Today Game play Arno Kamphuis Game Design 2010-2011 • The focus of a game • The ingredients of a game • Different types of analysis of games • Rules • Different types • Mechanics • Context • Meaningful-play • But first... Practical assignments Deadline • Deadline first assignment was last week • All other deadlines have been extended • Deadline for assignment 7 will be extended as well Next assignments • First, come up with five concepts (ass. 2) • Second, select the ’best’ concept • Finally, elaborate on this concept (ass. 3) The Five Concepts • Come up with five different concepts • Try to base them all on the research • You need to make them different • They do NOT need to be all Adventure or all RPG • Describe them in a very simple fashion Executive Summary Executive Summary • Concept Title • Player Experience • Game mechanics • Play mechanics • Story & Theme • Visual Style • References At most 250 words per concept! Concept Selection • Try to formulate a set of criteria you think are important for you • Based on these criteria rank the concepts • Select the ’best’ concept • You may want to use ideas from the other concepts Concept Development • You need to elaborate on the best concept • Maybe try to make a (paper) prototype • Based on the experiences write down more details • But do this with thought! Concept Document Concept Document • Similar to the executive summary • More toward a real game design • More elaborate: • Rules • Setting • Goal • etc... At most 1500 words! Remarks Deadline • Remember: you still have to learn about the aspects of game design • So, this concept is NOT set in stone • That is the reason for the design document to be at the end • Documents exist to be changed! Monday October 4, 2010 at 17h00 The focus of a game Questions? The focus of a game • Game play • Materials, moves, rules, balance, winning,... The focus of a game • Game play • Materials, moves, rules, balance, winning,... • Simulation • Internal mechanics of the virtual world, physics, AI,... • Story • Setting, storyline, immersion, dramatic effect, motivation,... The focus of a game • Game play • Materials, moves, rules, balance, winning,... • Simulation • Internal mechanics of the virtual world, physics, AI,... The focus of a game The focus of a game The focus of a game The focus of a game The ingredients of a game • Traditional games were close to corners • Tendency to move to the center • Is this desirable? • Realistic simulation might interfere with game play • Game play requires user control; Stories require designer control The ingredients of a game The ingredients of a game • Core mechanics • The rules • Core mechanics • The rules • Storytelling and narrative • Storyline • Dramatic effect • Motivation • Involvement The ingredients of a game The ingredients of a game • Core mechanics • The rules • Storytelling and narrative • Storyline • Dramatic effect • Motivation • Involvement • Interactivity • How players perceive the world and how they act within it Example: Shooting game How to analyze a design? • Core Mechanics • What is the effect of shooting? • Interactivity • How do you shoot? • What does the target look like? • How do you see the effect? • Storytelling • Why do you shoot? • Changing any of these has huge effects How to analyze a design? • Rules: formal • The moves you can make • Play: experimental • The excitement, immersion, pleasure • Culture: contextual • Status as a player • Role of the game in your life and society Rules Rules • Rules limit player actions • Rules are explicit and unambiguous • Rules are shared by all players • Rules are fixed • Although they can change according to fixed rules • Rules are binding • Rules are repeatable Constitutive rules • Define the mechanics, game logic • Examples: • How fast can a unit move • Who wins a battle between two units • How many points do you get for certain actions and how many do you need for certain goals • Winning condition Types of Rules Three types of rules • Constitutive rules • the rules that make up the game • Operational rules • rules of play/interactivity • Implicit rules • rules of etiquette, good sportsmanship etc. Constitutive rules • Normally hidden • Discovering them can be part of the game play • You should facilitate this process • In board games • Constitutive rules are normally known to players • Sometimes only to a game master • Constitutive rules must be relatively simple • In computer games • Constitutive rules can be hidden • Constitutive rules can be very complex • Feedback is important Operational rules • How to play the game • What equipment can be used • Allowed moves, actions in particular situations • Can be simple or very complex • What you find in the instruction booklet Implicit rules • Rules that are not written down • Limited time to make a move • You should not stop • You should not distract the opponent • Become more explicit when game gets more important • For example soccer • In particular important with multiple player • Less an issue in computer games Example: Pacman Example: Pacman • Constitutive rules • Begin situation (level design, number of monsters, etc.) • Behavior of the ghosts (speed, moves, etc.) • How you score points • How long a pill works • How often which bonus items appear • When you win • ... • Operational rules • How you move your Pacman • Implicit rules • Not really Example: Chess Example: Chess • Constitutive rules • Begin situation • (Who starts) • When you win or when there is a draw • Maximum number of moves • Operational rules • What moves you can make • How you make the move • How to give up or reach a draw • Implicit rules • How to behave (no talking, etc.) • Explicit in championships • The amount of time you have • Constitutive when more advanced What to remember! • Rules create the game play • A wrong set of rules destroys a game • Rules must create balance in a game • Rules must be worked out in detail before creating the game • The same constitutive rules can have different sets of operational rules and the other way round (mechanics) • Leads to rather different game play Mechanics Mechanics Mechanics • Tic-Tac-Toe • Players alternately place a stone of their color on an empty field. • The first to make a row of three of his color wins. • 3 to 15 • Players alternately choose a number between 1 and 9. • A number can be chosen only once. • The first to have three numbers that add up to 15 wins. Mechanics • Constitutive rules are the same • Operational rules are different Materials Materials • Board, dice, pieces, ... • In computer games • Way the units look • Landscape • Mini-maps, status information • 3D or isometric • Interface • Influences the experience and the playability • Example: make your own units clearly visible External context • Target group, age • Male - Female • Cultural background Internal context • Background • Storyline • Game setting External context • Social situation • Location where the game is played • Game hall • Living room (consoles) • Private room • In the train • ... Meaningful play Next time • Rules should be elegant and make sense in the internal context of the game • The relation between actions (following operational rules) and the outcome (following constitutive rules) should be reasonable • The rules should make sense in the external (cultural) context in which the game is played • This results in a situation in which players can concentrate on the experience rather than the logic of the game Challenges and rewards Chapter 7 of the book
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