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Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Designing Power-UpsDesigning Power-Upsfor Action Gamesfor Action Games
Randy Smith
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
TakeawaysTakeaways
• A structured design process which can help:» Tailor your power-ups to your game
and development environment» Improve communication and
documentation
• Design analysis that you can apply to improve your power-up designs
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Scope of this PresentationScope of this Presentation
• We are going to talk about:» Generating ideas» Refining» Documenting
• We are not going to talk about:» Implementing» Tuning
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Action Games OnlyAction Games Only• Action games, such as:
» First Person Shooters» Platform» Fighting» Racing» Etc.
• But not:» RPGs» Adventure games» Etc.
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
What do I mean by What do I mean by “Designer”?“Designer”?
• Not (necessarily) a:» Manager» Producer» Project Director» Level Builder
• A game systems designer.
• Or a group of game systems designers.
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
CollaborationCollaboration
• Other disciplines:» Programmer» Artist» Producer» Audio» Director
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Outline of this Outline of this PresentationPresentation
1. Deconstructing Power-ups
2. Brainstorming
3. Culling and Refining
4. Goals and Constraints
5. Documenting
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
1)1) DeconstructingDeconstructingPower-UpsPower-Ups
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Questions About Power-Questions About Power-UpsUps
• What are the components of a power-up?
• What categories of power-ups are there?
• Why are power-ups in games?
• What’s the definition?
• …lets look at some examples to think about these questions.
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Components of Power-UpsComponents of Power-Ups• Acquisition Method
• Storage
• Activation Method
• Delivery method
• Payload / Utility
• Deactivation method
• Resource Cost
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Doom ArmorDoom Armor
•Acquisition: Collide with it
•Storage: N/A
•Activation: Upon pick-up
•Delivery: N/A
•Payload: Sets Armor=100
•Deactivation: N/A
•Resource cost: N/A
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Castlevania Holy WaterCastlevania Holy Water
•Acquisition: Collide with it
•Storage: Special Item Slot
•Activation: Up and Attack
•Delivery: Short range arc
•Payload: Holy water puddle
•Deactivation: Time out
•Resource cost: Hearts, Slot
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Deus Ex Vision Deus Ex Vision EnhancementEnhancement•Acquisition: Augmentation Installment Process
•Storage: Eye Aug Slot
•(De-)Activation: F5 or Inventory Screen
•Payload: Vision mode
•Resource cost: Aug Power
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Categories of Power-UpsCategories of Power-Ups• By Payload
» Unlock Player Powers » Resource Change» Environment Manipulation» AI Manipulation» Character Manipulation
• By Storage» Inventory» Hands» Special Item Slot
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Why are Power-Ups in Why are Power-Ups in Games?Games?
• Player Agency
• Player Reward
• Player Motivation
• Manage Challenge Level / Character Power Curve
• Player Learning Curve
• Unlock New Content
• Reinvent Gameplay
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Why are Power-Ups in Why are Power-Ups in Games?Games?
• Maintain Player Interest» Player Agency» Player Reward» Player Motivation» Manage Challenge Level / Character
Power Curve» Player Learning Curve» Unlock New Content» Reinvent Gameplay
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Definition of a Power-UpDefinition of a Power-Up
• A Power-Up = An Acquired Character Benefit» Acquired – Don’t have it at the
beginning of the game
» Character – The player character
» Benefit – Resource, Power, etc..
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
The development processThe development process
2) Brainstorming2) Brainstorming
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Goal of BrainstormingGoal of Brainstorming
• Generate a big document full of ideas.
• Collect lots of creative energy, don’t let it get away.
• Sometimes it’s OK to smoke crack.
• Get early feedback and info from other disciplines.
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Generating IdeasGenerating Ideas
• Ideas can come from » Core Fantasy » Fiction » Other Games » Understanding of Goals and
Constraints» Design Philosophy
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
The development processThe development process
3) Culling and Refining3) Culling and Refining
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Goal of Culling and Goal of Culling and RefiningRefining
• Eliminate ideas from the brainstorm list.
• In the process, refine your sense of your:» Design Goals » Development Constraints.
• Grow your ability to make informed, deliberate design decisions
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Cull an Idea from the Cull an Idea from the Brainstorm ListBrainstorm List
• Someone pick an idea they don’t like
• Someone else flesh it out, explain it
• Cull the idea for any reason
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Culling DeconstructionCulling Deconstruction
• Ok, now why did you cull that idea?
• Categorize your reason:» Development Constraints» Design Goals» Ratio of the two
• Keep track of this data
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Goals and ConstraintsGoals and Constraints
• Development Constraints » Schedule / Budget» Technology» Controller Hardware» Target Player» Etc.
• Design Goals» What gameplay are you trying to
create?
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
RefiningRefining
• Use what you’ve learned to improve the idea.» How can this idea better meet the
Design Goals?» How can this idea fit within the
Development Constraints?
• If improved, send the idea back to the brainstorm list.
• If not, just throw it out.
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
A Feedback-Intensive A Feedback-Intensive ProcessProcess
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
When do you stop? When do you stop?
• When you’ve considered every idea in the brainstorm list?
• When enough of the ideas make the cut.
• What’s the right number of power-ups for your game? » Answer: Constraints and goals.
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
The development processThe development process
4) Goals and 4) Goals and ConstraintsConstraints
examples from Thief 3examples from Thief 3
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Ideas fromIdeas from Thief & Thief 2 Thief & Thief 2
Fire Arrow
•Not stealthy enough
•Something more utilitarian?
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Mine
•Also not stealthy, but…
•It’s a trap for enemies
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Flashbomb
•Too useful for attack
•Should be an escape tool – blinding and stunning
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
New IdeasNew Ideas
Lead Arrow, Laughing Gas•Too redundant with existing
toolsDog Whistle
•Not broadly applicable enough
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Climbing Gloves
•Expensive but worth it
•There are vertical stone walls everywhere
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Cloak of Flattening•Expensive and not worth it
•Not enough systemic applicability
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Thief 3 Power-Up Thief 3 Power-Up Design GoalsDesign Goals
• Reinforce core stealth gameplay
• Empower interesting ways for player to thwart enemies
• Make getting caught more fun
• Empower player expression via systemic interactions
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Thief 3 Power-Up Thief 3 Power-Up ConstraintsConstraints
• Budget and Schedule» Reuse UI Infrastructure for
Activation and Delivery – Arrows and Bombs
» Avoid implementation work with little reuse (new player movement modes)
» Work with existing systems instead of inventing new ones
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Thief 3 Power-Up Thief 3 Power-Up ConstraintsConstraints
• Simple Interface» Reuse UI Infrastructure for
Activation and Delivery – Arrows and Bombs
» Keep overall number of power-ups small
» Keep Payloads/Utilities orthogonal
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Noise Suppressor
•Interesting and cheap
•Makes simple, systemic use of existing tech
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
The development processThe development process
5) Documentation5) Documentation
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Goals of DocumentationGoals of Documentation
• Formalize ideas, Write a spec
• Think it through
• Communicate with the other disciplines:» What the plan is» What they need to do to implement
your power-up ideas» How they’ll know when the work is
finished
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Principles for good design Principles for good design documentationdocumentation
• Overall: » Clarity » Efficiency
• Use fewer words
• Use more visuals
• Target your audience(s) – hint: it isn’t you.
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Don’tsDon’ts
• Defend your ideas.
• Emphasize fiction or design philosophy unnecessarily. Don’t ramble.
• Feel the need to have excruciating level of detail. » Leave stuff up to the other
disciplines.» They’re in the same building as you,
right? They can come talk to you.
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Example DocumentationExample Documentation• <see
document>
• <see template>
Thief 3 Power-Ups rsmith, 12/9/02
Introduction This is the implementation plan for T3 Power-Ups. This doc is sorted into the following categories:
Weapons Items Special Inventory
Weapons Selected and triggered through the weapon cycling interface, see below. Includes:
Melee - Sword and Blackjack Arrows – Various
Fire Arrow rsmith, 12/16/02
Overall Description: Very similar to fire arrow in Thief and Thief 2. Explodes in a fireball on collision. Creates fires which can distract AIs. Category: Environment Manipulation, AI Manipulation, Weapon Acquisition: Picking up fire crystals Storage: Inventory Activation: The bow interface (see below) Delivery: Arced flight trajectory Deactivation: N/A Resource Cost: One fire arrow, stack count Payload / Utility:
Damages vulnerable objects that are struck directly. Smaller amount of damage to objects within blast radius.
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Why use a template?Why use a template?
• For Document Writers:» Enforce completeness» Provide direction
• For Document Readers:» Provide consistency
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
What This Process What This Process Can Get YouCan Get You
• A well-documented set of power-up ideas tailored to your game
• A better understanding of your Design Goals and Development Constraints
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
Broader ApplicabilityBroader Applicability
• With some simple translation, this can also be applied to:» Other genres » Other types of game elements (such
as enemies)
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
What is game design What is game design about?about?
• Making informed, deliberate decisions.
• Working within Constraints to meet Goals. Maximizing the ratio.
• Communicating with other disciplines.
Designing Power-Ups for Action [email protected]
What are power-ups What are power-ups about?about?
• Empowering the player
• Maintaining player interest
• Opening up the game’s boundaries
• Reinventing gameplay
