information 2 robin burke gam 224 spring 2004. outline admin systems of information cybernetics...
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Information 2
Robin Burke
GAM 224
Spring 2004
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Outline
Admin Systems of information Cybernetics
Feedback loops
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Admin
Assassinnew rules (see defrag.depaul.edu)deadline to join: Fridaygame starts: Monday
"Rules" paperdue: 10/10 = 12 daysstart to identify thesis / analytic angle
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Information
Information theory says that information is a quantitymeasured in bitsbased on the ambiguity of the
situation Says nothing about how messages
are generated or interpreted
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Interpretation
Irrelevant to information theory Crucial if we want to understand information in games Example
Game behaviors are more meaningful if• the player can discern success and failure• the behavior has a direct connection to the overall
outcome The game must communicate to the player
• "you did it wrong"• "you're close to winning"
Game must lead player to a correct interpretation
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Semiotics 1
Meaning is encoded in signsverbal, gestural, sartorial, etc.
Examplearchitectural configurationthe necktiea yellow ribbon
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Semiotics 2
The sign has two parts signifier
• the expression that is made
signified• what the expression represents
The meaning of a signifier is conventional "ya" means "I" in Russian, but "yes" in
German hitchhiker's gesture
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Semiotics 3
Decoding a sign is interpretation How the sign is interpreted depends on
the interpreter the context
Games establish a context for signs words, actions, symbols, visual cues the designer creates signifiers for the
important elements of the game the player must learn to extract their
meaning
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Semiotics 4
Meaning is created by the interpretation of signifiers in context
A game designer creates a new context with new meanings using particular signifiers
But not in a vacuum signifiers are usually borrowed from the
wider culture the design may rely on aspects of their
conventional meaning
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Example: Chess
Signifiers shapes of pieces names for pieces
Cultural Meanings powerful societal roles
In-Game Meanings ability to move ability to control space
Think about the "King"
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Example: Almost every FPS
Signifiersred cross
Cultural Meaningsign for hospital
In-Game Meaningan opportunity to recharge "health
meter"
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Systems of signs
Signs do not stand alone signs are interpreted in the context of other
signs Consistent semiotic structure
makes your game easier to understand players enjoy decoding clues
• if there is a sensible pattern Example
Mario Bro's Superstar Saga• Enemies that can be attacked with electricity
usually wear or carry something metallic.
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From signs to information
The interpretation of signs yields information
Informationabout the state of the gameabout the game environmentabout what just happenedabout what might happen next
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Systems of information
Incomplete information makes for interesting gameplaywhy playing cards have a front and
back Types of information
publicprivatehidden
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Information economy
Games of information often have an "information economy"a system through which
• hidden information is revealed• private information becomes public
Like all economiesbased on exchange
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Example 1
Gin Rummy I don't know what cards my opponent holds If I discard a card and she picks it up
private information is revealed but she is closer to winning
Tradeoff benefit = knowledge of cards held cost = improved opponent position
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Example 2
First-person shooter I don't know what opponents are in the next
room or what the layout is
If I walk in I'll learn what the opponents are but I might get killed
Tradeoff benefit = tactical knowledge cost = risk of defeat
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Information as reward
Often information is a reward (more about rewards in "Play" unit)
If you are successful in some action the game reveals more information
If you take some extra effort to explore the environment
Could be what to do next
the location of something valuable a map etc.
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Example
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Information seeking
Players will take action to gain information reduce uncertainty enable preparation / planning
Meaningful choices arise when there are multiple ways to learn when those choices have different costs /
consequences when those choices yield different kinds or
qualities of information
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Information revealing
(Especially in multi-player games) Players may need to keep certain
information hiddengain advantage over opponents
Meaningful choices arisewhen exercising an option that might
disclose valuable informationin the possibility of deception
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Game Design Issues
What kinds of information are inherent in the design?
What is the status of the information during the game?
How is information communicated? How is hidden information revealed? What are the costs of information? What meaningful choices revolve around
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Information Flow
Systems have objects that interactInformation is a quantity that objects in
a system may exchangeWeiner developed cybernetics to
explain this type of system Cybernetics is an attempt to unify the
study of engineered and natural systems
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Cybernetic Systems
Cybernetics is about control How is the behavior of a system controlled?
Control implies that there are parameters that should be maintained Example: temperature
• human body• car engine
Control implies information Temperature messages
• "too high"• "too low"• "OK"
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Feedback Loops
Basic loop A cybernetic system needs a sensor that
detects its state The information detected by the sensor is
then compared against the desired value If the value is not correct, the system adjusts
its state the sensor detects this new state, etc.
The system maintains stability by feeding the information about its state back
to the process producing the state
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Two Types of Feedback Loops Negative Feedback Loop
"inhibition" As the state changes, the loop acts to move it in the
direction of its previous state Example
• thermostat Positive Feedback Loop
"excitation" As the state changes, the loop acts to move it in the
direction that it is moving Example
• automobile turbocharger• home team advantage
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Audio example
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Feedback Loops in Games
From book
game state scoring function
controllergame mechanical bias
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Example
game state state of a fighting game
scoring function player's health
controller near-KO
bias increase chance of critical (high damage) hit
on opponent
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Effects?
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Example 2
game state state of the chessboard
scoring function the number of pieces taken
controller for each piece taken
bias add a pawn to the taker's side in any position
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Effects?
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Examples
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Multiple Loops
Games may have multiple feedback loops in operation Examples
racing game• a player who falls behind may be better power-ups• AI racers may adjust their ability to keep pace with player
RPG• killing monsters gives experience points for gaining levels• as a player gains levels, they gain better weapons and greater
abilities• more success at killing monsters, etc.• but
• game is designed so advanced areas have tougher monsters• levels get farther and farther apart
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In General
Negative feedback loopsincreases system stabilitymakes the game last longermagnifies late successes
Positive feedback loopsdestabilizes the systemmakes the game shortermagnifies early success
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The Other Sense
We also use the word "feedback" to mean praise vs criticism "I got some negative feedback on the
proposal, so I'm revising it." This is not the same
psychological sense of feedback• information about the quality of something
• good or bad cybernetic sense of feedback
• a dynamic established by a system's structure that pushes its state in one direction or another
• in response to information
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Game Design Issues
Know what feedback is going on in your systemanalyze how game mechanisms
combine to produce feedback Feedback may be undesirable
negative feedback may make a successful player feel punished
positive feedback may magnify ability differences between players
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Monday
Quiz #1: Rules Game design exercise