not only esports - how to design games that are fun to watch

Not Only In eSport:Making A Game Fun To Watch

Ohad Barzilay

• In the Game Industry since 2004.• Deepmist, Mytopia, 888, New Legends• Worked w/ Dreamworks, MGA, Endemol, Showtime, Lionsgate• Academic: Beit Berl Game Studies, IDC Game Program• Producer at Sidekick, working on an upcoming Rovio title.

Who Am I

• Mobile competitive games experience• Geared for generating Video • In-game Community Management Component.

New Legends

Age of Video (& Streaming)

• Service for streaming/watching live game sessions• Acquired by Amazon for $970M in Aug 2014• 106 minutes watched per unique viewer• 100m unique viewers monthly• 1.8m monthly broadcasters• 1m concurrent viewers

Age of Video (& Streaming)

Age of Video (& Streaming)

Age of Video (& Streaming)

• Non eSports titles are extremely popular• Mobile and PC games in top 10 popular games on

YouTube Gaming• Lets-Play videos & streams of online stars have

massive views

Not Limited To eSports

Not Limited To eSports

Not Limited To eSports

• Massive Discovery Channel • One big youtuber playing the game can lead to big success

So, why do we care?

• Doing Let's Play and vlogs on YouTube• Has 40M subscribers (biggest on YouTube)• Makes ~$7.4 Million a year • Responsible for Flappy Bird shooting to top charts

Example: PewDiePie

• Massive Discovery Channel • One big youtuber playing the game can lead to big success• Maintain Long Term Interest • Develops Brand Loyalty • Competitive advantage over competitors & clones

So, why do we care?

• eSports tournaments• Matches played by your fav streamers/tubers (many of same game)• Let’s Play videos, Walkthroughs & How-To• Creative Content done within games

Types of video content is being watched

• Narrative based games • IF Story is good • IF Visually pleasing

• Mechanics based games• Competitive• Allow Skill Curve• Provide Drama

• A broadcaster with an interesting personality can make any game work in video. But it can end there.

Types of Games being watched

#1: Prime Guideline

• All Fun to watch games are a Sequence Of Dramatic Moments Which Creates A Story.

• The Drama derives from the Player’s Actions – from the Spectator Point of View.

• Clear Success / Failure Conditions• Clear Participants• Clear Game Arena • Clear Sub Goals (awards bonus/penalty)

• Complexity: Characters with Different Abilities, Different Game Arena, Time limit, Different Sub Goals.

• Results in • Easy to learn, Hard to Master for players• Easy to understand for spectators

#2: Simple and Clear Rules

Every game can be broken into these 3 dominant factors:• Player Skill: Better control skill = Better outcome

• Unit Power: Better unit = Better outcome

• Luck: How Random is the outcome

#3: Allow Skill Curve

• Allows players to develop unique or impressive strategies• Much more fun to watch for players at all levels• Allows “Star Players” which become known and attract audience• eSport titles aspire to have “endless” skill curve

#3: Allow Long Skill Curve

• Pleasing to watch graphics• Clear, steady view• Do not confuse spectators as to

• Who’s the Player• Allies and Enemies• Player’s Actions• Location on the Arena• Damage/Healing• Spells/Skills

#4: Visually Clear & Pleasing

• 100% Deterministic games are less interesting to watch• 100% Luck games are not interesting at all to watch• But allowing – within the rules – some luck can make a good game

to a great game.

• Must be potentially Game Changer• Must be within basic Game Rules• Must be fair for both sides

#5: Allows Uncertainty

• A single game session should be around 30 minutes• Plan “stop & continue later” points (chapters,

episodes, levels etc)• Easier to watch (smaller commitment)• Easier for broadcasters to plan length of

video/stream

#6: Short Game Session

• Has enough depth and complexity to become a “hobby”• Encourage multiplayer (teams, coop, PvP, guilds)• Encourage knowledge and know-how between members• Allow players to connect in-game or online

• “Be Ready When They Come”

#7: Community Oriented

• Basically being watched as a movie• Must have a good plot• Must be visually pleasing

• Video also provide solutions to advancing (Walkthrough type)

• Non-Linear game leads to more videos (with different plot unfolding)

• Examples: The Last of Us, Life is Strange

Narrative Based Games

Rules that apply the most:• Sequence of dramatic moments derived by

player’s choices = Good Plot• Visually Pleasing• Allows Short Sessions (Save points,

Episodes etc)

• Dramatic player choices: Meaningful, Opposite choices on a dilemma, Lose A or Lose B, Relationship-Changing decisions.

Narrative Based Games

• Can be open ended, progression based f2p games (CoC, HearthStone)

• Can be match/level based (StarCraft, Agar.io)• Unlike Narrative games - EVERY game session is

different.

• Competitive (PvP / PvE) – PvP Preferred

Mechanics Based Games

Drama can also be generated by: • Players/ Teams competing against each other • Rare goal achieved (Raids)• Spectators know something the players doesn’t• Use - but to a limit - cinematic dramatic

techniques (Zoom in, Slow Motion, Drums)

Give more time between dramatic peaks (or allow player to control advancement) to allow broadcasters more time to speak about the game.

Mechanics Based Games

• Don’t start a game as an eSport. Make a good competitive game. • Professional Players or Teams are extremely important to viewers.• Have really long Skill Curve.• Match time relay on skill difference but limited in time.• Battle clarity – clear damage, not too many explosions, etc.• Don’t jump a lot with the camera, and if you must – give viewer

visual queues. Do not relay on the minimap.• Shoutcasting is a huge part of the eSports experience. Casters need

some breaks in the action in which they can offer their explanations and analysis.

eSports Specifics

• A game is a Sequence of Dramatic moments, creating a story.• Simple & Clear Gameplay Rules• Allow big Skill Curve (easy to learn, hard to master)• Visually Clear & Pleasing• Includes uncertainty – anything can radically change until the end• Game session is short enough• Inclusive – social events, foster community

Basic Rules for Fun-To-Watch Games

ThanksQuestions?

Ohad Barzilay | @Civaxo

Special case - eSports

Special case - eSports