FCN = Functionality, completeness, Balance. Refinement You have a playable system Play, tweak, play,...

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FCN = Functionality, completeness, Balance

Transcript of FCN = Functionality, completeness, Balance. Refinement You have a playable system Play, tweak, play,...

Page 1: FCN = Functionality, completeness, Balance. Refinement You have a playable system Play, tweak, play, tweak, play, tweak, … Question smaller and smaller.

FCN = Functionality,completeness, Balance

Page 2: FCN = Functionality, completeness, Balance. Refinement You have a playable system Play, tweak, play, tweak, play, tweak, … Question smaller and smaller.

Refinement

• You have a playable system• Play, tweak, play, tweak, play, tweak,

…• Question smaller and smaller details• Especially: Is the game fun?

• Modify formal details to achieve…– Functionality– Completeness– Balance

Page 3: FCN = Functionality, completeness, Balance. Refinement You have a playable system Play, tweak, play, tweak, play, tweak, … Question smaller and smaller.

Functionality

• Stranger can sit down and play, unaided by the game designers

• Components of game interact properly

• Following the gameplay, rules, etc. results in some conclusion or resolution

Page 4: FCN = Functionality, completeness, Balance. Refinement You have a playable system Play, tweak, play, tweak, play, tweak, … Question smaller and smaller.

Completeness

“An internally complete game is one in which the players can operate the game without reaching any point at which either the gameplay or the functionality is compromised.”

• Often, games functional but incomplete

• Missing rules, winning condition, etc.• Gaps in rules lead to irresolvable

situations, gray areas, loopholes, dead ends

Page 5: FCN = Functionality, completeness, Balance. Refinement You have a playable system Play, tweak, play, tweak, play, tweak, … Question smaller and smaller.

Completeness

• “The rules don’t say either way”• “I’m completely stuck”• “You can’t do that!”

Red flags

Page 6: FCN = Functionality, completeness, Balance. Refinement You have a playable system Play, tweak, play, tweak, play, tweak, … Question smaller and smaller.

Completeness • Flaw that users exploit for unfair or

unintended advantage Loopholes

Page 7: FCN = Functionality, completeness, Balance. Refinement You have a playable system Play, tweak, play, tweak, play, tweak, … Question smaller and smaller.

Completeness

• Controlled testing– End of game– Random, rare event– Special situation– Particular level– New features

• Challenge testers to find loopholes

Findingloopholes

Page 8: FCN = Functionality, completeness, Balance. Refinement You have a playable system Play, tweak, play, tweak, play, tweak, … Question smaller and smaller.

Completeness • Player gets stranded and cannot

continue

– Adventure game: missing item needed to solve puzzle

– Strategy game: cannot resolve conflict because of lack of resources

– FPS: unintended space that player cannot escape from

Dead ends

Page 9: FCN = Functionality, completeness, Balance. Refinement You have a playable system Play, tweak, play, tweak, play, tweak, … Question smaller and smaller.

Balance

“'Balancing' a game is the process of making sure the game meets the goals you've set for the player experience: that the system is of the scope and complexity you envisioned and that the elements of that system are working together without undesired results.”

Page 10: FCN = Functionality, completeness, Balance. Refinement You have a playable system Play, tweak, play, tweak, play, tweak, … Question smaller and smaller.

Balance• Variables: number of players, size of

playing field, properites of resources, etc.

• Often, variables interconnectedVariables

Page 11: FCN = Functionality, completeness, Balance. Refinement You have a playable system Play, tweak, play, tweak, play, tweak, … Question smaller and smaller.

Balance • Consider forces at work when game is“in action”

• Combination of rules, objects, actions, can cause imbalance

Dynamics

Page 12: FCN = Functionality, completeness, Balance. Refinement You have a playable system Play, tweak, play, tweak, play, tweak, … Question smaller and smaller.

Balance• If player is awarded a bonus, it makes

him/her stronger; could create cycle

• Keep strong player from accumulating too much power– Should pay price for strategic advantage– Add randomness– Allow weaker players to band together

• Allow scales to tip dramatically in end-game

Relationships

Page 13: FCN = Functionality, completeness, Balance. Refinement You have a playable system Play, tweak, play, tweak, play, tweak, … Question smaller and smaller.

Balance

• Keep similar game objectsproportional in terms of strength– Power-ups– Skills

• Think “rock, paper, scissors”

Objects

Page 14: FCN = Functionality, completeness, Balance. Refinement You have a playable system Play, tweak, play, tweak, play, tweak, … Question smaller and smaller.

Balance• Starting position• Resources

– Symmetrical – Asymmetrical

• Objectives• Winning conditions

Fairness

Page 15: FCN = Functionality, completeness, Balance. Refinement You have a playable system Play, tweak, play, tweak, play, tweak, … Question smaller and smaller.

Balance • Match difficulty of game to skill of player

• But, every users has different skill levels– Offer multiple difficulty settings– Balance based on median skill level

(requires lots of playtesting)– Adjust difficulty level dynamically

Skill

Page 16: FCN = Functionality, completeness, Balance. Refinement You have a playable system Play, tweak, play, tweak, play, tweak, … Question smaller and smaller.

Balance• Think modular

– Design discrete functional units andconsider mechanics of how they interrelate

• Purity of purpose– Every component has single, clearly

defined purpose

• One change at a time

Achieving it?

Page 17: FCN = Functionality, completeness, Balance. Refinement You have a playable system Play, tweak, play, tweak, play, tweak, … Question smaller and smaller.

Don’t justbelieve me!!

Making Emotion Work for You: A Case Study of Collaboration Between Design and Research in Building the Halo Franchise

Dennis WixonDirector of Research, Microsoft Game Studios

https://www.facultyresourcecenter.com/curriculum/pfv.aspx?ID=7291Watch ~0:24:30 – 0:40:16

Page 18: FCN = Functionality, completeness, Balance. Refinement You have a playable system Play, tweak, play, tweak, play, tweak, … Question smaller and smaller.

Final presentation

• Tuesday 29 May 2012– AV test in morning: 10.00 at StuZ + setup

xBoxes– 15.00: Teams arrive for setup– 16.00 – 18.00: Public presentation

• Intro by Bob• Each team presentation in team order• Audience voting• Short presentation by Gobo + vote counting• Announce audience & jury prizes

– 18.00 -- ??.??: Apero & vernissage

Tuesday29 May 201216.00 – 18.00StuZ

Page 19: FCN = Functionality, completeness, Balance. Refinement You have a playable system Play, tweak, play, tweak, play, tweak, … Question smaller and smaller.

Final presentation

• Slides– Explain your vision the “BIG IDEA”, and

how it fits the theme of “Attraction”– Show concept art, sketches, photos– Possibly include “then and now” comparison– Highlight major challenges– Help us understand what the journey was like

• Live demo– After building anticipation, show live demo– Practice to show off most interesting aspects

• Target 10 minutes• Be exciting and entertaining• Focus on visual rather than text• Include specific stories & anecdotes

This is the story of your experience!