Game Design

Concept Document How to present your game idea?

How do you design a good game? Do a lot of research Have a good team Test, test, test Prototypes (small, use all tools possible) You can use some of the frameworks around: MDA framework (this week’s labs) Game balance, fit to an old model (e.g. rock, paper, scissors) Read Tracy’s book (chapters 1-5) There are several other good books and papers I can recommend

Let’s see if you know the games I play … Time for Game Trivia Let’s see if you know the games I play …

Game Trivia

Game Trivia

Game Trivia

Game Trivia

Game Trivia

Game Trivia

Game Trivia

Game Trivia

Game Trivia

Outside Resources: Fogg Conceptual Designs (handout) Concept Document Outside Resources: Fogg Conceptual Designs (handout)

Concept Document Use the template supplied by Fogg 1. Title Page Visual to situate your game, genre Design Challenge: what is new about your game 2. Overview Genre, if one exists discuss aesthetics of your game (use MDA to refer to a list of aesthetics)

Concept Document 3. User Description Who is the audience? Age? Gamers? 4. Storyboard of experience : discuss gameplay What is the player doing? GamePlay point out the features of your game show the mechanics that will achieve the aesthetics you pointed out earlier Discuss underlying systems of your game

Concept Document 5. Prototyping: nothing there 6. Features/Functionality More details on the game system More details on the aesthetics More details on the mechanics of the game 7. Justification of the Design Is it based an already accepted system? Or new (can argue for originality)? Basically: why should we give you money to build this game?

Concept Document 8. User Testing: nothing there 9. Shortcomings List problems of the design List Risks 10. Expansion What are the alternative designs you are thinking of trying? 11. Next Steps 12. Summary

MDA framework Slides are Marc’s slides, used at GDC 2005 Marc is a great guy, look up his game Oasis (Warning: very very addictive), but a MUST play

The Designer-Player Relationship   Designer Player

The Designer-Player Relationship   Game Designer Player

The Designer-Player Relationship   Creates Consumes Game Designer Player

The Designer-Player Relationship   Creates Consumes Game Designer Book Player

The Designer-Player Relationship   Creates Consumes Game Designer Book Movie Player

The Designer-Player Relationship   Creates Consumes Game Designer Book Movie Painting Player

The Designer-Player Relationship   Creates Consumes Game Designer Book Movie Painting Chair Player

The Designer-Player Relationship   Creates Consumes Game Designer Book Movie Painting Chair Car Player

The Designer-Player Relationship   Creates Consumes Game Designer Book Movie Painting Chair Car Pizza Player

The Designer-Player Relationship   Creates Consumes Game Designer Player The difference is the way that games are consumed.

An Extreme Opposite Example: A Theatrical Play The “design team” knows: Script Lighting Acoustics Seating Intermissions

Games, on the Contrary The designer doesn’t know: When will the player play? How often? For how long? Where? With Whom? And most importantly... What will happen during the game?

Obligatory Editorial This lack of predictability is the essence of play. It should be embraced, not eschewed.

Games as Software Code

Games as Software Code Process

Games as Software Code Process Requirements

Games as Software Code Process Requirements Rules

Games as Software Code Process Requirements Rules Activity

Games as Software Code Process Requirements Rules Activity “Fun”

A Design Vocabulary Code Process Requirements Rules Activity “Fun”

A Design Vocabulary Mechanics Code Process Requirements Rules Activity “Fun”

A Design Vocabulary Mechanics Dynamics Process Requirements Game “Fun”

A Design Vocabulary Mechanics Dynamics Aesthetics

The MDA Framework Mechanics Dynamics Aesthetics

Definitions Mechanics: The rules and concepts that formally specify the game-as-system. Dynamics: The run-time behavior of the game-as-system. Aesthetics: The desirable emotional responses evoked by the game dynamics.

The Designer/Player Relationship, Revisited Mechanics Dynamics Aesthetics   Designer Player

The Player’s Perspective Mechanics Dynamics Aesthetics  Player

The Designer’s Perspective Mechanics Dynamics Aesthetics  Designer

But they are causally linked Three “Views” of Games Mechanics Dynamics Aesthetics But they are causally linked

The Building Blocks: Formal Models No Grand Unified Theory Instead, lots of little models We can think of models as “lenses” Models can be formulas or abstractions Discovering new models is an ongoing process

MDA is a “Taxonomy” for Models Knowledge of Aesthetics Knowledge of Dynamics Knowledge of Mechanics Knowledge of the interactions between them

Properties of Good Models We want our models to be: Formal (well-defined) Abstract (widely applicable) Proven (known to work) On any given game, we expect to use several different abstractions, not one big one.

Part III: MDA in detail In this part, we discuss Aesthetics, Dynamics and Mechanics in detail.

The Designer’s Perspective Mechanics Dynamics Aesthetics  Designer

Understanding Aesthetics We need to get past words like “fun” and “gameplay.” What kinds of “fun” are there? How will we know a particular kind of “fun” when we see it?

Eight Kinds of “Fun”

Eight Kinds of “Fun” Sensation Game as sense-pleasure

Eight Kinds of “Fun” Sensation Fantasy Game as make-believe

Eight Kinds of “Fun” Game as unfolding story Sensation Fantasy Narrative Game as unfolding story

Eight Kinds of “Fun” Game as obstacle course Sensation Fantasy Narrative Challenge Game as obstacle course

Eight Kinds of “Fun” Game as social framework Sensation Fantasy Narrative Challenge Fellowship Game as social framework

Eight Kinds of “Fun” Sensation Fantasy Narrative Challenge Fellowship Discovery Game as uncharted territory

Eight Kinds of “Fun” Game as self-discovery Sensation Fantasy Narrative Challenge Fellowship Discovery Expression Game as self-discovery

Eight Kinds of “Fun” Game as mindless pastime Sensation Fantasy Narrative Challenge Fellowship Discovery Expression Submission Game as mindless pastime

Clarifying Our Aesthetics Charades is “fun” Quake is “fun” Final Fantasy is “fun”

Clarifying Our Aesthetics Charades is Fellowship, Expression, Challenge Quake is Challenge, Sensation, Competition, Fantasy Final Fantasy is Fantasy, Narrative, Expression, Discovery, Challenge, Masochism Each game pursues multiple aesthetics. Again, there is no Game Unified Theory.

Clarifying Our Goals As designers, we can choose certain aesthetics as goals for our game design. We need more than a one-word definition of our goals.

What is an “Aesthetic Model?” A rigorous definition of an aesthetic goal States criteria for success and failure Serves as an “aesthetic compass” Some examples…

Goal: Competition Model: A game is competitive if players are emotionally invested in defeating each other. Success: Players are adversaries. Players want to win. Failure: A player feels that he can’t win. A player can’t measure his progress.

Goal: Realistic Flight Simulation Model: Flight dynamics match user expectations. Success: Match a mathematical formula Pass our “realism checklist” Failure: Counter-intuitive system behavior.

Goal: Drama Model: A game is dramatic if: Its central conflict creates dramatic tension. The dramatic tension builds towards a climax.

Goal: Drama Success: Failure: A sense of uncertainty A sense of inevitability Tension increases towards a climax Failure: The conflict’s outcome is obvious (no uncertainty) No sense of forward progress (no inevitability) Player doesn’t care how the conflict resolves On to Dynamics...

Understanding Dynamics What about the game’s behavior can we predict before we go to playtest? How can we explain the behavior that we observe?

Formalizing Game Dynamics Input Output Rules (Player) (Graphics/Sound) State The “State Machine” Model Examples: Chess, Quake

Models of Game Dynamics Again, no Grand Unified Theory Instead, a collection of many Dynamic Models. Dynamics models are analytical in nature. Some examples…

Example: Random Variable This is a model of 2d6: Chance in 36 Die roll

Example: Feedback System A feedback system monitors and regulates its own state. Room Thermometer Heater Too Cold Too Hot Controller Cooler An Ideal Thermostat

Example: Operant Conditioning The player is part of the system, too! Psychology gives us models to explain and predict the player’s behavior.

Where Models Come From Analysis of existing games Other Fields: Math, Psychology, Engineering… Our own experience On to Mechanics...

Understanding Mechanics There’s a vast library of common game mechanics.

Examples Cards Shooters Golf Shuffling, Trick-Taking, Bidding Ammunition, Spawn Points Golf Sand Traps, Water Hazards

Mechanics vs. Dynamics There’s a grey area Some behaviors are direct consequences of rules. Others are indirect. “Dynamics” usually means the latter.

Mechanics vs. Dynamics There’s a grey area Some behaviors are direct consequences of rules. Others are indirect. “Dynamics” usually means the latter. Dynamics and Mechanics are different views of games.

Mechanics vs. Dynamics There’s a grey area Some behaviors are direct consequences of rules. Others are indirect. “Dynamics” usually means the latter. Dynamics and Mechanics are different views of games. Dynamics emerge from Mechanics.

Interaction Models How do specific dynamics emerge from specific mechanics? How do specific dynamics evoke specific aesthetics?

Example: Time Pressure “Time pressure” is a dynamic. It can create dramatic tension. Various mechanics create time pressure: Simple time limit “Pace” monster Depleting resource

Tuning is an iterative process. Part IV: Tuning Analyze Test Revise Tuning is an iterative process.

Use of Sissy fight as an example game Play the game Reflect Fiddle with the mechanics to create an aesthetic Play test