Developing Games for Exhibitions/Events - Tales, Challenges, and OMG Moments from the Trenches

Pisal Setthawong

Co-Founder

Pigsss Games

Pisal Setthawong

• Game Developer – Co-Founder Pigsss Game Studio – Industry Veteran entrusted to

Committees on many International/National Level Game Development Events

• Lecturer – Tenure at Department of CS,

Assumption University – Guest Lecturer and Project

Committee at Many Other Leading Universities around Thailand

http://www.linkedin.com/in/pisal

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 2

Pigsss Games

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 3

Pigsss Games Contact

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 4

Phone 083 434 4111 Email info@pigcanfly.com Website http://www.pigcanfly.com

Content

• Introduction

• Why Game Developers Usually Avoid Making for Events/Exhibitions?

• Tales, Challenges, and OMG Moments from the Trenches

• Design Philosophies – A. Chang’s Recommendations

• Q&A

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 5

Games for Exhibits/Events

• Games to be used in Exhibitions and Events usually used to promote a COMPANY, a PRODUCT, a PROJECT, or an IDEA

• Game Developers usually do not like making Games for Exhibitions and Events!!!???

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 6

TALES, CHALLENGES, AND OMG MOMENTS

Tales from the Trenches

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 7

Case Study TechnoBots (PTT)

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 8

TechnoBots

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 9

Initial Requirements

• Multimedia Kiosk inside CTW

– Use Kinect for Simple Motion Capture to Control TechnoBots Avatar

– Develop a Custom Kinect based Game for Play

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 10

Motion Capture

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 11

Game Play

Fruit Ninja Clone Apple Catch Clone

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 12

Event Launch Siam Paragon (25/05/2013)

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 13

Exhibition Digital Gateway (26/05/2013-25/06/2013)

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 14

WHY ALL THE HATE? Why Game Developers Usually Avoid Making for Events/Exhibitions?

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 15

Decisions Evolve around the Organizers

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 16

The Game is only a Small Cog in the Big Machine

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 17

The End Goal is Not Making the Best Game Possible!

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 18

A Huge Co-Production

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 19

Many Unknowns Out of Your Control

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 20

Changing and Unclear Requirements Throughout the Project

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 21

Final References are Usually Delivered Very Late

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 22

Demand for Something Fresh and New But with a Very Tight Deadline

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 23

Requirement to Standby at Event

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 24

DEADLINES CANNOT BE BROKEN

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 25

Long Payment Periods

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 26

THE POSITIVES Maybe there is something good after all!

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 27

Working with Different Types of People and Personalities!

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 28

They Pay You, Eventually

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 29

DESIGN PHILOSOPHIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS

A. Chang’s Recommendations

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 30

Quick Games – High Turnover

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 31

Players should be Able to Play the Game Without Tutorial!

Clones of Popular Games are Good For Events!

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 32

Easy to Reset/Restart

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 33

Minimum Screenflow

TITLE

GAME

RESULT

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 34

Accurate Estimates and Leave Nothing to Chance

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 35

Flexible Resolutions

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 36

You aren’t the Boss!

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 37

Games are part of the Promotional Event

Embrace Change (Changing Requirements)

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 38

Keep your Cool and always Propose Alternative Fixes

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 39

Enjoy Your Job!

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 40

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Yes, No, Okay?

© 2013 Pisal Setthawong 41

Email: pisalst@gmail.com