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Gender-Inclusive Quest Generation in Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games Anne Sullivan. University of California, Santa Cruz School of Engineering anne@soe.ucsc.edu http://.soe.ucsc.edu/~anne/. Overview. Research Question Previous/Related Work Current Work Future Work.
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Gender-Inclusive Quest Generation in Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing GamesAnne Sullivan University of California, Santa Cruz School of Engineering anne@soe.ucsc.eduhttp://.soe.ucsc.edu/~anne/
Overview Research Question Previous/Related Work Current Work Future Work
Overview Research Question Previous/Related Work Current Work Future Work
Research Question How do we increase player agency with an eye towards gender-inclusive design, in quest-driven massively multiplayer games while decreasing authorial burden?
Research Question How do we increase player agency with an eye towards gender-inclusive design, in quest-driven massively multiplayer games while decreasingauthorial burden?
What is player agency? Finding a balance Material affordances available actions Formal affordances reasons for actions
Current player agency CRPGs shallow material affordances Table-top RPGs deep material and formal affordances co-authorship
Role of Quests In CRPGs players are guided through the story using quests.
What is a Quest? Currently in CRPGs: A quest is a story-coated task built around game mechanics.
What is a Quest? In Literature: A quest is “a goal-oriented search for something of value.” Jeff Howard in Quests: Design, Theory, and History in Games and Narratives
Increasing player agency Strengthening tie between story and quests balances formal and material affordances increasing player agency.
Research Question How do we increase player agency, with an eye towards gender-inclusive design, in quest-driven massively multiplayer games while decreasingauthorial burden?
What is Gender-Inclusive? Designing games for women and men without alienating either
What is Gender-Inclusive? Not labeling females who play games now something other than “real women”
What is Gender-Inclusive? Not about overhauling game mechanics to make the game more focused on women
Gender-Inclusive Allow for multiple play styles regardless of gender
Research Question How do we increase player agency, with an eye towards gender-inclusive design, in quest-driven massively multiplayer games while decreasingauthorial burden?
Why MMOs? Popular already with men and women Some support for multipleplay styles
Why MMORPGs? Quest-based structure Quests supported by game mechanics movement killing
Why MMORPGs? Quest-based structure Quests supported by game mechanics movement killing social
Why MMORPGs? Rich resources for quests logged player info untapped game mechanics
Research Question How do we increase player agency, with an eye towards gender-inclusive design, in quest-driven massively multiplayer games while decreasing authorial burden?
Authorial burden ~8000 quests in World of Warcraft Star Wars: The Old Republic Over 12 writers for 2+ years
Overview Research Question Previous/Related Work Current Work Future Work
Previous Work Drama Management Stand-in game designer EMPath – integrated drama management in a real-time game
Previous Work Drama Management is about managing an experience based on player history. Quest generation is about creating an experience based on player history.
Related Work Quest Patterns NeverWinter Nights C. Onuczko, et. al. Charbitat lock and key quests Calvin Ashmore & Michael Nitsche
Proposed Work Generating new style of goal-driven quests informed by player history.
Overview Research Question Previous/Related Work Current Work Future Work
Proposed Systems Quest Browser offline computer-assisted goal-driven quest authoring Quest Generation online automated player-informed quest generation
Progression Create new goal-driven quest style Quest browser improve domain knowledge Quest generation move towards more automation
New quest style Move from task-oriented to goal-driven quests
New quest style Solution should not be the mystery high material / low formal affordances "I want something that will attract attention but have no real importance."
New quest style Allow multiple solutions increase: gender-inclusiveness player agency
Quest Browser Help designer brainstorm quest solutions Reduces time and effort to achieve multiple solutions
QuestBrowser architecture Quest Browser Quest Designer ConceptNet Quest Game
ConceptNet ConceptNet is a common-sense knowledgebase represented as a semantic network crowdsourced corpus
Link types CapableOf UsedFor MadeOf LocationOf ConceptuallyRelatedTo ThematicKLine SuperThematicKLine
Quest Browser underground rock sewer water fungus coal moon mineral hard break edible bioluminescence burn mine ore light satellite affect tide sky location Underground Export link type locationOf objective quest type environment light quantity link type usedFor 5
Example Then: Find 5 pieces of coal to light the darkened underground room.
Example Now:Light the darkened underground room.
ConceptNet underground rock sewer water fungus coal moon mineral hard break edible bioluminescence burn mine ore satellite affect tide sky light
ConceptNet underground rock sewer water fungus coal moon mineral hard break edible bioluminescence burn mine ore satellite affect tide sky light
ConceptNet underground rock sewer water fungus coal moon mineral hard break edible bioluminescence burn mine ore satellite affect tide sky light
ConceptNet underground rock sewer water fungus coal moon mineral hard break edible bioluminescence burn mine ore satellite affect tide sky light
Output Collection solution: Collect 5 pieces of coal to burn. Kill solution: Kill grues that collect bioluminescent fungus. Escort solution: Escort priest to safety and be rewarded with a shining moon rock.
Leveraging mechanics Future additions Social Class-specific
Evaluation Prototyped small experience task-based quest goal-directed quest Looking for improved experience for both players and designers.