WK 3

I. Elements of Game-play
(10 min Break)
II. Controls and Interface

or

So what is this “interactivity” thingy all about anyway?

REVIEW:
What is a GAME?
 DEFINED RULES

 DEFINED SPACE

 GIVEN SET OF COMPONENTS

 SET OF VICTORY CONDITIONS

How to critically analyze &
brainstorm a VIDEO game:
 Starting point: “The 10 Commandments of
Game Design”
(Then break it down by…)
 Mechanics
 Flow
 Atmosphere
 Innovation
Followed by a
Quick Case Study:
I. Elements of Game Play
 1) What Does “Play” Mean?
 2) Story and Plot
 3) “Unique” Solutions
 4) Non-Linearity
 5) Modeling Reality
 6) Teaching the Player
 7) The “Gut” Factor
1) What Does “Play” Mean?
 Gameplay includes all player experiences
during the interaction with game systems.
 Proper use is coupled with reference to
"what the player does".
 Includes: story quality, ease of play, and
overall desirability of a game.
Gameplay
 Not to be confused with “Game
Mechanics: the construct of rules intended
to produce an enjoyable game or
gameplay.”
Remember this?

Creativity
(Art / Writing) Programming

Y M GA
A EC M
E PL HA E
M
GA NI
CS

Marketing
2) Story and Plot
 “Story” & “Plot” are fundamentally linear
 The basic elements of linear plot are:

Conflict
Rising Action
Climax
Falling Action
Resolution
(more info in Wk 5 & 6)
The unwritten rule…
 If someone is telling a story and changes
the facts it is often very confusing and
unbelievable.
Story and Plot
 But if one is the CREATOR of the story…
 …has control of the plot…
 …then perhaps there is no need for to be linear…
 …yet all too often we think we must…
 …because the story receiver expects it…
 …or at least we think they do!

(This is a problem.)
3) “Unique” Solutions
Anticipatory Systems vs. Complex Systems
THE CHAOTIC RESULT:
Emergence (Emergent Properties)
4) Non-Linearity
 Storytelling
 Multiple Solutions
 Order
 Selection

[See Rouse Ch. 11 for more on story]

5) Modeling Reality
6) Teaching the Player
 Tutorials?
 Simple Actions
 Increasing Complexity
 Reward the Player
 Learning Experience
7) The “Gut” Factor
 What makes a good game? As a designer you
will be expected to intuitively ‘know’ the right
answer! It’s an Art form – an internalized
understanding! It’s about experience, integrity,
and ability!

[Rouse p. 115]
**10 MIN BREAK?**
II. Controls and Interface
 1) Input/Output
 2) Controls
 3) Game World Feedback
 4) “Good artists borrow…”
 5) The “Future”
1) Input/Output
“Game Mechanics: the construct of rules intended
to produce an enjoyable game or gameplay.”

 Rule #1: There is an Input/Output relationship

created through the Mechanics which will
determine the success of the Gameplay
implementation regardless of other factors.

 Rule #2: You pretty much get to make the rest up

as you go along.
2) Controls
3) Game World Feedback
4) “Good artists borrow…”
…great ones steal!”

 Don’t reinvent the wheel!

 If it isn't broke don’t fix it!
 Build on what has gone before!
 Learn from the mistakes of others!
What we are really talking about here is…

INTERACTIVITY!

[If it doesn’t require interactivity, make a movie out of it instead.]

The Future?
HW:
 Read Ch 1-4 of Schell to reinforce this stuff.
 Reminder: D1 is due in 2 weeks! (Wk 5)