Game Development

1. Game Development Dr. Mathias Lux ITEC - UniversitätKlagenfurt mlux@itec.uni-klu.ac.at This work is licensed under a Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Austria License. See http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/at/

2. Agenda • Why teaching “computer games”? • What is a “good” game? • Game projects in teaching • Game development

3. Why teaching computer games? • Commercial relevance • Games are a big business • Research and technology • Games lead to innovation • Application of knowledge in game dev. • Maths, physics, algorithms, data structures • Project management & planning • Self reflection and team work Image (cc) by http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliebee

4. Why teaching computer games? • Many people … • play games themselves! • assume they are experts! • think they can do better! Image (cc) by http://www.flickr.com/photos/neilschelly

5. Industry Facts: ESA (US) • Gaming industry economics & sales: • 2003-2006 the annual rate (gain) exceeded 17% (cp. <4% for the US economy) • Game console software sales: $6.6 billion / 153.9 million units in 2007 • Computer games sales: $910.7 million / 36.4 million units in 2007 • Portable software sales: $2.0 billion / 77.5 million units in 2007 Source: esa, entertainment software association - http://www.theesa.com/

6. Industry Facts: ESA, 2006 • Gamers facts: • The average American gamer is 35 years old and has been playing for 13 years. • 38% of American households have a video game console, 65% play video / PC games • 56% percent of online game players are male and 44% are female • Adult women represent a greater portion of gamers (33 %) than boys age <=17 (18 %) Source: esa, entertainment software association - http://www.theesa.com/

7. German Game Industry 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

8. German Game Industry

9. German Game Industry:Details on the consumers

10. German Game Industry:Market share

11. German Game Industry: Howoldaregamers?

12. German Game Industry: Restrictions - USK

13. Germany: Releases ofthe last 12 months Source: games.markt

14. Germany: Releases % in Genre

15. MMOG Economics • WoW has >11 Mio. subscribers (Oct. 2008) • Monthly fees • Add-ons & DLC • World of WarCraft: Wrath of the Lich Kingwas Xmas best seller at amazon.de Source: http://www.mmogchart.com/Chart1.html

16. Example: Super Mario • Jump & Run, Nintendo • Video gamefor NES • World -> SNES & GameBoy • Mario64 -> Nintendo64 • Super Paper Mario -> Wii • … • Most successfulvideogameever • 295 Mio. unitssold

17. Example: LBP • Little Big Planet • A collaborativeplatformer • 2.5 D Jump & Run • Awards • Academy Of Interactive Arts & Sciences 2009 • 8 Awards including “best overall game” • E3 Awards • Best consolegame, • bestcasualandsocialgame • etc.

18. Example: LBP • Videos: • Danger – Showingthegameplay • Sackzilla – Showingtheeditor

19. Example: Guitar Hero & Rockband • Guitar Hero (Activision) & Rockband (EA) • Revenue of 2.3 billiondollars • Withinthreeyears • Guitar Hero III – Legendsof Rock • First gameexceeding 1 billion $ revenue

20. Example: Popcap Games Popcap Games creates „casualgames“ • Most populargame: Bejeweld • 150 milliondownloads, • 25 millionsoldunits • Distributes on • XBoxMarketplace • PSN • PC (Steam, ownshop, boxed)

21. Computer & Innovation • Consumer Hardware • 3D graphiccards, Open GL forconsumers • Video decoding (HD video) • Cp. Nvidia & ATI/AMD graphiccards • Input andoutputmethods • High performancemouse • Sensors (cp. Wiimote) • 3D screens, shutter • PC Setup • PSUs, cooling, etc.

22. Computer & Innovation • Consumer Entertainment Hardware • PS3: 1 (control) +1 (PPC) +7 (SPE) =9 Cores • XBox: 3 Cores w. Hyperthreading ~= 6 Cores • ComparetoWii, DVD recorder, routers, … • Consumer Software • 3D interfaces • Google Earth • Brockhaus Multimedial • Aero, Beryl, KDE4, etc.

23. Computer Games & Computer Science • Computations • Using shaders for parallel processing • High performance clusters, CUDA • Serious Games • Human Computing (v. Ahn) • Article “Games with a purpose” • Educational Games • Military training • E-Learning, pedagogical (e.g. common sense)

24. Example:Hazmat Hotzone • 3D training for fire fighters • Handling hazardeous materials • E.g. terrorism, … • Employs Unreal engine • Developed at CMU Quelle: http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20051102/carless_01b.shtml

25. US Armyleadershipdevelopment (CSU) • Stories ofsoldiersareconvertedto „knowledge“ • Knowledgeisapplied in trainingscenariosforsoldiers • Decisions in combatandsurveillancescenarios • Interaction withlocals(customs, etc.) (cc) by Army.mil, http://www.flickr.com/photos/soldiersmediacenter/2941583135/

26. Games as part of our culture … • Common sense & knowledge • Lara Croft & Pac-man • Mario Bros. & Sonic • Merchandising • E.g. Game & Film • Many people have/had contact with games • PC, Nintendo, Playstation, etc.

27. Games as part of our culture …

28. Games as part of our culture … • Human TETRIS Performance • GAME OVER Project • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0LtUX_6IXY • Real Life Donkey Kong • Bam Margera • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KyIpMtvJvE • Real Mario • Gordon College • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0fCnf8uWxw

29. Acceptance and controversial issues “The disturbing material in Grand Theft Auto and other games like it is stealing the innocence of our children and it's making the difficult job of being a parent even harder ... I believe that the ability of our children to access pornographic and outrageously violent material on video games rated for adults is spiraling out of control.” - (Hillary Clinton, 2005)

30. Acceptance(Rock’n’Roll) "The effect of rock and roll on young people, is to turn them into devil worshippers; to stimulate self-expression through sex; to provoke lawlessness; impair nervous stability and destroy the sanctity of marriage. It is an evil influence on the youth of our country." - Minister Albert Carter, 1956

31. Acceptance Similar statements to • Comics (1954) • Phone(1926) • Film (1909) • Waltz (1816) • Novels (1790) Source: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.04/war.html

32. Agenda • Why teaching “computer games”? • What is a “good” game? • Game projects in teaching • Game development • XNA • Tutorials

33. A good game … • World of Goo

34. Aspects of a Game Review game in several aspects: • Challenge • Choice • Clear and Compelling Goals • Representation • Conflict • Feedback Source: http://www.cs.wisc.edu/graphics/Courses/679-s2007/Main/GameDesign

35. Challenging Goals • Premise of the game • Story • Character • Motivation • Why do I play the game? • Why do I build towns, jump & run, …?

36. Clear Goals • Different aspects • What is the goal? • When is the goal achieved? • Strongly connected with feedback • I need to know when I’m making progress • Short term vs. long term goals • “Get over fire pit” vs. “Rescue princess”

37. Clear Rules • Figuring out rules • In play: learning curve? • Common sense (gravity, rebound, etc.) • Unclear rules are frustrating • I couldn’t .. because I didn’t know … • Do not allow workarounds • Circumventing != cheating • Happens within allowed rule set

38. Choices • Player should have meaningful choices • Consider example choice qualities: • Hollow -> No consequence • Obvious -> Choice without alternative • Informed -> based on provided information cp. guessing • Dramatic -> Connects to emotions • Weighted -> Both neg. and pos. outcomes • Immediate -> Need fast decision • Orthogonal -> Choices are independent

39. Challenge • Tuning / Balance • Make things hard, but not too hard • Dynamic games • Change with game progress & gamers skills • Challenge from design vs. technical issues • Can’t figure out puzzle vs. can’t find button combo (cc) by law keven, www.flickr.com/photos/66164549@N00/2506022298/

40. Feedback • Action & Reaction • Choose a new car and feel the effect … • Buy new clothes & see them on avatar … • Gamers need rewards • Cp. concept of highscore • Experience • Buy weapon or skill upgrades • Reach new levels & challenges

41. Assumed audience ?!? • Who will play your game? • Who will pay for your game? • What are appropriate distribution channels? • App Store, Steam, Download, Boxed, …

42. Agenda • Why teaching “computer games”? • What is a “good” game? • Game projects in teaching • Game development • XNA • Tutorials

43. Possible Topics • Arcade games • Typically 2D, lots of historical examples • Puzzle games • Simple graphics, focus on logic • Mobile games • Realistic scope & deployment scenario • Educational games for kids • Topic based, more weight on story

44. Possible Aspects • Programming skills • Learning by doing • Hands-on with tools • GFX, SFX • Soft skills • Teamwork, discussion, coordination • Specific topics different areas • Physics, geometry, linear algebra, AI, …

45. Project Milestones • Planning & Design • Implementation • Testing & Evaluation • Deployment • Post mortem

46. Design Documents(not technical) • High Level Document • Abstract of the game in 2-4 pages • Game Treatment Document • Present game in a broader outline • It’s also more sales than dev document • Game Bible • Character design • World design • Flowboard: flow of gameplay modes • Story & level progression: storyline • Game script: rules and mechanics of the game (cc) by dunechaser, www.flickr.com/photos/dunechaser/103294050/

47. Game Script • Should enable one to play the game • Create a paper prototype • Use it for testing (cc) by kekremsi, www.flickr.com/photos/emraya/2929959881

48. Sample Design Document: Abstract Catch the Clown Catch the Clown is a little action game. In this game a clown moves around in a playing field. The goal of the player is to catch the clown by clicking with the mouse on him. If the player progresses through the game the clown starts moving faster and it becomes more difficult to catch him. For each catch the score is raised and the goal is to get the highest possible score. Expected playing time is just a few minutes. source: http://www.yoyogames.com/make/tutorials

49. Sample Design Document: Game Objects Game objects There will be just two game objects: the clown and the wall. The wall object has a square like image. The wall surrounding the playing area is made out of these objects. The wall object does nothing. It just sits there to stop the clown from moving out of the area. The clown object has the image of a clown face. It moves with a fixed speed. Whenever it hits a wall object it bounces. When the player clicks on the clown with the mouse the score is raised with 10 points. The clown jumps to a random place and the speed is increased with a small amount. source: http://www.yoyogames.com/make/tutorials

50. Sample Design Document: The Rest Sounds We will use two sounds in this game. A bounce sound that is used when the clown hits a wall, and a click sound that is used when the player manages to click with the mouse on the clown. Controls The only control the player has is the mouse. Clicking with the left mouse button on the clown will catch it. Game flow At the start of the game the score is set to 0. The room with the moving clown is shown. The game immediately begins. When the player presses the <Esc> key the game ends. Levels There is just one level. The difficulty of the game increases because the speed of the clown increases after each successful catch.