the FBI body armour. Her bulletproof vest features three pockets directly on the top of her chest, pockets which represent the three charges which she carries for her breaching rifle. Whereas I.Q. who is a female operator from the GSG 9 unit, is not wearing any GI grade uniform. Instead, she wears her body armour and all the other equipment on top of her everyday clothes. And this is because, the GSG 9 operators are usually permanently employed by the Bundespolizei, and when deployed for a high risk operation such as hostage rescue, they usually do not have time to spare for such menial tasks such as a change of clothes.

Outstanding body design of Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege does not end on the character models. In fact, the way in which the maps are designed is simply ingenious. Every single map features destructible environments, however, no matter how hard you try to demolish the building as an attacker, or keep it intact as the defender, you can never get an upper hand on your opponent. Defenders can barricade doors, windows, reinforce the walls and trapdoors, but in the same way, attackers can shoot through the barricades, and demolish steel reinforcements with the use of thermite. However, as both sides start to run through their equipment and personnel, it all boils down to the power of bullets. And a single opening within a wall, gives both attackers and defenders the same window of opportunity through leveling the playing field, and the outcome of the battle is ultimately decided by players’ pure determination and skill.

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege‘s body proves superior visual design that can elevate the game above all the boring and the mundane, and ultimately allows it to craft an engaging and entertaining experience. However, as good as its visual design is, it is still leagues behind its mind, which itself is responsible for game’s mechanical design.

Most multiplayer shooters boil down to frantic player vs player action, which mostly depends on player’s instincts and ability. However, due to the weight in which each death carries within the battlegrounds of Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, it is more like a turn based game, rather than an action driven title.

Each match of Siege is like a game of chess. First defenders do everything they possibly can to both defend their king, which is their objective, and prepares themselves offensively against the attackers’ onslaught. At the same time, attackers using their drones are studying the positioning of defenders pawns, in order to create the best plan of attack, and a route which avoids majority if not all the traps. Then, as soon as the action phase begins, the true game of chess begins. As attackers make their first factual move, defenders are now observing their each and every move with the use of the CCTV cameras. But as soon attackers are at the doors, the real struggle begins.

Battle between the attackers and the defenders can unravel in so many different ways due to the ever changing variables, I could spend hours explaining the ways in which this game of chess could end. However, the one thing I would like to discuss is the game changers. Both teams are fairly equal when squaring-off against each other, however, they both possess a single operator which can turn the entire match on its head. Attackers, when deploying can select Glaz, a Spetsnaz sniper who doesn’t play by the previously set out turn-based rules. Unlike other operators, he can dispatch the defenders from meters away without even entering the house. He can also penetrate steel door and window barricades, and is capability of such action completely writes of the feeling of safety from defender’s cards. However, defenders have a lethal weapon of their own, and it comes in a shape of an operator called Pulse. Pulse, is a lightweight FBI operator, who usually carries a shotgun and a heartbeat scanner.

With the use of the heart beat scanner, he can detect attackers through walls, ceilings, and floors, and once he establishes a stable position of an opponent, he can blast him/her with a single shell of his shotgun. Having either of the two operators on your team, is like playing chess with an ability to pick up the board, and beat your opponent with it at any time you see fit. But before you can do so, your opponent has time to adapt. Attackers can avoid Pulse’s scanner by staying away from the walls, and cease breaching into the objective room from the upper floors, whereas the defenders can simply stick to the floors and ensure not to stand by any windows, or holes in the walls to stay out of Glaz’s sight.

Ultimately, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege‘s mind proves that incredible mechanical design can severely improve the way in which a videogame is perceived. However, when combined with a comparably good body, it can reach even further heights, and allow the player to forget that some components of the title might not in fact be up to scratch. And in case of Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege it’s an incredible multiplayer mode composed of the mind and body, completely salvages the damage caused by its paper thin soul. And proves that videogame does not require all three factors of the three dimensional design, in order to be a memorable, captivating, and most importantly successful experience.