Game Mechanics and Theory

1. Game Mechanics and Theory Storytelling

2. Three act structure • Beginning (Act 1): Place the audience into the action or drama of the story. Introduce the problem. • 2. Middle (Act II): Focus on the obstacles that stand in the way of solving the problem. • 3. End (Act III): The problem introduced in Act I has been solved, and the obstacles have been removed. • EX: Fable 2

4. Hero’s Journey Structure • Ordinary World: The hero’s ordinary world is established. • Call to Adventure: The quest or journey is introduced. • Refusal of the Call: The hero refuses but is uncomfortable with the decision. • Meeting with the Mentor: The hero receives information relevant to the quest and needs to go on the journey. • Crossing the First Threshold: The hero abandons the refusal and embarks on the journey.

5. Hero’s Journey (continued) • Tests, Allies, and Enemies: The hero is tested and makes friends and enemies. • Approach to the Inmost Cave: The hero faces more tests and preparations • Ordeal: The hero must defeat the villain. • Reward: The hero gets the reward. • The Road Back: The hero has to choose the special world or ordinary world. • Resurrection: The hero must face death one more time. • Return with the Elixer: The hero finally returns but is changed forever .

6. Three act structure • First Act (introduction) – usually used to establish the main characters, their relationships, and the world they live in. • Near the end of the First Act, the main character (protagonist) has to deal with some problem that will change the world. This is the first Turning Point. • Second Act (confrontation) – longest section depicts the protagonist attempting to resolve the problem.

7. Vocabulary for Storytelling • Protagonist • Antagonist • Inciting Incident • Hook • Plot Point • Turning point • subplot

8. Game Mechanics and Theory Character Development

9. Character Classes • Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) introduced character classes. • Common types of classes • Fighter- focused on combat abilities but usually lacks magical abilities • Thief/Rogue – focused on stealth and high-damage but usually lacks defense or armor rating • Mage – powerful magical abilities but physically weak • Cleric/Priest – healing and supportive magical abilites

10. Combined classes • There are variations of the 4 main class types though and can pretty much be combined in any way. • Thief + Fighter = Assassin • Cleric + Fighter = Paladin • Mage + Fighter = Battle Mage • Thief + Mage = Bard or Mesmer • Ranged Thief + Support = Engineer • Some can combine more than one class • Ex: Fighter + Mage + Cleric = Druid

11. Class trees • Class trees are used to add more variation to the classes

14. Warrior Characteristics • Heavy plate armor • Large or multiple weapons • Sometimes has a shield • Lots of health

16. Druid Characteristics • Nature spells • Lives in forest • Protects the forest and animals • Animal characteristics

18. Thief Characteristics • Hood or mask over face • Lots of daggers or weapons • Usually wears leather or cloth

20. Mage Characteristics • Magical auras • Staff, wand, or spellbook • Pointed hat or hood • Usually wears cloth robes

22. Paladin Characteristics • Heavy plate armor • Large or multiple weapons • Great amount of health • White/Gold/Blue armor • Shield with one-handed weapon

24. Game Mechanics and Theory GamePlay

25. What is the relationship between gameplay and game story? • Why is the experience of playing the game so important? • How should game rules be structured?

26. Vocabulary • Non-playable character (NPC) – a character that cannot be controlled by a real player • Avatar – the character that represents a player in the game • Allies – characters that are on the player’s side • Enemies – characters that are against the player

27. The relationship between gameplay and game story • Gameplay is “a set of instructions for the player” • Also known as “rules of play” • You can have a game without a story • Ex: Tetris • You cannot have a game without gameplay • Ex: ???

28. Gameplay types • Asymmetrical Gameplay – multiple player play the same game simultaneously in different ways. • Cooperative Gameplay – players work together to meet a goal • Deathmatch – players work alone and fight each other • Twitch Gameplay – tests a player’s reaction time

29. Gameplay Types (continued) • Hack and Slash – focuses on melee fighting • Leveled Gameplay – Game gradually increases in difficulty • Micromanagement – player manages several small groups of units and controls most if not all actions of those units • Nonlinear Gameplay – players face challenges that can be completed in a number of different sequences

30. The key to a good game is getting the gameplay and the game story to be in harmony with each other. • Ex: Call of Duty game about saving whales • Good gameplay and a good story usually make for a good game. • Just because gameplay is bad doesn’t mean the game is bad

31. Victory and Lose conditions • Each gameplay type will have different win and lose conditions • Victory [“Win”] conditions are the conditions that must be met to win the game. • Lost [“Lose”] conditions are the conditions that must be met to lose the game.

32. Interactivity conflict • Player vs Player (PVP) – the player fights other real players • Player vs Environment (PVE) – the player fights AI controlled enemies • Can be played alone, with human companions, or AI companions

33. Choose a game, and determine what the “win” and “loss” conditions are in relation to gameplay. Are they different from the story?

34. Balance of gameplay • A good game has to balance several factors • Obstacles and Aids • If the obstacles might be too much of a challenge, add aids to help the player figure it out. • Penalties and Rewards • If the player uses aids, add a penalty or reduce the reward

35. Design Principles

36. Concept Art • Modeling • Texturing • Animation • Movement • Appearance • 2-D • 3-D

37. Concept Art – rough draft of art • Usually has little detail and is designed to show an idea • Modeling - • Texturing • Animation

38. Movement • Appearance • 2-D – graphics consisting of 2 planes. • Usually includes the x and y planes • 3-D – graphics consisting of 3 planes. • Usually includes the x, y, and z planes