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Game Design
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Overview Folk games [Costikyan] “Traditional” games, cultural origins
Examples: Tic-Tac-Toe (Naughts and Crosses) Chess Go Backgammon Poker
![Overview Folk games [Costikyan] Traditional games, cultural origins](http://slideplayer.com./slide/13327175/80/images/2/Overview+Folk+games+%5BCostikyan%5D+Traditional+games%2C+cultural+origins.jpg "Examples: Tic-Tac-Toe (Naughts and Crosses) Chess. Go. Backgammon. Poker.")
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Overview There is no one “right” way to design
There are many successful approaches Specific requirements and constraints of each project and team determine what works and what does not. This introduction scratches the surface
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The Language of Games Game development – a young industry
The language of game design comes from how we talk about existing games Standards are still being formulated Theory Practice Terminology
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The Language of Games Why do we play? What is the nature of games?
Not a designer’s problem...or is it? What is the nature of games? Not a designer’s problem How is a game formed of parts? The designer’s problem
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The Audience's Motivation
4 Keys 2 Fun – Nicole Lazzaro Serious Fun Meaning/value from relaxation, excitement Hard fun Adversity, challenge, strategy and problem solving Easy fun Intrigue and curiosity – exploration and adventure People Fun Stimulating social faculties – competition, teamwork, bonding, recognition, (shared) amusement
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Aesthetics and Frame Aesthetics Frame Emotional responses during play
Naïve practical approach, not classical Frame The border of a game’s context Inside the frame is in the game Outside the frame is real life
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Approaching Design Computer games are an art form
Game design practices can be taught Game design is a technical discipline like music, film, poetry The art of making dynamic models
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Approaching Design A model represents something Mental/Cognitive
Concepts Beliefs Maps Examples: Locations Relationships Mathematical Equations Formulas Algorithms
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Approaching Design Abstract model Abstract game One rule
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
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Creativity Ability to create
Ability to produce an idea, action, or object considered new and valuable
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Creativity Classic approach - Graham Wallace Preparation Incubation
Background research and comprehension Incubation Mulling things over Insight Sudden illumination – Eureka! Evaluation Validating revealed insights Elaboration Transforming the idea into substance
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Creativity Brainstorming Generating ideas without discrimination
Evaluation after elaboration Can be unfocused
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Creativity Six Thinking Hats
White Hat – neutral and objective Red Hat – intuition, gut reaction Black Hat – gloomy, naysayer Yellow Hat – Pollyannaish, optimistic Green Hat – growth and creativity Blue Hat – process and control Symbolize perspective worn by people involved in the creative endeavor Edward de Bono
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Inspiration Board games Card games Paper RPGs Books Sports Film
Spatial relationships Card games Resource management Paper RPGs Dynamic narratives Books Fantasy and agency Sports Team competition Film Continuity techniques Television Serialized stories Music Temporal systems Martial arts Discipline in action Children Invention
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Genres Genre – a category describing generalities of conventions, style, and content
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Genres Action Adventure Arcade Casual Education Fighting
First-person shooter Platform Racing Rhythm Role-Playing (RPG) Simulation Sports Strategy Puzzle Traditional
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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
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Premise Story is the typical example of premise Time Place Characters
Relationships Motivations Etc.
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Premise Premise may also be abstract Encompasses all game elements
Tetris operates under a metaphor The metaphor: arranging colored shapes Encompasses all game elements Player discussions use the language of the premise
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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
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Premise Goes beyond setting and tone Alters the players' mental model
Basis of player understanding and strategy
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Premise Possible Plausible Capable of happening in the real world
Possible within the unique world of premise “Makes sense” within the game’s premise Consistent with the premise as understood
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A Player-Game Model A model of the player – game relationship
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A Player-Game Model Mechanics Interface System Things the player does
Communication between player and game System Underlying structure and behavior
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Play Mechanics Gameplay (Play/game) Mechanics
Feelings of playing a particular game Activities engaged in a particular game (Play/game) Mechanics Specific to game activities “What the player does”
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Seven Stages of Action Execution Evaluation Intention to act
Sequence of action Execution of action sequence Evaluation Evaluating interpretations Interpreting perceptions Perceiving states
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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
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Seven Stages of Action Goals turned into intentions to act
Specific statements of what is to be done
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Seven Stages of Action Intentions put into an action sequence
The order internal commands will be performed
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Seven Stages of Action The action sequence is executed
The player manipulates control variables
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Seven Stages of Action The state of the game is perceived
State variables are revealed via the interface
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Seven Stages of Action Player interprets their perceptions
Interpretations based upon a model of the system
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Seven Stages of Action Player evaluates the interpretations
Current states are compared with intentions and goals
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Seven Stages of Action Donald Norman’s approximate model
Actions not often in discrete stages Not all actions progress through all stages
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Seven Stages of Action Scales to… …an individual mechanic
A “primary element” Examples: Move Shoot Talk …an entire game A generalized model of interaction
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Designer and Player Models
Systems are built from designer mental models Design models may only anticipate player goals
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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
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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”
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Choice and Outcome Choice Outcome Possibility space
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
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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
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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”
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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
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Goals and Objectives Objectives Goals
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)
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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
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Resources 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
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Economies Economies Questions regarding game 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?
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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
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User Interface Interface Input Output Game controls
Presentation, and feedback Input Player to game Output Game to player
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User Interface Elements
Contains both hardware, software, and performance elements. Hardware such as game pads and touchscreens Software such as engines Performance such as pressing a button
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Interface – main display
Typical perspectives: First-person Over-the-shoulder (OTS) Overhead (top-down) Side Isometric
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Interface - audio General categories of audio Music Sound effects
A powerful tool for establishing mood and theme Sound effects Dialog
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Interface Controls Control inputs Physical input devices
User manipulations of the controls They are not strategies Example: a sequence of buttons to perform a combo Strategies involve deciding when to perform, and which to perform
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Interface Keymaps and Control tables/diagrams
Show input, action, and context
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Interface Front-end In application software In games
The visible portion of the application In games GUI elements not displayed during play
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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
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Interface Mapping An understood relationship between two things
Especially the relationship of a model to its subject Examples
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HCI and Cognitive Ergonomics
HCI – Human-Computer Interaction Study of… Communication between users and computers How people design, build, and use interfaces Better support for cooperative work Cognitive Ergonomics Analyzes the cognitive representations and processes involved with performing tasks
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Design of Everyday Things
Norman’s five principles of design Visibility Making the parts visible Mappings Understandable relationships between controls and actions Affordances The perceived uses of an object Constraints Prevent the user from doing things they shouldn’t Feedback Reporting what has been done and accomplished
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Systems Emergent complexity Emergence
Behaviors that cannot be predicted simply from the rules of a system Emergence Coined by George Henry Lewes in 1873 See: John Conway’s Game of Life
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Psychology Working Memory
Holds roughly 7 ± 2 items at one time while other cognitive operations on them
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Psychology Attention Method of enhancing perceptions relative to other stimuli in the same environment How we focus on important things Limited capacity
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Psychology Classical conditioning
Reaction to stimulus is conditioned by pairing with another stimulus that elicits the desired response naturally
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Psychology Unconditioned stimulus – Meat
Unconditioned response – Salivation over meat Conditioned stimulus – Tone Conditioned response – Salivation over tone
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Psychology Operant conditioning Operant Reinforcement contingency
Learning by encouraging or discouraging Operant A response; the action in question Example: pressing a button Reinforcement contingency Consistent relationship between the operant and a result in the environment
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Psychology Reinforcers Positive reinforcement Negative reinforcement
Increase the probability an action will be repeated Positive reinforcement Positive stimulus that reinforces the behavior Ex. Use umbrella and be dry Negative reinforcement The removal or prevention of a negative stimulus Ex. Use umbrella and keep from getting wet Punishment Reduces the likelihood of a behavior with a stimulus Ex. Being burned by a hot stove
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