Graduating Evolution Studios, Games:EDU, Brighton, July 2007 Suggestions for game courses and graduates Matt Southern Games

Contents Evolution Studios ICDC / MA Digital Games Growing industry breadth Technology, graphics, gameplay Design skills Production skills Current / Future trends Movie Convergence Conclusions

Evolution Studios

ICDC / MA Digital Games

Growing industry breadth

Technology, graphics, gameplay

Design skills

Production skills

Current / Future trends

Movie Convergence

Conclusions

1: Evolution Studios Founded: 1999 5 World Rally Championship games 100% independent Reputation for realistic off-road racing “ WRC Rally Evolved is more than just the best rally game on the PS2, it joins Burnout Revenge and GT4 as one of the most thrilling drives, period” OPSM MotorStorm for PS3 Bigbig Studios These opinions are mine 

Founded: 1999

5 World Rally Championship games

100% independent

Reputation for realistic off-road racing

“ WRC Rally Evolved is more than just the best rally game on the PS2, it joins Burnout Revenge and GT4 as one of the most thrilling drives, period” OPSM

MotorStorm for PS3

Bigbig Studios

These opinions are mine 

My Background International Centre for Digital Content - 2000 Liverpool John Moores University MA Digital Games Business Support R&D The general idea that both worlds don’t get on is a myth Joined Evo – 2004 Assistant Producer WRC4 Producer WRC: Rally Evolved Concept Team: New IP MotorStorm™ Product Manager MotorStorm™ DLC

International Centre for Digital Content - 2000

Liverpool John Moores University

MA Digital Games

Business Support

R&D

The general idea that both worlds don’t get on is a myth

Joined Evo – 2004

Assistant Producer WRC4

Producer WRC: Rally Evolved

Concept Team: New IP

MotorStorm™ Product Manager

MotorStorm™ DLC

2. MA Digital Games Art-focused Some Design Some Production 10 graduates at Evo Creative Lead Art Managers Designers World Builders Object Builders SCEE, Bizarre, Juice, Rockstar, Media Molecule Canned – 2006 Returning – 2007 Bursaries Tuition R&D Guest Visits

Art-focused

Some Design

Some Production

10 graduates at Evo

Creative Lead

Art Managers

Designers

World Builders

Object Builders

SCEE,

Bizarre,

Juice,

Rockstar,

Media Molecule

Canned – 2006

Returning – 2007

Bursaries

Tuition

R&D

Guest Visits

3. Breadth is the Issue Games are becoming more accessible at the same time as others grow more complex Appealing both to mainstream and ‘hardcore’ players Games students are often hardcore gamers So an age-old problem still exists

Games are becoming more accessible at the same time as others grow more complex

Appealing both to mainstream and ‘hardcore’ players

Games students are often hardcore gamers

So an age-old problem still exists

Breadth and ‘AAA’ Development More people needed Team size on a game in 1980: 2 Team size on our last PS2 game: 45 Team size on our first PS3 game: 200 , including stacks of outsource Crucially, different people are also needed for more mainstream games More breadth needed

More people needed

Team size on a game in 1980: 2

Team size on our last PS2 game: 45

Team size on our first PS3 game: 200 , including stacks of outsource

Crucially, different people are also needed for more mainstream games

More breadth needed

New and Different Roles The Traditional: Artists Programmers Designers Testers Producers The Contemporary: Scriptwriters Copywriters World Builders Object Builders Network technicians Vehicle dynamics experts Geologists Community managers Legal experts Outsource managers Set designers Aerospace engineers Simulation technicians Matte painters Concept teams HR experts Marketeers Project managers

The Traditional:

Artists Programmers Designers Testers Producers

4. AAA Games: Moores Law Pop culture driven by technological change Often decried by both worlds Why? The focus on highly seductive Graphics tech ‘ good graphics = value for money’

Pop culture driven by technological change

Often decried by both worlds

Why?

The focus on highly seductive Graphics tech

‘ good graphics = value for money’

Graphics: Two Reservations “ Really challenging to teach, and to keep up” “ Graphics aren’t really what makes great games great” Don’t bother unless you absolutely can Agreed. We’ve never actually needed photorealism to make our medium engaging

“ Really challenging to teach, and to keep up”

“ Graphics aren’t really what makes great games great”

Don’t bother unless you absolutely can

Agreed. We’ve never actually needed photorealism to make our medium engaging

1. Don’t bother…unless you can If you can… 3d modelling and layout Maya, Max, XSI 3d detailing Zbrush, MudBox Animation Maya, Max, XSI, Motionbuilder 2d texturing and concept art Photoshop, Painter 2d video After Effects, Premiere Revision control Perforce / AlienBrain If you can’t… composition, sketching, timing Creativity, conceptualisation Logical, structured, methodical thinking Planning months ahead Self-management Teamworking Rapid, iterative prototyping: Vital for the ‘polish’ phase

If you can…

3d modelling and layout Maya, Max, XSI

3d detailing Zbrush, MudBox

Animation Maya, Max, XSI, Motionbuilder

2d texturing and concept art Photoshop, Painter

2d video After Effects, Premiere

Revision control Perforce / AlienBrain

If you can’t…

composition, sketching, timing

Creativity, conceptualisation

Logical, structured, methodical thinking

Planning months ahead

Self-management

Teamworking

Rapid, iterative prototyping: Vital for the ‘polish’ phase

Art disciplines

2. Don’t Be Ashamed of Change We don’t quite have a ‘canon' No ‘Citizen Kane’ Should we be ashamed of this? Or should we celebrate our constant reinvention and teach what doesn’t change… The rules of good gameplay last for millennia Pre-dating art, culture, narrative, civilisation Yet we still don’t fully know what they are…

We don’t quite have a ‘canon'

No ‘Citizen Kane’

Should we be ashamed of this?

Or should we celebrate our constant reinvention

and teach what doesn’t change…

The rules of good gameplay last for millennia

Pre-dating art, culture, narrative, civilisation

Yet we still don’t fully know what they are…

The Mantra of Gameplay ‘ When people ask me what are the three most important things in a computer game, I say “gameplay, gameplay, gameplay”’ Ian Livingstone ‘ It’s not about graphics’ ‘ These aren’t movies, they are games’ ‘ I like old-skool gameplay’ ‘ Cut-scenes suck’

‘ When people ask me what are the three most important things in a computer game, I say “gameplay, gameplay, gameplay”’

Ian Livingstone

‘ It’s not about graphics’

‘ These aren’t movies, they are games’

‘ I like old-skool gameplay’

‘ Cut-scenes suck’

A Nuclear Approach to Gameplay Looking for the ‘nucleus’ is often pointless but lets try anyway… Increased verisimilitude is important, but not central or intrinsic to successful game experiences ‘ Borrowed’ conventions are also not intrinsic. This is critical with narrative , the big bully it isn’t the intrinsic value of movies either Teach them…but don’t be in awe of them Play is the intrinsic value of all games, digital or not. We need help to understand and disseminate this approach It’s game design we need the most help with

Looking for the ‘nucleus’ is often pointless but lets try anyway…

Increased verisimilitude is important, but not central or intrinsic to successful game experiences

‘ Borrowed’ conventions are also not intrinsic. This is critical with narrative , the big bully

it isn’t the intrinsic value of movies either

Teach them…but don’t be in awe of them

Play is the intrinsic value of all games, digital or not.

We need help to understand and disseminate this approach

It’s game design we need the most help with

A Stab at Ludology… “ [a game is]…An exercise of voluntary control systems in which there is an opposition between forces, confined by a procedure and rules in order to produce a disequilibrial outcome” Elliott Avedon and Brian Sutton Smith – The Study of Games Voluntary – it isn’t work Disequilibrial – otherwise it’s a toy Rules – the thing that humans add Control – a specific form of interaction

“ [a game is]…An exercise of voluntary control systems in which there is an opposition between forces, confined by a procedure and rules in order to produce a disequilibrial outcome”

Elliott Avedon and Brian Sutton Smith – The Study of Games

Voluntary – it isn’t work

Disequilibrial – otherwise it’s a toy

Rules – the thing that humans add

Control – a specific form of interaction

‘ Play’ is not ‘Interaction’ Being ‘interactive’ is not what makes games unique Games are about a particular type of interaction: control Much more satisfying than the usual “movies are passive, but games are interactive” “ With Jaws people started to talk back to the screen and applaud shadows....That was a new experience. Audience participation. The new word is interactive I guess." Movies aren’t interactive, but nor are they passive. The women in them are. ” Successful games usually have a very compelling form of interaction, where control is given to and then removed from the player at various stages, sometimes hundreds of times”

Being ‘interactive’ is not what makes games unique

Games are about a particular type of interaction: control

Much more satisfying than the usual “movies are passive, but games are interactive”

“ With Jaws people started to talk back to the screen and applaud shadows....That was a new experience. Audience participation. The new word is interactive I guess."

Movies aren’t interactive, but nor are they passive. The women in them are.

” Successful games usually have a very compelling form of interaction, where control is given to and then removed from the player at various stages, sometimes hundreds of times”

Risk/Reward Or as we liked to put it: 3 underlying, intrinsic elements incentive frustration reward “ there must by definition be something that compels one to continue playing - the incentive to move onward, whether it be the retrieval of an object or person, or ‘completion’ of the game - and in turn one must be rewarded for taking the risks involved…” Edge Magazine

Or as we liked to put it: 3 underlying, intrinsic elements

incentive

frustration

reward

“ there must by definition be something that compels one to continue playing - the incentive to move onward, whether it be the retrieval of an object or person, or ‘completion’ of the game - and in turn one must be rewarded for taking the risks involved…”

Edge Magazine

Incentive / Frustration / Reward This can be applied to: The overall structure of the game The reward of completion, closure Intense, moment-to-moment rewards ‘ Arcade’, kinaesthetic A complex of overlapping ‘mini’ incentives Power-ups, hidden cars, new transfers Requires balancing – a core game design skill If the incentive is too small, or if risk is too high, or if the reward is too big for the effort, then there is imbalance People love to be flattered Frustrating the player is actually positive – provided they don’t switch off

This can be applied to:

The overall structure of the game

The reward of completion, closure

Intense, moment-to-moment rewards

‘ Arcade’, kinaesthetic

A complex of overlapping ‘mini’ incentives

Power-ups, hidden cars, new transfers

Requires balancing – a core game design skill

If the incentive is too small, or if risk is too high, or if the reward is too big for the effort, then there is imbalance

People love to be flattered

Frustrating the player is actually positive – provided they don’t switch off

Two Key Psychological Terms Reinforcement - “ Any behaviour that is rewarded will be repeated in anticipation of more reward” (Steven Poole) “ Whether applied to the game as a whole, or to any activity within it, you must always feel that it is worth your while carrying on… A game should make you confident that higher risks will result in higher rewards” (Edge Magazine) Event Horizons Key to providing an incentive

Reinforcement -

“ Any behaviour that is rewarded will be repeated in anticipation of more reward” (Steven Poole)

“ Whether applied to the game as a whole, or to any activity within it, you must always feel that it is worth your while carrying on… A game should make you confident that higher risks will result in higher rewards”

(Edge Magazine)

Event Horizons

Key to providing an incentive

5. Design Skills Communication – of the right kind Writing skills Presentation and marketing skills Inspiration, leadership and positivity Hands-on with custom-made tools Liaison across groups Market research and study Specialist areas: Handling AI Difficulty curve Accessibility Localisation

Communication – of the right kind

Writing skills

Presentation and marketing skills

Inspiration, leadership and positivity

Hands-on with custom-made tools

Liaison across groups

Market research and study

Specialist areas:

Handling

AI

Difficulty curve

Accessibility

Localisation

6. Production Skills 1: Like a movie Producer : Resource Scheduling Budgets Timescale Removing impediments Microsoft Excel / Project 2: Like a movie Director : Liaising with the Board / Customer Driving the overall vision Motivating Clearly communicating ideas Understanding all aspects of development Maintaining brand integrity Doing PR ‘ Producer’ means different things in different places:

1: Like a movie Producer :

Resource

Scheduling

Budgets

Timescale

Removing impediments

Microsoft Excel / Project

2: Like a movie Director :

Liaising with the Board / Customer

Driving the overall vision

Motivating

Clearly communicating ideas

Understanding all aspects of development

Maintaining brand integrity

Doing PR

SCRUM Pre-existing software development methodology Product Owner / Development Manager Sprints Scrums Self-management No imposed deadlines Lo-Fi materials Honesty

Pre-existing software development methodology

Product Owner / Development Manager

Sprints

Scrums

Self-management

No imposed deadlines

Lo-Fi materials

Honesty

7. What’s in Store? As stated, the major issue for us is breadth The hardcore gamer is still a profitable demographic AND he drives the casuals DLC will initially be hardcore But games can do to film what film did to theatre If people stop making them just for themselves Casual Gaming is the new buzz term

As stated, the major issue for us is breadth

The hardcore gamer is still a profitable demographic

AND he drives the casuals

DLC will initially be hardcore

But games can do to film what film did to theatre

If people stop making them just for themselves

Casual Gaming is the new buzz term

Types of ‘Casual’ Interaction 1: A general growth of new types of player 69% of American heads of households play computer or video games The average gameplayer age is 33 25% of gamers were over 50 in 2005 Women aged 18 or older represent a significantly greater proportion of the game-playing population (30%) than boys aged 17 or younger (23%) 35% of American parents say they play computer and video games The typical gamer parent is 37 years old 47% of gamer parents are women Among gamer parents, 80% report that they play video games with their children, and 66% feel that playing games has brought their families closer together. http://www.theesa.com/facts/top_10_facts.php 2: One game as a hobby: “ Our age ranges…go way up; there are a lot of 40 and 50 year olds playing The Sims. I think that a lot of our players are people who don't play many computer games -- if any.” Will Wright

1: A general growth of new types of player

69% of American heads of households play computer or video games

The average gameplayer age is 33

25% of gamers were over 50 in 2005

Women aged 18 or older represent a significantly greater proportion of the game-playing population (30%) than boys aged 17 or younger (23%)

35% of American parents say they play computer and video games

The typical gamer parent is 37 years old

47% of gamer parents are women

Among gamer parents, 80% report that they play video games with their children, and 66% feel that playing games has brought their families closer together.

http://www.theesa.com/facts/top_10_facts.php

2: One game as a hobby:

“ Our age ranges…go way up; there are a lot of 40 and 50 year olds playing The Sims. I think that a lot of our players are people who don't play many computer games -- if any.”

Will Wright

Types of ‘Casual’ Interaction 3: iTV – Fairly Crude Interaction Press the Red Button Text to vote Select cameras Call to interact: Saving TV from dwindling ad revenue Currently fixing the major hurdle

3: iTV – Fairly Crude Interaction

Press the Red Button

Text to vote

Select cameras

Call to interact:

Saving TV from dwindling ad revenue

Currently fixing the major hurdle

4: Casual Console Gaming Being led by: SCEE Nintendo DS and Wii Live Arcade, other DLC Often using new, simpler peripherals Stuff your Gran could use Building on the success of dance mats etc Tiny learning curves The Christmas day boardgame The myth of ‘post-pub’ Types of ‘Casual’ Interaction

4: Casual Console Gaming

Being led by:

SCEE

Nintendo DS and Wii

Live Arcade, other DLC

Often using new, simpler peripherals

Stuff your Gran could use

Building on the success of dance mats etc

Tiny learning curves

The Christmas day boardgame

The myth of ‘post-pub’

4. MMO “ The [MMOG] player pool is mostly boys and young men. And the medium has genre limitations: Don't look for MMOGs based on Brokeback Mountain or Walk the Line anytime soon. http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_07/b3971073.htm?chan=tc” Incredible shared adventures and experiences Like TV used to be – ‘we all saw the coronation’ Auctions, in-game economies Or just chatting ‘ The Queen Vic Online’ – seriously A Service , Not a Product Types of ‘Casual’ Interaction

4. MMO

“ The [MMOG] player pool is mostly boys and young men. And the medium has genre limitations: Don't look for MMOGs based on Brokeback Mountain or Walk the Line anytime soon.

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_07/b3971073.htm?chan=tc”

Incredible shared adventures and experiences

Like TV used to be – ‘we all saw the coronation’

Auctions, in-game economies

Or just chatting

‘ The Queen Vic Online’ – seriously

A Service , Not a Product

Personalisation Increasingly common and popular Being driven by EA / ‘Gameface’ The Godfather Def Jam Fight Night Tiger Woods Also the Mii, Home etc Likely to ‘cross-pollinate’ soon Always better when ‘developer talk’ is hidden Interesting to see how people are ‘liberated’ from regular identities.

Increasingly common and popular

Being driven by EA / ‘Gameface’

The Godfather

Def Jam

Fight Night

Tiger Woods

Also the Mii, Home etc

Likely to ‘cross-pollinate’ soon

Always better when ‘developer talk’ is hidden

Interesting to see how people are ‘liberated’ from regular identities.

8. Movie Convergence The most clichéd and obvious point…after MMO But it is now happening in industrial terms scriptwriters, voice actors, agents, CGI houses… Massive emphasis on pre-production Making movies to pitch games However, we usually miss the point in aesthetic terms Interactive storytelling is a red herring

The most clichéd and obvious point…after MMO

But it is now happening in industrial terms

scriptwriters, voice actors, agents, CGI houses…

Massive emphasis on pre-production

Making movies to pitch games

However, we usually miss the point in aesthetic terms

Interactive storytelling is a red herring

Them and Us… We are usually in awe of movies “ I think they look at our movies and they see how we set up shots, how we do things. And I think they mimic that” Make it cinematic We aren’t friends, We are rivals They patronise us “ Video games are another way for a studio to cover their costs and make a little profit.” Jerry Bruckheimer So let’s patronise them…

We are usually in awe of movies

“ I think they look at our movies and they see how we set up shots, how we do things. And I think they mimic that”

Make it cinematic

We aren’t friends, We are rivals

They patronise us

“ Video games are another way for a studio to cover their costs and make a little profit.”

Jerry Bruckheimer

So let’s patronise them…

A Century of Preparation… Movies are a toolbox for game developers beyond plagiarism Using psychology to make ‘scary’ become ‘terrifying’. Hitchcock [Freud] Audio: off-screen space, the acousmetre, counterpoint. Chion Genre – reflecting the times Representation of women Politics and Ideology National/ world cinema Non-narrative / avant-garde cinema Documentary and realism, not photorealism

Movies are a toolbox for game developers beyond plagiarism

Using psychology to make ‘scary’ become ‘terrifying’. Hitchcock [Freud]

Audio: off-screen space, the acousmetre, counterpoint. Chion

Genre – reflecting the times

Representation of women

Politics and Ideology

National/ world cinema

Non-narrative / avant-garde cinema

Documentary and realism, not photorealism

After All… … if you see comics only in terms of cinema, then all it can be is a kind of cinema that doesn’t move. They can only ever be a poor cousin to cinema if all they utilize is cinematic techniques. This is why in my work, from Watchmen onwards, I’ve consciously tried to come up with things that comics can do that could not be achieved in any other medium. Alan Moore

… if you see comics only in terms of cinema, then all it can be is a kind of cinema that doesn’t move. They can only ever be a poor cousin to cinema if all they utilize is cinematic techniques. This is why in my work, from Watchmen onwards, I’ve consciously tried to come up with things that comics can do that could not be achieved in any other medium.

Alan Moore

What we tell our staff… Safe is risky Take risks, stick your neck out Don’t be afraid to make mistakes Don’t repeat them We’re all in marketing It’s too important to be left to that dept Be remarkable Stand out like a Purple Cow

Safe is risky

Take risks, stick your neck out

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes

Don’t repeat them

We’re all in marketing

It’s too important to be left to that dept

Be remarkable

Stand out like a Purple Cow

9. We Need Fresh Talent Experience is all well and good but… “ Trust me son, I’ve been in this game for 25 years…movies will always be silent” Let’s allow our Chaplin's and Griffiths’ to retire with a big thank you  Let’s march inexorably towards the Holodeck.

Experience is all well and good but…

“ Trust me son, I’ve been in this game for 25 years…movies will always be silent”

Let’s allow our Chaplin's and Griffiths’ to retire with a big thank you 

Let’s march inexorably towards the Holodeck.

Thanks [email_address]

[email_address]