Comparative Studies of popular computer games' design principles Re-Volt VS Mario Kart Wii Tong Chun Kit d Wong Wing Fai d Lung Wing Kiu d Kwan Kai Hong d

Re-Volt DevelopersAcclaim Cheltenham PublishersAcclaim Entertainment PlatformPC Release date 1999 Genre(s)Racing (Radio control car), Simulation ModesSingle player, Local multiplayer, Online multiplayer Input Methods Keyboard, Joystick

Mario Kart DevelopersNintendo EAD PublishersNintendo Native Resolution 480i 480p PlatformWii Console Release date2008 Genre(s)Racing (Go-kart-style) ModesSingle-player, Local multiplayer, Online multiplayer Input methods Wii Remote, Wii Remote + Wii Wheel, Wii Remote + Nunchuk, Gamepad

Player groups and characteristics Re-Volt All ages, gender and demographic groups Targeted on teenagers and kids Multi-languages For both hard gamers and casual gamers Mario Kart Wii All ages, gender and demographic groups Targeted on teenagers and kids More friendly to females Multi-languages For both hard gamers and casual gamers

Reinforcement – Stimulus Re-Volt Control a cool and popular RC car Attack enemies and escape the attack from enemies Using driving skills and driving boards Mario Kart Wii Love driving Attack enemies and escape the attack from enemies Using driving skills and driving boards

Reinforcement – Challenges Re-Volt Player begin from the last Easy challenge get small reward Difficult challenge get big reward Mario Kart Wii Player begin from the last Easy challenge get small reward Difficult challenge get big reward Do extra missions gain special reward

Reinforcement – Rewards (Re-Volt) Modes – Racing unlock: Complete the first in the race to unlock – Mission unlock: Collect items to unlock Rewards – Cars – Tracks

Reinforcement – Rewards (Mario Kart Wii) Modes – Racing unlock: Complete the first in the race to unlock – Mission unlock: Collect items to unlock – Event unlock: Play all tracks once to unlock Rewards – Cars / Motors – Tracks – Items – Characters

Reinforcement – Difficulty Depend on the player car performance NPCs will use cars with similar capabilities.

Reinforcement – Strategy Development Re-Volt Car selection Items collected Shortcut Driving skills Mario Kart Wii Car selection Character selection Items collected Driving skills Cooperate missions

Reinforcement – The concept of Luck While player pick up the item Randomly assign a weapon or an item to player All players can collect items Some powerful items are more difficult to get Worse player have more chance to get a more powerful item

Reinforcement – Satisfaction Begin as the last and complete as the first

Cognitive Dissonance Conflict with a person’s believes and attitudes Players drive “dangerously” to win Intentionally crash other players to make them lose

Cognitive Dissonance They don’t drive like that in real world – Creates dissonance Solve dissonance by changing thoughts – Players think they are in a game not in the real world, it’s different! – Use unrealistic design in the game to let players distinguish from real world

Theory of Regret If the player complete the second in the race, he will win the race If the player can complete the race earlier one second, he may get any rewards Players may occur some unfortunate events or mistakes, e.g. player’s car crashed to the wall or be attacked by the enemy car If the player goes wrong direction or path, he will probably lose this match

Cognitive System – Cognitive Skills Both games has an easy learning curve They have to learn – Track environments – Using the pickups tactically/skillfully Players need to multitask when playing – Puts great deal of load to cognitive system – Tasks: Drive fast without crashing Pickup items Attack

Cognitive System – Motor Skills Transform cognitive skills to motor skills – Thoughts -> key presses React very quick like reflex action to win Examples – If the road is moving right, right key needs to be pressed – Avoid obstacles – Get back to track as fast possible after crash

Cognitive System – Memorizing Short term memory – Where the items placed – Where each player is – Who is heading Long term memory – Shortcuts – Crashing mistakes

Cognitive System – Coordinating Re-Volt Hard to control Realistic physical environment More demanding player skills Mario Kart Wii Easy to control Approximated simulation physical environment Less demanding player skills

Cognitive System – Attention Design Re-VoltMario Kart Wii Screen elements designed according to needed attention

Cognitive System – Attention Design Attention shifts not as many as RTS games – Focused mainly in driving Attention shifts are different according to situation Last position or behind most players – Avoid crashes – Pickup items – Attack First position – More focused in driving – No opponents in front to attack

Cognitive System – Attention Design Attention duration should also be considered in design Players in different environments have different characteristics Play mobile game while waiting for bus – Easily distracted and lose attention – Can’t expect long continous attention – Gameplay lasts for minutes Play console game at home – Dedicated time – Less distraction – Gameplay lasts for hours Above is reflected in the design in the racing games

Cognitive System – Interference among game knowledge Experience in playing games generally How to drift the car Pass through the curves with the minimum speed reduction

Cognitive System – Visual Transformation Transform what they see on the screen into an imaginary 3D space Camera/Viewport have to be well designed – Ease visual transformation by player’s brain In Mario Kart Wii/Re-Volt – Camera at the back of car – Predictable Left side of screen is left side of car Going into the screen is the front side of car – Easy to understand

Social and Cultural characteristics – Cultural difference Re-Volt The style of the game elements are more realistic Most of them are come from the real world Mario Kart Wii Fictional & unrealistic style Cartoonish color scheme

Cognitive System – The concept of Fun (Physical fun) Experience a simulation of driving in the real world. Enjoy driving in high speed

Cognitive System – The concept of Fun (Social fun) Both Re-Volt and Mario Kart Wii support multi-players mode and allow many people to compete with each others or cooperate to win a battle or defeat a boss.

Cognitive System – The concept of Fun (Mental fun) Both Re-Volt and Mario Kart Wii share a similar Mental fun – Pressure build-up and release Aimed by other players behind Being over taken by other players/ cannot desert other players

Cognitive System – The concept of Fun (Mental fun) Mario Kart Wii also provides another source of mental fun – BGM The players’ emotion may be driven by the BGM of tracks, special BGM for different event and voices of the characters

Cognitive System – The concept of Survival Both Re-Volt and Mario Kart Wii share a similar survival concept – Familiarize with the controlling technique of different cars – Familiarize with the tracks – Familiarize with the weapons characteristics

Other design elements – Play mechanics Both Re-Volt & Mario Kart Wii have Intelligent NPCs The collision response simulation is quite different

Other design elements – Interfaces design (Re-Volt) 1. Current place 2. The total time, last lap time and best lap time elapsed 5. Item collected 3. Distance between front car 4. Distance between back car 6. Car speed 7. A direction sign

Other design elements – Interfaces design (Mario Kart Wii) 3. Item collected 4: Mini-map 2. The total time elapsed 1. Current place

Other design elements – Graphical & Game elements design Re-Volt: toy-feeling RC cars design(antenna, electric motor, batteries etc.) Items design(fireworks missiles, bowling balls) Tracks design(supermarket, museum, ship) Mario Kart Wii: fictional & unreal Characters & cars design (cartoonish & fictional, original from other Mario series) Items design (original from Mario series) Animated 3D characters (cheering, stunning)

Other design elements – Audio and Music Re-Volt No BGMs Only SEs present in the game Mario Kart Wii BGMs and SEs present in the game Different track has different BGMs Some special BGM will be played when some special events occur

Other design elements – Control Schemes Re-Volt Support keyboards and joysticks Control keys can be changed base on players’ preference Mario Kart Wii Support Wii remote only, Wii remote with Nunchuk or Wii Wheel

Other design elements – Game Modes Similarities and differences in game modes Game ModesRe-VoltMario Kart Wii Single playerYes Multi-playerNoYes Link PlayYes ChampionshipYes BattleYes Time trialYes

Conclusion How to apply the learnt theories into the analysis Realize that minor gameplay characteristics may affect the gameplay a lot