How to make interesting credits?

[wariolandgoldpiramid 5]

I'd like to hear some tips on how to make the end-game credits interesting and fun to look at.

I mean, I could just have a wall of text, maybe on a nice background with nice background music, but what other options can I do to make nice credits?

 

Also, when I write the credits, should I only list names of the people I credit, or the resources I'm using as well?

[Tarq 746]

I don't have any out-of-the-box suggestions but some other stuff in credits have been:

-Having video/animation alongside the credits (not great because it draws attention away from the credits)

-Having video/animation breaks periodically during the credits

-Having an ending video/animation/gameplay after the credits (needs to be successfully communicated that this exists and even then that doesn't mean the player won't just leave the screen and return in five minutes)

-Making credits a minigame (engaging, but possibly distracting)

 

Lengthy intro credits to shows are becoming pretty popular these days (True Detective, Westworld, Game of Thrones). Relatively, these are still just a handful of names compared to the full list of people working on the production and they basically are just 'a nice background with nice background music' but maybe you could get some ideas on how to execute that effectively (frequent cuts, metaphorical imagery, and panning shots are a few things that come to mind without sitting and watching one)

 

Also, yes, its far better to state what you're creditting a person for; its not enough to say that person did your scripts or your music or whatever. What scripts did you use, what graphics did they provide (a lot of ToU's I've seen actually state this and are sadly disregarded). If someone's actually sat through your credit sequence then there's a good chance that there's something specific that they're looking for. So help them find it!

[+ CVincent 234]

A few games I've played on the Gamecube like Super Smash Bros would have some gameplay with the credits where you would aim at the names of the people during the credits, along with an animated sequence in the back. The goal was to hit as many of the names and you'd get a bonus score at the end of the credits.

 

To be honest it was the most memorable credits sequence I've endured compared to many other games I've played. It's something to consider, however you need to decide how much work you'd want to put into it. So long as credit is given where it's due you aren't required much else. Most resources you'd find publicly available for video games come with the terms required.

 

I'd suggest using some kind of sequence that compliments the style of the game you're creating, whether it's combat or exploration oriented. Keeping the player fully engaged in the entirety of the game is just as important as it is in the ending scenes as it is in the beginning, much like a movie.

 

Edited March 6, 2017 by CVincent

[wariolandgoldpiramid 5]

one of the things I have in my plans is to make colleborative credits.

Crediting both the people who have created the game, and the staff that created Rpg Maker MV.

[Kayzee 4,032]

I don't have any out-of-the-box suggestions but some other stuff in credits have been:

-Having video/animation alongside the credits (not great because it draws attention away from the credits)

-Having video/animation breaks periodically during the credits

-Having an ending video/animation/gameplay after the credits (needs to be successfully communicated that this exists and even then that doesn't mean the player won't just leave the screen and return in five minutes)

-Making credits a minigame (engaging, but possibly distracting)

 

Lengthy intro credits to shows are becoming pretty popular these days (True Detective, Westworld, Game of Thrones). Relatively, these are still just a handful of names compared to the full list of people working on the production and they basically are just 'a nice background with nice background music' but maybe you could get some ideas on how to execute that effectively (frequent cuts, metaphorical imagery, and panning shots are a few things that come to mind without sitting and watching one)

 

Also, yes, its far better to state what you're creditting a person for; its not enough to say that person did your scripts or your music or whatever. What scripts did you use, what graphics did they provide (a lot of ToU's I've seen actually state this and are sadly disregarded). If someone's actually sat through your credit sequence then there's a good chance that there's something specific that they're looking for. So help them find it!

 

Why is distracting from the credits a bad thing? If you are interested in the credits, you can go back and read them. If you are not, showing videos or a montage of pictures or something works better. Also if you want to list exactly what resources were used and who made them, it's probably going to end up looking a bit different from a normal credit list and that kind of stuff might be better used in a external text or HTML file with links and stuff. It's much easier to use and maintain in that format. Not saying you shouldn't have a in-game credits list too, but the goal of making one interesting and snappy can conflict with it being as useful as it can be as a resource.

Edited March 6, 2017 by KilloZapit

[Harosata 6]

Hm, one of the interesting credits is what I call the Parade. In the Paper Mario series, this is actually a parade that showcases locations and bosses you have faced before. Before that, Donkey Kong Country and Super Mario World would showcase the enemies you have faced in your journey.

 

Oh yeah, Platinum Game titles like Wonderful 101 had short but epic battles between their credits.

 

Hm...You could use a black cutout on multiple maps to recreate important scenes. Or you could just set your characters on a dance routine.

 

Point is, there are many ways to make the credits interesting. And it doesn't have to be limited to events in the game. In Hearthstone, the staff turned themselves into cards!

[Tarq 746]

Why is distracting from the credits a bad thing? If you are interested in the credits, you can go back and read them. If you are not, showing videos or a montage of pictures or something works better.

------------messed up formatting, too lazy to fix--------------------

 

Because its a 'credits' sequence and has a specific purpose; You've spent the rest of the time distracting the player :3

Seriously though, if you'readvocating avoidance then just make the whole thing skippable; it saves dev time and is far better than forcing all players to sit through additional content that will only appeal to some.

[+ Takeo212 1,079]

My fond methods are;

 

Having a scrolling credits with some images of previous scenes on the game, such as cutscenes. It's not too distracting since it's already images of scenes you've seen and brings back memories throughout the entire credit scene. Also having the images occassionally appear during credits means you can read the names without to much distraction.

 

Undertale had an "interactable" one that, if you avoided/hit every name, it unlocked a bonus room. If you make your credits a map and have overlay names whilst the player can interact, it may be a more practical one, but requires more effort.

 

Smash Bros. had an interactable one that was fairly fun to play. Shooting names and/or pictures would make the player read the name more since they are targeting it.

 

During the final cutscene, you can have names gradually appear on the screen when the music starts to play. Maybe a slow, music driven aftermath type ending where the camera pans to different scenes with names appearing, as if giving you a conclusion to the story itself. Extra scene at the end of these are nice ;P

 

Thats all i can think of off the top of my head atleast.

Maybe skippable options are good too, but if you do these, remember to add a readme to the gamefiles with the same credits just to ensure the contributors/creators get the credits still.

[Kayzee 4,032]

Why is distracting from the credits a bad thing? If you are interested in the credits, you can go back and read them. If you are not, showing videos or a montage of pictures or something works better.

------------messed up formatting, too lazy to fix--------------------

 

Because its a 'credits' sequence and has a specific purpose; You've spent the rest of the time distracting the player :3

Seriously though, if you'readvocating avoidance then just make the whole thing skippable; it saves dev time and is far better than forcing all players to sit through additional content that will only appeal to some.

 

Well I would make them skippable too, but that's besides the point. I am not advocating avoidance, on the contrary I just think the player should have a reason to pay attention during the credits even if it's not too the credits themselves. This is why showing a slideshow, showing a video, playing a minigame, etc helps, it gives the player something to pay attention to besides boring text that slowly moves around the screen. And honestly having a credits sequence serves more of a cinematic function then it does a practical one, because again a text file that lists resources and scripts and the people who made them is much more useful from a practical standpoint. I have seen some great end credit sequences in my day, and they really help give a nice final catharsis to something, one last sequence where you can stew in emotion before it's over. That's much more their function nowadays then giving credit.

[+ CVincent 234]

I've tried sitting through a sequence of credits with my friends after a movie had ended, only after they realized there was no teaser at the end they had decided to leave. I would have liked to have stayed to chat about the movie and to appreciate those who invested their efforts because to me the recognition was well deserved, though not everyone would agree.

 

So it may be potentially beneficial to have a cinematic sequence after the credits as well if you want to hook in the extra few who would only be interested for that reason specifically.

[Rezanta 373]

Honestly, I dislike using credits at the back of the game, so I have a plugin for a credits page on the game's main menu. Not sure how effective it is, considering I linked their websites of what I used through the plug in, but it;s useful nonetheless. Anyway! On to the actual topic.

 

A few ways you could make the credits is by making them similar to Kingdom Hearts 2, or by making them run through the game as you play. The more you adventure, the more you find the credits. Sure, slight distractions may not be wanted, but having them centered as a small movie-like cutscene plays will have them read a bit, normally, even if uninterested.

 

I would mention SSBM, but it's already been stated.

 

StarFox 64 has the credits play with the end as the characters run off, so it's kinda nice for how the game has them contrast with the atmosphere of the background at work.

[Whiona 310]

It's interesting that you don't like credits at the end of the game, Rezanta, because I'm the opposite way. Seeing the credits roll gives me a sense of closure, and I use the time to digest what happened and reflect on the game as a whole. It may not be super-interesting, but to me, the game would feel weirdly incomplete without them. It'd be like a movie without credits or a book without acknowledgments - the ending would just be so abrupt.

 

I realize that other people aren't the same way, though, so it's good to see innovative ways to incorporate the credits. I love what they did in Animal Crossing by showing the credits during the K.K. Slider performances. His songs are cute and fun to watch, so most players actively seek him out and remain entertained while the text scrolls. At the same time, though, his songs aren't too distracting, so you can actually read the names if you want. I think that's a win-win situation.

[wariolandgoldpiramid 5]

I'll have to agree with Whiona here.

There is something really satisfying about seeing the credits at the end of a videogame. It's like a closure.

Opening credits can also be nice, if they're interesting, but preferebly scippable.

 

However, I never bother checking the credits if they are simply in a menu. That just seems boring to me.

[Kayzee 4,032]

I like the way in Ultima 7 how even if they were in the menu if you watched the credits all the way you got a nice unique surprise. Honesty I wish more games had that particular extra feature.

Edited March 13, 2017 by KilloZapit

[Jeanne d'Ys 166]

I like the way in Ultima 7 how even if they were in the menu if you watched the credits all the way you got a nice unique surprise. Honesty I wish more games had that particular extra feature.

I forgot the game's title, but there's this old RPG I played long ago that rewards the player with a special one-of-a-kind Item if they spend their time watching the credits sequence without skipping. Agreed that more games need to do this.

 

Regarding this topic in particular, I personally like those "Where are they now?" credits sequence that shows what happened to the characters and world of the game after the plot's resolution. Especially if there are tiny tidbits that got changed depending on what the player did in the game.

Edited March 13, 2017 by Jeanne d'Ys

[Kayzee 4,032]

I mean, I wouldn't go that far with it... One of the reasons I think it works in Ultima 7 is that the reward is something you probably wouldn't care about unless you were actually interested in the game's developers. Or just wanted to see something really silly.