wk 3-4 video game development utd

8/14/2019 WK 3-4 Video Game Development UTD

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WK 3“Brainstorming a Video Game?”

or

Ok, I get the “WHY” (or don’t care) but how am I supposed to analyzethese crazy things in the first place – much less MAKE them?



What is a GAME?

DEFINED RULES

DEFINED SPACE

GIVEN SET OF COMPONENTS

SET OF VICTORY CONDITIONS



How to critically analyze & brainstorm a VIDEO game:

A starting point: “The 10 Commandments of Game Design”

**10 MIN. BREAK**

Mechanics

Flow Atmosphere Innovation



Tom Hall’s“10 Commandments of Game Design”



I. Thou shalt provide a freshexperience for the player

Original games!

Avoid the “me too!” games

Think outside the box.

http://www.crayonphysics.com/



II. Thou shalt give the player choices

Interactive must be for a REASON

If not it could be a movie or a book!

Different choices for your actions shouldresult in different outcomes.

http://www.break.com/break-best-videos/grand-theft-auto-IV-1a.html



III. Thou shalt makethy game easy to use!

Good intuitive controls are the goal

Clear understandable interface

Design elements that are familiar & obvious Just be careful that you don’t violate #1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wUp7-H1uiQ



IV. Thou shalt providequality content

Consistant graphics

Good music worth listening to for a while

Guard the quality with your reputation Know the difference between “really cool”

and “really important”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIwKHRR5oC0



V. Thou shalt choose fun over idealism and realism

Make games that are above all… FUN!

The purpose of the player is to have fun (or

be scared, or intrigued or amazed or learnor whatever it is that’s FUN to them!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=md_8uDtbffQ



VI. Thou shalt design with your technology in mind

Don’t force tech to do what it can’t do well.

Don’t expect your audience to shell out

megabucks for an upgrade every 6 mo. Treat your limitations as opportunities!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgsxZbv0rrM



VII. Thou shalt reward the player properly for accomplishing tasks

Reward the player for doing things

Let the player discover secrets

Let the player tell the story his waywhenever appropriate

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/yt-rxFy4IAVw6w/gta_4_best_death_moments_really_funny/



VIII. Thou shalt retain thy focusduring the project

Keep the overall design in focus

Don’t do the “one game to rule them all”

Don’t throw in “the latest thing” justbecause you can

Listen to (don’t tell) testers

Avoid “feature creep” and “mission creep”

http://pc.ign.com/articles/918/918895p1.html



IX. Thou shalt SHOW not TELLwhenever possible

Doors come before keys

Teach the player as he goes along

Use visual feedback rather than text (or dialogue) when appropriate

Avoid anything that pulls the player out of

the game experience!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSXwreNIuYE



X. Thou shall respond reasonably andfairly to player actions.

The game must respond as the player

expects

The game world must be consistent No unexplained deaths!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7aN4GJbW1k



How to critically analyze & brainstorm a VIDEO game:

A starting point: “The 10 Commandments of Game Design

**10 MIN BREAK**

Mechanics

Flow Atmosphere Innovation



Game Analysis

Mechanics

Flow

Atmosphere Innovation



Mechanics

How entertaining, meaningful, or immersive

is what you (i.e., the player) are actually

doing? Are you bored? Frustrated? Totallyconfused? Does the game itself work, or

are there glitches or technology issues?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVeZ6ytNGrs



Flow

How immersive is the story or narrative of

the game? The level design and pacing?

Do you feel like you’re getting somewhere?Is the game either too linear or too open in

its structure?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTBIG4tOMmE



Atmosphere

How do the art style, sound design, music,

and visual effects influence your playing

experience? Are they distracting?Inappropriate? Derivative?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4po_D4bsdA



Innovation

Perhaps the hardest… Is there anything

about this game that strikes you as different

or unique from other games in that series?Does it make a social, political, or

humanistic point? (…and should it?)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RXxaAaccms



HW

Read Ch. 6 (unless you just want to read

more of it!) of "Ender's Game" by Orson

Scott Card – linked to on the blog. Read the online article "Murder Your

Darlings" linked on the blog.

Check the blog for the rest of the homeworkreadings...

wk 3-4 video game development utd

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