Introduction Video Game Design and Development Spring 2011 part of slides courtesy of Andy Nealen Game Development - Spring 2011 1
What is this course about? Game design Real world abstractions Visuals Interaction Design iterations Game Development - Spring 2011 2
What is this course about? Game development Gameplay mechanics Rapid prototyping Many examples FUN! Game Development - Spring 2011 3
Game mechanics=ideas A game's play mechanics determine both its structure and its rules: how you win how you lose what to do to stay alive Game Development - Spring 2011 4
play mechanics are the foundation on which games are built Playing with power www.1up.com/do/feature?cid=3151392 Game Development - Spring 2011 5
Basics - fundamental concepts that have become a part of many of today's games Game Development - Spring 2011 6
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Handy features - ideas not absolutely essential to the design but enhance experience. Game Development - Spring 2011 11
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Style - play mechanics that add an exciting touch of artistic flair to games Game Development - Spring 2011 16
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Side by Side -- mechanics that allow other players or even computercontrolled characters to enrich the gaming experience. Game Development - Spring 2011 21
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About myself Andrei Sharf asharf@cs.bgu.ac.il http://www.cs.bgu.ac.il/~asharf/gaming _spring2011.htm Research: Computer graphics, interactive techniques, shape modeling, geometry processing 3D shape acquisition, urban modeling, 4D detection Game Development - Spring 2011 24
Agenda 1. Definition of game and game design 2. Game design in small teams 3. Quick and dirty: rapid prototyping 4. Abstraction of the real world 5. Game feel : principles of virtual sensation 6. Games as systems/simulations in software 7. Prototype design (+ programming) strategies Game Development - Spring 2011 25
Course structure Teams of 3-4 people (start forming this week) Weekly (mandatory) meetings Sunday 16-18: Lecture Monday 10-12: Practice+presentations You will need at least two full days outside of class to work on games (likely more) First 4-5 weeks: one new game prototype per person/week Rest: each team fully develops their favorite and most successful prototype Game Development - Spring 2011 26
Requirements Most importantly: time Almost as important: dedication It would be beneficial to have experience in one or more of the following areas Graphics programming (OpenGL, etc.) General programming and systems design Classical art and painting/sketching/animation Sound and music design Organizational and team leading capabilities Game Development - Spring 2011 27
Submissions 4-5 game prototypes Final game design document Final game prototype Final game beta Final game Game Development - Spring 2011 28
Tools? XNA (http://creators.xna.com) core and concepts will be covered in practical session Other possibilities Straight up OpenGL and C/C++ or Java Unity 3D Flixel (Flash AS3 libraries) SDL (http://www.libsdl.org/) 2D boy framework (http://2dboy.com/2009/05/27/rapid-prototyping-framework/) Whatever works Game Development - Spring 2011 29
Platforms? Again, whatever you like PC / Mac Xbox 360 (via XNA) iphone You will need to take care of your own hardware, and be able to present prototypes in class on a weekly basis Game Development - Spring 2011 30
Contact Andrei Sharf Email: asharf@cs.bgu.ac.il Reception: Monday 12-14, Room 222 Gilad Bauman(TA) Email: giladbau@gmail.com Reception: Monday 12-14 Game Development - Spring 2011 31
What is a game? and what is game design? Game Development - Spring 2011 32
What is a game? Many definitions exist Common in many definitions: Participants (players) Decisions (interactions) Conflicts (opposition) Resource management (game tokens) Pursuit of a goal (or goals) (and all of this in a closed, formal system) Game Development - Spring 2011 33
What is game design? A form of modern day Alchemy If we knew the formula for a great game we would always use it Alchemy has advanced to chemistry, so we can advance to a science too, right? Define rules / guidelines of the game Design interesting interaction Risk and reward (e.g. interesting decisions for player) Advance the plot (score, level, skill, narrative, etc.) Keep the player challenged, not frustrated Game Development - Spring 2011 34
Aspects of video game design What is video game design? Player mechanics and controls? Game rules, dynamics and goals? World and level design? Choice of colors, icons and setting? Interactive sound and music? Intuitive tools and code for designers and coders? Enemy/ally intelligence and behavior? Game Development - Spring 2011 35
Aspects of video game design Answer: All of the above (and more) video game design is inherently interdisciplinary learn as much as you can about all aspects of a video game - you will be a better video game designer! Game Development - Spring 2011 36
Fundamental meaningful play Descriptive Relationship between player action and system outcome Evaluative Discernable Perceive the immediate outcome of player action Explosion, sound effect, game state change Integrated Outcome of an action is woven into the game system Actions on earlier levels influence gameplay later on Game Development - Spring 2011 37
Game Design Team Players For small/medium sized game projects Game Development - Spring 2011 38
Small design teams Team lead / design Organize team Schedule milestones Iterate game design and game rules Study game theory etc. See: Rules of Play, Theory of fun, The Art of Game Design www.experimentalgameplay.com www.2dboy.com Game Development - Spring 2011 39
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Small design teams Gameplay programmer game AI : refers to rulebased aspects software engineer encode behaviors, path planning, state machines, etc. Works closely with lead game designer Game Development - Spring 2011 41
Small design teams Graphics programmer Rendering technology Work with content creator on procedural content Interface with gameplay programmer (collision detection, events, etc.) Polish the visuals with particle effects, etc. Bizarre Creations Game Development - Spring 2011 42
Small design teams Content creator 2D Sprites (Photoshop) 3D Models Textures, Normalmaps 2D/3D animations Sound design Role of an art director Coherent look-and-feel Adapt style to game mechanics and story Game Development - Spring 2011 God of War, SCEA 43
Small design teams None of these roles are carved in stone The previous example is one way of splitting work among a group of four Many successful projects have been completed by groups of two, and also solo developers Tip/trick: realistically adjust your design ambitions to the expected man-hours you will be able to invest Game Development - Spring 2011 44
Resources Stand on the shoulders of giants Game Development - Spring 2011 45
Resources Game development / careers gamecareerguide.com,gamasutra.com, gamedev.net,igda.com Game news kotaku.com,1up.com,gamespot.com tigsource.com,indiegames.com/blog/ Podcasts 1up.com,gamespot.com, brainygamer.net Game Development - Spring 2011 46
Resources Books Fullerton, Game Design Workshop Norman, The Design of Everyday Things Swink, Game Feel Salen/Zimmerman, Rules of Play Schell, The Art of Game Design Koster, A Theory of Fun Research Jesper Juul, www.jesperjuul.net Game studies, www.gamestudies.com Game Development - Spring 2011 47
Homework Your very first prototype Game Development - Spring 2011 1/21/2010 48
For next week Each participant Select a toolset, and make a very small game! Constraints No sound or music whatsoever Only art assets (bitmaps) allowed: circles and squares what you create in code is up to you Input: at most four keys on a keyboard, or one thumbstick and one button, or simple motion controls or taps on a touch-screen (not both) Game Development - Spring 2011 49
Some Inspirations The Marriage http://www.rodvik.com/rod games/marriage.html Simple game rules + simple rendering Interesting mechanics Ikaruga (shooter) Simple polarity principle Looks beautiful, but would be equally playable if not Game Development - Spring 2011 50
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Tips Keep it VERY simple! You only have one week for everything Code quick and dirty You will not be using this code ever again Quickly converge on a toolset + platform Based on previous experience, preference, methods of distribution, etc. Have friends play test your game This will always be helpful throughout the course Game Development - Spring 2011 52
Theory of Fun!!! Raph Koster Game Development - Spring 2011 53
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