How Do I Game Design? (OSCON 2015)

Transcript

1. How Do I Game Design?
   

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2. Hello!
   

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4. Jon Manning
   @desplesda
   Paris B-A
   @parisba
   Tim Nugent
   @the_mcjones
   

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6. We are Australian
   If we don’t make sense, let us know!
   

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9. What We'll Be Doing
   • Discussing game design!
   • Focusing on Mechanics, Dynamics, Aesthetics
   • Analysis of what fun is, why games have it, and how
   to design for it
   • Pointing out where game design knowledge can be
   used for UX, UI, community, project, and company
   building
   

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10. What We Won't Be Covering
    • Any programming whatsoever
    • Learning how to use a game engine
    • Learning how to get a job as a game designer
    

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11. This is a general introduction
    We don’t have time to go too in-depth!
    

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12. It’s about play
    

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13. Why do we play
    Because they're fun!
    

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14. Why do we play games?
    • But:
    • Why are they fun?
    • What do we mean when we say "fun"?
    • These are big, contentious questions with no single
    answer
    • Here's one answer:
    

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15. Why are games fun?
    • Games elicit specific feelings in their players
    • Discovery
    • Power
    • Teamwork
    • Skilfulness
    • Fear
    • More...
    • We play games because we like experiencing these
    feelings
    • Similar reason to why we like movies, books, TV, theatre,
    art..
    

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16. Why are games fun?
    How do games elicit these feelings?
    

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17. Mechanics, Dynamics, Aesthetics
    LeBlanc, Hunicke & Zubek 2004
    

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18. • Games are unpredictable (to varying degrees)
    • Player choice affects what happens
    • The choices available to the player are created by the
    game designer
    How are games different from other media?
    

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19. What Choices Are Created?
    • Players interact with games in very specific, constrained
    ways
    

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20. • Players take turns moving pieces
    • Pieces have different rules for
    moving
    • Pieces capture other pieces
    • You win when you capture the
    king (more or less)
    

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21. • One player is "it"
    • If the "it" player touches another
    player, that player becomes "it"
    

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22. • Jump over the rope
    • If the rope hits you, it's the next person's turn
    • Arguably not a game?
    

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23. Aside: Game Definitions
    game /gām/ n. (pl. -games) a non productive activity that involves
    a competition confined by procedures.
    

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24. Aside: Game Definitions
    game /gām/ n. (pl. -games) a non productive activity that involves
    a competition confined by procedures.
    

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25. Aside: Game Definitions
    game /gām/ n. (pl. -games) a formalized experience in which
    players make choices to have a meaningful experience.
    game /gām/ n. (pl. -games) an artwork characterized by an act of
    exploration.
    game /gām/ n. (pl. -games) an interactive object in which players
    interact with each other resulting in an unequal outcome.
    game /gām/ n. (pl. -games) a challenge in which players interact
    with each other resulting in a specific state of affairs.
    game /gām/ n. (pl. -games) a medium that involves a playful
    relationship representing a subset of the world.
    game /gām/ n. (pl. -games) a non productive activity that involves
    a competition confined by procedures.
    

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26. Aside: Game Definitions
    gamedefinitions.com
    

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27. Our Definition
    For our purposes, a game is:
    anything in which you play, subject to defined
    

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28. ANYWAY
    

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29. • Jump over the rope
    • If the rope hits you, it's the next person's turn
    • Arguably not a game?
    

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30. • Walking, running
    • Weapons
    • Collectables
    • AI shoots at you
    • Hit points
    • Lots more..
    

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31. • Resource collection
    • Buildings
    • Units
    • Fog of War
    • Orthogonal unit
    differentiation
    

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32. Mechanics
    • We call these game rules "mechanics"
    o Why not just "rules"?
    o Rules are instructions.
    o Mechanics are descriptions of how systems function.
    • Players interact with these systems!
    

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33. Dynamics
    • A thermostat has these mechanics:
    o "If the temperature is below 72°F, turn on the
    heater"
    o "If the temperature is above 72°F, turn on the
    air conditioner"
    

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34. • This creates negative feedback - the system will work
    to try to settle on a single value
    Heater On Heater On
    Cooler On
    Cooler On
    Dynamics
    

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35. Dynamics
    • Mechanics combine together to create dynamics.
    • “Tag” is a good, simple example.
    o Mechanic: The goal of the game is to not be "it".
    o Mechanic: When the player who is "it" touches you,
    you are "it".
    o Dynamic: the player who is "it" moves towards
    players who are not "it", who then flee.
    • Behaviour is separate from mechanics.
    

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36. Dynamics
    • Another, mostly abstract example:

    o Mechanic: Players can earn points, and can cause
    other players to lose points.
    o Mechanic: The winner is the first player with 10
    points.
    o Dynamic: When a player gets close to winning,
    other players will gang up on them and bring them
    down.
    

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37. Dynamics
    • Closely related to strategy, but not the same thing
    • If a game mechanics mean playing a certain way will
    win the game more often, the fact that you end up
    playing that way is the dynamic
    

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38. Dynamics
    • Often difficult to work out from just reading the rules
    • The concept of discovered check is not obvious in the
    rules of chess
    

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39. Aesthetics
    • Dynamics have effects on players.
    • In tag, the "it" player chases you
    o This makes you feel hunted
    • When you're "it", you chase the other players
    o This makes you feel like a hunter
    

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40. Aesthetics
    Sensation
    Game as sense-pleasure
    Fantasy
    Game as make-believe
    Narrative
    Game as unfolding story
    Challenge
    Game as obstacle course

    Fellowship
    Game as social framework
    Discovery
    Game as uncharted territory
    Expression
    Game as soap box
    Submission
    Game as mindless pastime
    Aesthetics are the way that games make us feel.
    From 8kindsoffun.com
    

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41. Aesthetics
    • Arguably, aesthetics are what we're usually talking
    about when we describe "fun".
    • They're often what players are subconsciously looking
    for when selecting a game
    o "I want a game that makes me feel powerful"
    o "I want a game that makes me feel like I'm working
    in a team"
    o "I want a game where I can have fun with my
    friends"
    

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42. MDA Summary
    Mechanics Dynamics Aesthetics
    • Designers create mechanics
    • Mechanics, when played, create dynamics
    • Dynamics have aesthetic effects on players
    

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43. Players See This Differently
    Developer Player
    Mechanics Dynamics Aesthetics
    

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44. Examining a game using MDA
    

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45. “The Resistance”
    • Rebels vs Evil Government
    • Most players are “rebels” (good guys)
    • Some players are “spies” (bad guys)
    • Spies know who their fellow spies are, but rebels don’t
    know
    

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46. “The Resistance” Rules
    • Each turn:
    • Current “leader” player picks some players to go on a “mission”
    • Players vote on whether this selection is good
    • Selected players secretly pick a “success” or “failure” card; these
    are gathered and shuffled, then revealed to everyone
    • If any “failure” cards were picked, the mission fails
    • Next player clockwise becomes leader
    • 3 mission fails = spies win
    • 3 mission successes = rebels win
    

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47. “The Resistance” Mechanics
    • At a higher level:
    • Hidden information
    • Fixed game time
    • Perfect knowledge of own state
    • Subset of players have perfect knowledge of full state
    

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48. “The Resistance” Dynamics
    • Accusation
    • Rebels end up looking for evidence of spies
    • Deduction
    • Rebels need to work out who they can trust; this leads to:
    • Creation of “circles of trust”
    • Small exclusionary groups form, often hostile to actual non-spies
    • Camouflage
    • Spies can choose to help missions succeed
    • Misdirection
    • “I’m not the spy! You’re the spy!”
    • Sacrifice
    • One spy denounces another, to gain trust
    

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49. “The Resistance” Aesthetics
    • For rebels:
    • Paranoia
    • Uncertainty
    • For spies:
    • Silent teamwork
    • Fear of discovery
    

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50. Small rule changes mean big gameplay
    changes
    

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51. Two new rules
    

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52. Two new rules
    • Same as "The Resistance", but with an Arthurian
    theme
    • One Good player is Merlin
    • Knows who all the Evil players are
    • One Evil player is the Assassin
    • At end of game, if Good has won but the Assassin
    can correctly identify Merlin, Evil wins
    

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53. New Dynamics
    • Merlin tries to give information to good players, without
    giving themselves away
    • Players (both Good and Evil) try to discover Merlin's
    identity
    • Evil players pretend to be Merlin
    • Merlin tries to find independent justifications for stuff
    they know
    • Multiple routes to victory for Evil players
    • Merlin discovery gambits
    • Merlin discovery counter-gambits
    • Merlin discovery counter-counter-gambits
    

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54. New Aesthetics
    • Frustration (for Merlin)
    • Out-thinking
    • Fast talking
    • Guardianship (for Good players)
    • Vigilance (for Assassin and for Good players)
    

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55. Dynamics create aesthetics through
    narrative
    

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56. Games tell stories
    Not just written narrative, but emergent narrative
    

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59. Ravenholm is a scary level
    • Why?
    • Several well-placed elements combine to create a
    scary experience
    

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60. Reinforcement through setting
    

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61. Pre-Written Narrative
    (Artist’s Impression)
    Marc Laidlaw
    

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62. Reinforcement through dynamics
    • Player is deliberately starved of ammo
    • Earlier areas featured plenty of ammo
    • Sudden shift in availability creates contrast and
    unease (“Why can’t I find ammo? Am I not playing this
    game right?")
    • To compensate, player is forced to improvise and get
    closer than usual to dangerous enemies
    • New mechanics designed to reinforce scariness
    

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63. • Small
    • Fast
    • Jump at player
    • On hit, player’s
    health drops to 1%
    

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64. Effective Dynamics
    • Games tell stories through gameplay.
    • This is in addition to any prewritten narrative.
    • Games are important because they’re the only medium
    for interaction in which the narrative depends entirely
    on the player.
    

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67. Effective Dynamics
    • Effective written stories have dramatic tension.
    • Effective emergent stories have dramatic tension, too!

    • But what is dramatic tension?
    

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68. Dramatic Tension
    Time
    Rising tension
    Climax
    Resolution/
    Denouement
    

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69. Dramatic Tension
    Time
    Meet Luke, sand people, escape
    Tatooine, escape Death Star
    Attack Death
    Star
    Yay, medals
    

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70. Dramatic tension
    • How does dramatic tension form?
    • Through a combination of:
    • Uncertainty
    • Inevitability
    

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71. Uncertainty
    The outcome is unknown. Anyone could win or lose.
    

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72. Inevitability
    The contest between players is moving forward towards
    resolution, and the outcome is imminent.
    

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73. Tension requires both of these
    • Without uncertainty, the outcome is too obvious
    • Without inevitability, the outcome is too distant
    

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74. Dramatic Tension
    • Game dynamics can create both uncertainty and
    inevitability
    

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75. Sources of Inevitability
    

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77. Sources of Uncertainty
    

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78. Sources of Uncertainty
    

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81. Mechanics
    Dynamics
    Aesthetics
    

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82. Losing Players Can Make A Comeback
    Uncertainty
    Fixed Duration of Race
    Inevitability
    The first person to pass the finish line wins the game.
    When players collide with item boxes, they receive a random item.
    One item is the Blue Shell, which is a homing missile that slows down players in front of you.
    When a player is in last place, they have an increased chance of collecting blue shells.
    `
    Holy crap! That was so close, but you hit me with a shell just before I
    crossed the finish line! I hate you! Let’s go again!
    

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86. No knowledge of what’s behind each door
    Uncertainty
    Number of rooms is finite
    Inevitability
    The player can walk from room to room.
    Rooms contain items, like books, boxes, documents, keys…
    Items can be picked up and examined.
    ` Oh man, I hope things work out for her in the end…
    

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89. Dynamics are hard to intuit
    

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91. Paper prototyping helps
    you fail as quickly as
    

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92. • Spend as little time as possible thinking about
    changes, and as much time as possible testing
    changes
    • Games are about interacting components
    • The only way to work out the next steps in your
    design is to put it in motion
    Tips for Failing Fast
    

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93. Fail Fast
    • Your first attempts will be terrible.
    • This is good.
    • Discover what you don't like about your work, make a
    change, and test it again. Repeat.
    

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95. Using your knowledge
    

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96. Game design for not-games
    

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97. User stories
    • "As a , I want so that ”
    • Action -> Desirable outcome
    • What -> Why
    • Mechanic -> Aesthetic
    • Consider thinking about how the action leads to the
    desirable outcome through the expression of your UI’s
    mechanics
    

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99. Analysing “desire paths” in software
    • Mechanic: Walking is easier along paths.
    • Mechanic: When people walk on terrain, a rough path
    is gradually formed.
    • Dynamic: People create new paths that are shorter
    than the formal, paved paths.
    • “Aesthetic”: People are unhappy at ugly paths.
    

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100. Analysing “desire paths” in software
     Understand how people are interacting with your existing
     mechanics, and identify if they’re resulting in an aesthetic
     that you don’t want.
     If they are, change it.
     

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101. Analysing “desire paths” in software
     • Mechanic: The text of tweets can be copied and
     pasted.
     • Mechanic: Tweets have a limited length.
     • Dynamic: To indicate the source of a copied tweet,
     users add attribution (“RT @username: text of original
     tweet”)
     • Aesthetic: Users are dissatisfied with having to reword
     tweets to fit within the limit
     • Corrective action: Define a new type of tweet, called a
     “retweet”, that embeds the original tweet
     

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102. Addendum: People make contests out of
     anything
     • Mechanic: The number of retweets is counted
     • Mechanic: The number of users who favourite a tweet
     is also counted
     • Dynamic: Retweets expose a tweet to more users,
     favourites do not
     • Dynamic: Users craft their tweets to be retweeted
     more often
     • Aesthetic: Retweets are considered more valuable
     • Aesthetic: Weird Twitter
     

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105. Mechanics don’t directly lead to
     outcomes
     • They rely on the expression of the rules through
     dynamics
     • This is why “mandatory fun” rules never result in actual
     fun
     • You can’t design fun, but you can design for fun
     • You can’t design a positive company culture, but you
     can design systems and mechanisms that reinforce
     positive elements of a culture
     

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106. @thesecretlab
     

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107. Thanks!
     @desplesda

     @parisba
     @the_mcjones
     @thesecretlab
     Slides/notes will be available at:
     http://blog.secretlab.com.au
     Want more of this sort of thing?

     Visit GDC in San Francisco in March
     next year, and attend the annual 2-day
     Game Design Workshop:

     http://www.gdconf.com
     

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