Game Design Fundamentals and Game Genres

Do Now Activity

Reflection on a favorite game, including aspects like mechanics, story, and visuals that contribute to its enjoyment.

Mr. Butcher's favorite game, No Man's Sky, is an exploration and survival game set in an infinite procedurally generated galaxy. Key aspects include the vast and engaging world, starting with nothing and building up inventory, upgrading tools and ships, and the option for online play and spaceship battles.

Lesson Objective

Understand the key elements of game design and explore different game genres.

Fundamentals of Game Design

Game design: The art of crafting engaging and entertaining experiences for players.
As the designer, you create the rules, mechanics, and experiences.
A starting point is deciding your game pillars.
Game pillars: Core emotions, objectives, and elements that define your game's philosophy.

Game Pillars

Game pillars: A set of parameters that guide the design and production process and represent the core philosophy around which the game is built; typically, games have 3-4 pillars.

The Last of Us Game Pillars:

  • The Relationship Between Joel and Ellie: A core narrative element.

  • Combat: Used sparingly, with stealth encouraged.

  • Story: An essential part; players must connect with the characters.

  • Players control Joel, a smuggler tasked with escorting a teenage girl, Ellie, across a post-apocalyptic United States.

Fortnite: Battle Royale Game Pillars:

  • Combat Mechanics: Gunplay, aiming, and weapon selection are key.

  • Unique Building Mechanic: Players can construct walls, ramps, floors, and roofs, adding a layer of strategy.

  • Ever-Changing Map: Encourages exploration, looting, and strategic positioning.

  • 100 players skydive onto an island and scavenge for gear to defend themselves from other players.

Importance of Game Pillars

Game pillars ensure design goals are clear from the start and serve as a guideline for the entire creative process.
They act as a limit to prevent straying from the original intended path.

Issues from Not Establishing Pillars:

  • Too many features and ideas can make the final game impossible to achieve on a realistic deadline.

  • Teams may have different images of the game, leading to a non-cohesive final product.

Good vs. Bad Pillars

Good Game Pillars:

  • Clear creative direction

  • Establishes goals for the game

  • States core elements that should be featured

  • Defines the experience for the player

Bad Game Pillars:

  • Too broad

  • Too obvious

Example of a Bad Game Pillar:
The player must have fun or be rewarded when they accomplish a goal.

Example of a Good Game Pillar:
The player will have to choose high-risk options with correspondent big rewards. Tension and risk are key elements.

Game Pillar Exercise

Q1. What are the game pillars of your favorite game?

Q2. Why is the game pillar Make the Game as Difficult as Possible be considered negative for its development and suggest ways on how to improve it?

Why It's Bad:

  • This pillar prioritizes difficulty over player enjoyment.

  • It assumes that all players enjoy challenging games, ignoring different skill levels.

  • It could lead to frustrating, unfair mechanics rather than a rewarding challenge.

  • It doesn't consider balance or accessibility, making the game unappealing to most players.

  • There's no focus on fun, creativity, or replayability — only frustration.

A better version of this pillar would be: "Create a Balanced Challenge for Players"
This version still encourages difficulty but makes sure the game is fair, rewarding, and enjoyable for a wide range of players.

Game Genres

Game genre = The name of a group of games with similar elements like setting, game play and controls

Examples of popular game genres:

  • RPG

  • Puzzle

  • Shooter

  • FPS + TPS

  • Platformer

  • MMO

  • Adventure

  • Strategy

  • Action

Game Genres Explained

RPG (Role-Playing Game):
Players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting, often fantasy or science fiction environments.

Elements:

  • Levels for character improvement

  • Statistics showing player points

  • Equipment (armor, weapons) for increased strength

  • Character classes

FPS (First-Person Shooter) & TPS (Third-Person Shooter):
Centered on gun fighting and weapon-based combat from a first- or third-person perspective.

Elements:

  • Fast-paced combat and dynamic firefights

  • Freedom of movement

  • Vast arsenal of weapons impacting gameplay

Platformer:
Centered around moving the player between points in an environment with uneven terrain and suspended platforms, requiring jumping and climbing.

Elements:

  • Jumping and avoiding obstacles

  • Challenges to reflexes, timing, and dexterity

  • Enemies and hazards

  • Collectibles (coins) and checkpoints

Adventure:

Player assumes the role of a character in an interactive story, driven by exploration and/or puzzle-solving.

Elements:

  • Exploration and worldbuilding

  • Strong plot and character development

  • Puzzles and challenges requiring critical thinking

Genre Combinations

Games often cross over into several genres; however, combining too many can lead to confusion or niche appeal.

Genre and Pillars

Decided early in development:

  • Game pillars

  • Game genre

Game Genre Task

Research each genre and find a classic example of a game that fits into that category.

Format:
RPG = Description of the genre

Classic example = Name of game