1. Creative Plagiarism How to make a new game based on an old game Scott Kim, Shufflebrain Casual Games Conference Jul 19, 2005

2. We all steal Tetris + Columns, Puyo Puyo Bejeweled + Jewel Quest, Big Kahuna Makigame + Collapse, Poppit Diner Dash + Wild West Wendy

3. PITCHING : Easy sell MARKETING : Built-in audience PRODUCTION : Re-use assets GAME DESIGN : Proven play pattern And for good reason

4. It’s nothing to be ashamed of Immature poets imitate; mature poets steal. T. S. Eliot

5. It’s nothing to be ashamed of The old guys stole all our best ideas. Frederick Goudy

6. The challenge is to do it well 1. S EQUEL TO HIT GAME 2. A DAPT TO NEW MEDIUM 3. I NSPIRE NEW IDEA

7. From my experience designing puzzles PRINT TOYS MOBILE PC/CONSOLE WEB DOWNLOADABLE

8. 1.SEQUELS (and clones)

9. MOVIES: Spiderman II PC GAMES: Sims II CASUAL GAMES: Bejeweled II Common in all media

10. WORSE : Matrix Reloaded BETTER : Toy Story II SERIES : Harry Potter Issue: how to extend the original

11. Ask yourself What do you lose? What do you keep? What do you add? ORIGINAL SEQUEL

12. Shrek II Lose plot point: Fiona’s secret Keep theme: be true to self Add character: Puss in Boots ORIGINAL SEQUEL

13. Bejeweled II Lose nothing Keep play mechanic Add play modes, rewards ORIGINAL SEQUEL

14. Change look: Sweet Tooth, Nisqually… 1. Change something

15. Change look: Sweet Tooth, Nisqually… Change goal: Jewel Quest Goal: turn board gold 1. Change something

16. Change look: Sweet Tooth, Nisqually… Change goal: Jewel Quest Add modes: Action, Puzzle, Endless 1. Change something

17. Change look: Sweet Tooth, Nisqually… Change goal: Jewel Quest Add modes: Bejeweled II, Tetris Change rewards: Bejeweled II 3 in a row = clear 4 in a row = bomb 5 in a row = hypercube 1. Change something

18. 2. Fix what’s wrong Inconsistent rotation + unified

19. 2. Fix what’s wrong Inconsistent rotation + unified Exhausting + 3-minute sprint

20. 2. Fix what’s wrong Inconsistent rotation + unified Exhausing + 3-minute sprint Single-player + Tetris Battle

21. 2. Fix what’s wrong Inconsistent rotation + unified Exhausing + 3-minute sprint Single-player + Tetris Battle No cascades + Tetris Cascade

22. 3. Balance complexity

23. Larger board: 7x7 grid +

24. 3. Balance complexity Larger board: 7x7 grid New piece: 2x2 square

25. 3. Balance complexity Larger board: 7x7 grid New piece: 2x2 square Alternate exits

26. 3. Balance complexity Larger board: 7x7 grid New piece: 2x2 square Alternate exits Train theme

27. 2. A DAPTATIONS

28. BOOK + MOVIE : Harry Potter MOVIE + GAME : Spiderman WEB + MOBILE : Bejeweled Across media, across platforms

29. BAD : Rubik on PC, Final Fantasy movie GOOD : Lord of the Rings movies NATURAL : Tetris mobile Issue: how to adapt faithfully

30. Three rules of adaptation 1. Avoid what’s hard 2. Keep what’s essential 3. Add what’s possible MEDIUM 1 MEDIUM 2

31. Book vs. Movie Avoid inner thoughts Keep character, plot, setting Add visceral action BOOK MOVIE

32. Web vs. Mobile Avoid big screen, mouse Keep play mechanic Add online element WEB MOBILE

33. Rule 1. Avoid what’s hard Tangrams (Juniornet.com): physical + web

34. Avoid 3D Driv3r (Atari/Glu): console + mobile

35. Don’t always have to avoid Zuma (Popcap/Glu): web + mobile

36. Dell Crossword (Blue Lava): print + mobile If you can’t avoid it, innovate

37. Rule 2. Keep what’s essential Final Fantasy (Square Enix): PS2 + mobile

38. Top Gun (Mforma): movie + mobile Keep action

39. Keep mental experience Tangrams in Discover: physical + print

40. Rule 3. Add what’s possible What is unique to the medium? How can that add to the game? Experiment and see where that leads!

41. Add authoring Tangrams on Juniornet.com

42. Puzzle Inlay (Gamehouse) Add scoring & error recovery

43. Add bells and whistles Convenient access Improved interface Undo Levels of difficulty Interactive tutorials Automated opponent Algorithmically-generated puzzles Sound and graphics

44. 4. Design for the medium You Don’t Know Jack

45. 4. Design for the medium Daily Puzzle (Glu Mobile)

46. 3. I NNOVATION

47. Take poetic license Romeo & Juliet + West Side Story Seeds with thorns + Velcro

48. Three rules of innovation 1. Look wide 2. Break assumptions 3. Dig deep

49. 1. Look wide

50. Tetris was inspired by pentominoes

51. 2. Break assumptions Make it 2d

52. 3. Dig deep Rubik’s cube is a permutation puzzle Like a 2D sliding block puzzle

53. 3. Dig deep Multiple pieces move at the same time.

54. 3. Dig deep 2D equivalent of rotation

55. 3. Dig deep COGITO 2D puzzle Slide row/column With wraparound Fill 9 center squares 100 levels

56. 3. Dig deep Keep core idea: simultaneous motion Change everything else Just 2 simultaneously moving objects

57. Double Maze Move both balls onto both stars at the same time http://www.shufflebrain.com/doublemaze.html

58. C ONCLUSIONS

59. 1. SEQUEL Change something Fix what’s wrong Balance complexity

60. 2. A DAPTATION Avoid what’s hard Keep what’s essential Add what’s possible Design for the medium

61. 3. I NNOVATION Look wide Break assumptions Dig deep

62. Scott Kim, Shufflebrain scottkim.com