CS 347: Final Theory Review

Terms with a focus on Chapters 2, 4, 7, 8, 12

Ludology

playing games for play

Narratology

playing games for story

Frameworks for Ludology

MDA, FDD, and Elemental Tetrad

MDA: Mechanics, Dynamics, and Aesthetics

most well-know framework for game analysis and is a bridge between game development and the game design process, focusing on how game mechanics influence player experience

MDA: Mechanics

design element related to a set of game features that specify how the user plays the game; game rules, systems, player inputs; control scheme/interface and scoring system/achievements

MDA: Dynamics

design element related to the reactions and experiences of the user; features emergent behaviors and processes; refers to how the mechanics make the experience enjoyable

MDA: Aesthetics

design element related to the desirable emotional responses evoked in the player when interacting with the game system

Aesthetics Examples

including but no limited to:

• Sensation

• Fantasy

• Narrative

• Challenge

• Fellowship

• Discovery

• Expression

FDD: Formal, Dramatic, and Dynamic Elements

a framework for understanding game design that categorizes elements into formal (rules), dramatic (narrative), and dynamic (player interactions) to enhance player experience

FDD: Formal Elements

the elements that make games different from other forms of media or interaction and provide the structure of a game; rules, resources, and boundaries

FDD: Dramatic Elements

the story and narrative of the game, including the premise; elements that tie the game together, helps players understand the rules, and encourage the player’s emotional investment

FDD: Dynamic Elements

the game in motion after the players turn the rules into actual gameplay; elements including strategy, behavior, and relationships between game entities

7 Formal Elements of Games

1. Player interaction pattern: How do the players interact?

2. Objective: What is the player trying to achieve?

3. Rules: What to do and not to do?

4. Procedures: Actions taken by players in-game

5. Resources: Elements with in-game values

6. Boundaries: Where does game end and reality begin?

7. Outcomes: How did the game end?

3 Dramatic Elements of Games

1. Premise: The basic story of the game world

2. Character: The individuals the story revolves

3. Story: The plot of the game that takes place over the course of the game

Core Concepts of Dynamic Elements

1. Emergence: Simple rules lead to complex/unpredictable behavior

2. Emergent Narrative: Storytelling that evolves through interactions

3. Playtesting: The only way to understand dynamics

Magic Circle

a boundary that describes when the players engage with in-game rules rather than real-world rules; the boundaries of the playing field

Emergent Behaviors and Processes

collaboration, unexpected challenges, and solving processes that may be unique to every user

The Inscribed Layer: MANT

limited to elements that exist when the game is not being played where all elements all are directly designed and encoded by game developers

MANT: Mechanics

systems that define how the player-game interaction; interaction pattern, objective, rules, resources, and boundariesMA

MANT: Aesthetics

how the game looks, sounds, smells, tastes, and feelsM

MANT: Narrative

authored premise, characters, and plot

MANT: Technology

paper and digital technology that enable gameplay

Developer’s Relation to Inscribed Layer

they encode this experience into the Inscribed Layer

Player’s Relation to Dynamic Layer

Players decode this experience in the Dynamic Layer

7 Inscribed Mechanics

1. Objectives: Varying immediacy/importance and may conflict

2. Player Relationships: Relationships/Roles defined by objectives

3. Rules: Explicit/Implicit rules limiting player actions

4. Boundaries: Space/Time/Edges of Magic Circle where game rules are followed

5. Resources: Assets/Attributes that have in-game value

6. Spaces: Navigable spaces in the game

7. Tables: Probability/Progression grids of game information

Inscribed Narrative

the dramatic elements of a game that have been designed and inscribed by the game developers

4 Components of Inscribed Narrative

1. Premise: World where the story takes place and narrative basis

2. Setting: Details of the space in which the story takes place

3. Character: People featured in the story

4. Plot: Sequence of events that take place in the story

Interactive Narrative

narrative that can allow the player free will; can be expensive and difficult to accommodate

Linear Narrative

narrative that relies on a prescribed plot

Methods of Allowing Limited Free Will

1. Limited Possibilities: Offers choices

2. Optional Linear Side-Quests: Can be mutually exclusive or parallel

3. Foreshadow Possibilities: Author knows what will happen

4. Develop Minor NPCs into Major Ones: Nemesis potential (Pen-and-Paper RPGs)

Empathetic Character

in linear narratives the player empathizes and in interactive narrative the player takes on their role

Avatar

the player chooses the type of character they would like to be and is the main character to an extent

Purposes for Inscribed Dramatics

1. Evoking emotion

2. Progression and Reward

3. Motivation and Justification

4. Mechanics Reinforcement

The Iterative Process of Design: ADIT

a method of design that emphasizes continuous improvement through iteration

4 Phases of ADIT

1. Analysis

2. Design

3. Implementation

4. Testing

ADIT: Analysis

phase where developers understand where they are what needs to be accomplished while considering resources and time

ADIT: Design

phase where developers create a design that solves the problem or fits the opportunity that begins with brainstorming and ends with a plan for implementation

ADIT: Implementation

phase where the developers have the goal of getting from design to testing as quickly and efficiently as possible with prototypes

ADIT: Testing

phase where developers have people test their game and give reactions while the developers take notes

Incremental Innovation

making something slightly better

pros: predictable; easier to pitch to investors

Intersectional Innovation

the combination of two different ideas

pros: potential to create something new/exciting

cons: high chance of failure/doubt

Brainstorming

process of coming with ideas based on intersectional innovation

5 Steps of Brainstorming

1. Expansion: Branching off a core idea

2. Collection: Document the expansions

3. Intersection: Combinations of collections

4. Rating: Select the best ones

5. Discussion: Discuss and combine further

Professional Development Phases: PPABGP

developmental timeline of a game where less big changes occur over time and transition to small changes as the developer becomes more locked into decisions

PPABGP: Preproduction Phase

small team development phase where a simple demo is created with lots of prototyping, trusted playtesting, and changes ending in a high quality vertical slice of the game

PPABGP: Production

massive team growth development phase where actual modeling, textures, animations, etc. are created and system design is locked down with a somewhat expanded playtesting audience; expands vertical slice quality to rest of game

PPABGP: Alpha

development phase where design is locked down with no more changes (unless solving a problem found during playtesting) and has small, known bugs and extensive quality assurance testing

PPABGP: Beta

development phase featuring lots of playtesting where the game is effectively done and has minor bugs and fixes design and remaining bugs

PPABGP: Gold

development phase where the game is “ship-ready”

PPABGP: Post-release

development phase due to the internet age where there is rare bug fixes and DLC production

Scoping

the process of limiting your design to what can be reasonably accomplished with the time and resources you have available

Designer-Centric Goals

goals centered around what you want for yourself as a designer

Player-Centric Goals

goals centered around what you want for your players

Examples of Designer-Centric Goals

1. Fortune: Making money

2. Fame: Becoming known

3. Community: Part of something

4. Expression: Communicate something

5. Greater Good: Make the world better

6. Improvement: Make better games

Examples of Player-Centric Goals

1. Fun: Enjoyment

2. Lusory Attitude: Mindset

3. Flow: Optimal challenges

4. Structured Conflict: Challenge

5. Empowerment: Power

6. Attention & Involvement: Engaged

7. Interesting Decisions: Tough choices

8. Experiential Understanding: New understanding through experiences

Flow

the mental state wherein the game player is fully immersed and engaged in an activity, enhancing the probability that they will achieve a known goal

Flow Channel

curve in-between anxiety and boredom where the player experiences varying levels of tolerable difficulty; challenges should feature breaks in flow or not exceed 20 minutes

Reflexive Attention

the involuntary response that we have to stimuli

Executive Attention

when we choose to pay attention to something

6 Aspects of Interesting Decisions

1. Discernible: Immediate feedback from game

2. Integrated: Belief of long-term impact

3. Ambiguous: Guess but unsure of how game is affected

4. Double-Edged: Both good and bad

5. Novel: Different from other decisions made

6. Clear: Limited options and choice is clear but outcome is ambiguous

Ways a Choice can Lack Clarity

1. Too Many Options: Choice paralysis

2. Unclear Outcome: Unguessable

3. Unclear Significance: Awareness of critical choices

Direct Guidance

the player knows that they are being guided

Indirect Guidance

the player is guided without realizing it

Methods of Direct Guidance

1. Instructions: Text, dialogue, diagrams

2. Call to Action: NPC missions

3. Map/GPS: Directs towards goals/locations

4. Pop-Ups: Contextual controls based on objects in sight

Drawbacks for Instructions

may be overwhelming and annoying

Criteria to Judge Direct Guidance Methods

1. Immediacy: Immediate and Relevant

2. Scarcity: Do not flood with information

3. Brevity: Do not use too many words

4. Clarity: Be very clear

Indirect Guidance

a more subtle way to direct a player that even the designer may have not noticed

7 Methods of Indirect Guidance

1. Constraints: Limited choices

2. Goals: Influence focus

3. Physical Interface: Controller type

4. Visual Design: Drawing the player somewhere or use their memory

5. Audio Design: Influence mood or attention

6. Player Avatar: Assumptions of role

7. NPCs: Used emotions or models good and/or bad behaviors

Sequencing

a method to teach players how your game works by gently presenting new information

Steps of Sequencing

1. Isolated Introduction: No time limit or danger for the new mechanic

2. Expansion: Expand that mechanic with no penalty

3. Adding Danger: Still easy but added danger

4. increased Difficulty: Demonstrate mastery

5. Integration: Use with other mechanics