What is Game Design?
Who’s that guy?• 14 years in the industry• Director of design (Ubisoft & Relic)
Alexandre MandrykaCouple games I worked on
Game Maker
What a Game Designer was
Jordan Mechner (80s)
Programming Art Rules Levels
Karateka Prince of Persia
Game Making
Game creation evolved
• Game design is already a huge responsibility• GD and game vision require different skills• They each need full time attention
Game MakerProgramming Art Rules LevelsGame design Level design
Game vision
• Define your vision
• Detail and expand it into concrete guiding principles that will help implementation
• Support the vision with your features
• Everyone is part of that process
Art Programming Design
Vision
feature
feature
feature
feature
feature
feature
feature
feature
feature
Game
Guiding principles Guiding
principles
Guiding principles
SKILLS OF THE TRADEKnow what path to take
Design skills – Game Design• System design: AI, economy, game rules Logic, mathematics, probabilities• Interaction design: Controls, interfaces,
feedback Ergonomics, biomechanics, cybernetics• Motivation design: Learning, reward,
difficulty Psychology, learning theory, motivation
theory
Design skills – Level Design• Gameplay implementation: Challenge
creation, obstacles meet abilities Analysis of game’s core challenge• Environment creation: Building spaces to
naturally draw the player through 3D engines and tools, architecture,
landscaping• Theatrics: Environmental storytelling, mood
setting Staging, cinematography techniques
Design skills – Narrative Design• Writing: Dialogue/screenplay, prose Literature, creative writing• Narrative Interface Design: Designing
methods to convey story to the player Media studies, media psychology,
communication• Player-Centric Plotting: Engaging the
player as protagonist - Don’t tell, don’t show, let me play it!
Psychology? Literature theory?
Academic background in games
• Free to play monetisation – Analysts & Economists Establishing a better metric that “Fun”
Ph.D.combinatorial mathematics
Dr Eyjolfur GudmundssonLead Economist at CCP
Amy Jo Kimbehavioral neuroscience Ph.D.
LET’S TALK ABOUT DESIGNBlowing your mind now
2 kinds of rules
Touchdown: When any part of the ball, legally in possession of a player inbounds, breaks the plane of the opponent’s goal line, provided it is not a touchback.
Direct rules – How to win (Optimal strategy) Indirect rules – Limit unwanted dominantstrategies
Upkeep systemRested XP
What if there’s no offside?
What is the effect on optimal strategy?
Offside
Because we want midfield play to be relevant
What is the effect of Offside?
Þ Makes Hockey a contact sport
Sum of 4 runs
Intended experiencePrecisionThe most regular winsControlled risk
Intended experienceFearlessThe most outrageous wins Best of 2 runs
Halo’s 30 seconds of funaccuracyEngagement Enemy killed
Out of ammo
Player ChoiceReload
Grenade
Melee
average
good
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