Download - Prototyping for Fun & Profit Engagement & Metaphor Borut Pfeifer Plush Apocalypse Productions
Prototyping for
Fun & Profit
Engagement & Metaphor
Borut PfeiferPlush Apocalypse Productions
Some Definitions
en gage ment⋅ ⋅ [en-geyj-muhnt] - the act of engaging or the state of being engaged.
Engage - to attract and hold fast: The novel engaged her attention and interest.
Metaphor - something used, or regarded as being used, to represent something else; emblem; symbol.
The Unconcerned
• Game about Iran post-election riots
• Mother & Father lose Daughter in crowd
• Puzzle-based gameplay moving through crowds
• Swap characters to solve puzzles (Lost Vikings)
• Purpose: Convey empathy w/Iranian people, inform about the political/social situation, through engaging gameplay
Prototyping and Iteration
Prototypes
• Quickly get info you need for creative decisions
• Different prototype axes:– Experiment (test) vs. Exploratory (generate ideas)– Aesthetic vs. Mechanic vs. both (careful!)
• Thematic statement:– Clarify the core message(s) of the game.– NOT A PITCH STATEMENT (only for you)
“Only by looking to everyone as individuals can we movepast group/systemic struggles and save ourselves.”
Typical Prototyping Tips
• Fail fast – use short prototype cycles.
• Build it to throw away.
• Constraints stimulate creativity.
• Don’t develop story, levels, visuals, etc. until gameplay is engaging.
Typical Prototyping Pitfalls
• Produces simple mechanics – not often thematically deep
• Can prototype gameplay that will never work in fictional context.
• Making the wrong prototype – reject mechanics that would work w/more advanced visuals.
• Keep changing ideas, don’t finalize any.
Aesthetic Prototypes/Look Development
Avoid if possible!
Evaluate scale, speed, timing.
Look needs to be representative, but lo-fi:– May lack in some areas of fidelity (animation)– Fallback to debug shapes/text.– Important for serious games, look must convey theme
Visual feedback must be:– Easy to distinguish (color, contrast, outline, movement)– Contextually appropriate– Frequent (simple actions + lots of feedback ~= fun)
Look Prototype• First work on project• Test perspective/scale/speed/timing• Separate (but also evaluate) color palette, style, etc.
Mechanic Prototypes/Gameplay Development
• Clear player goal(s)
• Give feedback on progress– How well are they achieving goals?
• Player feedback on available actions– What actions can they take to achieve goals?– How effective will those actions be?
Serious Game Mechanics
Metaphorical mechanics fail when they’re:
• Simplistic: can trivialize the subject
• Over-generalized: applies a stereotype
• Mismatched: conveys additional unwanted elements
• Poorly skinned: slapped on existing game
• Used in repetitive context: also trivializes
The Unconcerned Gameplay Prototyping
• Interleave engaging elements with serious ones:– Searching – looking for daughter– Strategic differences between father/mother (both for
puzzle purposes & rhetoric)
• Analyze mechanics for metaphorical inconsistencies.
• Prototypes– Finder/Waypoints– Line of Sight/Uncover area– Crowds– Split city location/crowd gameplay
Finder Mechanic Prototype
• Experiment - test mechanic depth
• Finder arrow – shows daughter’s possible direction (bounces around)
• Ask people about daughter
• Answers hone in on direction to exit level
• Certain characters respond to father vs. mother
• Added multiple waypointsFinderProto.wmvFinderProto.wmv
Finder Mechanic Prototype
• Goal relatively clear
• Effects of asking not clear w/randomization.
• Making the asking mechanic more clear/less random makes it over-generalized.
• Thematically – seek out individuals in crowd
Line-of-Sight Prototype
• Exploration – how might this work?
• Require player to search space by uncovering areas
• Goal – certain % uncovered
• Added crowds - sight blocked by crowds.
• Have to get into a crowd to see inside/thru it.
• Crowd entry based on father or mother
Line-of-Sight Prototype
Line of Sight Prototype
• Goal not clear
• Progress partially clear
• Thematically – not related to individual/group relationships.
• Crowds still required discrete class/role boundaries (stereotypical).
• Might work as optional completion goal
Crowd Prototypes
• Explore crowd-based puzzles• Characters can’t move through some crowds. • Break up crowd to open path.
• Added crowd direction– Focused crowds restrict player movement– Use crowds as gates with switches
• Added moving crowds to unblock obstacles
CrowdProto2.wmvCrowdProto1.wmv
Crowd Prototypes
• Moving crowds: not really logical for medium/large crowds
• Basically a locked door “puzzle”
• Thematically – loses focus on individual
• Crowd boundaries have to be explicit either/or – strong gender/class statement
Split City/Crowd Prototype
• Experiment with separating puzzle & exploration
• City locations – explore w/simple environment obstacles (lock/key)
• Enter crowds – move people to get through (push/pull block puzzle)
• Must enter each crowd to uncover level (shown in mini-map)
SplitCrowdProto3.wmv
Split City/Crowd Prototype
• Engaging (goals & feedback ok)
• Thematically – contrasts group & individual behavior
• Diagonal movement problems:– Overhead grid spacing affords diagonal movement.– Make the puzzle harder, didn’t want them– Can it be solved visually?
Crowd Look Dev Prototype
• Test faux 3D view• Eliminates affordance/feedback of diagonals• Emotional impact – feel closer to characters
Crowd Puzzle Metaphors
Add variation with different crowd units.
Random elements? Not easily understood.
Analog mechanics? Don’t fit in puzzle context.
Internal class variation: – Behaviors don’t apply to all members of a class– Some behaviors might apply to multiple classes – Communicate through multiple, noisy channels (like
character’s random idle animation)
Crowd Puzzle Units
• Added unit behaviors like:– Injurable person: push limit, need to help– Vocal protesters: attract people– Linked: attempt to stay side by side– Avoiders: inclined to move away automatically
• Metaphors better avoid stereotyping• Requires character animation to test playability.• But structure allows work on plot, levels, etc.• Characters larger onscreen, saved redoing art!
CrowdUnitsProto.wmv CrowdPuzzleProto2.wmv
Collected wisdom
• Understand purpose of prototype (explore/ experiment, mechanic/aesthetic)
• Thematic statement focuses creative decisions
• Refine feedback of player goals, progress, and actions
• Avoid over-simplified, stereotyped, mismatched, or inappropriately repetitive mechanics.
• Fail fast! Decide faster!
Thanks
• Dan Boutros• Amanda Williams• Dren McDonald
The Unconcerned:http://plushapocalypse.com/theunconcerned
Prototyping advice? Email: [email protected]: @plushapoBlog: http://plushapocalypse.com/borut