How to: the Process of Game Design

Dr. Lewis Dr. Lewis

PulsipherPulsipherCopyright 2008 Lewis Pulsipher

April 18, 2023

Who am I Designed my own games while a teenager Began playing commercial wargames in 1963 Played the original Atari 2600 and have played

some PC games heavily, but rarely play any video games these days; never owned a game console

Designer of six commercially-published board wargames (most recently February ‘06)

Active designer of board and card games (playtesters solicited!)

My main job is teaching game development

April 18, 2023

Two forms of game design

Video games and non-video games Scale is different

– “big time” video games are produced by dozens of people, cost millions of dollars

– “big time” non-video games produced by a few people with budgets in the thousands• Yet a few sell more than a million copies

April 18, 2023

Prototypes—”testing is sovereign” To best improve a game, you must have a playable

prototype – Firaxis’ Sid Meier-Civilization series, Pirates– The sooner Firaxis got a playable version of Civ 4, the

more they could learn– A playable prototype includes “artwork” or physical

components, and rules or programming The rules for a non-video game are the equivalent of the

programming of a video game– Programming must be precise and is very time consuming

(game engines may help in the future)– A playable set of rules can be much less precise, relying on

the mind(s) of the designer(s), and notes It’s also much easier to change the non-video prototype

to test different approaches It’s much easier to produce the physical prototype,

than to create the artwork for a video game

April 18, 2023

Learning to design

So we can have a playable, testable non-video game much more quickly than a computer game of similar scope or subject

Consequently, it’s much easier to learn game design with physical games than with video games!– Kevin O’Gorman’s concurrence

April 18, 2023

Art vs. Science As in many other creative endeavors,

there are two ways of approach – These are often called Romantic and

Classical, or Dionysian and Apollonian Or: art and science

– Some people design games “from the gut”– Others like to use system, organization, and

(when possible) calculation Mine is the “scientific” approach, which

is more likely to help new designers– I think design is 10% art and 90% science

April 18, 2023

One way to look at the difference Art is something created by an

individual, then presented to the public “as is”– There is no “testing” or “focus

groups” Science is something subject to

repeated testing– And almost all good games are

thoroughly playtested– A sign of an “amateur” designer is

insufficient testing

April 18, 2023

Who is the audience? A game must have an audience

– What are the game-playing preferences of that audience

– Short or long?– Chance or little chance?– Lots of story or little story?– “Ruthless” or “nice”?– Simple or complex?

There is no “perfect” game

April 18, 2023

What makes a game “good”? “Fun” is hard to design

– And not everyone plays for fun—even if we can define what “fun” is

– Educational value (history, children, crosswords)

– Some want laughs, not strategy (family games)

– Games are social occasions– “Entertainments” vs. “Competitions”

So I prefer to use the word “enjoyable”, with all the variation that implies

April 18, 2023

What makes a game “good” Some play to win

– Players must be able to influence the outcome of the game by their choices amongst non-obvious alternatives–otherwise it’s not a game (though it might be a story or a toy or a puzzle)

“Shark” players don’t want to be “gypped”– Will the expert win every time?

Romantic vs. Classical players and games

There are many, many points of view

April 18, 2023

Genre

Video games are more limited by genre than non-video games

Most video games and many others fall into a clear genre category

Each genre has characteristics that come to be “expected” by the consumer

Much easier to market a video game with a clear genre

April 18, 2023

Typical genres

Video games: Shooters, RTS (real-time strategy), RPG (role-playing game), action, adventure, vehicle simulation, etc.

Non-video: card games, board games, role-playing games, CCG– Strategy, action, “Euro” style, and all

the genres of computer games

April 18, 2023

How to design games

Constraints lead to a conclusion:– Characteristics of the audience

(target market)• “People don’t do math any more”

– Genre limitations– Production-imposed limitations

• “Board cannot be larger than X by Y”

– Self-imposed limitations• “I want a one-hour trading game”

April 18, 2023

Publisher-imposed limits

Some are publisher preference, some are market-dictated

For example: many publishers want nothing that requires written records in a game (FFG Britannia example)

Another example: consumers strongly prefer strong graphics, whether in a video or a non-video game

April 18, 2023

Self-imposed limits You have your own preferences

– Don’t design a game you dislike to play yourself– If you dislike it, why should anyone else like it?– But don’t design a game “just like you like to play”—it

may already be out there, right?– “Pro” designers will design games other people like,

that they’re not so thrilled about themselves Limits/constraints improve and focus the

creative process– Great art and music is much more commonly produced

in eras of constraints, rather than eras without constraints

Example of a limit: I want to produce a two-player game that lasts no more than 30 minutes

April 18, 2023

The idea is not the game Novices tend to think the idea is the

important thing– Ideas are “a dime a dozen”. It’s the execution,

the creation of a playable game, that’s important The “pyramid” of game design:

– Lots of people get ideas– Fewer try to go from general idea to a specific

game idea– Fewer yet try to produce a prototype– Fewer yet produce a decently playable prototype– Very few produce a complete game– And very, very few produce a good complete

game

April 18, 2023

The Design Pyramid: Milestones on the way to production

April 18, 2023

How do you get ideas? Ideas don’t “just come” to you Thomas Edison: “Success is 10%

inspiration and 90% perspiration.” Same applies to ideas– You have to work to get ideas– Write everything down. It may not be used

now, but may be useful later– I use Info Select. Microsoft OneNote might

do. Or use a word processor. Use a notebook when you don’t have a

computer: but transcribe religiously! Back up!

April 18, 2023

Making Use of Ideas "Strictly speaking, there's no such thing

as invention, you know. It's only magnifying what already exists.“ - Allie Fox, The Mosquito Coast

Hardly anything is new under the sun Most of the time, associations, combining

aspects of several things, results in “new” things

Hence the more “old” games and game-related material you know, the more you have to work with

Play games; read game rules; talk about games; read about games; write about games

BUT: ideas are like food, keeps you going but doesn’t make you any money: it’s how you use the ideas

April 18, 2023

Sources of Ideas Other games History and other non-fiction reading Fiction People Discussions Everyday things Pictures Almost anything! I’ve designed good

games by starting with a particular kind of piece in mind!

April 18, 2023

April 18, 2023

The Process of Design See data flow diagram Circles are processes--activities

– The numbers are for identification, DO NOT indicate a strict sequence of events

Lines show flows of information Rectangles are entities outside the

“game design” system Arc-ed rectangles are “data stores” Each process could generate another

diagram like this one (but I haven’t finished them)

April 18, 2023

Do it!

Too many people like to think about designing so much, they never actually do it

Until you have a playable prototype, you have nothing– (Which is what makes video game

design so difficult)– It doesn’t have to be pretty, just

usable

April 18, 2023

Put yourself in the player’s shoes What do you want them to feel as

they play? What decisions can they make? How do they affect the course and

outcome of the game? What must they do that might not

be “enjoyable” (especially: recordkeeping)?– So how can this be eliminated?

April 18, 2023

The stages of completion of a non-video game design Idea Notes about idea Detailed notes about idea Rough board/layout of pieces (if any) Detailed board/layout (if any) Prototype (pieces/cards added) Solo-played prototype Prototype played by others Full written rules (rarely done before others have

played) "Settled" game Blind testing "Done" (but still subject to change, especially by

manufacturer)

April 18, 2023

The stages of completion of a video game design Idea Notes about idea Detailed notes about idea Game treatment “Rules”—very detailed design document Computer Prototype (usually for show) Playable Prototype (usually new code) Development Testing “Done”

April 18, 2023

Design vs. “development”

“Development” has two meanings– In video games, it means writing the

program– In non-video, development (often by a

person other than the designer) sets the finishing touches on a game, but may include significant changes

– Development takes longer than design, in either case

April 18, 2023

The designer’s game vs. the game that’s published Video games are often overseen

by the publisher, who is paying the bills; so it is modified to suit as it is developed

Non-video games are often unseen by the publisher until “done”; some publishers then modify them, often heavily

April 18, 2023

The fundamental structures of any game (video or non-video) The idea behind this: if you’re

designing a game, you have to decide what to do within each of these categories

This helps you conceptualize your game, turn it from ideas into something of substance

If one of these structures isn’t involved, you probably have a toy or puzzle, not a game

April 18, 2023

Structures: 1. Theme/History/Story

– Games are usually, though not always, models of a reality

2. Objective/victory conditions– If the game doesn’t end, or has no winner, it

may be a toy or puzzle 3. “Data storage”. (Information

Management)– How do we represent/model the state of affairs?– This is often a board, pieces, cards in non-video

4. Sequencing– Simultaneous movement? Turn based? “Real-

time”?

April 18, 2023

Structures… 5. Movement/Placement

– How are objects translated from one place to another

6. Information availability– Is all information known? Fog of war?

Uncertainty? 7. Conflict resolution/interaction of

game entities– Can there be any conflict at all? Shooting?

Swordplay? Spells? Jumping?

April 18, 2023

Structures… 8. "Economy" (resource acquisition)

– Many traditional games have little or none

– Money in Monopoly, “kinging” in checkers 9. Player Interaction rules

– Negotiation?– Trading or auctions?– No direct interaction?

There are many more aspects to the structures than listed here

April 18, 2023

Example: Tic-Tac-Toe Theme: abstract game Victory: three in a row, can be a draw Storage: the 3 by 3 array Sequencing: take turns placing one

piece Movement: place one “piece” at a time Information: all available Conflict: cannot occupy space occupied

by opponent’s “piece” Economy: unlimited pieces Player Interaction: none special

April 18, 2023

Example: Pac-Man Story: not much… Victory: get through all the levels Storage: square array in the computer Sequencing: simultaneous movement Movement: your single “piece” moves to

adjacent square Information: all available Conflict: depends on timing, “death” to

touch Economy: can earn additional “pieces”

(lives) Player Interaction: none special

April 18, 2023

Example: Chess Theme: abstract but used to represent warfare Victory: checkmate opposing king, can be draw Storage: the 8 by 8 array Sequencing: take turns moving one piece Movement: one “piece” at a time, varying

movement capabilities (and: castling and promotion)

Information: all available Conflict: occupy opponent’s space to eliminate

it Economy: promotion only Player Interaction: none special

April 18, 2023

Example: Doom (video version) Theme: Mayhem! Victory: survive and reach a goal Storage: some kind of array in the computer Sequencing: real-time Movement: More or less as a person would Information: “Fog of War”, much uncertainty Conflict: shooting of various types, melee Economy: can earn additional lives Player Interaction: none special

April 18, 2023

Example: Axis & Allies (board) Theme: World War II worldwide Victory: take and hold enemy capitals Storage: area map Sequencing: take turns Movement: move all pieces each turn, land-

sea-air limitations Information: all information known Conflict: move into enemy area, dice rolling

varying with attacker and target unit types Economy: use industrial points to purchase

new units, technology Player Interaction: none special

April 18, 2023

Example: Civil. III (Computer) Theme: Growth of civilization through the ages

(historical, more or less) Victory: Reach the stars (technological development),

conquest, or other means Storage: square array in the computer Sequencing: turn based Movement: move all your pieces/do all your actions

each turn Information: “Fog of War”, much uncertainty Conflict: Enter enemy unit’s square, rules for firing,

technology determines units you may construct Economy: very complex resource management,

pollution, taxes, etc. Player Interaction: Via diplomacy rules

April 18, 2023

Example: Britannia revised Theme: History of Britain 44 AD-1085 AD Victory: Accumulate more points than anyone else,

score in a variety of ways such as holding certain areas Storage: board, 37 land areas, 5 seas Sequencing: turn based by nation, not by player Movement: move all your pieces/do all your actions

each turn, move two areas usually, overruns Information: all information available Conflict: Enter enemy unit’s area, dice rolling after

movement modified by terrain, leaders Economy: Increase of forces based on number of areas

held and terrain; additional units arrive from overseas Player Interaction: Negotiation only allowed at the table

April 18, 2023

Design Challenges

Take a traditional game and change one of its structures– “Kriegspiel” chess—hidden movement– Use dice for combat in chess– Simultaneous movement for Tic-Tac-Toe?– Or change the data storage in Tic-Tac-

Toe• a 4 by 4 square array, and allow wins with 4

in a row or 4 in a square (much better game, actually)

April 18, 2023

And 19 questions that you’ll answer sooner or later “Distinct” questions (yes/no, or just

a few possible answers): (“digital-style” questions)

What is the genre of the game? Is it competitive or cooperative? Is it Symmetric or Asymmetric? Is it Zero-sum (ZS) or Non-zero-sum? How many (human) "sides" (generally, 1,

2, or many) and (human) players? Is this an “emergent”/rules-dominant

game or a “role-assumption”/story-dominant game?

April 18, 2023

19 questions continued Spectrum questions (a wide range of possibilities

along a spectrum, “analog-style” questions) How “big” and how long will the game be? How complex is the game? What is the role of chance, how much does chance play

a part in the game? How strongly will the decisions of the players influence

the outcome of the game? Which kind of skill does a player need to use,

adaptability, or planning? Which kind of skill does a player need, quick reactions

(typical in shooters, for example), or careful deliberation?

What is the level of Fluidity or Chaos? Is the game largely "mechanical" or "psychological"?

April 18, 2023

19 questions concluded Other questions: What is the outstanding mechanism

involved? What are the dynamics of being ahead or

behind in the game? What phases does the game naturally fall

into? Is the game "serious" or "just for laughs"? Is the game “ruthless” or “nice”

(competition or entertainment)?

April 18, 2023

Brief “what’s important” Know your audience! What do they like? No game can

satisfy all tastes. Know your objectives! What are you trying to achieve? Design is “10% inspiration and 90% perspiration”,

especially if you also develop the non-video game. Writing usable rules (or doing the programming) is the

hardest part. Write everything down (and back it up). Playtesting is “sovereign”. No matter what you think

about how the game will work, only efficient playtesting will actually show how it works. Without a playable prototype, you have *nothing*! (That’s only a slight exaggeration.)

April 18, 2023

Ideas are cheap (easy); a playable game is much harder to create.

Players must be able to influence the outcome of the game by their choices amongst non-obvious alternatives–otherwise it’s not a game (though it might be a story or a toy or a puzzle). .

Be willing to change the game again and again. Hardly any idea is original...but ideas can be used in new

ways. And there’s almost always a new way to treat any subject (many, many ways to do real estate–Monopoly is only one).

Games are supposed to be fun. But “fun” means different things to different people.

Keep in mind the nine fundamental structures of games:

The road to the complete game: 1. Ideas, 2. Playable ideas, 3. Prototypes, 4. Play solo, 5. Playtest, 6. Fully written rules, 6. Keep experimenting. 7. “Blind” test.

April 18, 2023

Example: the progress of a design . . . Design constraint: I wanted a game that

primarily used colored glass beads (“stones”)—elegant, visual effect– Likely to be abstract, then—not enough variety for

anything “realistic” But how much variety can you get with one

kind of piece (even chess has many kinds); how could I provide variety?– Introduce a random but somewhat controllable

element– Dice undesirable to publishers nowadays– Why not use cards to change the rules (from Fluxx,

CCG)

April 18, 2023

“Law & Chaos”

What to change?– Victory conditions (pattern of stones

needed)– Capture methods

Has led to a series of games, all dynamically changing two fundamental aspects of play

April 18, 2023

Books about game design Academic

– More about game analysis than about design– Rules of Play by Salen and Zimmerman, MIT Press

(game design as “Art”—very academic) Video-game oriented

– Tends to platitudes and generalities, because it’s so hard to create and try a video game

– Rollings and Adams on Game Design, New Riders Marketing oriented

– Primarily about how to get the attention of publishers– Game Inventor’s Guidebook by Brian Tinsman

How-to– Well, there aren’t any! for boardgames; a few being

done for video games now

April 18, 2023

Some Web resources IGDA (Game developers) Boardgamegeek.com Boardgamedesign Yahoo Group rec.game.design (limited) Board Game Designers Forum (online) Sloperama.com Gamespot.com, gamewire.com Gamesjournal.com (no longer published,

but read the archives)

Questions?