1. Session 3 David Mullich Concept Workshop - Game PreProduction The Los Angeles Film School

2. Gameplay Game Mechanics Resources Obstacles Goals Win/Loss Conditions Main Game Loop 3. Rules Easily Understood Consistent with Game Theme Setup Progression Resolution Rule Categories Rules Mechanics Systems Rule Groupings 4. Game Mechanics Avoid unkillable objects Instant death Game repeats until you die Remember an increasing number of things Repeat pattern Forced constant movement Block puzzles Game keeps getting harder until you die Uncountable number of possible paths Big gains for you can be big gains for your enemy Block path Information Overload Disinformation Switch modes Push mole down, mole pops up Cut off one head, two grow back Bouncing object Gravity Mouse dexterity Spinning plates Teleports Squad Race Chase Collecting Interrupt Action Squad Scarce Resource Jumping Hidden image/ Wheres Waldo? Timed Protect a target Undirected exploration Bullet Hell Buy Low, Sell High Brawling Dialog Tree Building Crafting 5. Resources Currency Building Materials Energy Health Combat Units Inventory Items Time Turns Moves Territory Power-Ups Information Anything the player must gather or protect to help in achieving the games goals. 6. Obstacles Anything that makes achieving the games goals difficult. Enemies Puzzles Traps Time Limits Hidden Resources Resource Management Randomness 7. Goals Achievement milestones that advance progress in a game. Elementary (Minor) Goals Intermediate (Level) Goals Primary (Win/Loss) Goals 8. Types of Goals STRATEGIC (Mental) REFLEX (Physical) CHANCE (Random) 9. Examples of Goals Score Capture/Destroy Collection Solve Chase/Race/Esca pe Beat the Clock Spatial Alignment Build Explore Advance the Story 10. What Makes Goals Addictive Worthy of Obtaining Challenging to Reach Obtainable New Goals Replace Old Goals 11. Experience Phases A good game designer will look at one game as 4 different game, which emphasizes on the 4 Experience Phases of a game, as defined by Professor Kevin Werbach: Discovery Onboarding Scaffolding Endgame 12. Game Main Loop The set of rules that a game follows during each game turn. All games have turns, even if they appear to be continuously be running. This is because most modern games dont stop and wait for player input. 13. Game Main Loop 14. Game Main Loop while (game is not over) check for user input If user input case (user input) navigation: move player construction: build object fight: attack enemy determine enemy state changes case (enemy state) idle: do nothing patrol: walk between waypoints chase: run toward player flee: run to default waypoint die: enemy death end while 15. Create a page in your Concept PowerPoint that lists the following: Game Mechanics Resources Obstacles Intermediate Goals (if any) Win Conditions Lose Conditions (if any) PowerPoint 16. Create a Gameplay page in your GDD Wiki that lists the following: Game Mechanics: List at least three core game mechanics (dont describe movement, unless it is unusual) Resources: What you acquire or protect as you progress through the game (e.g., score, turns, health, energy, territory) Obstacles: What makes reaching the games goals challenging? (e.g., fighting enemies, solving puzzles, avoiding hazards, time limits) Progression: What intermediate goals must you reach to advance (e.g., clear levels, defeat bosses) Resolution: What final goal must you reach to win the game? (e.g., complete level 5, defeat main boss) Are there ways to lose the game? (e.g., lose all 3 lives, game timer runs out) Wiki 17. 2. Create a Main Game Loop page in your TDD Wiki, specifying the following: Player inputs and resulting actions Enemy states and resulting actions Goals and resulting actions Wiki