Bittersweet game design: Designing around negative emotions

“Videogames are supposed to be fun”, but really, are they? As a whole new medium, games can and should provoke all rage of human emotions and reactions and question the boundaries of its language in every opportunity. Yet, videogames started as fun experiences and it is hard to break through this stigma. All theories researching the players’ engagement focus on fun or other positive emotions, which motivate the player to go on. Theory of fun, from Koster, or even the Nick Yee’s Motivation of Play are based on the positive feedback players encounter in games. But human psyche is much more than a bunch and happy experiences, how about sadness, guilt, apathy, grief, sorrow, regret or angst? Do they have a place in videogames?

Transcript

1. Bittersweet game design Designing around negative emotions
2. Who is this woman? Thais Weiller • MSc in Game Design • JoyMasher Co-founder • Game Designer and Producer • Interested in ~weird~ gameplay • Likes questions
3. What is a game?
4. We know how games look like … they look like fun.
5. What is fun? • Challenges - Theory of Fun - Koster • Motivation - Flow - Csikszentmihalyi • Different aspects of enjoyment - 10 elements of motivation - Nick Yee • Meaningful choices - everyone ever
6. What is fun? Reward/ Punishment Action Result Generic game Core Loop Conditioning.
7. Classical Conditioning
8. Most classic and contemporary game design is based on conditioning fun.
9. But is fun all there is?
10. No. It is what we are more used to design. Short answer:
11. So, what else is there?
12. Temporary Frustration. When the whole game focuses on fun, except...
13. Temporary Frustration • Same classic game design based on conditioning for most of the game • In a specific part, gameplay changes • Highlights the struggle in this particular part of the game • Conveys negative emotions
14. Deception. When you play the whole game being the saviour, but actually...
15. Deception • Same classic game design based on conditioning all game long • Twist only at the end • Player may feel betrayed • Low replayability - sour taste after playing
16. Examples Braid
17. Bittersweet. When your own game core loop is wrapped around negative feelings
18. Bittersweet • Moral dilemmas • Atypical mental states • Geopolitical conflicts • Psychological violence • Identity issues • All sorts of real life situation we are not too confortable with
19. To consider M ental Space How someone in this situations feels? How to recreate this feel for the player? Social Space Our environment influences a great deal on what we can do. How to convey this in games? M isinform ation We don't always have all the information IRL. Player also may not have it. Essentials only Get rid of everything that doesn't add to the intended experience.
20. Cons • Breaking the conditioning cycle is risky • Not a beaten track, with rules and abundant examples Pros • Gives the player a richer experience • Why the hell not?
21. Examples This War of Mine
22. Examples Papers, Please
23. Examples Bury me, my love
24. Examples Dys4ia
25. How it works? Reward AND Punishment Action (generally concerning moral choices) Result Generic Bittersweet Core Loop
26. kiss
27. Bittersweet Creative Process Investigate 1 • List all related circumstances in this situation • Understand how it feels feel • If possible, talk with people in them or try to experience them yourself Mechanic Ideation 2 • A little psychology goes a long way • Sometimes, the symptom itself can be implemented • Metaphors are gold Game Design Iterations 3 • Some information can be hidden for best results • Not all situations translates well to game design. It's ok, don't let that stop you. Test it.
28. Most importantly Don't overstep the bitterness. Taste can be play tested. There is a sweet in Bittersweet
29. Rainy Day A bittersweet game design experiment
30. I’m tired and I don’t want to talk about it. Any physical movement seems like a waste of energy. I resign to watching the color white on the wall instead.
31. A P A T H Y
32. understanding the feels
33. Who passed through the life in a white cloud, And slept a peaceful sleep; Who did not feel the cold disgrace; Who passed through the life and did not suffer; Was the specter of a man, but not a man — He only passed through the life, but did not live it at all.
34. Who passed through the life in a white cloud, And slept a peaceful sleep; Who did not feel the cold disgrace; Who passed through the life and did not suffer; Was the specter of a man, but not a man — He only passed through the life, but did not live it at all. Francisco Otaviano (1825-1889) Investigate 1
36. chaotic line of thought no clear objectives no clear rewards/punishments Listing mental states
37. How to make the player feel that instead of witnessing it? Mechanic Ideation 2
38. setting up the environment
39. go out? stay? sleep? eat? watch TV? play videogames? just lay in here? watch the walls? scream? run away? die? a n x i e t y Game Design Iterations 3
40. do you know what you want?
41. Anxiety Time systems
42. Anxiety Time Player controls or sees none systems
43. this is all the feedback player has
44. It is raining today. It really is.
45. the weight of each choice
47. getting out there and testing it!
48. Take away: Bittersweet game design is incorporating negative feelings in the main mechanics of your game. Make games about things that matter to you, no matter how hard they are. Investigate 1 Mechanic Ideation 2 Game Design Iterations 3 Test it. Bittersweet design process
49. Thank you for sweeting up the bitterness! @thaisweiller