22-GameDesign.ppt
- 2. CS 4455 2 Overview This introduction covers: – Terms – Concepts – Approach All from a workaday viewpoint
- 3. CS 4455 3 The Language of Games Debate continues over high-level views Lack of standard (concrete) definitions – Game (Interactions to elicit emotions?) – Play (Object of rule-bound play?) – Aesthetics (Emotional responses during play?) High-level concepts tricky to articulate
- 4. CS 4455 4 The Language of Games Why do we play? What is the nature of games? – Not our focus in this class How is a game formed of parts? – That’s what we care about here! Computer games are an art form – The art of making interactive dynamic models!
- 5. CS 4455 5 Games Exist in a Frame The border of a game’s context – Inside the frame is in the game – Outside the frame is real life The world of the interactive dynamic model Choices have outcomes in the frame – Varying consequences/weights – Meaningful choices!
- 6. CS 4455 6 A Player-Game Model A model of the player – game relationship Mechanics Interface System PLAYER GAME
- 7. CS 4455 7 Play Mechanics Gameplay – Feelings of playing a particular game – Activities engaged in a particular game (Play/game) Mechanics – Specific to game activities – “What the player does” – “Core Mechanics” are the central activities
- 8. CS 4455 8 Seven Stages of Action (Don Norman, DOET) Execution – Intention to act – Sequence of action – Execution of action sequence Evaluation – Evaluating interpretations – Interpreting perceptions – Perceiving states Perceiving states Interpreting perceptions Evaluating interpretations Execution of action sequence Sequence of action Intention to act Goals THE GAME
- 9. CS 4455 9 Designer and Player Models Systems are built from designer mental models – Design models may only anticipate player goals Players build mental models from mechanics – Based on interactions Designer User User's Model Design Model System Image System
- 10. CS 4455 10 Goals and Objectives Objectives and goals can differ – Players goals reflect their understanding of the game – Designers must consider how the game communicates with players Designer User System Find sword Kill dragon Rescue princess Find sword Rescue dragon Kill princess
- 11. CS 4455 11 Aside: Resources Things used by agents to reach goals To be meaningful, they must be… – Useful – provide some value – Limited – in total or rate of supply KEY: Needed, but limited!
- 12. CS 4455 12 Premise Sets Context for Model The metaphors of action and setting – Concrete (e.g., Halo back-story) – Activity based (e.g., Madden) – Abstract (e.g., Tetris) Directs the player experience – Provides a context in which mechanics fit – Players map game states to the premise
- 13. CS 4455 13 Player Strategy People usually reason with commonsense – A view of linear causation – cause and effect Complex systems do not behave linearly – Players need information to support linear strategy “Game theory” assumes rational players – But does not assume perfect knowledge Situation Result Action
- 14. CS 4455 14 Aside: HCI and Cognitive Ergonomics HCI – Human-Computer Interaction – Study of… • Communication between users and computers • How people design, build, and use interfaces • Better support for cooperative work Cognitive Ergonomics – Analyzes the cognitive representations and processes involved with performing tasks
- 15. CS 4455 15 Norman, again (DOET = Design of Everyday Things) Norman’s five principles of design – Visibility • Making the parts visible – Mappings • Understandable relationships between controls and actions – Affordances • The perceived uses of an object – Constraints • Prevent the user from doing things they shouldn’t – Feedback • Reporting what has been done and accomplished
- 16. CS 4455 16 Systems Design Two general approaches to design – Special case • Experiences built one scene/level at a time • Anticipate states while pre-scripting events • Solved by discovering the intentions of the designer – Systemic • General behaviors are designed • Scenes/Levels are specific configurations • Some events may still be pre-scripted • Solved by understanding the system
- 17. CS 4455 17 Systems and Dynamics Generalizing dynamic behavior is hard – Dynamics determined by a given architecture – Feedback/control loops with player in loop Emergent complexity – Behaviors that cannot be predicted simply from the rules of a system – E.g., John Conway’s Game of Life
- 18. CS 4455 18 Systems and Feedback Negative feedback – Stabilizes the game – Forgives the loser – Prolongs the game – Magnifies late successes Positive feedback – Destabilizes the game – Rewards the winner – Can end the game – Magnifies early successes Positive Feedback Negative Feedback goal
- 19. CS 4455 19 Design is all about Working within Constraints! E.g., Platform – General description of hardware and software E.g., Game Saves – Save triggers – Save-anywhere – Save points – Coded text saves
- 20. CS 4455 20 Design to Different Audiences Why We Play Games – Nicole Lazzaro – Internal experience • Enjoyment from visceral activities – Hard fun • Challenge of strategy and problem solving – Easy fun • Intrigue and curiosity – exploration and adventure – Social experience • Stimulating social faculties – competition, teamwork, bonding, and recognition
- 21. CS 4455 21 Rest of Chapter Creativity Section: Brainstorming – Generating ideas without discrimination – Evaluation after elaboration – Can be unfocused Communication and Psychology – Useful tidbits – Lots of courses, books, etc.