INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

• Game concept – BorisGame concept – Boris• Graphical design – StefanGraphical design – Stefan• Level design – MarcLevel design – Marc• Playtesting – TimPlaytesting – Tim• Development issues - DirkDevelopment issues - Dirk

Pacman EscapesPacman Escapes

Genre: Classical platformGenre: Classical platform

• Utilizing the strength of the Game Maker Utilizing the strength of the Game Maker engine.engine.

• Focus on game mechanics > graphicsFocus on game mechanics > graphics

• Level design criticalLevel design critical

Meta-gameMeta-game

• Mixing of classical games both platform Mixing of classical games both platform and otherwise. Pacman/Super and otherwise. Pacman/Super Mario/Doom. Mario/Doom.

• Merging gameplay into a new cohesive Merging gameplay into a new cohesive whole.whole.

• Selling point: recognizable game Selling point: recognizable game components that are widely loved. components that are widely loved.

NarrativeNarrative

• Pacman escapes his labyrinth Pacman escapes his labyrinth and finds himself in a strange and finds himself in a strange place between game worlds. place between game worlds.

• Pacman tries to find his way to Pacman tries to find his way to the outside world where he the outside world where he dreams of a sunny beach, a dreams of a sunny beach, a cool long-drink and Miss cool long-drink and Miss Pacman.Pacman.

• He finds that other video game He finds that other video game heroes are also imprisoned in heroes are also imprisoned in their respective game worlds their respective game worlds and to make his final escape and to make his final escape Pacman needs their help.Pacman needs their help.

Character developmentCharacter development

• Pacman learns and assimilates defining Pacman learns and assimilates defining characteristics and abilities from the video characteristics and abilities from the video game heroes/worlds he comes into game heroes/worlds he comes into contact with during the game.contact with during the game.

• AbilitiesAbilities: Jump (Mario), Roll (Sonic): Jump (Mario), Roll (Sonic)• Physical attributesPhysical attributes: Legs (eating : Legs (eating

mushrooms, Mario world)mushrooms, Mario world)• ItemsItems: Shotgun (Doom 1+2), Flashlight : Shotgun (Doom 1+2), Flashlight

(Doom 3), Sunglasses (Duke Nukem).(Doom 3), Sunglasses (Duke Nukem).

GoalsGoals

• Immediate goals: collecting items to unlock the Immediate goals: collecting items to unlock the next level and progress in the game. (coins in next level and progress in the game. (coins in the Super Mario chapter)the Super Mario chapter)

• Pacmans ultimate goal is to meet his maker and Pacmans ultimate goal is to meet his maker and hold him accountable for the imprisonment in the hold him accountable for the imprisonment in the labyrinth. Ultimately Pacman wants what we all labyrinth. Ultimately Pacman wants what we all want: a sunny beach, a nice cool long drink – want: a sunny beach, a nice cool long drink – and Miss Pacman!and Miss Pacman!

Graphical DesignGraphical Design- Designing the game- Designing the game

• Platform game - the Platform game - the graphics for the game graphics for the game should be somewhat should be somewhat coherent - experience coherent - experience of playing of playing oneone game. game.

• We chose to make We chose to make the graphics in the the graphics in the same resolution and same resolution and looklook

The graphical mix of games – The graphical mix of games – Pacman / Mario / DoomPacman / Mario / Doom

• To give the game a To give the game a coherent look and feel coherent look and feel

- Chose to mimic the - Chose to mimic the original game’s original game’s graphic as much as graphic as much as possible.possible.

Super Mario game graphicSuper Mario game graphic

• Chose original Chose original platform style with 8 platform style with 8 bit graphicsbit graphics

• Would mimic the Would mimic the original game as original game as much as possiblemuch as possible

• To get the player the To get the player the feeling of actually feeling of actually playing the old Mario playing the old Mario gamegame

Doom game graphicDoom game graphic

• Chose a style that Chose a style that would fit in the would fit in the gamestyle - platform gamestyle - platform games.games.

• Doomgame graphicsDoomgame graphics

- We sought similar - We sought similar graphic as in the graphic as in the original gameoriginal game

The new PacmanThe new Pacman

• Wanted to give Pacman Wanted to give Pacman personalitypersonality

• We chose a more modern We chose a more modern look to make him stand look to make him stand out compared to the out compared to the graphics on each levelgraphics on each level..

• Mario game - we gave Mario game - we gave him eyes and legshim eyes and legs. .

• Doom game we gave him Doom game we gave him hands, sunglasses and a hands, sunglasses and a pumpgunpumpgun. .

• A bit more character to A bit more character to Pacman - gave him a Pacman - gave him a “waiting”-animation“waiting”-animation

InterfaceInterface

Chose an interfacestyle Chose an interfacestyle - would look like the ones - would look like the ones in the original game.in the original game.

Mario game, with Score, Mario game, with Score, Lives left – Pacman Lives left – Pacman icons, Coins collected icons, Coins collected and Time. and Time.

Doom game Doom game - Classic Doom interface - Classic Doom interface w. Pacmanw. Pacman

Menu – How toMenu – How to

• Menu Menu

- under construction- under construction• Simple and functional Simple and functional

menu / submenu’smenu / submenu’s• Control layout Control layout

- simple graphical - simple graphical wayway

LEVEL DESIGNLEVEL DESIGN

The classical Super MarioThe classical Super Mario

The classical Super MarioThe classical Super Mario

Pacman Escapes Pacman Escapes - First level- First level

Pacman Escapes Pacman Escapes - The Doom level- The Doom level

Pacman EPacman Escapes scapes - The Doom level- The Doom level

Pacman Escapes Pacman Escapes - collecting coins- collecting coins

Pacman Escapes Pacman Escapes - collecting even more coins- collecting even more coins

Pacman Escapes Pacman Escapes - Pacman level in SMB.- Pacman level in SMB.

Pacman Escapes Pacman Escapes - Final Mario level- Final Mario level

Iterative designIterative design• DesignDesign

– From idea to game From idea to game mechanicmechanic

• ImplementationImplementation– From implementation From implementation

to initial testingto initial testing

• PlayertestPlayertest– From playertest to From playertest to

evaluationevaluation

PlaytestingPlaytesting

Play-testingPlay-testing

• The processThe process– One player, one PCOne player, one PC– One observerOne observer

• Taking notes about the players reactionsTaking notes about the players reactions

– Player determines length of playtestingPlayer determines length of playtesting– Use of questionaireUse of questionaire– Tested with diffent kind of peopleTested with diffent kind of people

• Few from target groupFew from target group

DEVELOPMENT ISSUESDEVELOPMENT ISSUES

Sources of errorSources of error• Known sources of errorKnown sources of error

– Use of gamelabUse of gamelab• Potentially distract the player from testingPotentially distract the player from testing

– Player determines length of playtestingPlayer determines length of playtesting• The player potentially stops playing when the game The player potentially stops playing when the game

becomes boring.becomes boring.• Bugs/problems only visible through long play stays Bugs/problems only visible through long play stays

hidden.hidden.

– Use of questionaireUse of questionaire• Potentially guide the player towards bugs/problem Potentially guide the player towards bugs/problem

already known, thus hide unkown bugs/problems, limit already known, thus hide unkown bugs/problems, limit feedback from the player.feedback from the player.

Result of the playertestResult of the playertest

• ResultResult– Is the game fun?Is the game fun?– DifficultyDifficulty– MonstersMonsters– Goals of the gameGoals of the game

Is the game funIs the game fun

• Is the game fun?Is the game fun?– 20 % answer yes20 % answer yes– 40 % answer initially fun but loose appeal40 % answer initially fun but loose appeal– 40 % answer no40 % answer no

• Why is the game not fun?Why is the game not fun?– 80 % claims the game is too difficult80 % claims the game is too difficult– Sidenote: The 20 % answering that the game Sidenote: The 20 % answering that the game

is fun are also the only ones thinking the is fun are also the only ones thinking the game is fun all the time.game is fun all the time.

DifficultyDifficulty

• Player comments:Player comments:– You start over each timeYou start over each time– To many ghostsTo many ghosts– Monsters are not transparrentMonsters are not transparrent– The number of coins to collect is too highThe number of coins to collect is too high

MonstersMonsters

• Yellow ghostYellow ghost– Range from very annoying to very funRange from very annoying to very fun– Over-aggressiveOver-aggressive

• Red ghostRed ghost– Over-aggressive Over-aggressive

• GoombaGoomba– Not transparrentNot transparrent– Very buggyVery buggy

What to do nextWhat to do next

• Reduce difficultyReduce difficulty– Seems there is a close relationship between Seems there is a close relationship between

the difficulty and the fun factorthe difficulty and the fun factor

Development IssuesDevelopment Issues

• Unimplemented game mechanicsUnimplemented game mechanics– Sonic LevelSonic Level

• Problems with rampsProblems with ramps

– Learning curve of new abilitiesLearning curve of new abilities

• User InterfaceUser Interface– Needs to be adjustedNeeds to be adjusted– Keys for new abilities?Keys for new abilities?– More testing needed.More testing needed.

Back to the FutureBack to the Future

• Future FixesFuture Fixes– Multiple dificulty levels.Multiple dificulty levels.– More of an introduction, thing are not obvious More of an introduction, thing are not obvious

enough.enough.

• ReimplementationReimplementation– The ability of the team to work at the same The ability of the team to work at the same

time on the game.time on the game.– Ability to test game mechanics that do not Ability to test game mechanics that do not

work well in Gamemakerwork well in Gamemaker

Questions?Questions?