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Gameplay
This document discusses gameplay design for computer games. It explains that gameplay should be designed before story and graphics and defines gameplay as the core fun factor that should engage players. Gameplay involves challenges, which are objectives related to genre, and actions, which are player inputs. Challenges can include physical coordination, logic, math, time pressure, knowledge, memory, pattern recognition, exploration, conflict, economics, reasoning and thinking. Actions are verbs like accelerate, turn, jump. The document provides examples of challenge hierarchies and actions for different genres. It concludes by assigning a mission to design the gameplay for a game, including challenges, challenge hierarchy, essential and other actions.
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Gameplay
- 1. Gameplay Design of ComputerGames Martin Sillaots Aug 6 2019 #6
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- 3. Elements of GameProduction * • Gameplay • Core mechanics • Game World • Characters • Story • Levels • UI
- 4. Gameplay should bedesigned before the story and graphics Gameplay = core fun factor -> Should be engaging
- 5. Gameplay Challenges and Actions Challenges= objectives (genre related) – Endless Actions = activities (input devices related) – Limited
- 6. Gameplay Design • Definechallenges • Create hierarchical list of challenges • Define actions
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- 8. Genre = Challenge* PhysEco Concept Tact Log Expl Logic Action + + ~ ~ – – – Strategy – ~ ~ + ~ ~ _ Role – + ~ + + + ~ Simulation + – – + ~ – – Management – + + + ~ – – Adventure – ~ ~ – – + + Puzzle ~ – + – – – +
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- 10. Common Challenges • Physicalcoordination • Formal logic • Math • Time pressure • Factual knowledge • Memory • Pattern recognition • Exploration • Conflict • Economic • Conceptual reasoning • Lateral thinking
- 11. Physical Coordination Challenges •Speed • Accuracy • Physics • Timing and rhythm • Combination of moves • Hand-eye coordination
- 12. Games can teachyou*
- 13. Formal Logic Challenges •Formal logic puzzles • strategic thinking • Deductive reasoning • No additional information is needed • E.g. Adventure games
- 14. Math Challenges • Probability •Financial calculations
- 15. Time Pressure Challenges •In some genres OK • In some genres creates stress and brutal force • e.g. Action games
- 16. Factual Knowledge Challenges •e.g. Quiz or Trivia – facts from outside • In other genres facts from the game
- 17. Memory Challenges • Rememberingand recalling things from game • e.g. Adventure
- 18. Pattern Recognition Challenges •Similar behavior • Suitable strategy against enemy • e.g. action games
- 19. Exploration Challenges • Notfamiliar space • Locked doors • Traps • Mazes • Illogical spaces • Teleporters • Finding hidden objects
- 20. Conflict Challenges • Strategy •Tactics • Logistics • Survival • Reduction of enemy forces • Defending • Stealth
- 21. Economical Challenges • Accumulatingresources • Achieving balance • Caring for living things
- 22. Conceptual Reasoning Challenges •Conceptual thinking • Lateral thinking • Based on external knowledge • e.g. Puzzles
- 23. Conceptual Reasoning Challenges •Conceptual thinking • Lateral thinking • Based on external knowledge • e.g. Puzzles
- 24. Hierarchy of Challenges Higherlevel - Challenges Lower level - Sub challenges
- 25. e.g. Hierarchy ofTime Mesh • Get to know the situation – Get radio to Rene • solve mini-game – running – Get food to ex Banker – Paint the clock – Get the golden clock to Colonel – Free the prisoner – Get the glue from the prisoner – Give glue to member of resistance • solve mini-game – puzzle – Get instruction from Rex • Get the Code Book • Get the Enigma machine • Deliver Book and Enigma to Turing
- 26. Challenge Descriptions • Explicitchallenges – victory conditions – how to use controls • Implicit challenges – discovered by the player
- 27. Difficulty of Challenge •Balance between skills and stress • Required level of skills – Physical – Mental • Stress – Time pressure • Simultaneous Challenges
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- 29. Actions • Lower levelatoms • Input device related • Not directly related with challenges • Number of different actions is limited
- 30. Design Actions • Playersrole • Primary gameplay mode • Atomic Challenges • Middle and upper level challenges • Other actions
- 31. Example of Actionsof Driving Car • Accelerate • Turn • Brake • Change gear • Use hand break • Lights • Radio • Honk • Tuning
- 32. e.g. Adventure GameActions
- 33. Other Actions • Unstructuredplay • Creation • Self expression • Socialization • Participate in the story • Controlling game software
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- 35. Gameplay Mission Details •Design a gameplay for your game: – 10 to 20 challenges – Outlined list of challenges (hierarchy) – Essential actions – Other Actions • ALL teams will have chance to present their gameplay
Editor's Notes
- #3 idea and genre is fixed –> Production
- #4 Sound and animation can be part of the game world, characters, …
- #6 Gameplay comes first - story and graphics later Challenges to overcome (objectives) Actions to let overcome (tasks) - more than 1 action per 1 challenge Fun – objective to provide fun! ? Or is entertainment enough (serious games) ? avoid errors Missing feature is better than broken design decisions from players point of view Leave out not fun parts - or automate them (cut scenes) Stick on your vision - don't add options that are not related with this
- #7 Challenges = objectives (Genre) - Endless Actions = activities (input devices) - Limited
- #9 Physical - Economical Conceptual – conceptions – collect all glues and solve puzzle. Tactical Logistic Exploration Logic
- #10 Lower level challenges (Upper level … up on your fantasy)
- #11 Physical coordination – e.g. hand-eye coordination Formal logic (puzzle) – e.g. puzzles where no additional information needed Math – e.g. economical calculation in business simulator Time pressure – e.g. racing games Factual knowledge – e.g. Quiz Memory – e.g. Memory games Pattern Recognition – e.g. action games Exploration – finding hidden objects Conflict – planning different strategies and executing them Economic – accumulating resources Conceptual Reasoning (puzzle) – e.g. puzzles where external knowledge is needed Lateral Thinking (puzzle) – e.g. puzzles that need alternative thinking [external knowledge]
- #12 speed - and reaction time - platform, shooter, fast puzzle (e.g. Tetris, Quake) accuracy - steering, shooting - action, sports, role, brain training (e.g. Slice it) physics - intuitive understanding - vehicle simulations timing - and rhythm - side scrolling action games, dance game, (e.g. Guitar Hero) combination - fighting games - obvious solution is wrong, alternative is correct (e.g. adventure games)
- #14 Rubik's Cube ChuChu Rocket Deductive – top-down logic (from many to one)? No trial and error ???
- #15 Card games Business simulations
- #16 Race GRID Xbox
- #17 Adventure Quiz – trivial questions about ordinary life or pop culture
- #18 e.g. Role ???
- #19 e.g. secret doors – Action, adventure
- #20 not familiar space - obstacles in terrain (map) locked doors - any obstacle that can be disabled traps - should be possible to avoid or disarm - provide glues mazes - provide clues to solve illogical spaces - space and time moves vice versa teleporters - e.g. Portal 2 finding hidden objects - e.g. alternative to find the difference puzzle. Easter eggs.
- #21 strategy - planning, systematic reasoning vs chance, guessing, probability (RTS) tactics - executing plan, respond unexpected events, logistics - supporting execution (Strategy - weapon production, not food. Role games - what to carry?) Survival reduction of enemy forces - how unit can be removed from the game - health indicator defending - protect items (e.g. king), scarification stealth - move undetected, avoid combat (e.g. Thief: The Dark Project). Complicated to develop force (different from conflict challenge - game theory), action games
- #22 money and items move from one hand to other (e.g. collect amo, health, ...) accumulating resources - points, money, … (e.g. Monopoly) achieving balance - (e.g. The Settlers) caring for living things - (e.g. Sims, Spore)
- #23 Kontseptuaalne (mõisteline, skemaatiline) mõtlemine e.g. Strike a Match, Law and Order Lateral thinking = Alternative thinking (thinking out of box)
- #24 Kontseptuaalne (mõisteline, skemaatiline) mõtlemine e.g. Strike a Match, Law and Order Lateral thinking = Alternative thinking (thinking out of box)
- #25 missions (levels) atomic missions
- #27 described in the beginning of the game (top and bottom challenges) player should discover them on her own (middle, Intermediate challenges) based on observation, exploration - events, story, economy … Fun
- #28 Depends on … Require less kills, give more time Time pressure Quick reflexes quick mind e.g. tetris vs pool adrenaline feels good time for rest is needed Simultaneous Challenges more than one enemy shooting at you at the same time lot of things to be concerned at the same time they can be treated as one – turn E.g. Turn based economy game
- #29 run, jump, buy, build, fire, …
- #30 cheaper, easier to control, coherent
- #31 Players role -> overall action decriptions Primary gameplay mode -> more exact action descriptions Atomic Challenges -> how to overcome them - actions, combinations of actions Middle and upper level challenges -> do they need additional actions (or is actions for atomic challenges enough) Other actions - not related to gameplay
- #32 Essential? Depending on challenge? Not necessary?
- #33 Pick up Use Give Open Close Push Pull Look at Talk to
- #34 Not needed for gameplay - for overcoming challenges For interacting with the game world Unstructured play - e.g. walk a round just for fun, sightseeing Creation - designing weapons Self expression - designing avatar Socialization - multiplayer games Participate in the story - dialogue, interacting, select path, .. Controlling game software - camera, saving, level selection, selecting difficulty level, turn off sound, ...