Game OriginalityGame Originality

Bryan BoyerBryan Boyer

2/19/072/19/07

Seeking the OriginalSeeking the Original

Everyone cries out for original Everyone cries out for original things and new creativity, but things and new creativity, but why aren’t we flooded with it?why aren’t we flooded with it?

Clones and Sequels = MoneyClones and Sequels = Money

Cannot be expected to abandon Cannot be expected to abandon the brands that have achieved the brands that have achieved proven market success proven market success

Chreodes Chreodes

Biologist C.H. Waddington in the Biologist C.H. Waddington in the 1950s 1950s

““Pathway of probability”Pathway of probability” Descriptive language to describe Descriptive language to describe

the way organisms developthe way organisms develop The idea can apply to any field of The idea can apply to any field of

probability and evolution of probability and evolution of somethingsomething

Chreodes Chreodes (cont.)(cont.)

The entirety of games can be looked at as The entirety of games can be looked at as a series of chreodes, with the channels a series of chreodes, with the channels corresponding to the genres of games corresponding to the genres of games

““By mentally rendering the sphere of By mentally rendering the sphere of organic life and the games market in organic life and the games market in terms of a landscape of chreodes, we terms of a landscape of chreodes, we create a metaphorical model allowing us create a metaphorical model allowing us to make comparisons between the to make comparisons between the evolution of life, and the evolution of evolution of life, and the evolution of computer games”computer games”

Evolution to OriginalityEvolution to Originality

Games have been a varied set of Games have been a varied set of genres exploring a set of market genres exploring a set of market niches. They grow where the niches. They grow where the money is.money is.– Huge amount of originality at Huge amount of originality at

beginning because nothing was done beginning because nothing was done yet.yet.

– Branching off towards different areas.Branching off towards different areas.– If no major branch, then no major If no major branch, then no major

originality.originality.

The Shooter ExampleThe Shooter Example

Space Invaders (1978)Space Invaders (1978)

The Shooter Example The Shooter Example (cont.)(cont.)

Battlezone (1980)Battlezone (1980)

The Shooter Example The Shooter Example (cont.)(cont.)

Wolfenstein 3D (1992) Wolfenstein 3D (1992)

Doom (1993)Doom (1993)

The Shooter Example The Shooter Example (cont.)(cont.)

Goldeneye 007 (1997)Goldeneye 007 (1997)

Half-Life (1998)Half-Life (1998)

The Shooter Example The Shooter Example (cont.)(cont.)

Halo (2001) Halo (2001)

The Shooter Example The Shooter Example (cont.)(cont.)

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006)(2006)

Extinction of Extinction of OriginalityOriginality Events can crush chreodes as well.Events can crush chreodes as well.

– The “continue” ends games that were made for one The “continue” ends games that were made for one sitting.sitting.

Also lets players see the end of some games.Also lets players see the end of some games.– New platforms and graphics leave old things behind.New platforms and graphics leave old things behind.

Extinction brings about originality in a new Extinction brings about originality in a new wave – a lack of constraints or need to be like wave – a lack of constraints or need to be like another thing. It gives a freedom to develop.another thing. It gives a freedom to develop.

Must be a genre, not a specific game. Must be a genre, not a specific game. Anything else would just alter the path of the Anything else would just alter the path of the genre.genre.

Cost?Cost?

A lot of originality comes at low cost, A lot of originality comes at low cost, not high.not high.– ““the cost of creation is fractional the cost of creation is fractional

compared to the mass market end of the compared to the mass market end of the spectrum”spectrum”

– Examples: Examples: Wolfenstein 3D was sharewareWolfenstein 3D was shareware Movies like Blaire Witch ProjectMovies like Blaire Witch Project

High Cost also winsHigh Cost also wins– The Sims (2000) by Maxis was high budgetThe Sims (2000) by Maxis was high budget

Sequels?Sequels?

Still very important.Still very important.– ““Refinement of design is as valuable Refinement of design is as valuable

a process as raw originality”a process as raw originality” The original product is the new chreode, The original product is the new chreode,

the sequels polish it to something even the sequels polish it to something even better.better.

Can’t let the desire for originality detract Can’t let the desire for originality detract from important aspects of existing from important aspects of existing games.games.

– Problem: When do you stop?Problem: When do you stop?

Originality SummaryOriginality Summary

Want it to flourish in a financially Want it to flourish in a financially safe way.safe way.– Take advantage of breakthroughs in Take advantage of breakthroughs in

design and technology and design and technology and “extinctions”“extinctions”

– Do not stray too far from the Do not stray too far from the backbone of a genre’s chreodebackbone of a genre’s chreode Exceptions: Spare money or smaller Exceptions: Spare money or smaller

companiescompanies

Originality Summary Originality Summary (cont.)(cont.)

Can’t predict what genre or chreode to Can’t predict what genre or chreode to evolve, but the payback for a successful evolve, but the payback for a successful change towards originality is greater change towards originality is greater than sequels – for the company and the than sequels – for the company and the industry.industry.

The best place for originality would be The best place for originality would be mainstream games, which are ironically mainstream games, which are ironically the haven for sequels. A downward the haven for sequels. A downward spiral until the next big gaming spiral until the next big gaming “extinction”“extinction”

Originality Summary Originality Summary (cont.)(cont.)

Computer games have been Computer games have been driven by originality, but driven by originality, but sustained by sequels. sustained by sequels.

My personal opinion: I want to My personal opinion: I want to increase that drive.increase that drive.

Design SuggestionsDesign Suggestions

Originality is closely related to being Originality is closely related to being successful. If a lot of people like a successful. If a lot of people like a particular product, you have a crowd particular product, you have a crowd to push originality onto.to push originality onto.

5 general tips for making a successful 5 general tips for making a successful game by François Dominic Laramée:game by François Dominic Laramée:(Amazingly a lot of games don’t do some of the more obvious (Amazingly a lot of games don’t do some of the more obvious things.)things.)

Design Suggestions Design Suggestions (cont.)(cont.)

– Exploit Setting ConsistenciesExploit Setting Consistencies Make a seamless environment to allow for Make a seamless environment to allow for

gamers to get more entranced into a gamegamers to get more entranced into a game Use resources to find mistakes and blooper-ish Use resources to find mistakes and blooper-ish

things and fix them. It is more towards quality things and fix them. It is more towards quality control than testing for bugs.control than testing for bugs.

– Maintain FocusMaintain Focus Don’t become an overzealous developer and Don’t become an overzealous developer and

make a million man cast for an epic story or make a million man cast for an epic story or make the gamer keep track of trivial, minor make the gamer keep track of trivial, minor details.details.

As we learned before, originality has its limits As we learned before, originality has its limits and needs sequels to polish out things, you and needs sequels to polish out things, you don’t want to overdo it all at once.don’t want to overdo it all at once.

Design Suggestions Design Suggestions (cont.)(cont.)

– Make The Interface Your FriendMake The Interface Your Friend Pick an interface style suitable to your game genre Pick an interface style suitable to your game genre

– one that is simple and efficient.– one that is simple and efficient. This isn’t anything new, we’ve learned it all in This isn’t anything new, we’ve learned it all in

previous classes.previous classes.

– Design ModularlyDesign Modularly If you get a killer idea that would be amazingly If you get a killer idea that would be amazingly

original halfway through the production of a game original halfway through the production of a game – you need to be able to implement without – you need to be able to implement without reworking everything.reworking everything.

Design defensibly, in clearly and connected bits of Design defensibly, in clearly and connected bits of a game. Similar to an OO approach for a system.a game. Similar to an OO approach for a system.

Design with extensibility in mind that can shift and Design with extensibility in mind that can shift and change with relative ease.change with relative ease.

Design Suggestions Design Suggestions (cont.)(cont.)

– Ditch The Unworkable ClichésDitch The Unworkable Clichés The essence of originality!The essence of originality! Cliché examples:Cliché examples:

– Entire races of beings doing evil for evil’s sake – Entire races of beings doing evil for evil’s sake – where is their life’s purpose? *yawn*where is their life’s purpose? *yawn*

– Good vs Evil : Light vs Dark – Where are the grey Good vs Evil : Light vs Dark – Where are the grey areas? Our lives are not so simple.areas? Our lives are not so simple.

– Alien races all looking humanoid because of old tv Alien races all looking humanoid because of old tv shows needing actors in costumes. Reality says shows needing actors in costumes. Reality says otherwise!otherwise!

– Sports games being roster updatesSports games being roster updates You can do these and have success, but there is You can do these and have success, but there is

room for so much room for so much more.more.

New Waterfall ModelNew Waterfall Model

New Spiral ModelNew Spiral Model

ReferencesReferences

Bateman, Chris. “The Evolution of Games: Originality & Chreodes.” International Bateman, Chris. “The Evolution of Games: Originality & Chreodes.” International

Game Developers Association. 2003.Game Developers Association. 2003.

Laramée, François Dominic. “The Stealth Designer’s Handbook Part 1.” Laramée, François Dominic. “The Stealth Designer’s Handbook Part 1.” Designers. February 2001.Designers. February 2001.

Wikipedia.com for process pictures before I modified themWikipedia.com for process pictures before I modified them

Reviews of games that I didn’t explicitly use in this presentation, but read for Reviews of games that I didn’t explicitly use in this presentation, but read for general knowledge located at Gamespot.comgeneral knowledge located at Gamespot.com

Google.com image search for pictures of games.Google.com image search for pictures of games.