motivating player in open worlds
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I WANT TO GO TO THEREMotivating Players in Open GamesJoel Burgess, Senior DesignerBethesda Game Studios
Simple QuestionHow do you go about making levels for open-world games?
Level Design
Single Player Multiplayer
Linear Non-Linear
InteriorExterior
FPS
MMORPG
RPG
RTS
HorrorAdventure
Co-Op
Competitive
WHAT ARE OPEN GAMES?Welcome to My Sandbox
Define“Open”
Player Agency
Why Are We Fascinated?• What makes Open games so interesting?– Best positioned to fulfill the core promise of
videogames– Old Hat, but interactivity is what makes our
medium special, and interactivity is the focal point of Open Games
Why Are Open Games Important?
Tandem Authorship
The Unpredictable Player• Trained to Defy Direction
• Will always confound you
• Not, actually, a jerk.
Player-Designer Contract
• The Player is in Control
Player-Designer Contract
• The Player is in Control• Stay Backstage
Player-Designer Contract
• The Player is in Control• Stay Backstage• Fulfill Expectations
Player-Designer Contract
• The Player is in Control• Stay Backstage• Fulfill Expectations• Player Story > Designer Story
CREATING THE FRAMEWORKEnabling Player Participation
Setting Up For Fun
Environmental Techniques
Distant Landmarks
Nearby Landmarks
Distant Ruins
Farms
Carriage & Caravan Merchants
Giant(Companions Quest Hook)
Point Lookout Video Introduction
Motion in Environment
Prior Knowledge•Roads•Bridges•Signposts•Distant Smoke•Flowing Water•Lit Windows/Fires•Tracks of Vehicles/Creatures
Don’t Forget Audio
WHAT’S OUR GOAL? IT’S GOALS.Yo dawg, I heard you like goals.
Goals & Player Motivation• Aim for the player to always have a goal• Know what goal types your game permits
Goal Types• Explicit Goals• Player Determined Goals• Emergent Goals• Goals of Opportunity• Out-of-Game Goals
Components of a Goal• Perceived Risk/Reward• Commitment• Inherent Interest
Are We Powerless?• No!
Provide Interesting Goals For the Widest Possible Range of Player Interests
DESIGNING FOR FREEDOMKnowing is Half the Battle
Deliberate Distraction
A B
Ente
rtai
nmen
t
Time
Yawn…
Deliberate Distraction
A BX
Y
Z
Deliberate Distraction
A B
Ente
rtai
nmen
t
Time
X Y
Dealing With Empty Area
“Just for Looks”
The Iconic Rope Bridge
Handling for Open Games
Dragon SoulBoss Chest
Word of PowerDragon Priest Mask
Consolation Loot
LARGE-SCALE MOTIVATIONConsiderations for Big Worlds
Same Problem, New Scope
POI Density
POI Density• POI Options• Time per POI• Your Desired POI Density• Vertical “Chunk” Estimate• Extrapolate Against Time in Schedule
Fallout 3 ExamplesAdding and Cutting
(even when it hurt)
Fallout 3 Example: DC Neighborhoods
Thanks For Listeningemail [email protected] @joelburgessfacebook “level design in a day” group