SM3120 Game Level Design Lesson 01 – Basic of Game Design

1. SM3120 Game Level DesignLesson 01 – Basic of Game Design Ryan Lam

2. Class introduction • What is this course about? • Game level design • Programming skill in level scripting • Use of standard game editor to produce online multiplayer game • Teamwork in implementing game concept

3. What are not covered in the course?   • iphone/ipad/android game development • Formal programming languages (e.g. Flash ActionScript, C++, Java…..etc) • API (e.g DirectX or OpenGL) • Design games for mobile phones, game consoles (Xbox, PS2) • Game history • How to make money by making games.

4. Teacher introduction • Favorite games: Starcraft, Starcraft 2, AOE, C&C, MarioKart, warcraft 3, Rainbox Six, Ut2003, casual games…..etc • Currently playing ipad games...

5. Introduction - Lecture • Common game level design tools/framework • The basic of game design • Building terrain • Building architecture spaces • Lighting and atmospheric effect • Placing encounters • Breathing life into game level • Dialogue and story • Polishing (testing, fix bug, balance) • Genres

6. Introduction - Laboratory • Producing a good game takes a lot of time and skill • The only way to develop the skill is to practice, which takes time • Modern 3D games take years to develop by teams of 20 or more people • We can’t do this in a single term

7. Introduction - Laboratory • Need some way of getting production practice, try out your ideas • Use an existing game engine/editor: • program code already written • framework to work in • design tools • can download some assets from the net - saves time

8. How to make game level in iphone/ipad/andriod ?? • cocos2D –http://www.cocos2d-iphone.org • iTileMaps – • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwiKqDQB-8g • http://itunes.apple.com/hk/app/itilemaps/id432784227?mt=8 • Map Editor - http://www.mapeditor.org • Unity 3D - http://unity3d.com/

9. How about the game industry in HK?

10. What can you do after this course? • May be: Game Programmer • May be: Game Designer • May be: 3D artist • May be: Cinematic Animator • May be: Interior Designer • May be: Home Designer • …..etc • http://us.blizzard.com/en-us/company/careers/directory.html#region=Americas • http://www.gameone.com.hk • http://www.firedogstudio.com • http://www.floorplanner.com • http://www.sketchup.com.hk

11. Assessment

12. What is video game? Video games are our way to escape reality, become a hero, just kill some time or killing “someone”. Video games have become an everyday part of our lives.

13. Evolution of Video Games • Early Years 1947-1960 • 1960’s • 1970’s • 1980’s • Current • Conclusion • Sources

14. 1st Generation Video Game

15. Early Years 1947-1960 1947 Thomas T Goldsmith Jr. and Estle Ray Mann applied for a patent for s machine in which a person used knobs to simulate firing at targets. Cathode Ray Tube Clock

16. Early Years 1947-1960 In 1951 Ralph Baer came up with the concept which essentially allowed for development of video games : by giving an audience the ability to manipulate what was projected on their television sets, their role changed from passive observing to interactive manipulation. Ralph Baer

17. Early Years 1947-1960 The 50’s saw a lot of independent inventors coming up with basic video games. Such as OXO in 1952, and Tennis for Two in 1958. OXO in 1952 Tennis for Two in 1958

18. 1960s By this point all the video games have been experimental programs ran on university computers. Now, they were becoming more popular in 1961 several games were created at MIT: • Mouse in the Maze • HAX • Tic-Tac-Toe http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnO6xnMtpY8

19. 1961 - 1962 Also in 1961 a group of students programmed the game Spacewar, that pitted two opponents against each other in trying to shoot the other one down.

20. 1970’s Textual games and ASCII art.

21. 1970’s The Magnavox Odyssey was first unleashed on the gaming public around this day in 1972. It's credited as the first home video game console. Ralph Baer http://www.gametrailers.com/side-mission/27743/home-video-game-consoles-turn-40

22. 1970’s Maze War

23. 2nd Generation Video Game

24. 1970’s The early 70’s saw the development of first coin-operated machines like Galaxy Game and Computer Space. All of these were based on the Spacewar. But the creators of the Computer Space were not happy with the deal they got and started their own company: Atari. Nolan Bushnell Computer Space 1971

25. 1970’s In 1972 the newly started Atari came out with their first game – Pong. It was a very popular game selling over 19,000 copies. Pong 1972 The aim is to defeat the opponent in a simulated table tennis game by earning a higher score

26. Late 70’s In 1978 the game that made it popular to play video games was created this game was Space Invaders Space Invaders 1978 The pixelated enemy alien has become a pop culture icon and represent video game.

27. Late 70’s The late 70’s are considered The Golden Age of Video Games. There were video game machines appearing everywhere: malls, stores and restaurants. Pac-man 1979 Cut scene • The game established the maze chase game genre • It opened gaming to female audiences • It was the first video game to feature power-ups • It is frequently credited as the first game to feature cut scenes

28. 1981 Donkey Kong

29. 1981 Galaga

30. 3rd Generation Video Game

31. 1980’s 80’s saw the climax of the Golden Age of Video Arcade Games. With the switch to the PC and more powerful consoles available, more and more games were being programmed. In the 80’s many more genres were invented. One of the best video game franchise got it’s start in 1985: Super Mario

32. 1980’s Legend of Zelda - Action Adventure Exploration was created by using current technology to like we have never seen before. Combined with a rich world, the Legend of Zelda series was born.

33. 1980’s Kung Fu Master Prince of Persia 1989

34. 1980’s Golden Axe - Slasher Dragon Warrior - RPG

35. 1980’s Top 5 Car Racing Game in 80s

36. What is Game Design? • Humans have been devising and playing games for thousands of years. • There is hot debate about which existing game is the oldest: • Go • African stone game - Awari

37. Go Awari

38. What is Game Design? • Creating and playing in an artificial world is the heart of all games. • Many games, such as Go, Chess, Mahjong and Poker, were perfected so long ago that their rules have not changed for centuries.

39. What is Game Design? • Many games come on the market, enjoy a brief popularity, and fade away again. • People always interested in new games, so there is a constant demand for new game designs.

40. What is Game Design? • Game design is the process of: • Imagining a game • Defining the way it works • Describing the elements that make up the game (conceptual, functional, artistic and others) • Transmitting that information to the team that will build the game

41. How about China, do we have any good games/toys?

42. Key Areas for Game Design Core Mechanics Storytelling and Narrative Interactivity

43. Core Mechanics • Core Mechanics The rule that define the operation of the game world make up the core mechanics of the game, or the foundations of gameplay. • Core mechanic is the heart and soul of the game • If the core mechanics aren’t sound, you end up with a poor game.

44. Core Mechanics?

45. Core Mechanics?

46. Storytelling and Narrative • Storytelling All game tell a story. The complexity and depth of that story depends on the game. • At one extreme, the game is a story. At the other extreme, it’s the player who tells the story by the act of playing. • Even Tetris has a story – a story created by the player as she plays.

47. Storytelling and Narrative • Narrative Narrative means that part of the story that is told by you, the author and designer, to the player. • Narrative is the non-interactive, presentational part of the story. • Tetris has a story, but it contains no narrative. Because playing games is an active process and listening to a narrative is a passive one.

48. Good story?

49. Good story?

50. Good story?