Multiplayer Games By: Miss Dinnella

Competition and Cooperation No matter how convincing a computer-controlled character is, it never produces the same thrill as another human bring taking part in the game. Independent Competition Dependent Competition Independent Cooperation Dependent Cooperation Mix and Match

Independent Competition The simplest way to create a competitive game mode is to make players take turns playing the single-player game and declare the player who does the best to be the winner. Another way is a split screen of players to play independently but against one another Gives players a chance to enjoy the game if other player is more skilled; more time to play Both of these competitive modes is that neither create interactions between the players-each player is still excepted to play independently and performance is compared at the end of the game

Dependent Competition Creates interaction between players provide each player with a game play experience that is dependent on their opponent. Often this is achieved by setting the game play with a shared environment. Could be split screen as well. Could be less rewarding or less game play if other player is much more skilled Stronger/weaker characters; handicap settings; and catch-up mechanisms are used to create a more enjoyed and balanced game.

Independent Cooperation Allows players to work toward the same goal but are not necessarily required to work together or interact with each other to achieve it. Meaning one player could survive on its own if the other player dies. Coin-operated games

Dependent Cooperation Encourages players to interact or collaborate in order to achieve the game’s goals rather than just both bring on the same side. One way of achieving this is to give your players different roles or skills within the game.

Mix and Match Multiplayer games rarely fall neatly into one category. Cooperative games often turn competitive for a while when a health pickup appears on the screen and competitive games often involve a whole set of unwritten rules that players cooperate to enforce. Multiplayer games rely on human beings interacting with one another, so they are simple or predictable! Nonetheless, they do provide a powerful way to motivate players, allowing designers to create some of the most enjoyable playing experiences around.

QUICK THINK! Give me an example of each of the following games: Independent Competition Dependent Competition Independent Cooperation Dependent Cooperation

Balanced Beginnings You will learn practical techniques for ensuring that your characters are balanced from: Equivalent Characters Balancing Differences Balanced Choice Weighting Choices Cyclic Relationships

Equivalent Characters Providing all players with directly equivalent features is a sure way to guarantee that no player has an unfair advantage. Games that provide characters that look completely different but provide the same characteristics and skill. However, carefully balanced differences between characters can often make a more interesting multiplayer game and increase the longevity of the gameplay.

Balancing Differences Including gameplay differences between characters provides players with meaningful choices right from the start of the game. However, this becomes meaningless if the players discover that one character always has an advantage over the other. Fight over characters= NOT GOOD Make a list of characteristics (varied) to make the game more interesting Giving the characters a variety of these strengths and weaknesses you created will make a more enjoyed game.

QUICK THINK! Make a list of the characters from Super Mario Brothers. Once you made that list give me the strengths and weaknesses for that particular character. Ex: Character – Mario – Strength – Fast - Weakness – Small

Balanced Choice Just because players start off on an equal footing doesn’t necessarily mean that the game will remain balanced. In some ways, this is expected-after all, one player has to win the game at some point by gaining an advantage. Nonetheless, it is still important to offer players a fair and balanced opportunity to make choices within the game.

Weighting Choices Example: Building an Army Helps to make the options that players have in the game both interesting and fair. However, once one player has built an army larger than their opponent, then the outcome of the game becomes fairly predictable. Once a player knows they can easily win outright with their superior might, the remainder of the game becomes less interesting for both players.

Cyclic Relationships Example: Rock, Paper, Scissors These kinds of relationships forces a player to fight more tactically, bringing in different characters to support each other depending on the type of enemy they are facing. This creates a more interesting game, and one in which a clever tactician can turn the tables on his opponent even when fighting against superior numbers.

Balanced Computer Opponents Multiplayer games include the option for computer- controlled opponents to make up the numbers in games. Unsurprisingly, players expect the same level of fairness against computer opponents as human ones.

Artificial Stupidity For computer games, the term artificial intelligence is deceptive as it suggests that computer opponents should behave as intelligently as possible. Should behave as humanly as possible. You do NOT want to make the computer player to difficult to beat or too easy to beat

Summary Make multiplayer games more fun to play by: Including competition and cooperation Making players interactions with the game dependent on each other Balancing the game for players Multiplayer games can be balanced by: Providing equivalent characters (less desirable) Providing balanced characters with different strengths and weaknesses Weighting choices to provide interesting trade-offs Including cyclic relationships to provide richer gameplay