GDC2011 - Motivating Players in Open Worlds

I WANT TO GO TO THERE
Motivating Players in Open Games
Joel Burgess, Senior Designer
Bethesda Game Studios

Simple Question
How do you go about making levels for open-world games?

First – What’s Unique?
Open-World vs Sandbox
One describes world, the other mechanics
Both emphasize player choice or player agency

Define “Open”

Player Agency

Why Are We Fascinated?
What makes Open games so interesting?
Best positioned to fulfill the core promise of videogames
Old Hat, but interactivity is what makes our medium special, and interactivity is the focal point of Open Games
Why Are Open GamesImportant?

Tandem Authorship

The Unpredictable Player
Trained to Defy Direction
Will always confound you
Not, actually, a jerk.

Player-Designer Contract
The Player is in Control

Stay Backstage

Stay Backstage
Fulfill Expectations

Stay Backstage
Fulfill Expectations
Player Story > Designer Story

Setting Up For Fun

Environmental Techniques

Distant Landmarks

Nearby Landmarks

Point Lookout Video Introduction

Motion in Environment

Prior Knowledge

Don’t Forget Audio

Goals & Player Motivation
Aim for the player to always have a goal

Goal Types
Explicit Goals
Player Determined Goals
Emergent Goals
Goals of Opportunity
Out-of-Game Goals

Components of a Goal
Perceived Risk/Reward
Commitment
Inherent Interest

Are We Powerless?
No!
Provide Interesting Goals For the Widest
Possible Range of Player Interests

Deliberate Distraction
A
B
Entertainment
Yawn…
Time

X
Z
A
B
Y

A
B
Y
X
Entertainment
Time

Dealing With Empty Area
“Just for Looks”

The Iconic Rope Bridge

Handling for Open Games

The Iconic Rope Bridge
Handle Falling
Hint: Killboxes Suck
Build a Way Out of the Ravine
Don’t abandon as Dead Area

Consolation Loot

Same Problem, New Scope
POI Density

POI Density
POI Options
Time per POI
Your Desired POI Density
Vertical “Chunk” Estimate
Extrapolate Against Time in Schedule

Fallout 3 Example: DC Neighborhoods

Fallout 3 Example: The Wasteland

Thank You

GDC2011 - Motivating Players in Open Worlds

by JoelBurgess on Mar 04, 2011

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GDC2011 - Motivating Players in Open Worlds — Presentation Transcript