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Interesting Games

Interesting Games. Tetris. Alexy Pajitnov Not nomal puzzle Normal puzzle Static Never change solution Never react to player action +action element Each time is different. Tetris excitement. Accumulated threat From at low-position and slow speed to high position and faster speed

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Interesting Games

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  1. Interesting Games

  2. Tetris • Alexy Pajitnov • Not nomal puzzle • Normal puzzle • Static • Never change solution • Never react to player action • +action element • Each time is different

  3. Tetris excitement • Accumulated threat • From at low-position and slow speed to high position and faster speed • Constant, although at first slow, threat • Player feels good when he/she gets out of bad situation • Higher scores for better skill • But higher scores means more risks

  4. Tetris as classic arcade game (1) • Single screen • No hidden surprise • Player won’t blame or hate the game if he/she does badly • Infinite play • Player can get better as he/she keeps playing, thus pulled by Tetris

  5. Tetris as classic arcade game (2) • Speed, slow to fast, gradually • Allows players to learn the game and improves • While still challenge • High score • Easy to pick up • No story

  6. Tetris Technology • Low tech • Any new addition, such as 3D Welltris • More complex gameplay • But not much more fun – so people turn back to Tetris • Designed for computer • Tetris can’t be a board game • It can exist only on computer

  7. Tetris AI • Random number generator • Pick the next piece • AI only needs to be as smart as the game mechanics need • The point is -> we need AI to challenge player. As long as the player is kept challenged, simple AI is OK • Still competitive, even though 2 players play a different games due to randomness • 2 players can compare scores, because time and spaces allow the blocks to even out in numbers • (only 7 types of blocks anyway)

  8. Simplicity and Symmetry • What about using 5 squares? • Too many pieces to manipulate • Does not go well with the time a block falls • Too complex • There is always a piece for every type of gap • Each type corresponds to one permutation of 4 squares

  9. Loom • Brian Moriarty • Adventure • Includes only challenges that are critical to the story • The game focuses on story, no easy game over

  10. Loom Game mechanics • Using SCUMM story system • Used in Secret of Monkey Island • Inventories • No Branching dialog tree • Select the sentence that we want to speak • in Loom, we can’t control the talks, but all talks are in cut scenes

  11. Loom user interface • Mouse and 1 button • Easy to learn • Click on the location we want our character to move to • Allow only useful actions a player can do to object. This is the origin of examine button

  12. Drafts System • When touch an object • Tune displayed on screen, on the staff • Remember it and play the same tune on the staff to use magic • The tune always changes for every adventure • Music is an integral part

  13. Difficulty • Normal adventure • Killed + stuck • None of that in Loom • Very easy for beginner

  14. Story • For children but adult can enjoy • No story that is just made for gameplay • Not too much detail in text • So player can use their imagination • Hero is inside cloak • Players can imagine themselves in the cloak • Hero personality is important to player’s interest (should not have too strong personality) • He never says things that annoy players • Cloud, Squall and Zidane

  15. Myth: The Fallen Lords • Jason Jones 1997 • Strategy (Warcraft, Command & Conquer) • Myth made it 3D with 3D engine • Terrain height adds a lot to strategy • Gravity, physics engine • Bomb can change landscapes • See battlefield wider, rotate camera, zoom in and out

  16. Characters are sprites • More units on screen than with real 3D • Can’t zoom out much because frame rate will drop • Camera rotation means we can get lost

  17. Myth: Game focus • Normal RTS -> build resource and combat • Myth -> only combat • We are given a quantity of units, fixed number • Combat ->more detail than other games at the time • Make players care for units and life

  18. Storytelling • Cut-scenes • Mission briefings • The level matches the briefings • Your troops and people in town can talk and drives the story during game time. This is very good

  19. Hard-Core gaming • Made for expert RTS player only • Because the makers are the expert • The control takes a lot to learn, but hard-core gamers are willing • Game is hard too • To conclude, make the game that you know you’ll like

  20. Multi-player • Core engine • Network, play with each other until they are fun (not yet worked on single player) • Deck trading, team play • Once we know what’s fun, single player is easier to do

  21. Special touch • Survived units get stronger • Footprints, tracking down enemies

  22. The Sims (2000) • Will Wright • Players create characters with personality attributes • Keeps character happy by filling need indicators (hunger, energy, comfort, fun and social)

  23. Strong points (1) • Players tell their own story • There is no goal given by the designer (sort of like Tetris) • Players know about houses, etc so they can get started right away, and feel good because they can achieve something immediately • Bad point about realistic things -> everything must be realistic

  24. Strong points (2) • Safe experimentation with life • Lots of choices to do for continuity • This is essential for Tell-your-own-story type of game • So the player can keep experimenting • E.g. no 2 houses are the same, or expanding career • Focus at the right scope (home life only)

  25. Sim City vs The Sims • Human better than object • Emotional bond with the simulated person • If things are a little like human, although imperfect, people will humanize them • But if things are a lot like human, we will find the flaw and reject those things

  26. Interface (1) • Player picks up right away • This must be due to lots of testing • Helps are embedded throughout • Functions like Windows (user already knows Windows, so learning is easy) • But looks different. This is important in order to prevent player thinking of working on Windows

  27. Interface (2) • Easy pop-up head menu • But looks very different • Human head means closer relationship with the sim

  28. Controlled & Autonomous • Sims can do things by themselves • Can praise or complain about new house items to let us know the happiness degree • Because the sim is not completely controlled, it is interesting to watch • And it frees player of worry

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