Serious Game Design Techniques
Steve Harris
[email protected]
Pace
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Infinity Ward)
Level: “Enemy of My Enemy”
2
Recuperation
3
Command & Conquer Series (Electronic Arts)
Discovery
Fallout 3 (Bethesda)
4
Conflict
Mad Dash Racing: (Crystal Dynamics)
Conflict + Rules
Problem
Tactics\Strategy
Experimentation & Learning
Solution
5
Condorcet Paradox in Gaming
Rome Total War (Activision)
6
Reward Systems
Oblivion (Bethesda)
Operant Conditioning
The more a player uses a specific skill, the more that skill improves
7
XBOX 360 Achievements
XBOX Live Gamertag
Achievements for Viva Piñata (Rare)
8
Halo 3: Heat Maps
Sniper Rifle
Shotgun
Level: Rats Nest
Maps showing location and
number of Deaths for
specified weapon
Halo 3: (Bungie)
http://www.bungie.net/online/HeatMaps.aspx
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Player Assistance
2nd Player can temporarily
take control of the game to
assist 1st player in complex
tasks, using separate
controllers
Viva Piñata (Rare)
1st player takes
Back control of game
Once 2nd player completed
complex tasks.
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Summary
Below the surface of video games, you will find:
“Design by intention, not accident”
Decades of experience to learn from
Many effective design techniques useful for serious games
Many of the techniques are not explicitly documented,
therefore I would recommend you:
“Play to Learn”
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