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Small Changes, Big Results. Redefining a PC Franchise for the Nintendo Wii. Hello! . AI/Games GDC Workshops Sims EP Team Lead Designer: Wii!. Let’s Chat. Franchise Analysis (1/3) Designing to New (1/3) Takeaways (1/3). MDA. What is MDA?. Formal Vocabulary Common Language
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Small Changes, Big Results Redefining a PC Franchise for the Nintendo Wii
Hello! • AI/Games • GDC Workshops • Sims EP Team • Lead Designer: Wii!
Let’s Chat • Franchise Analysis (1/3) • Designing to New (1/3) • Takeaways (1/3)
What is MDA? • Formal Vocabulary • Common Language • Flexible, Extensible Not a Methodology
Rules Behavior Fun How Games Work
Mechanics Behavior Fun In other words… The rules and concepts that formally specify the game-as-system.
Mechanics Dynamics Fun In other words… The run-time behavior of the game-as-system.
Mechanics Dynamics Aesthetics In other words… The desirable emotional responses evoked by the game dynamics.
Mechanics Dynamics Aesthetics Design Perspective Player Designer
Mechanics Dynamics Aesthetics Player Perspective Player Designer
Mechanics • Manage Motives • Work for $ • Spend $ to Build/Buy • Objects & Social = mood ++ • Get promoted!
Mechanics • Manage Motives • Work for $ • Spend $ to Build/Buy • Objects & Social = mood ++ • Get promoted! Events, object & social failures
Dynamics • Motives vs. Fun vs. Work • Social for Goals • Lothario • Miser • Slacker • Keeping up with the Jones’ • Plate Spinning/RTS Compulsions
Aesthetics • Groundhog Day • Fixably Broken • Unique Successes and Failures “How funny! Should I fix it?”
Success! • Millions of units sold • Player community thrives • Houses • Objects • Sims • Stories!
Q: More? • Controls (more to balance) • Tools (more to shape) • Information (more storytelling)
A: Storytelling • Dream… or Nightmare? • Romance… or Feud? • Real… or Fantasy?
Storytelling • Dream… or Nightmare? • Romance… or Feud? • Real… or Fantasy? Life!
The Sims of our Lives • Aesthetic: Lifetime • Dynamics: Generations • Mechanics: Aging, Wants & Fears
Aesthetics First • Aesthetic: Lifetime • Dynamics: Generations • Mechanics: Aging, Wants & Fears Play to Tell Your Story!
Aesthetic… Verbs • Savor • Experiment • Create • Achieve
Wii Ho! • New Context • New UI • New Game
First Impressions • Aesthetics • Tactile • Clean Lines • Family-oriented
First Impressions • Dynamics • Active • Expressive • Communal
Mechanics? • Consider • Core Activities • Tactile world • New Look • Simple but powerful tools
A New World • Comfortable pace • Savor • Create • Clear goals • Achieve • Experiment
MySims • Core Cycle • Explore (Look what I found!) • Build (Look what I made!) • Exchange (Look what they did!)
Achievement? • Growth • More Sims • More Buildings • More Levels
Collect Town Growth Build + Customize Socialize Sim Needs Exchange
Look What I Found! • Mechanic: • Open world, hidden goodies • Dynamic: • Explore and discover • Aesthetic: • World, not a Set
Look What I Made! • Mechanic: • Decomposable/Recomposable • Dynamic: • Design + Build things • Aesthetic: • You control it!
Look What They Did! • Mechanic: • Reactive/Responsive Sims • Dynamic: • Individual and Group Expression • Aesthetic: • Comic, clockwork world
It’s all about Tactility • Controller lets players • Touch the world • Poke the systems • Build a community for their Sims