the #1 skill for game designers and how to practice it
DESCRIPTION
The presentation I gave at the Korea Games Conference 2014, discussing the importance of having a proper communication methodology in game design (specifically the AGE and 6-11 Framework, which are also integrated in the One Page GDD format proposed by Stone Librande).TRANSCRIPT
The #1 Skill for Game Designers
and How to Practice It
Roberto DillonJames Cook University (Singapore)
1999 2005 2009 2011
An often hot topic on LinkedIn groups
What's the most important skill for a Game Designer? Often degenerating in hundreds of comments!
Creativity Programming or Artistic skills Writing Having an open mind Curiosity ...
An often hot topic on LinkedIn groups
What's the most important skill for a Game Designer? Often degenerating in hundreds of comments!
Creativity Programming or Artistic skills Writing Having an open mind Curiosity ... Critical Analysis Listening Explaining your ideas
An often hot topic on LinkedIn groups
What's the most important skill for a Game Designer? Often degenerating in hundreds of comments!
Creativity Programming or Artistic skills Writing Having an open mind Curiosity ... Critical Analysis Listening Explaining your ideas
Communication
How to communicate effectively? “A method is needed in order to reason accurately”
Descartes
Game Designers explain their approaches in very subjective ways.How can we communicate our ideas in an easy to understand way?we need a “pragmatic” approach for explaining and describe games For example by breaking down a game at different level of complexities and analyze their relationships.
The A.G.E. Framework(inspired by the MDA framework)
FUN
Actions• the core actions that a player can perform usually described in terms of verbs.
• E.g. moving, jumping, kicking a ball, shooting, taking cover
Gameplay• the resulting play achieved by using and combining the available "actions". These can be either verbs or higher level concepts
• E.g. fighting, race to an end, territorial acquisition
Experience• the emotional experience that engages players during the game.
Emotional Experience
The most difficult part to explain How do players feel when they play? What do players really want? What triggers „Fun“??
„6-11 Framework“
„Fun” as an outcome from engaging the player through basic emotions and instincts
6 Basic Emotions Ekman, Plutchik, Izard etc.
11 Instincts / Instinctive behaviors
Their correspondences / relationships
„6 Emotions”
• Fear
„6 Emotions”
• Fear
• Anger
„6 Emotions”
• Fear
• Anger
• Pride
„6 Emotions”
• Sadness
„6 Emotions”
• Sadness
• Excitement
„6 Emotions”
• Sadness
• Excitement
• Joy
„11 Instincts”
• Survival
„11 Instincts”
• Survival
• Revenge
„11 Instincts”
• Survival
• Revenge
• Curiosity
„11 Instincts”
• Self Identification
„11 Instincts”
• Self Identification
• Aggressiveness
„11 Instincts”
• Self Identification
• Aggressiveness
• Competition
„11 Instincts”
• Protection / Care
„11 Instincts”
• Protection / Care
• Greed
„11 Instincts”
• Protection / Care
• Greed
• Collecting
„11 Instincts”
• Communication
„11 Instincts”
• Communication
• Color Appreciation
In general: Emotions can trigger instincts Instincts push the player to act in the game Easy to link instincts to gameplay and actions
Explaining a game
Fear
Anger
Survival
Aggressiveness
Escaping Avoiding danger
ChasingFighting
HidingRunning
RunningKickingCasting a spell
Explaining a game, step by step From Actions to Experience: Play the game
What can I do in the game? Note: check the controls!
From Actions to Experience: Once we nailed down the Actions...
Gameplay: What can I use them for? What am I trying to do?
Experience: Why am I doing it? How do I feel while playing?
Explaining a game, step by step
Frogger (Konami, 1981)
Actions What can I do in the game?
Frogger (Konami, 1981)
Actions • Move Left/Right• Advance• Retreat
Gameplay What am I trying to do?
Frogger (Konami, 1981)
Actions • Move Left/Right• Advance• Retreat
Gameplay• Avoid being run over by cars (avoidance)• Reach a safe spot at the top of the screen(race to an end)
Experience How do I feel while playing?
Frogger (Konami, 1981)
Actions • Move Left/Right• Advance• Retreat
Gameplay• Avoid being run over by cars (avoidance)• Reach a safe spot at the top of the screen(race to an end)
Experience How do I feel while playing?
Joy Excitement
Survival
Fear
Pride
Identification
Frogger (Konami, 1981)
Actions • Move Left/Right• Advance• Retreat
Gameplay• Avoid being run over by cars (avoidance)• Reach a safe spot at the top of the screen(race to an end)
Experience How do I feel while playing?
Joy Excitement
Survival
Fear
Pride
Identification
Frogger (Konami, 1981)
Actions • Move Left/Right• Advance• Retreat
Gameplay• Avoid being run over by cars (avoidance)• Reach a safe spot at the top of the screen(race to an end)
Experience How do I feel while playing?
Joy Excitement
ProtectionPride
NO! I’m not the frog! I’m just trying to rescue it!
Actions • Place/Remove unit• Zoom In/Out• Start/Stop evolution
Gameplay • Evolution (Conway’s Game of Life, 1970)• Expand control over the grid (territorial acquisition)• Protect the “Beacon” (tower defense)Experience
Excitement
Protection
Curiosity
Defense: Evolution (Adsumsoft, 2014, Android/iOS)
Pride Joy
Turky’s Date (Adsumsoft, 2014, Android/iOS)
Actions • Slide Tiles• Use Magic
Gameplay • Drive Turky around to get bonuses (herding) • Protect Turky (avoidance)• Reach Picky (race to an end)• Make the bad guys fall
Experience
Excitement Joy
Protection
CollectingRevenge
Pride
TitleDate/Version
< topic / high level description >
Main IllustrationCalloutCallout
< description >
Details,Zoom InSidebar
Sidebar
• Bullet points• …• …
Sidebar or
Flowchart
One Page GDD(Stone Librande, Creative Director, EA/Maxis, www.stonetronix.com)
One Page GDD
Conclusions• To be good game designers we need to
communicate effectively• We need a reliable approach for explaining our ideas• Gaining insights, discuss, sharing experiences
• AGE model • Narrow but clear definitions• Easy to relate the different layers• Desired emotional experience seen in terms of intuitive
components (6-11 Framework)• Straightforward to learn and adopt in a variety
of contexts• One Page GDD
Thanks for Your attention!
rdillon73
Adsumsoft:http://Adsumsoft.ProgramAndPlay.com