As one of the industry’s leading game developers,Naughty Dogwields a pedigree that many other studios would kill for. While the reasons behind its success could be attributed to many things, be it the engaging, gritty storytelling of games likeThe Last of Usor the high-octane run-and-gun action of theUnchartedfranchise, it’s indisputable thatNaughty Doghas found a formula for its games that works.
One core part of this game design could help explain why its experiences feel so immersive.As the push for realism continuesin both visual aesthetics and game design, developers face a hurdle on how to best direct players without being explicitly “game-y.” Naughty Dog’s solution, reflected across bothThe Last of UsandUncharted, is its embrace of color coding and abundant use of yellow. Naughty Dog uses yellow so often that to the uninitiated it borders on obsessive, but to seasoned players it is an easily recognized staple design that unconsciously influences better flow.
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Color Coding In Video Games
Naughty Dog was obviously not the first developer to make use of color coding in its games as a means of directing players' decisions and behaviors. The use of red and blue to juxtapose opposing forces is very prevalent, and can be found in games, films, TV, and more - perhaps best exemplified byStar Warswith Jedi’s typically blue lightsabers clashing against the Sith’s red. Beyond this, other traditional uses ofcolor coding range from categorizing game elementsto differentiating them in the midst of gameplay.
Naughty Dog’s use of color is a relatively nuanced change from how it had previously operated, reflective of the time when it first began developingUnchartedin 2007. In a shift from 2D to 3D games with open level design, developers faced a challenge in how to ensure players could identify the correct path forward. The solution was practical: color code assets, interactive points, or whatever was necessary in order to draw the player’s attention to it.Mirror’s Edgeis an excellent examplein which stark white level design is broken up by the color red to direct the player’s eye.
Mirror’s Edgealso appears to have dodged another bullet brought on by advancing graphic fidelity in games. With graphics becoming increasinglyrealistic to benefit immersionwith each passing generation of games, it’s become important for developers to telegraph what can and can’t be interacted with. If the player needs to pick up a certain item to progress, they may have trouble locating it if that item blends in with the level design. Ultimately, even if it breaks immersion, using color to draw players' attention is important to the gameplay experience.
Naughty Dog and The Color Yellow
Naughty Dog has applied these ideas to the betterment of its own games. From the firstUnchartedonward, Naughty Dog has used yellow to direct its players' attention, and also to signify game elements they should interact with. For example,Uncharted 2’sdramatic openingthat depicts Nathan Drake climbing through a derailed train demonstrates Naughty Dog’s awareness of how it needs to educate players on how to navigate levels. Players follow a “path” through the train based on conspicuously yellow things, ranging from pipes to seats. For Naughty Dog, it’s a compromise between user-friendly design and immersion.
This trend continues with all its other games. InThe Last of Us, it’s usedto highlight distant landmarks such as Pittsburgh’s Fort Duquesne Bridge or Boston’s Capitol Building. By spreading this across all its current games,Naughty Dog has spent years learninghow to influence players' understanding that anything yellow must be important. Whether it’s inUnchartedorThe Last of Us,players are drawn to yellow objects or environments unconsciously, not realizing that years of playingNaughty Doggames have conditioned them to do so.
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