Game Design - What Makes Games Fun and Addictive

In this talk I discuss key components of a fun and addictive games. Many rules might seem obvious at first, but together they form the main principles of successful game design.

Transcript

1. Game Design What Makes Games Fun and Addictive By Jonas Lekevicius
2. What is a game?
3. a task
4. Skill
5. Luck
6. Speed
7. Logic
8. Creativity
9. Strategy
10. Skill
12. Luck
14. Speed
16. Logic
18. Creativity
20. Strategy
22. Nothing
24. Balance
27. Game theory
28. Obvious things Part 1
29. No game can be played without the interaction of the player. Rule #1:
30. Things that cannot be skipped. Mistake
31. Treating game as movie. Mistake
33. The outcome of a game has to be uncertain. Rule #2:
34. It can be really easy.
36. It can be really hard.
38. Making it stupidly long does not make it difficult. Mistake
39. Not too easy, Not too difficult. Rule #3:
40. Allow to choose difficulty. Solution #1:
41. Make game progressively more difficult. Solution #2:
42. Revisit previous levels with new challenges. Solution #3:
44. Rules Part 2
45. Rules of the game define the possible actions of the players. Rule #4:
46. Actions player can do
47. Game controls
48. Rules are unambiguous, intelligible and apply for all players. Rule #5:
49. Simple
50. Unambiguous
51. same for all players
53. Players require a clear goal. Rule #6:
54. Game should be playable without having to read the manual. Rule #7:
60. Understand The learning process Rule #8:
61. Player tries out what he can find.
62. Player observes how his action change game’s world.
64. Player then learns fundamental patterns.
65. Visual and Psychological Design Part 3
66. Computer games simulate or change the real world. Rule #9:
68. The game theme has an impact on the game’s appeal. Rule #10:
69. Conflict and competition are essential for the player’s motivation. Rule #11:
70. Achievements are also very motivational. Rule #12:
71. more abstract the character, more players will identify with it. Rule #13:
74. The controls of a game character can be direct or indirect. Rule #14:
77. selection between different characters allow strategy. Rule #14:
78. Attachment
80. Strategy
82. Game over
83. Angry birds Escapa! Lightbot Sims Civilization IV FarmVille Portal Coil You Have To Burn The Rope The Worlds Hardest Game WeeWar World of Goo Canabalt Braid VVVVVV MegaMan Counter- Strike Grand Theft Auto 4 World of Warcraft
84. @flixic