Game Design (spilldesign Våren 2018) #4 Game Design (spilldesign Våren 2018)

Recap The Game Designer High-Concept Concept constraints and considerations

Concept Constraints and Considerations cont...

Concept type New concept Follow-up concept Add-on concept Remake concept ”Single” idea ”Multiple” idea

New Concept High risk Hard to estimate Costly Creative

Follow-up Concept Low risk Manage expectations Uninspiring

Add-on Concept Prolong product life Cheap(ish) Low tech risk

Remake Concept Risky from market perspective Low design risk

”Single idea” concept Very high risk Hard to estimate

”Multiple idea” concept Moderate risk Hard to estimate Costly

Platform Considerations Display Sound Storage and memory CPU & GPU Power Controls & Interface Network capabilities

Display Considerations Standard Definition (SD) – 640x480 High Definition (HD) – 1280x720+ Aspect ration 4:3, 16:9, 16:10 etc. PC resolutions – 1920x1200+ Portable devices resolutions Contrast & Brightness Color reproduction

Sound Considerations Stereo Surround sound Headphones Portable systems

Storage and Memory Hard Drive space Internal memory Install space Cache space Save games Internal memory PC Console Portable

Power Considerations CPU(s) GPU Memory Sound

Controls and Interface Considerations Joypad Keyboard & Mouse Touch screen Custom devices Control conventions Interface conventions

Network Considerations Server Client User Hardware

Technology Considerations External technology Internal technology Tools Editors

Market Consideartions Target audience Past products Present products Future products Release window

Production Considerations Time Human Resources Talent External talent

Classroom exercise: Write High Concept for an existing game Must be: Recent High-profile Document in english

Early Concept Phase Guidelines

Challenge Constraints

Challenge Ideas

The Concept makes or breakes the game

Concept mistakes can cost millions downstream

Most ideas never make it into concepts

Most concepts never make it into design and implementation

One clever idea does not make a great game (usually)

Ideas are cheap – production is costly

Avoid design by consensus

Do not fall in love with your ideas

Know games

Know the gamer

If you truly believe in an idea – be prepared to fight for it

Re-iterate concept until good

The Concept

Concept document(s) Comprehensive Complements high concept document Story Setting Game component breakdown Interface & controls Multi-player gameplay Single-player gameplay Characters AI Etc.

Competetive analysis document Provides overview of competing products Research on Current products Upcoming products Brief text per product Positives Negatives

Risk assessment documents List of risks specific to the concept Should include Chance of risk Effect of risk Resolution of risk

The ”Pitch” document Sales document External use Based on high concept Time and cost

How to come up with a good game concept?

Fundamentals:

”Something you would like to make”

”Something you would like to play”

”Something you truly believe others would like to play”

Why do people play games?

”People like a challenge”

”Provide a sense of achievement”

”Provide a sense of mastery”

”Opportunity to socialize and belong to a community”

”Provide an emotional experience”

”Provide for exploration and discovery”

”Facination, inspiration, fantasy”

”Give the player an interactive experience”

”Escapism”

What do the players expect?

Consistency

Direction

Immersion

Incremental challenge

Repetition

Fair chance

Conformity

Conclusion

Tutored

What the players don’t want...

Getting hopelessly stuck

Inconsistent difficulty

Unfair opponents

Repetetiveness

Bugs

Mandatory exercise #1

3 parts High Concept Competetive analysis Risk assessment

Student formed groups (3-4 students per group) – ask me before making smaller or bigger groups! Delivery as 3 separate documents (.pdf format) In english! Deliver by: March 12th! (email documents to me – jaschjer@gmail.com – topic should include ”oblig”)

High Concept A game of your own idea – quality of idea not important Size of the game idea should be a typical ”tripple A” game (i.e. Something you would buy in shop at full price) The purpose is to communicate the concept/idea as clearly and precisley as possible!

Keep in mind that the target audience are not gamers Try to make the document as easy to read as possible Focus on overall idea – not the details. Use previous lectures as guideline! Use common sense – think about what you are trying to do! Reiterate your document!

Competetive analysis Focus on relevant games Do your research! No need to write a lot about each game – keep it brief. Purpose is to communicate that you have an overview and insigth into the game genre (of your game concept).

Risk assessment Focus on what you believe are specific risks to your game. Write down the risk, what would happen if the risk occurs, and what one should do if so happens. There are no definite answers here – use your head and think things through!

READ THE EXERCISE TEXT!