Game Prototyping

1. Game Prototyping Think Game Play! http://blog.codedread.com/archives/2006/02/12/gdc-2006-advanced-prototyping/ http://www.gamasutra.com/gdc2007/index.php?id=13016

2. Production Cycle • Concept design • Prototyping (Pre-production) • Production • Art concept • Storyboarding • Writing • Level design • Modeling and animation • Programming, behavior and tools • Playtesting • Revisions • Post production

3. Games as Dynamic Systems Outside Source: Chapter 5 (Working with System Dynamics) External Resources: Chapter 7 and 8 (Rollings and Adams)

4. What is a System? is an assemblage of entities/objects, real or abstract, comprising a whole with each and every component/element interacting or related to another one.

5. Games are Systems • Objects • Properties • Behaviors Actions that an object can take • Relationships: • Using Rules, e.g. Damage, Hit Points, Armor • Using Behaviors, e.g. Sims: character relationship with objects are based on their needs

6. Transitive Relationships • In game terms: you need B to get to C. • Example: you cannot fight the last boss in the game without accumulating strength through fighting smaller bosses or enemies

7. Elements of Transitive Relationships • Timing is important, controlled through your design: e.g. in FPS: you can control timing and pacing through XP, weapon strength, HP in the level • Challenge vs. Frustration

9. Composing a System Setup the objects, properties, behaviors, and relationships to create a balanced GamePlay

10. Ways to establish balance • Manipulating numbers • Introducing chance • Manipulating rules • Use trade-off matrix • Encoding the game as another balanced game, e.g. Rock, Paper, Scissors

11. Avoid Dominant Strategies • Are strategies that gives you a win no matter what. • E.g. • Any game Examples?

12. Prototyping Games Outside Source: Chapter 6 (Prototyping) (most of this part of the lecture is taken from DIGRA Game Design Workshop primarily done by Tracy Fullerton)

14. Physical Prototyping

15. Physical Prototyping

16. Modeling the Premise & System

17. Benefits of Physical Prototyping • Allows process to focus on game play, not technology. • Allows more design time, more iterations. • Allows real-time response to feedback. • Allows non-technical team members to participate at a high level in design process. • Allows broader and deeper experimentation.

18. Physical Prototypes

20. Formal Playtesting & Usability

21. Where to Begin? Dynamic System Dramatic Elements • Rules, • Procedures, • Mechanics, • etc. Formal Elements

22. Formal Elements • Players • Objectives • Rules • Procedures • Resources • Boundaries • Outcome

23. How is the interaction between the players organized?

24. What goals structure the play?

25. What rules guide or limit the players’ actions?

26. How does the play proceed?

27. What resources are available to players to accomplish their goals?

28. How will it end?

29. Dramatic Elements • Premise • Character • Story • Challenge • Play

30. Additional Materials • Chris Hecker http://chrishecker.com/Homepage (lectures, notes) • Chaim Gingold http://www.slackworks.com/~cog/ (lectures, ideas) • Johnathan Blow http://number-none.com/blow/index.html (demos of prototypes, papers, lectures, ideas)

31. To Do for Oct 10/16 • Paper Prototype or other kinds of prototypes • Playtesting Report (3 sessions at least), schedule with Ai • Presentation for each group showing: • Paper prototype • Notes from playtesting • Please plan for 7 minute presentation – I will cut you off if you go longer • Presentations are on 10/16 and 10/23, I decide when u go • Send presentations by email Monday 10/15 11:59 or before • Outcome of presentation: feedback and blog reports • Each student will blog on the presentations they saw, please use formal and dramatic elements or MDA framework for your analysis. This is graded (see syllabus)