Game Design25th May 2007

Lynne Hall

Marc Hall

John Hodgson

Joanne Richardson

Session Overview

Introduction

Game design process

ORIENT using games to make learning fun changing the way we play games

Your turn

Games Design

Introduction

Us

Lynne Hall Marc Hall John Hodgson Joanne Richardson

ENTICE School of Computing and Technology

http://www.cat.sunderland.ac.uk/

Digital World

Complex digital world Digital natives and the digitally eloquent

Input from cinema Cuts, montage, flashbacks

Input from interaction Engagement, entertainment, persistence

Evolving literacy Being able to read and write in emerging forms of

media Digital life

Production as well as consumption Learning, extending, sharing

Game Environments

Lots of video games in contemporary society Realism-based simulations

Contemporary car racing games Business simulations Sports, combat and civilization development

Abstract simulations Adventure and fantasy – Role playing games Space battle games

Puzzles Tetris Traditional table top games (e.g. Scrabble, Cards)

What do you like about your favourite games?

Reward Immersion Competition Escape Challenge Relaxation Excitement Intellectual stimulation Accomplishment Variety

Entertainment Control Humour Role playing Social interaction Discovery Aesthetics Creation Advancement

What do you dislike about games?

Punishment Tedium Inconsistency Presentation glitches Boredom Frustration Interruption Crashes Eyestrain Wrist fatigue Poor acting/plot

Characteristics of a Good Game

Easy to start, tough to master

Intuitive controls – easy to do it

Balanced difficulty ramping

Gradual learning curve

If it isn’t fun, it won’t be played…

Educational Computer Games

1,000s of educational software titles Cater for specific age groups Usually follow the main stages of the curriculum Can be not fun at all! Some games that are fun and can help learning

Zoombinis Some examples of fun games that can be used for

learning

Zoombini’s Logical Journey

Teaching maths to 4-8 year olds

Puzzles within a games world

Effective learning whilst having fun

Makes maths accessible and understandable

Fun to play Doesn’t feel like learning

Using games to learn

Business simulations Combat training

Wargaming scenarios MarineDoom

Learning to fly / drive Flight simulation Rubens Barichello –

practices using F1 driving games

Simulation

The Sims (EA) Simulation of life Manipulation of

characters, events and culture

Allows exploration of alternative approaches

Social creativity

Strategy

Age of Empires (Microsoft) Decision making Responding to diverse

conditions Use of resources Defence & attack Building empires

Story / Quest

The Settlers 4 (Bluebyte) Identifying resources

needed for survival, subsistence and success

Understanding of basic building blocks of societal development

Puzzle

Rollercoaster Tycoon (Atari) Design Aesthetics Resourcing Issues Finance versus fun Marketing

RPG / Action

World of Warcraft (Blizzard) Active participation in

stories Problem solving

involving complex puzzles

Collaboration Goal-oriented activity

Case Study: RunescapeGames can be good for you!

3 year study Positive results

Teaches valuable skills Requires collaboration Mirrors real world aspects Work-related learning

Prof. David Buckingham, of London University's Institute for Education: “computer games should be taught at school, because they are as much a part of modern literacy as reading and writing”

Games as a career?

Many jobs Huge sector Many different skills

Writer Programmer Graphic designer Animator

Many opportunities

Games Design

Games design process

Ideas (Writer)

Very first ideas about what the game will be. Action? Strategy? Life-like? Sports … …

Concept Design (Graphic designer)

Ideas turned into pictures “Concept Art”

Modelling/Texturing (Graphic Designer)

Levels and Characters modelled in 3D Pictures put on the models to make them more

detailed.

Programming

Programmers (coders) write the software to make the graphics work together

Testing

Testers play the game Look for problems (bugs) Make sure the game isn’t too easy or too hard

Games Design

ORIENT

ORIENT

Overcoming Refugee Integration Empathic Novel Technology

ORIENT

Meant to make learning about friendship fun… Issue: How to use a game to learn about PSHE

and citizenship To help teenagers learn and use friendship

strategies for aiding refugee and immigrant children into becoming part of the class / school

Uses 3D characters and sets

What’s it for?

Purpose of Game: It’s to teach children ways to help people fit in to a

group.

Audience: It is for teenagers about your age.

How it Works!

Different Rooms.

Mobile Phone not a Joy pad.

Real Life Objects.

Lets Have a Look!

Click to Launch ORIENT!

Games Design

Your Turn!

Designing a mini game for ORIENT

Game Overview

What mini-game will involve? What will the users have to do? What will the characters do in the game? What sets do you need? What props?

Game Purpose

What is the point of what the user is doing? How will they succeed? What are the fail conditions?

Game Outline

Game as a cartoon strip (Storyboard) Main events (Mind Mapping) Possible event outcomes What is meant to happen What is start event (How will it start?) What is end event (How does it end?)

Storyboards

Just like a comic strip Frames depicting

How will the users interact What is the activity and purpose in the

application What can the children do with the

application Add notes if you need to

Creating storyboards

A4 paper is your screen – you can draw and stick

But it can become “alive” if you want Role-play Acting out what the user would be doing Becoming part of the game

Games Design

Decide on a culture

Choose a culture

CogsLive a cerebral life, with the village resembling a giant library containing meeting rooms and coffee shops. They love to form committees and

place the acquisition of knowledge over anything. Mechs

Live in the middle of the polar region of the planet, living in densely packed multi story apartments. The Mechs believe in moving forward in life through production and love to build various objects.

SpritesLive in a region of the planet that has a dense covering of forest, living in tree houses in balance with the environment. The Sprites believe in an environmentally conscious approach to life, with technology based upon sustainability.

Sprites

Cogs

Mechs

Mind Map

What your ideas are…

Storyboard

What will happen in the game…

In your Groups (max 4):

5/10 min Mind Mapping Game Ideas

Create a Storyboard (comic strip) Model the characters/props Design some sets (where does it happen and

what does it look like) Who is going to present your idea (all of you or

just one?)

Games design

How did you think games were designed? Did you enjoy these approaches? Have you learnt anything? What did you enjoy most?

Summary

Games here to stay Games can have serious as well as fun

purposes Games design involves lots of skills Plenty of opportunities for careers in the games

industry Enjoyable and interesting career