by Matrix Bai

Making A Game

● The GAME is a interactive model with competition mechanism.○ Model○ Interactive○ Competition

What is Game?

● Model○ Reflection of reality○ Simplified reality

What is Game?

● Interactivity○ Accept input and response to it○ Human vs Human and Human vs AI

What is Game?

● Competition○ Beating opponent○ Beating rules○ Beating yourself

What is Game?

Why making a game?

There are many good reasons :Study...1.Teach us...2.We can get...3.etc...

Or...Just have fun.

Why making a game?

Our Goal in This PPT

● Making a game○ About personal knowledge management○ It's a board game (Pros & Cons).○ It's a multiplayer game.

How to Make a Game?

● The genius way1. Sitting there2. Do nothing except thinking3. Ta-da!

● The sad fact○ Most of us are NOT genius○ Or not game making genius

How to Make a Game?

● The mortal way○ Break down problem○ Research○ Build a model○ Test the model○ Modify model○ Repeat above steps several times○ Maybe Ta-da!

● Some mature(?) method○ MDA○ Token○ Machinations○ etc...

Analyse the Problem

● Who play the game?○ Is it an important question?

● High concept○ Knowledge is good. (Of course)○ Time is limited :-(○ Players can help each other○ Or hurt each other○ etc...

Research

● Knowledge Management○ Process○ Methods○ Tools○ Input and output○ etc...

● Human○ Relationship○ Human nature○ etc...

Research : Board Game Utilities

● Token○ Resource○ Character

● Dice○ Randomness

● Card○ Resource○ Event

● Map○ Geographic information

An option : Narrative

● Every good game has a good story.● Writing is relative cheap (?).● Story help us design the game.● Our story : A long time ago in a galaxy far,

far away......

Main Elements : Time

● Attributes○ Resource○ Limited○ Lose it if don't use it○ Tradable

● In game○ Player get same amount of time each turn○ Exchange time for knowledge○ Time is trading between players○ All unused time lost at the end of each turn

Main Elements : Knowledge

● Attributes○ Resource○ Fragmented vs. Systematic○ Tree structure○ Tradable○ Invest time to get knowledge at some odds○ Pursuing process may across several turns

● In game○ Winning resource○ Start resource○ Different types and layers○ Trading between players

Main Elements : Player

● Attributes○ Too many...

● In game○ Trading time○ Trading knowledge copy○ Steal knowledge○ Steal time○ Sabotage long time knowledge pursuing○ Send gift○ etc.

Building Prototype

● The trick is following the verb.● Key elements

○ Knowledge : Get, Copy, Lose○ Time : Consume, Respawn○ Player : Communicate, good and bad actions

● Events deck○ Additional verb○ Randomness○ Narrative○ Fun

The Prototype

C

onsu

me

Get or Lose

Cop

y

Interact

How to Make It More Funny?

● The learners' pathHuman like study new things and MASTER it.

● Meaningful decision○ Player always has choices○ Each choice lead to different result

● Randomness○ Avoid predictable future○ Surprise the player

● Information asymmetries○ Guessing is funny

● Involved human being

We Made a Game?

● Just first step, more work ahead.○ Playtest - Feedback - Modify○ Debug○ Decorative○ Long way to go...

Game Over