The Psychology The Psychology of Effective Game of Effective Game

DesignDesignJesse SchellJesse Schell

Entertainment Technology Entertainment Technology CenterCenter

Carnegie Mellon UniversityCarnegie Mellon University

DisneyQuestDisneyQuest

Head Mounted DisplayHead Mounted Display

CAVE - Computer CAVE - Computer Augmented Virtual Augmented Virtual

EnvironmentEnvironment

Masters of Entertainment Masters of Entertainment Technology at CMU’s ETCTechnology at CMU’s ETC

Two year professional Master’s Two year professional Master’s programprogram

About 80 studentsAbout 80 students 40% Art Students40% Art Students 40% Computer Science Students40% Computer Science Students 20% Miscellaneous20% Miscellaneous Interdisciplinary teams creatingInterdisciplinary teams creating

real innovations for real clientsreal innovations for real clients

Fine Arts + Computer Science

Are Digital Games Are Digital Games important for Education? important for Education?

““People who distinguish between education and People who distinguish between education and entertainment don’t know much about either”entertainment don’t know much about either”- Marshall McLuhan- Marshall McLuhan

When people are having fun, they are more When people are having fun, they are more engaged. Can this translate to better learning?engaged. Can this translate to better learning?

Online games are becoming a core social Online games are becoming a core social experienceexperience

Children think of digital games as a way to play Children think of digital games as a way to play with realitywith reality

Film was the literature of the 20th century…Film was the literature of the 20th century… Will games become the literature of the 21Will games become the literature of the 21stst

century?century?

What about distribution?What about distribution?

DefinitionsDefinitions

What is fun? What is fun? Just pleasure?Just pleasure? Pleasure with surprises!Pleasure with surprises!

What is play? What is play? Just manipulation?Just manipulation? Manipulation that indulges curiosity!Manipulation that indulges curiosity!

What is a game? What is a game? Q1) Games are Q1) Games are

entered willfully.entered willfully. Q2) Games have goals.Q2) Games have goals. Q3) Games have Q3) Games have

conflict.conflict. Q4) Games have rules.Q4) Games have rules. Q5) Games can be won Q5) Games can be won

and lost.and lost.

Q6) Games are Q6) Games are interactive. interactive.

Q7) Games have Q7) Games have challenge. challenge.

Q8) Games can create Q8) Games can create their own internal their own internal value.value.

Q9) Games engage Q9) Games engage players.players.

Q10) Games are Q10) Games are closed, formal systems. closed, formal systems.

A game is a problem solving activityapproached with a playful attitude.

Technology

StoryMechanics

Aesthetics

What is a game made of?What is a game made of?

How do I design a game?How do I design a game?

Two key questions:Two key questions: What is the player’s goal?What is the player’s goal? What is the player’s challenge? What is the player’s challenge?

FlowFlow

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Boredom

Anxiety

A1

A4

A2

A3

GoodGood

Skills0 (Low) (High) ∞

FlowChannel

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Boredom

Anxiety

BetterBetter

Skills0 (Low) (High) ∞

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Boredom

Anxiety

One More TipOne More Tip

Creating “balanced Creating “balanced asymmetric risks” asymmetric risks” makes for makes for challenging challenging decision making.decision making.

Low risk = Low Low risk = Low rewardreward

High risk = High High risk = High rewardreward

What can games teach What can games teach best? best?

Systems of relationships, not easily Systems of relationships, not easily visualized by description alone. visualized by description alone.

Audience

Hazmat: Hotzone for FDNYHazmat: Hotzone for FDNY

Videogame Videogame tech for tech for training first training first respondersresponders

““Lan Party Lan Party classroom”classroom”

Instructor as Instructor as “Dungeon “Dungeon Master”Master”

FinallyFinally

“ “Education and entertainment Education and entertainment ultimately have the same goal: ultimately have the same goal: making memories.” making memories.”

- Michael Macedonia- Michael Macedonia

Questions?Questions?

Email: jschell@cmu.eduETC: www.etc.cmu.edu

Open Source Game Engine: www.panda3d.com