making a game: start with constraints

Make Your Life Easier. Start with Constraints!

Nicole Leffel@devilherdue

Hi! I’m Nicole.

This time last year, I went from:

~10 Employees

Hi! I’m Nicole.

This time last year, I went from:

~10 Employees ...more than 1000 times that.

Hi! I’m Nicole.

This time last year, I went from:

~10 Employees ...more than 1000 times that.

Well, sort of.

Hi! I’m Nicole.

This time last year, I went from:

~10 Employees ...more than 1000 times that.

Well, sort of.Thanks Naomi!

2013: Six New Games

QUANTITY

2013: Six New Games

QUANTITY

SCOPE

1) Goal Constraint

What do you want the game to do?

1) Goal Constraint

What do you want the game to do?

• Make money?

1) Goal Constraint

What do you want the game to do?

• Make money?

• Teach the player something?

1) Goal Constraint

What do you want the game to do?

• Make money?

• Teach the player something?

• Change a player’s behavior?

1) Goal Constraint

What do you want the game to do?

• Make money?

• Teach the player something?

• Change a player’s behavior?

• Just be fun?

1) Goal Constraint

What do you want the game to do?

• Make money?

• Teach the player something?

• Change a player’s behavior?

• Just be fun?Our Goal: Build a game that encourages players to engage with the brand.

2) Audience Constraint

Who do you want to play your game?

2) Audience Constraint

Who do you want to play your game?

Conventional “wisdom”...

• Women: Casual Puzzle Games

• Men: Casino Card Games

2) Audience Constraint

Who do you want to play your game?

Conventional “wisdom”...

• Women: Casual Puzzle Games

• Men: Casino Card GamesDO NOT GET TRAPPED HERE.

2) Audience Constraint

Who do you want to play your game?

Conventional “wisdom”...

• Women: Casual Puzzle Games

• Men: Casino Card Games

Our Audience: Changes with brands, but generally more female skewed.

DO NOT GET TRAPPED HERE.

3) Feature Constraint

What can’t your game live without?

3) Feature Constraint

What can’t your game live without?

• Location-based Play

• Sync Multiplayer

• Accelerometer Controls

• Branching Narrative

• Realistic Physics

• Procedural Generation

3) Feature Constraint

What can’t your game live without?

• Location-based Play

• Sync Multiplayer

• Accelerometer Controls

• Branching Narrative

• Realistic Physics

• Procedural GenerationMake a big ole list. Then pick a couple.

3) Feature Constraint

What can’t your game live without?

• Location-based Play

• Sync Multiplayer

• Accelerometer Controls

• Branching Narrative

• Realistic Physics

• Procedural GenerationMake a big ole list. Then pick a couple.

Our Features: We wanted a player vs player game that could be easily re-skinned.

4) Platform Constraint

What platform does your game need to be on?

4) Platform Constraint

What platform does your game need to be on?

• Web-based

• Tabletop

• Mobile

• Console and PC

• Physical Space

4) Platform Constraint

What platform does your game need to be on?

• Web-based

• Tabletop

• Mobile

• Console and PC

• Physical Space

Our Platform: We wanted a mobile game and felt confident going with iOS only.

4) Platform Constraint

What platform does your game need to be on?

• Web-based

• Tabletop

•Mobile!!!

• Console and PC

• Physical Space

Our Platform: We wanted a mobile game and felt confident going with iOS only.

Our Constraints

Goal: Have players engage with USA brand.

Audience: Female skewing, but not too gendered.

Features: Multiplayer and easily reskinnable.

Platform: Mobile.

Our Constraints

Goal: Have players engage with USA brand. > Solution: Card decks for each show.

Audience: Female skewing, but not too gendered.

Features: Multiplayer and easily reskinnable.

Platform: Mobile.

Our Constraints

Goal: Have players engage with USA brand. > Solution: Card decks for each show.

Audience: Female skewing, but not too gendered.> Solution: Familiar casino-like game without casino-like

graphics.

Features: Multiplayer and easily reskinnable.

Platform: Mobile.

Our Constraints

Goal: Have players engage with USA brand. > Solution: Card decks for each show.

Audience: Female skewing, but not too gendered.> Solution: Familiar casino-like game without casino-like

graphics.

Features: Multiplayer and easily reskinnable.> Solution: Game only playable with other people.

Card assets are super easy to swap.

Platform: Mobile.

Our Constraints

Goal: Have players engage with USA brand. > Solution: Card decks for each show.

Audience: Female skewing, but not too gendered.> Solution: Familiar casino-like game without casino-like

graphics.

Features: Multiplayer and easily reskinnable.> Solution: Game only playable with other people.

Card assets are super easy to swap.

Platform: Mobile.> Solution: We went iOS only to focus on animations.

Our Team Created...

USA Character Cards(available in the App Store!)

Four Main Constraints

1) Goal

2) Audience

3) Feature(s)

4) Platform

Four Main Constraints

1) Goal

2) Audience

3) Feature(s)

4) PlatformQuestions? :)

Nicole Leffel@devilherdue