Game overview & term project tips

1. Game overview& term project tips 권태경 Fall, 2006

2. What is game? • Homo Ludens • Johan Huizinga, Dutch historian • Dictionary • Webster, activity engaged in for diversion or amusement • Wikipedia, a structured or semi-structured, contrived recreational activity, usually undertaken for enjoyment. A goal and a set of rules are thus central to its definition.

3. What is game? • The focus of this class is computer game • 21C 패러다임, “컴퓨터에서 흥미를 유발하는 내용물이 어떤 규칙에 의거한 선택과 결정과정을 통해 진행되어 나가도록 컴퓨터 프로그램에 의하여 제작된 것” • Not just a PC but any computing device • A. Rollings and D. Morris, “A computer game is a software program in which one or more players make decisions through the control of game objects and resources, in pursuit of a goal.”

4. Game characteristics • Pleasure • Rules • Competition and conflict • Active enemy (Puzzle vs. conflict) • Human (Multi-user) or computer • Attack to interfere • Choice • Sid Meier, "A [good] game is a series of interesting choices” • One of hardest part in game design

5. Game characteristics • Interactivity • Active user participation • Narrative • Not just a story • the methods by which the story materials are communicated to the audience • Pulls the user forward through the experience • Goal • Game vs. toy • Non-linearity • Randomness • Multi-ending

6. Game history • Prof. Lee will talk about this topic

7. Game taxonomy, genre • Simulation game • 현실에서 불가능한 체험을 현실감 있게 경험 • Strategy • Starcraft, Warcraft • Control • Flight simulator • 기타 • SimCity, DDR, secondlife • Role playing game (RPG) • Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) • E.g. MMORPG • 캐릭터들은 다양한 특성과 능력이 있으며 게임의 진행을 통해서 성장시키는 시스템 존재 (Level up) • 게임의 story, scenario 가 중요 (storyline) • 주인공이 다른 사용자나 NPC들과 집단으로 게임 진행 (party)

8. Game taxonomy, genre • Adventure game • 탐험, 수집, 조종, 퍼즐, 전투 • 1인 캐릭터 중심 • 네트워크 플레이가 어려움 • 영화적 연출 기법 가능 • 게임 시나리오 작가 능력 중요 • 반복 플레이가 어려움 • Conversation • 초창기, 주인공과 캐릭터간 대화 • Action • Puzzle 요소가 있어야 함 • E.g. Tomb Raider

9. Game taxonomy, genre • Action game • Most of arcade games • Little puzzling factor • A sequence of increasingly difficult levels • Possibly multiple lives • Shooting • First person [perspective] shooting (FPS) • Fighting game

10. Game taxonomy, genre • Sports, racing game • Often imitates the real world • Physics engine for ball or vehicle • AI for other player movement • Recently, trademark, portrait right issues • Even for stadium!

11. Game taxonomy, genre • Casual game • no long-term time commitment or special skills • Mass audience, simple rules and gameplay • Puzzle game • Tetris, hexa, 뿌요뿌요 • Board game • Playing cards, Flower cards, Go

12. Game taxonomy, platform • Arcade game • PC game • Console game • Typically, connected to TV • X-box, Playstation • Mobile game • Cellular phone • Handheld game • Gameboy, PSP • Online game • E.g. Web-game • Often, multiple users are connected • Game server vs. Peer-to-peer

13. Computer game and other relevant CS courses • programming • Programming language, data structure, algorithm,… • AI • User interface, human-computer interface • Graphics, animation • Network (TCP/IP) • Natural language processing • Distributed system • Software engineering • Math or physics • “Design” • “storytelling” or narrative • art Non-CS area

14. Principles behind game [design] • What do players want? • A challenge • To socialize • To play on their own (sometimes) • To win • Learning (grow up) • New activities (often, possible only in cyberspace) • Emotional experience • To fantasize

15. Principles behind game [design] • What do players expect? • Consistent game world • To understand game world boundaries • Reasonable solutions to problems • Sense of direction (goals and hints) • Accomplish goals incrementally • To be immersed in game world • To fail • Fair chance to win • Avoid unnecessary repetition • Not to get stuck hopelessly • Not to be passive watchers of all action sequences

16. Principles behind game [design] • game balance • Player/Player (Symmetry) • Player’s performance is based on skill and a little “luck” • A player who makes no mistake should not get stuck • Player/Gameplay (Interaction) • game learning should also be fun • Reward the player • Let the machine do the chores • Make a game player-friendly (save options should be used at minimum) • Player should not feel the game is too hard or too easy • Gameplay/Gameplay (Balance: e.g. rock-scissors-paper) • dominated and dominant strategy should not exist • Every option should be useful at least in certain situations • Comparable choices: e.g. enhance either offense or defense • The cost of a feature must match the power of acquiring the feature • Tradeoff: physical strength vs. magic power • Combination: synergy or redundancy

17. 10 basic rules in [commercial] game design Concept -> structure -> design • Start with a good story and a good concept • Write down your design on paper or equivalent • Don’t bite off more than you can chew • Know your target audience e.g. age, gender • Come up with a new idea • Be flexible follow a rapid prototyping mindset • Design for the future • Think series or sequels • Content is everything • Use of graphics and technology • Game is fun to play • Give the players goals

18. Typical game architecture • In single user case

19. Nokia Top 10Usability Recommendations • Provide a clear menu structure • Simplicity is key • Provide help when needed • Be relentlessly consistent • Don’t waste the user’s time • Allow user to skip introduction • Do not require re-entry of data • Use natural controls • Enable save and pause • Conform to real-world expectations • Realistic physics model • Go easy on sound • Use for feedback • Allow it to be turned off • Make game playable with sound off • Implement a high score list

20. Tips for term project • Do one thing well • Intriguing storylines • Plot point • Great graphics • Witty sounds • Clever puzzles • New game concepts • Immersive narratives • Fancy AI learning • Don’t struggle with multiple levels

21. Tips for term project • Understand your tools • Do one thing well • The various tools have strengths & weaknesses • Don’t fight the tool • Understand what the tool is good for and tailor your project for that tool • Also.. Don’t fight your team’s skills

22. Tips for term project • 1st presentation • The game description • genre, scenario/storyline, character/maps, etc. • A few sketches or mocked-up screens • Development Schedule • As fine-grained as possible • Also state who is responsible for what • Assessment • What will be cool about your game Everything can be changed during the project, even with great game designers!

23. Tips for 1st presentation • Getting a creative idea • Go to an extreme along one dimension of a game • Mix ideas from several games • Use ideas from books, movies, comics, etc. • Take a good game idea and make it better (e.g. improve graphics, AI, etc.)

24. Tips for 1st presentation • brainstorming • Make sure everyone attends meeting and is involved • Ensure free interchange of ideas • Make goals clear • Stay focused – don’t allow distractions • Make sure everyone is heard • Take notes

25. Tips for 1st presentation • Brainstorming a game • You can start with game play • This often dictates player interaction and style of play • Determines hardware needed • Total resources needed for game • You can start with story • In some genre (e.g. RPG), a story is central • May determine how players and NPC’s interact • Technology should match story line

26. Tips for 1st presentation • Achieving Goals • Always something for players to achieve • Make sure goals are not too easy or too hard • Three levels of goals • Long term (e.g. complete game) • Medium term (10-30 minutes) • Short term (0-60 seconds) • Common game goals • Eliminate other players • Score points (e.g. sports games) • Get some place first (e.g. racing games) • Solve puzzles • Gain territory (e.g. strategy games) • Improve abilities (e.g. role playing) • Develop social relationships (e.g. multiplayer games) • Play god (e.g. simulations)

27. Tips for 1st presentation • Choices and outcomes • Choice • A question asked of the player • Outcome • The end result of a given choice • Possibility space • Represents the set of possible events • A “landscape” of choice and outcome • Well-designed choices • Often desirable and undesirable effects • Should relate to player goals • Balanced against neighboring choices • Too much weight to every choice is melodrama • Orthogonal choices – distinct from others • Not just “shades of grey”

28. Brainstorming example • Resource dynamics • Interest rate? Inflation? • New characters • animals, babies, kids, women,… • Self-growing units over time • Unit integration • unit trade • Realities • Physics • Air units can collide. KAMIKAZE! • Military engineer for constructions • Logistics • Prisoners of War (POW) • Interaction with real world • E.g. send help messages to cellular phone • May hinder game immersion • Hints from other domain • Movies, novels, history,… Check consistency! Be a Dreamer!