2. a system in which players engage in an artificial
conflict, defined by rules, that results in a
quantifiable outcome*
* Source: Rules of Play
What is a game?
20. 7 Rules for Coop Game Design
1. Compete with the System
engage players with system challenges &milestone markers that develop skills
2. Shared Goals & Outcomes
connected to a larger purpose, rewards, unlocks, powers
3. Inter-Dependent Roles
synergistic roles let players specialize – e.g. marketplaces, RPGs, teams, bands
4. Coop Rituals & Social Gestures
hi5, like, vote, dance, flock, vote, join, meetup
5. Shared Resources & Access
tools, weapons, $$, access,
6. Non-Zero Stats & Spotlights
showcase excellence with non-zero mechanics and Group Stats
7. UGC Strategy
include User Creativity into your content strategy
21. Coop First: Designing for Non-Zero
DO
System Competition – PVE, TVE
Shared Non-Zero Goals
Inter-Dependent Roles
Coop Rituals & Gestures
Shared Resources
Shared Outcomes
Spotlights
DON’T
Individual Rankings&PVP
Individual Zero-Sum Goals
Single Activity, One Role
Zero-Sum Rituals & Gestures
Personal Hoarding
Winner-Take-All Outcomes
Leaderboards
One textbook defined games as “A systems where players engage in an artifical conflict, defined by rules, that results in a quantifiable outcome.” Well, that’s a good definition for SOME games. What kind? Zero-sum games.
One textbook defined games as “A systems where players engage in an artifical conflict, defined by rules, that results in a quantifiable outcome.” Well, that’s a good definition for SOME games. What kind? Zero-sum games.
Ultima Online… The Sims (website) … Rock Band – These games don’t have clear victory state – there aren’t really winners and losers. Instead, they’re about having fun together – about value-added social interactions. So I made up a new broader definition for what a game could be.
One textbook defined games as “A systems where players engage in an artifical conflict, defined by rules, that results in a quantifiable outcome.” Well, that’s a good definition for SOME games. What kind? Zero-sum games.
Trend 1: ubiquitous connected devices. People used to play computer games on consoles and dedicated gaming devices. The rapid adoption of connected mobile computing device is changed how and where people play games and spend their money.
Console revenues (shown at the bottom) are flat – while online, mobile and PC revenues are growing. the overall market for games is growing – but the growth is online and in mobile, while the proportional market share of consoles is shrinking.
What’s interesting about Just Dance – and games like it – is that you’re not focused on the SCORE – you’re focused on the EXPERIENCE. It’s less like a competitive score-based experience -- It’s more like hopscotch, or jacks, or cat’s cradle. This audience disruption is in turn driving the thrid trend…
Mutual entertainment – AKA user-generated content – which is a form of content disruption. Across age and gender, enabled by new tools, devices and connectivity, people are spending their free time engaged with with content they’ve created themselves.
This is most clearly refelcted in the rise of social networking and blogging, which is centered around mutual entertainemtn – rather than crafted experiences. These statiistics from Nielsen show that – although online gaming is popular – it’s actually DWARFED by the numebr of hours people are spending on sites like facebook and youtube – entertaining each other with amateur content.
We also know from Happiness Science that investing in social relationships – and improving meaningful skills – reliably makes us happier. Look at playground games like hopscotch. The IS a score, but most people aren’t focused on that – we don’t remember who won or lost, what we remember who we played with, and how we FELT playing the game. These three disruptive changes in platform, audience, and content are ushering in the next wave of growth in gaming – playing together while working towards shared goals.
Why is Coop Hard? TRUSTSHARED GOALS – important for coopBetter Together (Left 4 Dead) – BOOSTED OUTCOMES -- once you play with others boosts to outcomesPlayer Identity – Group Identity – Tribal Markers – let players extend their identity with group markersStranger Working Relationship Tight BondsNeed way to negotiate social norms FORMING STORMING NORMING PERFORMING – need communication to sort out group dynamicsMutually Beneficial ActionsEnable Synchronized Movement – e.g. dancing, journey’s CHEER, 1 v 100 CHEER – bonus if you sync upFlocking – let people move together in a group – WE’RE MOVING TOGETHER – builds group identity, gives a feeling of shared purposeTRADE – I have something you need – you can do more with this than I can – boosted outcomes
Why is Coop Hard? TRUSTSHARED GOALS – important for coopBetter Together (Left 4 Dead) – BOOSTED OUTCOMES -- once you play with others boosts to outcomesPlayer Identity – Group Identity – Tribal Markers – let players extend their identity with group markersStranger Working Relationship Tight BondsNeed way to negotiate social norms FORMING STORMING NORMING PERFORMING – need communication to sort out group dynamicsMutually Beneficial ActionsEnable Synchronized Movement – e.g. dancing, journey’s CHEER, 1 v 100 CHEER – bonus if you sync upFlocking – let people move together in a group – WE’RE MOVING TOGETHER – builds group identity, gives a feeling of shared purposeTRADE – I have something you need – you can do more with this than I can – boosted outcomes
Why is Coop Hard? TRUSTSHARED GOALS – important for coopBetter Together (Left 4 Dead) – BOOSTED OUTCOMES -- once you play with others boosts to outcomesPlayer Identity – Group Identity – Tribal Markers – let players extend their identity with group markersStranger Working Relationship Tight BondsNeed way to negotiate social norms FORMING STORMING NORMING PERFORMING – need communication to sort out group dynamicsMutually Beneficial ActionsEnable Synchronized Movement – e.g. dancing, journey’s CHEER, 1 v 100 CHEER – bonus if you sync upFlocking – let people move together in a group – WE’RE MOVING TOGETHER – builds group identity, gives a feeling of shared purposeTRADE – I have something you need – you can do more with this than I can – boosted outcomes
Why is Coop Hard? TRUSTSHARED GOALS – important for coopBetter Together (Left 4 Dead) – BOOSTED OUTCOMES -- once you play with others boosts to outcomesPlayer Identity – Group Identity – Tribal Markers – let players extend their identity with group markersStranger Working Relationship Tight BondsNeed way to negotiate social norms FORMING STORMING NORMING PERFORMING – need communication to sort out group dynamicsMutually Beneficial ActionsEnable Synchronized Movement – e.g. dancing, journey’s CHEER, 1 v 100 CHEER – bonus if you sync upFlocking – let people move together in a group – WE’RE MOVING TOGETHER – builds group identity, gives a feeling of shared purposeTRADE – I have something you need – you can do more with this than I can – boosted outcomes
Why is Coop Hard? TRUSTSHARED GOALS – important for coopBetter Together (Left 4 Dead) – BOOSTED OUTCOMES -- once you play with others boosts to outcomesPlayer Identity – Group Identity – Tribal Markers – let players extend their identity with group markersStranger Working Relationship Tight BondsNeed way to negotiate social norms FORMING STORMING NORMING PERFORMING – need communication to sort out group dynamicsMutually Beneficial ActionsEnable Synchronized Movement – e.g. dancing, journey’s CHEER, 1 v 100 CHEER – bonus if you sync upFlocking – let people move together in a group – WE’RE MOVING TOGETHER – builds group identity, gives a feeling of shared purposeTRADE – I have something you need – you can do more with this than I can – boosted outcomes
Why is Coop Hard? TRUSTSHARED GOALS – important for coopBetter Together (Left 4 Dead) – BOOSTED OUTCOMES -- once you play with others boosts to outcomesPlayer Identity – Group Identity – Tribal Markers – let players extend their identity with group markersStranger Working Relationship Tight BondsNeed way to negotiate social norms FORMING STORMING NORMING PERFORMING – need communication to sort out group dynamicsMutually Beneficial ActionsEnable Synchronized Movement – e.g. dancing, journey’s CHEER, 1 v 100 CHEER – bonus if you sync upFlocking – let people move together in a group – WE’RE MOVING TOGETHER – builds group identity, gives a feeling of shared purposeTRADE – I have something you need – you can do more with this than I can – boosted outcomes
Why is Coop Hard? TRUSTSHARED GOALS – important for coopBetter Together (Left 4 Dead) – BOOSTED OUTCOMES -- once you play with others boosts to outcomesPlayer Identity – Group Identity – Tribal Markers – let players extend their identity with group markersStranger Working Relationship Tight BondsNeed way to negotiate social norms FORMING STORMING NORMING PERFORMING – need communication to sort out group dynamicsMutually Beneficial ActionsEnable Synchronized Movement – e.g. dancing, journey’s CHEER, 1 v 100 CHEER – bonus if you sync upFlocking – let people move together in a group – WE’RE MOVING TOGETHER – builds group identity, gives a feeling of shared purposeTRADE – I have something you need – you can do more with this than I can – boosted outcomes
Why is Coop Hard? TRUSTSHARED GOALS – important for coopBetter Together (Left 4 Dead) – BOOSTED OUTCOMES -- once you play with others boosts to outcomesPlayer Identity – Group Identity – Tribal Markers – let players extend their identity with group markersStranger Working Relationship Tight BondsNeed way to negotiate social norms FORMING STORMING NORMING PERFORMING – need communication to sort out group dynamicsMutually Beneficial ActionsEnable Synchronized Movement – e.g. dancing, journey’s CHEER, 1 v 100 CHEER – bonus if you sync upFlocking – let people move together in a group – WE’RE MOVING TOGETHER – builds group identity, gives a feeling of shared purposeTRADE – I have something you need – you can do more with this than I can – boosted outcomes
Why is Coop Hard? TRUSTSHARED GOALS – important for coopBetter Together (Left 4 Dead) – BOOSTED OUTCOMES -- once you play with others boosts to outcomesPlayer Identity – Group Identity – Tribal Markers – let players extend their identity with group markersStranger Working Relationship Tight BondsNeed way to negotiate social norms FORMING STORMING NORMING PERFORMING – need communication to sort out group dynamicsMutually Beneficial ActionsEnable Synchronized Movement – e.g. dancing, journey’s CHEER, 1 v 100 CHEER – bonus if you sync upFlocking – let people move together in a group – WE’RE MOVING TOGETHER – builds group identity, gives a feeling of shared purposeTRADE – I have something you need – you can do more with this than I can – boosted outcomes
