game production: game design · after the game, the player shall have a stronger self-concept the...
Post on 29-Aug-2018
218 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
2
Outline
1. The role of the game designer
2. A possible design process
3. Formal elements
4. Dramatic elements
5. Conceptualization
6. Prototyping and Playtesting
Lecture contents
3
1. The role of the game designer
Game designers existed way before videogames
Board games are ancient
Things have changed though!
From hobby to profession
Virtual worlds
Interactive capabilities
Multimedia
Yet, the basic principles are not that different
History
4
1. The role of the game designer
Envision how a game will work during play
Objectives
Rules
Procedures
Dramatic elements
The orchestration of these elements should deliver the immersive experience of the game
I.e., the whole is more than the sum of the parts
Main responsibility
From Merriam-Webster online dictionary
5
1. The role of the game designer
Breaking the rules of the game: content that circumvents previously established rules or design
The game “Bayonetta” features “witch time” as a way for the character to dodge more agile enemies
Halfway through the game, “gold-plated” enemies are introduced – witch time does not apply here!
Orchestrating the elements: bad examples
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/171446/the_anatomy_of_a_bad_game.php?print=1
6
1. The role of the game designer
No growth: the game is repetitive, same objectives, same types of enemies, etc.
The game “Resonance of Fate” features a very unique combat system with massive customization
However, all the mechanics is experienced very (too) early!
Orchestrating the elements: bad examples
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/171446/the_anatomy_of_a_bad_game.php?print=1
7
1. The role of the game designer
Look at the game through the player’s eyes
Often ignored principle
Essential to create solid gameplay
Graphics, story line, features are secondary
Should not be distracted by production aspects
This is delegated to the producer and to technical directors
Be objective
Hard to do after some time spent on the game
To cope with this, use playtesters
An advocate for the player
8
1. The role of the game designer
Passion for games and play
Essential to craft truly innovative games
Communication skills
Can you explain your concept?
Good listener too
Teamwork
Process
Good processes shall be put in place to avoid deviations
Even in the design phase
In the production phase, the producer is responsible for this
Core traits
9
1. The role of the game designer
Inspiration
Look at the world in terms of its underlying rules
Can you make real life playful?
Look at other games, read, …
Creativity
Come up with new ideas
Some people are naturally creative, others need more systematic thinking
Core traits
10
2. A possible design process
Principle: involve the player in the design process
Proposed by Fullerton in her book
Many other design processes exist (see Marries’ guest lecture)
However, this process is sensible and has been successfully applied in practice
Playcentric design
11
2. A possible design process
1. Brainstorming
Set player experience goals: what interesting situations is the player going to encounter?
Come up with game concepts/mechanics for those goals
2. Physical prototype
Pen and paper version of the game
Playtest the physical prototype
3. Presentation [optional]
To secure funds to hire the prototyping team
Include demo artwork and solid gameplay
4. Software prototype
Often more than one prototype
Playtest the prototype
Steps for each design iteration
12
2. A possible design process
5. Design documentation
Turn notes into a comprehensive document
This is the game design document
May be in the form of a wiki…
Doesn’t end with the design phase
6. Production
7. Testing
Steps for each design iteration
13
3. Formal elements
These are the elements that play an essential structure in traditional (non-video) games
Players
Objectives
Procedures
Rules
Resources
Conflict
Outcome
What are formal elements?
… not this kind of formality
14
3. Formal elements
Invitation to play
How to make a person become a player?
Create an engaging invitation
Number of players
Should be very clear, as it is a key determinant for success
E.g., think of a single-player-only version of World of Warcraft
Tetris is mainly single player though…
Roles of players
Not all the players adopt the same role!
i. Players
15
3. Formal elements
i. Roles of players: Mastermind
16
3. Formal elements
i. Roles of players: Mastermind
Role 1: code makerRole 2: code breaker
17
3. Formal elements
i. Player interaction patterns
18
3. Formal elements
Objectives give players something to strive for
They define what players have to accomplish
Within the rules of the game
They should be challenging but achievable
Different players may be assigned different objectives
Other types of objectives
Partial objectives
Mini-missions
Player-determined objectives
ii. Objectives
19
3. Formal elements
ii. Objectives, examples
Civilization IV
Pro Evolution Soccer 2014
GTA V
20
3. Formal elements
The methods of play through which players achieve their objectives
Questions to consider
Who can use the procedure?
What exactly does the player do?
Where and when?
How to access the procedure?
Types of procedure, depending on the game progress
Starting action
Progression action
Special actions
Resolving actions
iii. Procedures
21
3. Formal elements
Rules define game objects and allowable actions by the players
How are rule learnt?
How are rules enforced?
What type of rule works best?
Think in relation to the players
Too many rules confuse players
Good communication is key
iv. Rules
22
3. Formal elements
Assets that can be used to accomplish certain goals
Just like in real world
Virtual (usually)
Should be appropriate for the game genre
Potions wouldn’t make much sense in Fruit Ninja
Resources shall have
Utility: why having useless resources?
Scarcity: if infinite, no challenge for the player
v. Resources
23
3. Formal elements
Lives
Units: the size of the army in Civilization
Health
Currency
Actions: three actions per turn
Power-ups
Inventory
Special terrain: extracting gold from the terrain
Time
v. Resources, some examples
24
3. Formal elements
Conflicts emerge when players try to accomplish the goals within the rules and boundaries
Conflict can be designed
E.g., to inhibit easy solutions
Create sense of competition or play
How to create conflict?
Obstacles
Opponents (AI bots or other players)
Dilemmas
vi. Conflict
25
3. Formal elements
Must be uncertain to hold the players’ attention
Not all games have a definite outcome though
Think of massive multiplayer online role-playing games
... or of simulation games
The outcome depends on the interaction pattern
Single player vs. game: win or lose, or score
Player vs. player: win or lose
vii. Outcome
26
4. Dramatic elements
Formal elements create the game experience
Dramatic elements engage the players emotionally
Give a context to gameplay
Integrate the formal elements into a meaningful experience
Challenge and play are in all games
Other techniques are only in certain games
Premise
Character
Story
What are they?
27
4. Dramatic elements
A non-challenging game is hardly going to be successful
Challenge is individual
A child who is learning to count may find a math educational game for kids challenging… but not an adult
Challenge is dynamic
The same obstacle may be challenging at the beginning of the game, but unchallenging later on
The theory of flow
[Csikszentmihalyi]
i. Challenge
28
4. Dramatic elements
Challenge requires skill
Flow occurs most within activities that are “goal-directed and bounded by rules […] that require the proper skills
Merge action and awareness
Use all the player’s relevant skills to absorb her attention
Clear goals and feedback
In real life, goals are not clear
In flow experiences, goals are clear and feedback is immediate
Concentration on the task at hand
Distract the player from other thoughts
Clear user interface
i. Challenge: the theory of flow
29
4. Dramatic elements
The paradox of control
People enjoy exercising control in difficult situations
However, there is no feeling of control without uncertainty
Hard to mix these factors in a game
The loss of self-consciousness
Get the player immersed in the game
After the game, the player shall have a stronger self-concept
The transformation of time
Transforming hours into minutes
i. Challenge: the theory of flow
30
4. Dramatic elements
The freedom of movement within a more rigid structure
Emergent experience
Personal expression
Not all players behave the same way! [Bartle]
Competitor: plays to best others
Explorer: seeks outside boundaries
Collector: acquires items, trophies, history, …
Achiever: wants to achieve ladders, levels
Joker: plays for fun, or to annoy others
Artist: driven by creativity
Director: loves to direct the play
Storyteller: creates/lives worlds of fantasy
Performer: puts on a show for others
Craftsman: wants to build, engineer, …
ii. Play
31
4. Dramatic elements
Establishes the action of the game within a setting or metaphor
Without premise, many games would be too abstract
The player would consider the game anonymous
iii. Premise
Simple (yet effective) premise:
Space Invaders – defending your
planet from aliens
How about this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJ3eYA7H674
32
4. Dramatic elements
The agents through whose actions a drama is told
How to devise the right characters?
Psychological: the character as a mirror for the audience’s fears and desires
Representative for a segment of people
Historic
…
Protagonist vs. other characters
iv. Character
Vs.
33
4. Dramatic elements
iv. Character vs. avatar
34
4. Dramatic elements
Degree of control
“Free will”: AI-controlled character
Mixture: player-controlled with elements of simulation
“Automation”: full player-control
Evolution of non-playing characters
Games have a plethora of non-playing characters
They become more dynamic
Increasingly important in many dramatic structures
Artificial Intelligence progress is key here
iv. Character
35
4. Dramatic elements
The story should be uncertain
However, traditional storytelling methods are hard to apply
In a movie, the director resolves the uncertainty in the story
In a game, the player has to resolve this uncertainty
Backstory (extended premise) Vs. Branching story
v. Story
36
4. Dramatic elements
No single answer exists
Depends on the game genre
In a simulation game, little or no story is necessary
Inspiration from traditional storytelling
Read books
Watch movies
Play board role games
Continuous decision-making
Different outcomes depending on the taken decision
v. Story: how to make it compelling?
37
4. Dramatic elements
The deep and intricate design of a fictional world
World map
History
Cultural studies of inhabitants, languages, governments, politics, economies, etc.
Examples
Tolkien’s Middle-earth
World of Warcraft
Star Wars
vi. World building
38
4. Dramatic elements
All the dramatic elements mentioned above are important
But the most important is conflict
We have seen the notion of formal conflict before
Dramatic conflict
Create an antagonist
Increase narrative tension
Face the antagonist at the end of the game
vii. The dramatic arc
39
5. Conceptualization
Coming up with an idea may be hard for some
However, the real challenge is to flesh the idea out
Creativity does typically follow a cycle [Csikszentmihalyi]
Preparation: get immersed in the topic
Incubation: the idea is subconscious
Insight: the “aha” moment
Evaluation: is the idea original?
Elaboration: The longest part of the process
How do you come up with an idea?
Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration (Thomas Edison)
40
5. Conceptualization
Disciplined brainstorming is perhaps the most used one
State the challenge
Avoid criticism
Playful environment
Don’t discard ideas
Don’t go too long
Alternative techniques exist
Techniques to help conceptualize
Idea cards Mindmap
41
5. Conceptualization
You had a great brainstorming session: lots of ideas
But still, no game!
Idea refinement is what follows. Focus on
Technical feasibility
Market opportunity
Artistic considerations
Business/cost restrictions
Finally, turn the refined idea into a game
Formal elements
Dramatic elements
System mechanics
Refining your idea
42
6. Prototyping and Playtesting
Irrespective of your (team’s) skills, a game design is never good enough prior to testing
How to do that? Via prototypes
Not only digital prototypes
Physical prototypes are the starting point
Starting physical
Card-based prototype of battleship
First-person
shooter
prototype
43
6. Prototyping and Playtesting
The final game will be a digital game
Once the physical prototype has been refined, go digital
The task is to map the ideas so far and the mechanisms / rules of the physical prototype into a videogame
But a prototype is not a complete game!
Focus on some areas
Going digital
Focus areas (not all need to be covered)
44
6. Prototyping and Playtesting
Playtesting is essential
The game will be played by players, not by the development team
Feedback is essential, as early as possible
The best feedback is testing the game itself
Its concept
Its physical prototype
Its digital prototype
…
Do you want a game product, or just a nice idea?
45
6. Prototyping and Playtesting
Iterative approach is crucial
46
6. Prototyping and Playtesting
As many diverse people as possible
Yourself
Confidants / friends
People that you don’t know
The right people
Target your audience
Recruit motivated people
A playtest session
Intro (2-3’)
Warm-up discussion (5’)
Play session (15-20’)
Discussion (15-20’)
Wrap up (short)
Who should test the game?
47
References
1. Lewis, Chris, Noah Wardrip-Fruin, and Jim Whitehead. "Motivational game design patterns of 'ville games." Proceedings of the International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games. ACM, 2012.
2. Hunicke, Robin, Marc LeBlanc, and Robert Zubek. "MDA: A formal approach to game design and game research." Proceedings of the AAAI Workshop on Challenges in Game AI. Vol. 4. 2004.
Mandatory
48
References
This material is largely based on the book by Tracy Fullerton entitled “Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games”, 3rd edition
Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. New York: Harper & Row Publishers, Inc., 1990.
Salen, Katie, and Zimmerman, Eric. The Game Design Reader: A Rules of Play Anthology. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 2006.
Bartle, Richard. “Hearts, Clubs, Diamonds, Spades: Players who Suit MUDS.” April 1996. http://www.mud.co.uk/richard/hcds.htm.
Other stuff
top related