Designing for Casual Adventure Games Miguel Tartaj Casanova Lead Game Designer Dream Chronicles Dream Chronicles 2 “The Eternal Maze” Dream Chronicles “The chosen child”

These aren't HOGs HOGsPuzzle adventures Find the objects from a given list (many times not coherently with story or puzzle) Think how to use the things you find (always with relation with a puzzle and/or story) No inventory (or not very common) Inventory management None or very little puzzle variation as you advance. Constant variation on puzzles Time limits (commonly)Untimed (generally)

Warning! This can be expensive: This not a repeated level-based arcade scenario – you can’t just repeat with new level design each new scene. So it’s more expensive. Here you have a small quick snap on how we produce one scene, from initial idea, to draft, to pre-production, to production and final touches.

First draftColored draft First 3d draftFinal in game scene

#1: Hook with story fast Hook? A reason to play and explore. Why with story? Because this is a “sticky vehicle” for wondering what’s next. Player’s will want to know what happens next. Example: first screen in Dream Chronicles (powerful start + first screen explains many things visually). Three Rules of Design for Adventure puzzle “Everyone fell into a deep enchanted sleep except me… I wake up in my bedroom… my husband is gone”

#2:Blending Blending? Integrating story with puzzle. Play with the game (and games), the story, the choreography of the moment, the graphics and audio, try to squeeze all options. The better blended everything is the more immersed the player will be. Example: Merrow’s house electricity set up and surrounding puzzles

#3: Meat and bones Not every puzzle in the game can be better than the previous one. Try to get some really good “meat” puzzles then surround them with “bones”. Meat puzzle: whenever possible, something the player hasn’t done before. Original, new, & “player transporter” puzzle. Bone puzzle: direct puzzle, basics of the puzzle not original. Example: Stonehenge area in Dream 2.

Bone above: find and place tiles to unlock one of the doors.

Meat above: a door opens the path to a machine that produces those tiles; another one to a device that brings “sun molds” to be use on that machine and the third one goes beneath the waterfall on the back (where the player really wants to go…)

1.Be original. A simple copy is not enough; you can’t simply take a game, copy it and add a new feature, you need many ideas and blend things well. 2.Identify why your idea would be really good or outstanding; then make that value very prominent in the design of your game. 3.Make your game speak for you without words. Adventure puzzles: standing out in a crowded field

Designing for Casual Adventure Games Miguel Tartaj Casanova Lead Game Designer Dream Chronicles Dream Chronicles 2 “The Eternal Maze” Dream Chronicles “The chosen child”