What is Game Design?

Who’s that guy?• 14 years in the industry• Director of design (Ubisoft & Relic)

Alexandre MandrykaCouple games I worked on

Game Maker

What a Game Designer was

Jordan Mechner (80s)

Programming Art Rules Levels

Karateka Prince of Persia

Game Making

Game creation evolved

• Game design is already a huge responsibility• GD and game vision require different skills• They each need full time attention

Game MakerProgramming Art Rules LevelsGame design Level design

Game vision

• Define your vision

• Detail and expand it into concrete guiding principles that will help implementation

• Support the vision with your features

• Everyone is part of that process

Art Programming Design

Vision

feature

feature

feature

feature

feature

feature

feature

feature

feature

Game

Guiding principles Guiding

principles

Guiding principles

SKILLS OF THE TRADEKnow what path to take

Design skills – Game Design• System design: AI, economy, game rules Logic, mathematics, probabilities• Interaction design: Controls, interfaces,

feedback Ergonomics, biomechanics, cybernetics• Motivation design: Learning, reward,

difficulty Psychology, learning theory, motivation

theory

Design skills – Level Design• Gameplay implementation: Challenge

creation, obstacles meet abilities Analysis of game’s core challenge• Environment creation: Building spaces to

naturally draw the player through 3D engines and tools, architecture,

landscaping• Theatrics: Environmental storytelling, mood

setting Staging, cinematography techniques

Design skills – Narrative Design• Writing: Dialogue/screenplay, prose Literature, creative writing• Narrative Interface Design: Designing

methods to convey story to the player Media studies, media psychology,

communication• Player-Centric Plotting: Engaging the

player as protagonist - Don’t tell, don’t show, let me play it!

Psychology? Literature theory?

Academic background in games

• Free to play monetisation – Analysts & Economists Establishing a better metric that “Fun”

Ph.D.combinatorial mathematics

Dr Eyjolfur GudmundssonLead Economist at CCP

Amy Jo Kimbehavioral neuroscience Ph.D.

LET’S TALK ABOUT DESIGNBlowing your mind now

2 kinds of rules

Touchdown: When any part of the ball, legally in possession of a player inbounds, breaks the plane of the opponent’s goal line, provided it is not a touchback.

Direct rules – How to win (Optimal strategy) Indirect rules – Limit unwanted dominantstrategies

Upkeep systemRested XP

What if there’s no offside?

What is the effect on optimal strategy?

Offside

Because we want midfield play to be relevant

What is the effect of Offside?

Þ Makes Hockey a contact sport

Sum of 4 runs

Intended experiencePrecisionThe most regular winsControlled risk

Intended experienceFearlessThe most outrageous wins Best of 2 runs

Halo’s 30 seconds of funaccuracyEngagement Enemy killed

Out of ammo

Player ChoiceReload

Grenade

Melee

average

good

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