Prototyping for Fun & Profit

1. Prototyping for Fun & Profit Engagement & Metaphor Borut Pfeifer Plush Apocalypse Productions

2. Some Definitions en⋅gage⋅ment [en-geyj-muhnt] - the act of engaging or the state of being engaged. Engage - to attract and hold fast: The novel engaged her attention and interest. • Metaphor - something used, or regarded as being used, to represent something else; emblem; symbol.

3. The Unconcerned • Game about Iran post-election riots • Mother & Father lose Daughter in crowd • Puzzle-based gameplay moving through crowds • Swap characters to solve puzzles (Lost Vikings) • Purpose: Convey empathy w/Iranian people, inform about the political/social situation, through engaging gameplay

4. Prototyping and Iteration

5. Prototypes • Quickly get info you need for creative decisions • Different prototype axes: • Experiment (test) vs. Exploratory (generate ideas) • Aesthetic vs. Mechanic vs. both (careful!) • Thematic statement: • Clarify the core message(s) of the game. • NOT A PITCH STATEMENT (only for you) “Only by looking to everyone as individuals can we move past group/systemic struggles and save ourselves.”

6. Typical Prototyping Tips • Fail fast – use short prototype cycles. • Build it to throw away. • Constraints stimulate creativity. • Don’t develop story, levels, visuals, etc. until gameplay is engaging.

7. Typical Prototyping Pitfalls • Produces simple mechanics – not often thematically deep • Can prototype gameplay that will never work in fictional context. • Making the wrong prototype – reject mechanics that would work w/more advanced visuals. • Keep changing ideas, don’t finalize any.

8. Aesthetic Prototypes/Look Development Avoid if possible! Evaluate scale, speed, timing. Look needs to be representative, but lo-fi: • May lack in some areas of fidelity (animation) • Fallback to debug shapes/text. • Important for serious games, look must convey theme Visual feedback must be: • Easy to distinguish (color, contrast, outline, movement) • Contextually appropriate • Frequent (simple actions + lots of feedback ~= fun)

9. Look Prototype • First work on project • Test perspective/scale/speed/timing • Separate (but also evaluate) color palette, style, etc.

10. Mechanic Prototypes/Gameplay Development • Clear player goal(s) • Give feedback on progress • How well are they achieving goals? • Player feedback on available actions • What actions can they take to achieve goals? • How effective will those actions be?

11. Serious Game Mechanics Metaphorical mechanics fail when they’re: • Simplistic: can trivialize the subject • Over-generalized: applies a stereotype • Mismatched: conveys additional unwanted elements • Poorly skinned: slapped on existing game • Used in repetitive context: also trivializes

12. The Unconcerned Gameplay Prototyping • Interleave engaging elements with serious ones: • Searching – looking for daughter • Strategic differences between father/mother (both for puzzle purposes & rhetoric) • Analyze mechanics for metaphorical inconsistencies. • Prototypes • Finder/Waypoints • Line of Sight/Uncover area • Crowds • Split city location/crowd gameplay

13. Finder Mechanic Prototype • Experiment - test mechanic depth • Finder arrow – shows daughter’s possible direction (bounces around) • Ask people about daughter • Answers hone in on direction to exit level • Certain characters respond to father vs. mother • Added multiple waypoints

14. Finder Mechanic Prototype • Goal relatively clear • Effects of asking not clear w/randomization. • Making the asking mechanic more clear/less random makes it over-generalized. • Thematically – seek out individuals in crowd

15. Line-of-Sight Prototype • Exploration – how might this work? • Require player to search space by uncovering areas • Goal – certain % uncovered • Added crowds - sight blocked by crowds. • Have to get into a crowd to see inside/thru it. • Crowd entry based on father or mother

16. Line-of-Sight Prototype

17. Line of Sight Prototype • Goal not clear • Progress partially clear • Thematically – not related to individual/group relationships. • Crowds still required discrete class/role boundaries (stereotypical). • Might work as optional completion goal

18. Crowd Prototypes • Explore crowd-based puzzles • Characters can’t move through some crowds. • Break up crowd to open path. • Added crowd direction • Focused crowds restrict player movement • Use crowds as gates with switches • Added moving crowds to unblock obstacles

19. Crowd Prototypes • Moving crowds: not really logical for medium/large crowds • Basically a locked door “puzzle” • Thematically – loses focus on individual • Crowd boundaries have to be explicit either/or – strong gender/class statement

20. Split City/Crowd Prototype • Experiment with separating puzzle & exploration • City locations – explore w/simple environment obstacles (lock/key) • Enter crowds – move people to get through (push/pull block puzzle) • Must enter each crowd to uncover level (shown in mini-map)

21. Split City/Crowd Prototype • Engaging (goals & feedback ok) • Thematically – contrasts group & individual behavior • Diagonal movement problems: • Overhead grid spacing affords diagonal movement. • Make the puzzle harder, didn’t want them • Can it be solved visually?

22. Crowd Look Dev Prototype • Test faux 3D view • Eliminates affordance/feedback of diagonals • Emotional impact – feel closer to characters

23. Crowd Puzzle Metaphors Add variation with different crowd units. Random elements? Not easily understood. Analog mechanics? Don’t fit in puzzle context. Internal class variation: • Behaviors don’t apply to all members of a class • Some behaviors might apply to multiple classes • Communicate through multiple, noisy channels (like character’s random idle animation)

24. Crowd Puzzle Units • Added unit behaviors like: • Injurable person: push limit, need to help • Vocal protesters: attract people • Linked: attempt to stay side by side • Avoiders: inclined to move away automatically • Metaphors better avoid stereotyping • Requires character animation to test playability. • But structure allows work on plot, levels, etc. • Characters larger onscreen, saved redoing art!

25. Collected wisdom • Understand purpose of prototype (explore/ experiment, mechanic/aesthetic) • Thematic statement focuses creative decisions • Refine feedback of player goals, progress, and actions • Avoid over-simplified, stereotyped, mismatched, or inappropriately repetitive mechanics. • Fail fast! Decide faster!

26. Thanks • Dan Boutros • Amanda Williams • Dren McDonald The Unconcerned: http://plushapocalypse.com/theunconcerned Prototyping advice? Email: borut_p@yahoo.com Twitter: @plushapo Blog: http://plushapocalypse.com/borut