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Game Design Workshop

Game Design Workshop. Game Design Workshop. About The Workshop. Started in 2001 Hands-on Focused on iteration Grounded in a formal approach Intended to be open-ended. What It’s NOT about…. How to get a job as a game designer How to write a design document Where game ideas “come from”

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Game Design Workshop

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  1. Game Design Workshop

  2. Game Design Workshop

  3. About The Workshop • Started in 2001 • Hands-on • Focused on iteration • Grounded in a formal approach • Intended to be open-ended

  4. What It’s NOT about… • How to get a job as a game designer • How to write a design document • Where game ideas “come from” • How to get your game funded • How to use a level editor

  5. In Other Words... • It’s not about the Business(Getting a job, pitching a game, getting funded) • It’s not about the Profession(Writing documents, tracking bugs, using tools) • It’s about the Craft(Making games that are fun)

  6. What You’ll be Doing • Playing games • Analyzing games • Critiquing games • Modifying games • Refining games

  7. Schedule Overview • 10am-6pm both days • Lunch from 12:15-1:45 • Coffee breaks at 11am & 4pm • 2-3 hour design exercises Info and signups at gdc.8kindsoffun.com

  8. The Faculty • Jonathan Hamel • Crystal Dynamics/Eidos • Jeb Havens • Google • Robin Hunicke • Thatgamecompany • Frank Lantz • Zynga • Marc LeBlanc • Electrified Games • Andrew Leker • Electrified Games • Stone Librande • EA/Maxis • Art Min • Rumble Entertainment • Tim Stellmach • As Himself

  9. A Few Ground Rules • Please stay for both days • PvE, not PvP • Save the “meta-discussion” for the very end • Turn the laptop off Last but not least…

  10. Fail Fast!

  11. Fail Fast! Test Analyze Revise

  12. Fail Fast! Follow the Fun! Test Analyze Revise

  13. TED Talk: Marshmallow Challenge

  14. Channel your inner kindergartener…

  15. Let’s Play! Rock, Paper, Scissors vs. MAHK

  16. Break Into Rooms Rock 236 Paper 220 Scissors 224

  17. Game/Software Parallels =

  18. Mechanics Dynamics Aesthetics The MDA Framework

  19. Mechanics • Cards • Shuffling, Trick-Taking, Bidding • Shooters • Ammunition, Spawn Points • Golf • Sand Traps, Water Hazards

  20. Dynamics Room

  21. Chance in 36 Die roll Dynamics

  22. Psychology = Human Dynamics • Perception • Attribution Bias • Cognitive Dissonance

  23. Sometimes…

  24. The Idea of Dynamics • Behavior is separate from rules. • The same behavior can emerge from many different rules.

  25. Eight Kinds of “Fun” • Sensation • Fantasy • Narrative • Challenge • Fellowship • Discovery • Expression • Submission

  26. Formulating an “Aesthetic Model” For each aesthetic goal: • Write a formal definition • List criteria for success • List modes of failure • Serves as an “aesthetic compass” • These are often reusable Some examples…

  27. Goal: Competition • Definition: A game is competitive if players are emotionally invested in defeating each other. • Success: • Players are adversaries. • Players want to win. • Failure: • A player feels that he can’t win. • A player can’t measure his progress.

  28. Goal: Pirate Fantasy • Definition: A pirate fantasy conforms to the genre conventions of pirate movies, and permits the player to engage in certain kinds of anti-social pirate behavior.

  29. Goal: Pirate Fantasy • Definition: A pirate fantasy conforms to the genre conventions of pirate movies, and permits the player to engage in certain kinds of anti-social pirate behavior. • Success: • Empowerment • Independence • Greed • Treachery • Prey upon Weak • Failure: • Vulnerability • Compassion • Generosity

  30. Goal: Drama Definition: A game is dramatic if: • Its central conflict creates dramatic tension. • The dramatic tension builds towards a climax.

  31. Goal: Drama • Success: • A sense of uncertainty • A sense of inevitability • Tension increases towards a climax • Failure: • The conflict’s outcome is obvious (no uncertainty) • No sense of forward progress (no inevitability) • Player doesn’t care how the conflict resolves.

  32. Aesthetic Models are an Important Tool • It’s hard to solve problems we can’t describe. • Especially in a large group.

  33. The Point: • In some sense, it isn’t about this: Mechanics Dynamics Aesthetics

  34. The Point: • It’s about this:

  35. The Point: • This is where game design happens.

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