AssignmentPaired Prototyping

Some content based on GDC 2006, Gingold and Hecker

Brent M. Dingle 2014Game Design and Development ProgramMathematics, Statistics and Computer ScienceUniversity of Wisconsin - Stout

The Assignment

• Details:– Check the posted assignment sheet on D2L– Check with instructor if any inconsistencies exist

between it and this presentation

• Summary:– Form into teams of 2 people– Each team is assigned a game project idea– In roughly Four Days create a prototype

The Short of It• Create and turn in:– Game Prototype– Presentation (4 to 6 minutes)– Decomposition Planning Document– Support Artwork (including development files)

• Prototype must address AT LEAST one question about each of the following areas– Gameplay (mechanics)– Game appearance (look and feel)– Interface (user input and output)

Rules• You can only use the inception document and

powerpoint presentation provided by the author of the game idea– Apply your own understanding of the presentation

• Be reasonable, you will be expected to defend your interpretations

• Do NOT ask the author questions– The author has other things to get done– Exception:

• Questions regarding typing errors or poor grammar in the documents may be asked– but should be kept to a minimum

Tools

• Anything BOTH team members have access to use and agree to use

• Generally– Anything installed in the lab or on your laptops or

that is freely available

Work by Others• All work should be original in creation or use

• Any work done by people that are not a member of the 2 person team– Must be cited properly– Must be used in a unique/original way specific to the concept

the prototype is testing• Do not use Halo to prototype a game description of: “a first person

shooter”• Think along the lines of

– “right to parody” – or “creative reuse of minimal part” – and non-harmful to original author(s)

» e.g. do not make Mario a psycho killer

End Product

• Interactive Electronic Prototype– Runs on a computer– People can “play-test” it– All content is “appropriate” for all/most audiences

• Presentation of the prototype

Focus Areas

• Areas that “require more understanding”– Gameplay (mechanics)– Game appearance (look and feel)– Interface (user input and output to user)

What will be graded?• Game Decomposition

Description

• The prototype itself

• Your presentation of the prototype

• Your ability to work together

• Other items at the discretion of the instructor(s)

What will be graded?• Game Decomposition

Description

• The prototype itself

• Your presentation of the prototype

• Your ability to work together

• Other items at the discretion of the instructor(s)

How did you break the game idea into parts and why

What dependencies do the parts have

What part(s) are you prototyping How does your prototype fit into the big picture

Minimally this includes: List of questions your prototype is seeking to answer At least 3 (one from each area)

A description of how the prototype provides answers i.e. what data would you capture, and how?

A single part may

touch all areas

Areas are not

necessarily parts

What will be graded?• Game Decomposition

Description

• The prototype itself

• Your presentation of the prototype

• Your ability to work together

• Other items at the discretion of the instructor(s)

How did you break the game idea into parts and why

What dependencies do the parts have

What part(s) are you prototyping How does your prototype fit into the big picture

Minimally this includes: List of questions your prototype is seeking to answer At least 3 (one from each area)

A description of how the prototype provides answers i.e. what data would you capture, and how?

does it run?cheap, fast, adaptive, re-usable, useful?

What will be graded?• Game Decomposition

Description

• The prototype itself

• Your presentation of the prototype

• Your ability to work together

• Other items at the discretion of the instructor(s)

does it run?cheap, fast, adaptive, re-usable, useful?ad-hoc / improv?

live demo?powerpoint?demo video?rehearsed?

What will be graded?• Game Decomposition

Description

• The prototype itself

• Your presentation of the prototype

• Your ability to work together

• Other items at the discretion of the instructor(s)

ad-hoc / improv?live demo?powerpoint?demo video?rehearsed?

Did you?

What will be graded?• Game Decomposition

Description

• The prototype itself

• Your presentation of the prototype

• Your ability to work together

• Other items at the discretion of the instructor(s)

Did you?Does the game idea’s author think the prototype reflects the idea? or is useful to testing something related?

Did you actually collect data (test the prototype)?

Tools used? Amount of original work done…

Grading Scale

• Doing the minimal• i.e. doing just what is stated as required

• Gets you a grade at best of 70 to 80 percent• e.g. 75%

• Going above and beyond gets you more• an obvious above and beyond on this assignment

would be a SHORT (1 to 2 minute)video demo of the prototype being played– this might also be useful as part of the presentation

Suggested Place to Start• Decompose project idea

– Each person independently make a list of• 3 to 10 questions in each of the 3 areas about the assigned game

– Compare lists» Look for common overlap» Select 2 or 3 in each area to focus on » May revisit/reduce more later

• Decide on tools

• Discuss and plan coordination of work– Identify tasks each person will do– Agree on timeline of completion– Understand dependencies on each other’s activities

• Begin work

OR: Each person independently

break the game into parts

Observe overlap/commonality

Agree on a parts breakdown

Then for each part, create a list of questions

Success will require

• Planning, Coordination, Communication– Some call this Teamwork

• This is only the beginning

• Good luck!

End