CSCE 590E Spring 2007 Game Design By Jijun Tang

Announcements We will NOT have lab on Wednesday Some groups have not sent me the names First small game is due before spring break Our first presentation of game design is scheduled before spring break

Group Ideas Let’s share some ideas

Definitions Some time lack standard (concrete) definitions Game: Object of rule-bound play Play: Interactions to elicit emotions Aesthetics: Emotional responses during play Frame: The border of a game ’ s context Inside the frame is in the game Outside the frame is real life

The Language of Games Why do we play?  Not a designer ’ s problem What is the nature of games?  Not a designer ’ s problem How is a game formed of parts?  A designer ’ s problem

Approaching Design Computer games are an art form  Digit arts Game design practices can be taught  You do not need to be genius to design games Technical discipline like music, film, poetry

Approaching Design Mental/Cognitive  Concepts  Beliefs  Maps Examples:  Locations  Relationships Mathematical  Equations  Formulas  Algorithms A model represents something

Approaching Design Abstract model  Conceptual and idealized  A tool for investigating specific questions  Simplifies thinking to help understand problems  May include assumptions thought to be false Abstract game  One rule The piece is moved to the open square

A Player-Game Model A model of the player – game relationship

A Player-Game Model Mechanics  Things the player does Interface  Communication between player and game System  Underlying structure and behavior

Control and State Variables Control variables  Inputs from players State variables  Quantities indicating game state

Play Mechanics Gameplay  Feelings of playing a particular game  Activities engaged in a particular game (Play/game) Mechanics  Specific to game activities  “ What the player does ”

Actions Actions not often in discrete stages Not all actions progress through all stages

Seven Stages of Action Execution  Intention to act  Sequence of action  Execution of action sequence Evaluation  Evaluating interpretations  Interpreting perceptions  Perceiving states

Seven Stages of Action A goal is formed  Models the desired state  The desired result of an action  Examples: Have a glass of water in hand Capture a queen Taste ice cream

Seven Stages of Action Goals turned into intentions to act Specific statements of what is to be done

Seven Stages of Action Intentions put into an action sequence The order internal commands will be performed

Seven Stages of Action The action sequence is executed The player manipulates control variables

Seven Stages of Action The state of the game is perceived State variables are revealed via the interface

Seven Stages of Action Player interprets their perceptions Interpretations based upon a model of the system

Seven Stages of Action Player evaluates the interpretations Current states are compared with intentions and goals

Designer and Player Models Systems are built from designer mental models Design models may only anticipate player goals

Designer and Player Models Players build mental models from mechanics  Based upon interactions with the system image The reality of the system in operation  Not from direct communication with designers  Player and designer models can differ significantly

Core Mechanics Typical patterns of action Fundamental mechanics cycled repeatedly  Examples: Action shooters – run, shoot, and explore Strategy game – explore, expand, exploit, exterminate  referred to as the “ four X ’ s ”

Premise The metaphors of action and setting Directs the player experience  Provides a context in which mechanics fit  Players map game states to the premise

Premise Story is the typical example of premise  Time  Place  Characters  Relationships  Motivations  Etc.

Premise Premise may also be abstract  Tetris operates under a metaphor The metaphor: arranging colored shapes Encompasses all game elements  Player discussions use the language of the premise

Premise Games are models Activities being modeled form premise  Actions may appear similar in model  Usually are fundamentally quite different  Sports games are good examples: Playing video games isn ’ t like playing the sport

Premise Goes beyond setting and tone Alters the players mental model  Basis of player understanding and strategy  Possible: Capable of happening in the real world  Plausible: Possible within the unique world of premise “ Makes sense ” within the game ’ s premise Consistent with the premise as understood

Choice and Outcome Choice  A question asked of the player Outcome  The end result of a given choice Possibility space  Represents the set of possible events  A “ landscape ” of choice and outcome

Choice and Outcome Consequence or Weight  The significance of an outcome Greater consequences alter the course of the game more significantly  Choices are balanced first by consequence

Choice and Outcome Well-designed choice  Often desirable and undesirable effects  Should relate to player goals  Balanced against neighboring choices Too much weight to every choice is melodrama  Orthogonal choices – distinct from others Not just “ shades of grey ”

Qualities of Choice Terms in which to discuss choices  Hollow – lacking consequence  Obvious – leaves no choice to be made  Uninformed – arbitrary decision  Dramatic – strongly connects to feelings  Weighted – good and bad in every choice  Immediate – effects are immediate  Long-term – effects over extended period  Orthogonal – choices distinct from each other

Goals and Objectives Objectives  Designed tasks players must perform Rigid requirements – formal Goals  An intentional outcome Notions that direct player action Scales all levels of motivation  From selecting particular strategies …  … to basic motor actions (e.g. pressing a button)

Goals and Objectives Objectives and goals can differ  Players goals reflect their understanding of the game  Designers must consider how the game communicates with players Affordances – the apparent ways something can be used

Resources/Economies Resources  Things used by agents to reach goals  To be meaningful, they must be … Useful – provide some value Limited – in total or rate of supply Economies  Systems of supply, distribution, consumption  Questions regarding game economies: What resources exist? How and when will resources be used? How and when will resources be supplied? What are their limits?

Player Strategy People usually reason with commonsense  A view of linear causation – cause and effect Complex systems do not behave linearly  Players need information to support linear strategy

Game Theory  Branch of economics  Studies decision making Utility  A measure of desire associated with an outcome Payoffs  The utility value for a given outcome Preference  The bias of players towards utility

Game Theory Rational Players  Abstract model players – not real people Always try to maximize their potential utility Solve problems using pure logic Always fully aware of the state of the game

Game Theory Games of skill  One-player games  Outcomes determined solely by choices Games of Chance  One-player games  Outcomes determined in whole or part by nature (chance) Games of Strategy  Competitions between two or more players

Game Theory Decision under certainty  Players know the outcome of any decision Risky decisions  Probabilities of nature are known Decision under uncertainty  Probabilities of nature are unknown

Interface  Input, presentation, and feedback. Input  Player to game Output  Game to player

Interface Contains both hardware, software, and performance elements.  Hardware such as game pads  Software such as engines  Performance such as pressing a button Graphical user interface (GUI)  A visual paradigm of control  GUI is the first impression of the game  And hard to be cross-platform  First: 1984 Macintosh GUI with mouse

Interface Typical perspectives:  First-person  Over-the-shoulder (OTS)  Overhead (top-down)  Side  Isometric

First person

OTS

Overhead and Side

Isometric

Audio Interface General categories of audio  Music Powerful tool for establishing mood and theme Pay attention to license issues  The campus is cited 960 times last year  Sound effects  Dialog

Input Interface Controls  Physical input devices: mouse, key, motion, etc Control inputs  User manipulations of the controls They are not strategies  Example: a sequence of buttons to perform a combo Strategies involve deciding when to perform

Keys Key map or control table  A diagram showing control input, action, and context Mapping: An understood relationship between two things  Map keys by looking at your own hand  Suit your targeted players: small/big

Key maps Complex games have many keys and combinations Ship your game with a detailed key map Control diagrams  Show input, action, and context

Example

Front End Interface Front-end  In application software The visible portion of the application  In games GUI elements not displayed during play Used mainly for input/configure/choice

Hud Interface HUD (Head-Up Display) Displays during play  Shows and other information difficult to present directly in the game environment  Examples Scores Resource levels Mini Map Chat Alerts Level

Huds