lecture 4: mmx 3043 game design and development

L E C T U R E 4

P L A Y O F G A M E

M I S S L A I L I F A R H A N A M D I B H A R I M

MMX3043

GAME DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT

PRIMARY SCHEMAS OF GAMES

Structural Elements of Games (game mechanic)

Procedure (system)

Player

Artificial setting (objective, resource, boundaries)

Conflict

Rules

Outcome (reward / punishment)

PLAY: Play is free movement within a

more rigid structure.

Dramatic Elements of Games (game aesthetic)

Style

Plot

Character

Setting

Theme

L.F.M.I.2014 2

STRUCTURE ELEMENTS OF GAME

PROCEDURES

Method of play and the actions players can take to achieve the game objective.

Described in the control section of the manual.

L.F.M.I.2014 3


PROCEDURES

Method of play and the actions players can take to achieve the game objective.

Described in the control section of the manual.

L.F.M.I.2014 4


PROCEDURES

4 types of procesures in most games: Starting action: how to put a game into play

Progression of action: ongoing procedures after the starting action.

Special actions: available conditional to other elements or game state.

Resolving actions: bring gameplay to a close.

L.F.M.I.2014 5


PLAYERS

Roles of players

Number of players

Player representation

Player interaction patterns

L.F.M.I.2014 6


5 styles of player interaction patterns.

L.F.M.I.2014 7

L.F.M.I.2014


Artificial Setting: Objectives (goal)

Capture/ destroy Chase Race

To take or destroy

something of the

oppenets while avoiding being

captured or killed.

To catch the opponent,

or elude one if you are

the player being chase

To reach a goal-

physical or conceptual-

before the other

players.

WarCraft

Pac-Man

Virtua Race 8

L.F.M.I.2014



Allignment Rescue or escape Forbidden act

To arrange your game

pieces in a certain

spatial configuration or

create conseptual

alignment between

catofories of pieces.

To get a defined unit or

units to safety.

To get the competition

to break the rule by laughing, talking,

making wrong move or

doing something they

shouldnt.

Bejeweld

Prince of Pesia

Ker-Plunk 9

L.F.M.I.2014



Construction Solution

To build, maintain or manage

objects within a directly

competitive or indirectly

competitive environment

To solve a problem or puzzle before

(or more accurately) than the

competition.

The Sim City

Zelda 10



Exploration Outwit

To explore game areas and almost

always combined with a more

competitive objective.

To gain and use knowledge in a

way that defeats the other players.

Colossal Cave Adventure

Trivial Pursuit L.F.M.I.2014 11


Artificial Setting: Resources

Assets that can be used to accomplish a certain goal.

Managing the players access to resources is the most important key feature to game balance.

Lives Units Health

L.F.M.I.2014 12



Currency Actions Objects

L.F.M.I.2014 13



Terrain Time

L.F.M.I.2014 14


Artificial Setting: Boundaries

Boundaries of games create the magic circle, a temporary world where the rules of the game apply

rather than the rules of the ordinary world.

Physical boundaries vs conceptual boundaries

L.F.M.I.2014 15


Conflict

Conflict emerges from the players trying to accomplish the goals of the game within its rule and boundaries.

Design into game by creating rules and procedures that do not allow to accomplish goals directly.

3 types of conflict: Obstacles

Opponents

Dilemmas

Keep the ball from escaping the

field of play using only the flippers L.F.M.I.2014

16


Rules

Underlying mechanisms Core gameplay

Tic-Tac-Toe

Super Mario Bros

Players take turn in putting a stone of their colour on the

playing field.

The player that first gets three in a row wins.

A player control Mario, making him

walk, run and jump, while avoiding

traps, overcoming obstacles, and

gathering treasure.

L.F.M.I.2014 17


Outcomes

The game checks whether end condition is achieved. If so the game terminates.

The player wins if he had achieved some predefined goals

Reward: related to the goal of the player.

4 types of reward Score

Surprise

Extension of game

Valuable inside the game

(extra power, tool, etc)

L.F.M.I.2014 18

DRAMATIC ELEMENTS OF GAMES

Style

It is called as genres that identifiable by the goal of the designer wheather that was to frighten you, engage

your intellect, or delight you with the beauty of scenes.

Broad genres are: Action lots of frantic button pushing

Adventure the story matters

Simulation optimization exercise

Educational learning by doing

L.F.M.I.2014 19


Plot

There is plot in any game, but for the most part it is created by the player but not the game designer.

The game is a tool for allowing the players to create stories.

Most in adventure game which it is interactive fiction

L.F.M.I.2014 20


Character

A character enhances the story nd this applies

to the players own characters as well as the

ones you write into the

game.

The choices that the game presents to the

player define the kinds of

character that the

player can be.

L.F.M.I.2014

21


Setting

It is formalized universe governed by a few

logical rules.

L.F.M.I.2014 22


Theme

The philosophical idea that the author is trying

to express.

Level design can steer the player towards the

favored themes of the

designer, but its like leading to achieve.

If a game is to have themes, leaves the

player with freedom of

choice. L.F.M.I.2014 23

EMOTIONS IN GAMES

XEODesign conducted an independent cross-genre research study on why people play games and

identified over 30 emotions coming from gameplay

rather than story

The result revealed that people play games not so much for the game itself as for the experience the

game creates:

An adrenaline rush

A vicarious adventure

A mental challenge

L.F.M.I.2014 24

EMOTIONS IN GAMES

People play games to create moment-to-moment experiences whether they are overcoming a difficult

game challenge, seeking relief from everyday worries,

or pursuing what others calls simply THE JOY OF FIGURING IT OUT

4 keys to emotion without story What players LIKE most about playing

Creates unique EMOTION without story

Already present in ultra popular GAMES

Supported by psychology THEORY and other larger studies

L.F.M.I.2014 25

EMOTIONS IN GAMES

L.F.M.I.2014 26