Read Me: Closing the Readability Gap in Immersive Games Patrick Redding Ubisoft Montreal

2. Read Me:Closing the Readability Gap in Immersive Games Patrick ReddingUbisoft Montreal

3. Who am I? Patrick ReddingGame designer at Ubisoft Montreal,unannounced project Previously, narrative designer on Far Cry 2

4. Narrative design problems… … game readability problems.

5. AI dialogue system

6. Dynamicnarrative

7. Readable interface exposes the game’s systems (and player choices)

8. Imperfect information

9. Game mechanics manipulate information

10. representation procedural representation(simulation) dynamic systems

11. player game information

12. Not accessibility, exactly

13. Both concerned with providinggame cues and feedback

14. Not talking about legibility (although UI is important)

15. ≠ uncanny valley problem, although

16. consistency and interface feel > graphical fidelity

17. Elements of representation

18. graphics physics dynamic lighting spatial audio animation mo-cap IK modeling hardware UI Elements of representation

19. ++ “bit-depth”added to simulation

20. perfect information eyes ears hands

21. Dynamic complexity 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

22. Representational depth Dynamic complexity 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

23. The “fat pipe”

24. AAA game titles Rich representational content

25. thin-pipe/fat-pipe problem

26. Player controls are pitiful

27. overcompensation

28. unrecognizable, disconnected

29. Dirt Splinter Cell Virtua Figher simulation Gran Turismo Far Cry 2 GTA III: SA Shenmue representation RE5 MGS Myst emulation QTE-heavy action games Super Mario 64 low high readability

30. Elements of readability (current working model)

31. Elements of readability (current working model) game cues game feedback player interface

32. Elements of readability (current working model) game cues available actions response to input feedback

33. Elements of readability (current working model) game cues

34. Elements of readability (current working model) game cues

35. Elements of readability (current working model) feedback

36. Elements of readability (current working model) feedback

37. Elements of readability (current working model) coherence easy to recognize information easy to interpret prioritized

38. Elements of readability (current working model) coherence Players know when they are being told something

39. Elements of readability (current working model) coherence HUD coherence

40. Elements of readability (current working model) consistency matches natural expectations representation assigns similar form to similar meanings or behaviors

41. Elements of readability (current working model) consistency

42. Elements of readability (current working model) consistency

43. Elements of readability (current working model) context player understands the world game space player can apply “natural mapping”

44. MDA(LeBlanc, Hunicke, Zubek) designer mechanics dynamics aesthetics player

45. MDA(LeBlanc, Hunicke, Zubek)

46. MDA(LeBlanc, Hunicke, Zubek) Authorship ? M D A A’ designer player

47. MDA(LeBlanc, Hunicke, Zubek) Simulation M D A1 A2 A’ systemic representational

48. ‘MDA’ is the purist version…

49. …But because of the readability problem: M D ∑{A1+ A2+… An }

50. Confusing aesthetic experience for aesthetic content