harmonix: behind the music (games) imgd, feb 7th 2008
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Harmonix: Behind the Music (Games)
IMGD, Feb 7th 2008
Harmonix
• Music Game developer based in Cambridge
• Spun out of MIT Media Lab in 1995• Focused on Interactive Music Innovation• Our Mission: “Create new ways for non-
musicians to experience the unique joy that comes from making music”
• Led to video game development
Our latest & greatest… Rock Band
Who are we?
Rob KayDirector of DesignerLead Designer on Rock Band
Ike AdamsSoftware DeveloperGameplay and Interface Engineer on Rock
Band
Rob’s route in
• Art college & Amiga demo scene
• Pysgnosis advice – learn 3D!• Bournemouth University NCCA• Cut teeth as artist on Looney
Tunes games• Level design experience• Harmonix game designer
Ike’s route in• Started making games at 8• Syracuse University for
Computer Geekology and Math• Started game development
career with Kent Quirk at Cognitoy
• Spent 3.43 years as a game engineer at Blue Fang Games
• Harmonix – Interface and Gameplay on Rock Band
• Currently - Tools and development process optimization.
What’s this talk about?
• Behind the scenes at Harmonix– Rob: Designing for everyone– Ike: Tools & process
• Tips for getting into industry• Q&A
Designing for Everyone
Understand your players
• Why?– Players have different needs
In reality though…
Top 5 Design Practices
When making games for everyone…
1. Find a universally appealing concept
Universally Appealing Concept
• Easier said than done• If you don’t nail this, forget about it!
• Goal: – Describe the game in one sentence and
people get excited.
Some Examples
“run aHollywood
Studio”
“take careof a pet”
“take charge
of anNFL team”
“play ina band”
Where do you look for inspiration?
• Not in video games– They both want new experiences
• In the real world – Popular cultural trends– Experiences that different kinds of
people aspire to do
2. Value the context and presentation
Why value context and presentation?
• Draws them into a game
• Improves the play experience
• Succeed at this and you’ll lure them in
• Fail at this and you’ll turn them away
FreQuency 2001
Abstract visuals – “you’re in the music”
Context and Presentation
Context and PresentationRock Band 2007
Live Show visuals – “you’re on stage”
3. Embrace alternative controllers
We haven’t made a joypad game since 2003
Camera Guitar Microphone
We’ve noticed some big user benefits…
Guitar + Drums + Microphone!
They look like what they do
It’s obvious how to use them
Joypads
• Generic by design– So can’t “look like what it does”– No mental model for how to use it
Today’s joypads are intimidating
These controllers are inviting
They level the playing field
4. Ensure intuitive controls
Intuitive Controls
• It just works• This is our responsibility• Employ usability principles
Natural Mapping
Spatial relationship between control and result is consistent
5. Encourage the whole dev team to play the game
and give feedback
Teams make games
• The more the team plays, the better the game
• A diverse team’s range of insights will help you make a game for “everyone”
Set up the work environment
• Daily builds• Open door policy• Feedback expected from
everyone
Feedback Loops
Feedback Loops
Feedback Loops
Feedback Loops
Recap
1. Find a universally appealing concept2. Value the context and presentation3. Embrace alternative controllers4. Ensure intuitive controls (natural
interface)5. Encourage the whole team to play
and give feedback
Designing Games for EVERYONE…
…is fun and rewarding!
Development Process and Tools
Before I talk about tools…Building Blocks
• Games can be so complicated that it’s very hard for one person to wrap their head around the whole thing
• In order to understand and work on problems, we need to break it down into pieces that we can understand.
• We keep breaking down complexity until we have building blocks or (components).
My favorite example …LEGOs
• Think of a Lego City• It’s cool but it’s very complicated
In order to simplify we break it down into components
• Buildings• Vehicles• People
We continue to break it down until we have something “simple” to
work with.
How do we make a tool that’s good for development?
• Be able to isolate “simple” building blocks in the game
How do we make a tool that’s good for development?
• Put building blocks together in context to see them in their environment
How do we make a tool that’s good for development?
• Usually the best way to view building blocks in context is to see them in game… but that’s not always convenient.
How do we make a tool that’s good for development?
• It’s important that the tool and the assets can load quickly.
• Every second that can be shaved off of an iteration cycle is very valuable.
• It’s extra cool to reload a building block without reloading the whole context.
Loading…
How do we make a tool that’s good for development?
• Be able to change as many parameters as necessary without making the tool too complicated
• If an a building block can “do stuff” it’s good to be able to demonstrate its abilities.
• Add a way to manually trigger game events
How do we make a tool that’s good for development?
• Play well with other tools• Use other tools (3D Studio Max,
Motion Builder, Cubase) for what they’re good at.
• It’s not necessary to build redundant functionality
• Customize your tools for your needs.
Introducing…
Milo
Tips for getting into industryChoose a focusMajor disciplines: code, art, audio, design, production, QA.
Get good at your chosen discipline.Study, learn, get qualifications, portfolio. Show you have
smarts / skills.
Make stuff… anything!Games, levels, comics, music, flower arrangements...
anything!Take something from concept to completion.Experience = good judgment.
Be personable, enthusiastic and willing to learn.Nobody likes a know it all. Mistakes are fine. Bad attitude is
not.
