Game Design Mashup

1. Game Design Mashup Games for ……….

2. Inspiration • Design Challenges • GDC ’04, ‘05 • 3 Designers – One Theme • Romance • Emily Dickenson

3. Goals • Approach a hard problem • From a new perspective • With a sense of humor • Think big!

4. The Mashup • Old, New, Borrowed… Blue? • Familiar but different • Grounded • Reflective

5. Games for Granny • The Audience • Mainstream • Casual • Female • Gray • Who is really out there? • How can we reach them?

6. Contestants • Demis Hassabis • Republic, Evil Genius • Nick Davies* • Project Gotham Racing • Keita Takahashi • Katamari Damacy (1&2)

7. Contestants • Demis Hassabis • Republic, Evil Genius • Nick Davies* • Project Gotham Racing • Keita Takahashi • Katamari Damacy (1&2) *one day notice

8. Contest • 15 minutes each… • Discussion… • Vote by applause… • Prizes!

10. Games For GranniesGDCE 2005Demis Hassabis

11. Approach • What do grannies like? • What can’t we do? • Some rejects • The idea

12. Grannies like… • Hobbies: Knitting/reading/gardening • Reminiscing/telling stories • Playing bridge • Watching soap operas • Gossiping • Grandchildren

13. Aims • Out are… • Complex controls • Anything too fantastical • Gratuitous violence/sex/language • Should be… • Familiar setting • Social/friendly • Simple

14. The Hobby Simulator • Real-time knitting guide • Landscape gardening program • Rejected due to: • Being too obvious • Not as good as the real thing

15. War Story Constructor • Use Half-Life 2 or Battlefield engine • Instructions via voice input • Unlimited add-on packs • Grandkids could actually play it • Rejected due to: • Difficult AI • Problematic making it simple enough

16. Bridge Online • TV based • Voice input – dial in conference call • Simple interface same as poker sites • Social and competition • Rejected: a bit dry

17. The Village • The world’s first MMO Gossip Simulator • Set in a present day city block or village • Grannies effectively play themselves • Aim is to gain as much info as possible • Missions: • Decimate reputations of those you dislike • Enhance reputations of those you like • Spread gossip to as many as possible

18. The Village (cont.) • AI characters play key actors • Ongoing content released • Upgrades and ‘special’ abilities • Bonus points for needless interference • Daily TV show – new ‘missions’ • Grandkids play in the same game world

19. Summary • The world’s first MMO Gossip Simulator • Think Shenmue meets Sims Online meets Eastenders • Also includes: • Bridge online and real-time knitting 

21. Games for Granny (or Grandad?)

22. What’s different about Granny? • She has slower reaction time • She has weaker eyesight • She is harder of hearing • She has slower Hand Eye co-ordination • Conclusion – It sounds a bit like being drunk

23. What’s the same about Granny? • She wants to be entertained. • She wants to interact with like minded people. • She wants to be challenged. • Conclusion – Granny is just like you and me

24. What Subject Matter? • Relevant to their interests. • Relevant to a different moral era. • Relevant Licence. • Relevant Music • Conclusion – The subject matter already exists

25. The Interface • Simple Controller • Simple Button Layout • Large Buttons • Comfortable to Hold • Conclusion – The interface already exists

26. The Gameplay Ideas • Simulators – Sim City, The Sims, Train Simulator. • Mental Games – Chess, Sudoku. • Unique Interface – Buzz! • Conclusion - The gameplay ideas already exists

27. The Conclusion • You can’t please all of the Grannys all of the Time. • There is no ‘Stereotypical Granny’ • Games that Granny would like already exist in the market place. • Not a revolution in gameplay, more a revolution in marketing.

28. However… Ballroom Dancing RevolutionTM: It’s a popular past time It’s the right pace It has relevant music It’s good exercise It needs a partner However: • It also needs a dance mat the size of a gymnasium • It will probably cause broken hips

32. Discussion • Similarities? • Differences? • Comments?

33. By Applause…. • Demis?

34. By Applause…. • Demis? • Nick?

35. By Applause…. • Demis? • Nick? • Keita?

36. Prize!! • Something “remixed” • Inspire new ideas • Old-fashioned • Useful

37. Prize!! www.thisintothat.com

38. And, of course… • Sharffen Berger Chocolates • Independent, Bay Area • Recently acquired by Hershey!

39. Conclusions • Hard problems • New perspectives • Sense of humor There are new audiences out there!