lafs game mechanics - randomness and risk
TRANSCRIPT
RANDOMNESS AND RISKLevel 7
David MullichGame MechanicsThe Los Angeles Film School
Randomness
Effects or events in the game that cannot be easily predicted.
Input vs. Output Randomness
Input Randomness: Informs the player’s decision
Output Randomness: Determines the outcome of the player’s decision
Output Randomness
3 Minute Game Design: Episode 6
What Was The Main Message Of This Video?
Why Designers Use Randomness Excitement and Tension Make Consequences Less Predictable Balance Weak and Strong Players Prevent Perfect Information Limit Foresight and Planning Force Players to Adapt to Changing Circumstances
Are these Input Randomness or Output Randomness?
Probability
Using a 6-sided die, what’s the probability of rolling a one?A six?A seven?Not three?
One Die Probabilities
Probability Of Something Not Happening = 1 – Probability of It Happening
One Die Probabilities
What’s the odds of rolling a 1 or a 2?
Hint: OR means ADD the probabilities.
Ways To Represent Probability
Probability Is Zero To One – That’s It!
Random Number Use Example #1
Random (6) Creature Encountered
1 Deer
2 Bear
3 Orc
4 Elf
5 Unicorn
6 Dragon
Random Number Use Example #2
Random (100) Creature Encountered
1-40 Deer
31-60 Bear
62-80 Orc
81-95 Elf
96-99 Unicorn
100 Dragon
Multiple Random Numbers
Using two 6-sided dice, what’s the probability of rolling a one?A six?A twelve?
Graph it!
Multiple Random Number Use Example
The Delta Of Randomness
Extra Credits: Can You Balance For A Random Number Generator?
What Was The Main Message Of This Video?
How Randomness Is Used Starting Conditions Asymmetric Resource Generation Imperfect Information Combat, especially Damage Skill Success
More Ways to Use Randomness
Extra Credits: What is the Goal of RNG?
What Was The Main Message Of This Video?
Randomness Design Considerations How is randomness used? How is randomness generated?
Luck
The feeling that random events are not random, but favorable for the player.
Why Designers Use Luck Give player the Illusion of Influence Creates Tension in actions with delayed
effect.
Warning! Luck can: Give deceptive Smooth Learning Curves Prevent Predictable Consequences Prevent Game Mastery
Luck Design Considerations Does the game master or game system
cheat to benefit players? Can the player manipulate any random
elements in the game? Are there any Near Miss Indicators to show
how close players were to danger? Can players based risk/reward decisions
on how much luck they feel they have?
RANDOMNESS AND GAME EVENTS
Surprises
Events and consequences that are unexpected by players and disturb their actions.
Sources of Surprise Randomness Imperfect Information Limited Foresight No Game State Overview
Why Designers Use Surprise Disrupt Player’s Attention Emotional Immersion in Narrative Structures Support Exploration Goals
Warning: Can reduce player’s Perceived Chance to Succeed
and Illusion of Influence Difficult to combine with Predictable
Consequences and Replayability
Surprises Design Considerations Do players or the game system cause the
surprise? What makes the surprise surprising? What are the consequences of the
surprise? Are the effects of the surprise irreversible?
Easter Eggs
Surprises in the game that are not related to the game.
Why Designers Put in Easter Eggs Surprises Allows Optional Player-Defined Goals Promotes Exploration Provides Trans-Game Information Increases Replayablity Protest against Management
Warning: May suspend belief in In-Game Reality
Easter Eggs Design Considerations Where in the game world does it exist? What does it contain or do? Are there any clues for it?
RISK AND REWARD
Risk/Reward
The chance for receiving a reward in a game is linked to some risk of receiving a penalty if the player fails to acquire the reward.
More Risk/Reward Examples Risking Danger to Gain Rewards or
Perform Actions Choosing which New Ability to get Investments and other Resource
Management Choosing which of several areas to Guard Selecting a Spawning Location
Why Designers Use Risk/Reward Create Tension Encourage
Trade-OffsStrategic PlanningCognitive ImmersionGame Mastery
Ways To Introduce Risk
Randomness Wrong Actions Other Players
Risk/Rewards Design Considerations How is risk introduced? What is the reward? What is the probability of getting the
reward? What is the penalty? What is the probability of receiving a
penalty?
Balancing Risk/Rewards
Less Risk Arithmetic Rewards
More Risk Choices with Long-Term Effects
Rewards
The players receive something perceived as positive, or is relieved of a negative effect, for completing the game’s goals.
Why Designers Use Rewards Creates Anticipation in Single Player games Creates Tension and Competition in Multi-
Player games With Abilities, promotes Character
Development and Narrative Structure Promotes Strategic Knowledge if Reward
has long-term value A form of Collecting
Rewards Design Considerations What action or goal is rewarded? Does the reward either advance the player’s
chances in the game or provide enjoyment outside the game?
Is the reward individual, shared, or distributed among players?
Can players choose their rewards? Is the reward embedded in another element?
Illusionary Rewards
The player receives something is perceived as a reward but does not quantifiably help in completing a formalized goal in the game.
Why Designers Use Illusionary Rewards Visual Effects Narrative Structures Social Status Clues, Tracers and Helpers Increase Perceived Chance to Succeed Encourage Experiementing Player-Defined Goals Extra Game-Information Increase Closures
Illusionary Rewards Design Considerations What is the illusionary reward? Why does the player perceive it as a
reward? Is it intentionally created, or an unintended
consequence of the game design?
Penalties
Players are inflicted with something perceived as negative or stripped of an advantage due to failure to meet a requirement of the game.
Sources Of Penalties Damage Deadly Traps Failure to Complete Goals
Penalties vs. Rewards
Penalties Rewards
Causes Tension Causes Anticipation
More Predictable Less Predictable
More Continuous More Distant
Why Designers Use Penalties Discourage rule-breaking Create Tension Create negative Social Status Prevent Betrayal
Warning! May restrict Freedom of Choice
Penalties Design Considerations What actions or events initiated by the player are
penalized? What actions or events not initiated by the player
are penalized? Is the penalty a predictable consequence of the
action or event? What is the penalty’s effect? Are penalties individual or shared among
players?
DECISION MAKING
Predictable Consequences
Players can predict how the game state will change if they perform actions.
Predictable Events Ultra-Powerful Events Damage and Penalties Investments Surprises (after first encounter)
Why Game Designers Want Predictable Consequences Builds Anticipation Promotes Experimentation Increases Perceived Chance to Succeed Supports Strategic Planning Required for Investments
Warning! Can lead to: Analysis Paralysis
Predictable Consequences Considerations How predictable is the game system when
performing actions and influencing events? How predictable are players when
performing actions and influencing events? How does the game’s complexity affect
predictability?
Balancing Predictable ConsequencesMore Predictable Consistent Reality Logic Illusionary Rewards Perfect Information More Closure Points
Less Predictable Randomness Uncertain/Imperfect Information Limited Foresight Fewer Closure Points Leaps of Faith (at first)
Perceived Chance To Succeed
Player’s believe, whether correctly or not, that they do have a chance to succeed with actions in a game.
Why Designers Want Perceived Chance To Succeed
Illusion of Influence Emotional Immersion Tension
Warning! May conflict with: Surprises Leaps of Faith Ultra-Powerful Events Narrative Structures
Perceived Chance to Succeed Design Considerations What are the ways that the player can
succeed at achieving goals? How does the player form a perception of
the chance of success at these various ways?
How will actual difficulty be balanced?
Balancing Perceived Chance To SucceedMore Chance Smooth Learning Curves Right Level of Difficulty Player Balance New/Improved Abilities Handicaps Strategic Knowledge/Cut Scenes/Hints Illusionary Rewards Player-Decided Results Perfect/Imperfect Information
Less Chance Decreased/Lost Abilities Enemies Surprises Ultra-Powerful Events
Trade-Offs
The player must choose between several different options and compare them against each other.
Examples of Trade-Offs Budgeted Action Points Resource Managment Camera Views Combat Attention Swapping Stealth Bidding Supporting Goals
Why Designers Use Trade-Offs Encourages:
Cognitive ImmersionStrategic PlanningPerceived Chance of SucceedGame Mastery
Balances Difficulty
Warning! Can cause: Analysis Paralysis
Trade-Offs Design Considerations
Are the trade-off choices linked to a committed goal?
What are the risks and rewards of each choice?
How quickly do players need to make trade-off decisions?
Do the trade-offs have extended effects?
MORE GOALS
Exploration
The goal of learning the layout of the game world, or locating specific parts or objects in it.
Exploration In Games
Extra Credits: Four Ways Players Discover Joy
What Was The Main Message Of This Video?
Examples of Exploration Levels Hidden Resources Illusionary Rewards Imperfect Information Construction
Why Designers Use Exploration Goals Encourages players to move to new game spaces Supports:
Gain Information Goals Memorization Varied Gameplay Game World Navigation Surprises Emotional Immersion
Warning! May conflict with: Replayability
Exploration Design Considerations
What does the player need to find? Does the player know the exact nature of
what needs to be found? Is the area to be explored predetermined,
randomly generated, or constructed by another player?
Are there supporting goals providing partial information about what needs to be found?
Balancing Exploration GoalsLess Difficult Game State Overview Renewable Resources Outstanding Features Clues and Tracers Goal Points Easter Eggs
More Difficult Limited Resources Enemies and Deadly Traps Fog of War
Stealth
The goal to move through a certain area and perform and action without being detected.
What Makes A Good Stealth Game?
Extra Credits: Like A Ninja
What Was The Main Message Of This Video?
Why Designers Use Stealth Goals Makes Rescue and Delivery Goals more
difficult Encourages:
MovementTensionStrategic PlanningArea Control
Stealth Design Considerations What action(s) must the stealthy player
perform? What actions can reveal the player to other
players / enemies? What are the tradeoffs between risk and
reward for these actions?
Balancing Stealth GoalsLess Difficult Safe Havens
More Difficult Timing Rhythm/Dexterity-Based Actions Puzzle Solving Alarms Herding
Choose one of the following games to play:
EXPLORER Amazonas (3-4p, 50m) (Explore) Lost Cities (2p, 30-60m) (Explore) Oceana (1-2p, 10-30m) (Explore) Taluva (2-4p, 45m) (Explore)
STEALTH LotR: The Confrontation (2p, 30m)
(Bluffing) Scotland Yard (3-6p, 45m) (Stealth)
Group Quest
Design an analog game prototype using mechanics supporting the following goals: Exploration Stealth
Research and use the LMS to report on games using risk and reward elements discussed in class.