Computer Game Development

By Jijun Tang

Google Group

http://groups.google.com/group/csce552 Please check and ask for membership Will serve as the main way of

communication

First Presentation

In two weeks To present

Group info: name, logo, etc Game ideas Game design issues

Tennis for two (1958)

Spacewar (1961)

Light Gun and Odyssey

Pong and Arcade

Computer Space

Cartridge-based Console (1977) Atari 2600, 1977 Able to support many games

NES (90% market)

NES

Gameboy

Mario

contra

Wii

Playstation I

Final Fantasy

Grand Theft Auto

MS Games

Types

Adventure (text-based/graphical) Action (shooting, combat sim)

First-person shooting Combat sim Action adventure Platformer (Mario) Fighting Real-time strategy (RTS) Survival Horror

Types

Role Playing Game (RPG) Stealth Simulation

SimCity Flight Simulator Train Simulator

Racing Sports

Types

Rhythm Dance Dance Revolution

Puzzle Tetris

Education Typing NSF funds many such games

Languages

Assembly C/C++ VB Java Flash Script

ESA

Entertainment Software Association www.theesa.com

Sales

From ESA

ESRB Entertainment Software Rating Board Self-regulated rating board

From ESA

Game and Violence

Study from National Institute on Media and the Family

Concerns Children are more likely to imitate the actions of a

character with whom they identify. In violent video games the player is often required to take the point of view of the shooter or perpetrator.

Video games by their very nature require active participation rather than passive observation.

Repetition increases learning. Video games involve a great deal of repetition. If the games are violent, then the effect is a behavioral rehearsal for violent activity.

Rewards increase learning, and video games are based on a reward system.

Concerns Warranted?

Exposure to violent games increases physiological arousal  

Exposure to violent games increases aggressive thoughts

Exposure to violent games increases aggressive emotions

Exposure to violent games increases aggressive actions

Exposure to violent games decreases positive prosocial (i.e., helping) actions

Evidence against Linking Games and Violence

Violent crime, particularly among the young, has decreased dramatically since the early 1990s, whilevideo games have steadily increased in popularity and use.

Many games with violent content sold in the U.S. -- and some with far more violence -- are also sold in foreign markets.  However, the level of violent crime in these foreign markets is considerably lower than that in the U.S

Numerous authoritieshave examined the scientific record and found that it does not establish any causal link between violent programming and violent behavior.

The above are claims from theesa.com

Results on 9th Grader

By David Walsh

Parents Controling Kids

Culture Issues

Culture acceptance is hard to predict Stereotypes

may backfire but also may pay-off, should we avoid?

Foreign policies Try to understand other cultures Have some sensitivities

Culture acceptance is hard to predict

Requirements of Our Projects

We will mimic ESRB and rate your games (E, 10+ or T)

Vote from the class Please do some research about your

games: culture issue, violence? IP? Avoid controversies

MMORPG

Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game

World of Warcraft (8M worldwide, 2M North America, 1.5M Europe, 3.5M China)

NavyField MUD (Multi-User Dungeon) Counter Strike: online first person shooter

game (>200K simultaneously) EverQuest Second Life (virtual world)

Examples

Society Issues with Online Games

Improve society and provide fun Some people make a living through adding

stuff to online games Bad things can happen

Play too much, mess real life or cannot separate real from virtual

Security problems, cheating, hacking Deindividuation In-game regulatory tools

Areas and Challeges (Adams, Rollings)

Three different areas Core mechanics Interactivity Storytelling Narrative

Categorizing different types of challenges: Pure challanges (logic and inference, lateral-

thinking, memory, intelligence-based, knowledge-based, pattern-recognition, etc.)

Applied challenges (races, puzzles, exploration, conflict, economies and conceptual challenges)

Basic Elements (Game Design Workshop)

Identify eight basic formal elements: Players Objective Procedures Rules Resources Conflicts Boundaries Outcomes

The design method is to use the formal elements to describe the current design and make sure that all aspects of a game design are taken into consideration

CSCE 552 Spring 2011

Understanding Fun

What is Fun?

Game is all about fun Dictionary: Enjoyment, a source of

amusement It is important to consider underlying

reasons Funativity – thinking about fun in terms

of measurable cause and effect

Why fun?

It’s deep in our evolution root, and we must look to our ancestors (200 yrs of tech advancement haven’t changed our instinct)

Cats, dogs, etc play to learn basic survival skills (physical and social)

Games are organized play Human entertainment is also at its heart

about learning how to survive Social rules are also critical to us

Surviving

Life is all either work, rest, or fun To survive, we must work

Our ancestors were those who survive The survive skills are passed down

Who is more likely to survive?

People working too hard?

People resting too much?

We must play to gain skills

Learning is fun

Fun is about practicing or learning new survival skills in a relatively safe setting

People who didn’t enjoy that practice were less likely to survive to become our ancestors

Hunting and Gathering

Basic skills are hunting and gathering Current popular games reflect this It’s a good start point to design games Shooters, wargames = hunting Powerups, resources = gathering Sims, MMO = social, tribal interaction

Gathering and hunting

Natural Funativity Theory

All funs are derived from practicing survival and social skills Key skills relate to early human context Often in modern guise: play chess, football,

dance, etc Three overlapping categories

Physical Social Mental

Physical Fun

Sports Enhance our strength, stamina, coordination

skills Winning is also a mental fun

Exploration Knowledge of surrounding areas Explore unknown

Hand/eye coordination and tool use are often parts of fun activities – crafts

Physical aspect to gathering “stuff”

Wii Sports

Social Fun

Storytelling is a social activity First virtual reality Learn important lessons from others

Gossip, sharing info Flirting Showing off

Social funs

Mental Fun

Humans have large brains Abstract reasoning practice Pattern matching and generation

Music Art Puzzles

Gathering also has mental aspect, categorizing and identifying patterns

Gambling

Casino/Online Gambling

Multipurpose Fun

Many fun activities have physical, social and mental aspects in combination

Games that mix these aspects tend to be very popular

Incorporate ways to practice these skills to increase the popularity of games

Game Definitions

Some time lack standard (concrete) definitions

Game: Object of rule-bound play Play: Interactions to elicit emotions Aesthetics: Emotional responses during play Frame: The border of a game’s context

Inside the frame is in the game Outside the frame is real life

The Language of Games

Why do we play? Not a designer’s problem

What is the nature of games? Not a designer’s problem

How is a game formed of parts? A designer’s problem

Approaching Design

Computer games are an art form Digit arts

Game design practices can be taught You do not need to be genius to design games

Technical discipline like music, film, poetry

Approaching Design

Mental/Cognitive Concepts Beliefs Maps

Examples: Locations Relationships

Mathematical Equations Formulas Algorithms

A model represents something

Approaching Design

Abstract model Conceptual and idealized A tool for investigating specific questions Simplifies thinking to help understand problems May include assumptions thought to be false

Abstract game One rule

The piece is moved to the open square

A Player-Game Model

A model of the player – game relationship

M e c hanic s Inte r fac e Sys te m

P LAYER G AM E

A Player-Game Model

Mechanics Things the player does

Interface Communication between player and

game System

Underlying structure and behavior

Control and State Variables

Control variables Inputs from players

State variables Quantities indicating game state

Play Mechanics

Gameplay Feelings of playing a particular game Activities engaged in a particular game

(Play/game) Mechanics Specific to game activities “What the player does”

Actions

Actions not often in discrete stages Not all actions progress through all

stages

Seven Stages of Action

Execution Intention to act Sequence of action Execution of action

sequence

Evaluation Evaluating

interpretations Interpreting perceptions Perceiving states

P e rc e ivings tate s

Inte rpre t ingpe rc e ptio ns

E valuat inginte rpre tat io ns

E xe c utio n o fac t io n s e que nc e

Se que nc e o fac t io n

Inte nt io nto ac t

G o als

T H E GA M E

Seven Stages of Action

A goal is formed Models the desired state The desired result of an action Examples:

Have a glass of water in hand Capture a queen Taste ice cream

P e rc e ivings tate s

Inte rpre t ingpe rc e ptio ns

E valuat inginte rpre tat io ns

E xe c utio n o fac t io n s e que nc e

Se que nc e o fac t io n

Inte ntio nto ac t

G o als

T H E GA M E

Seven Stages of Action

Goals turned into intentions to act Specific statements of what is to be done

P e rc e ivings tate s

Inte rpre t ingpe rc e ptio ns

E valuat inginte rpre tat io ns

E xe c utio n o fac t io n s e que nc e

Se que nc e o fac t io n

Inte ntio nto ac t

G o als

T H E GA M E

Seven Stages of Action

Intentions put into an action sequence The order internal commands will be performed

P e rc e ivings tate s

Inte rpre t ingpe rc e ptio ns

E valuat inginte rpre tat io ns

E xe c utio n o fac t io n s e que nc e

Se que nc e o fac t io n

Inte ntio nto ac t

G o als

T H E GA M E

Seven Stages of Action

The action sequence is executed The player manipulates control variables

P e rc e ivings tate s

Inte rpre t ingpe rc e ptio ns

E valuat inginte rpre tat io ns

E xe c utio n o fac t io n s e que nc e

Se que nc e o fac t io n

Inte ntio nto ac t

G o als

T H E GA M E

Seven Stages of Action

The state of the game is perceived State variables are revealed via the interface

P e rc e ivings tate s

Inte rpre t ingpe rc e ptio ns

E valuat inginte rpre tat io ns

E xe c utio n o fac t io n s e que nc e

Se que nc e o fac t io n

Inte ntio nto ac t

G o als

T H E GA M E

Seven Stages of Action

Player interprets their perceptions Interpretations based upon a model of the system

P e rc e ivings tate s

Inte rpre t ingpe rc e ptio ns

E valuat inginte rpre tat io ns

E xe c utio n o fac t io n s e que nc e

Se que nc e o fac t io n

Inte ntio nto ac t

G o als

T H E GA M E

Seven Stages of Action

Player evaluates the interpretations Current states are compared with intentions and goals

P e rc e ivings tate s

Inte rpre t ingpe rc e ptio ns

E valuat inginte rpre tat io ns

E xe c utio n o fac t io n s e que nc e

Se que nc e o fac t io n

Inte ntio nto ac t

G o als

T H E GA M E

Designer and Player Models

Systems are built from designer mental models Designer models may only anticipate player goals

Designer U ser

Us er 'sM o d el

D es ig nM o d el

S y s tem I m ag e

System

Designer and Player Models

Players build mental models from mechanics Based upon interactions with the system image

The reality of the system in operation Not from direct communication with designers Player and designer models can differ significantly

Designer U ser

Us er 'sM o d el

D es ig nM o d el

S y s tem I m ag e

System

Core Mechanics

Typical patterns of action Fundamental mechanics cycled repeatedly

Examples: Action shooters – run, shoot, and explore Strategy game – explore, expand, exploit, exterminate

referred to as the “four X’s”

Premise

The metaphors of action and setting Directs the player experience

Provides a context in which mechanics fit Players map game states to the premise

Premise

Story is the typical example of premise Time Place Characters Relationships Motivations Etc.

Premise

Premise may also be abstract Tetris operates under a metaphor

The metaphor: arranging colored shapes

Encompasses all game elements Player discussions use the language of

the premise

Premise

Games are models Activities being modeled form premise

Actions may appear similar in model Usually are fundamentally quite different Sports games are good examples:

Playing video games isn’t like playing the sport

Premise

Goes beyond setting and tone Alters the players mental model

Basis of player understanding and strategy Possible: Capable of happening in the real

world Plausible: Possible within the unique world of

premise “Makes sense” within the game’s premise Consistent with the premise as understood

Choice and Outcome

Choice A question asked of the player

Outcome The end result of a given choice

Possibility space Represents the set of possible events A “landscape” of choice and outcome

Choice and Outcome

Consequence or Weight The significance of an outcome

Greater consequences alter the course of the game more significantly

Choices are balanced first by consequence

Choice and Outcome

Well-designed choice Often desirable and undesirable effects Should relate to player goals Balanced against neighboring choices

Too much weight to every choice is melodrama

Orthogonal choices – distinct from others Not just “shades of grey”

Qualities of Choice

Terms in which to discuss choices Hollow – lacking consequence Obvious – leaves no choice to be made Uninformed – arbitrary decision Dramatic – strongly connects to feelings Weighted – good and bad in every choice Immediate – effects are immediate Long-term – effects over extended period Orthogonal – choices distinct from each other

Goals and Objectives

Objectives Designed tasks players must perform

Rigid requirements – formal

Goals An intentional outcome

Notions that direct player action Scales all levels of motivation

From selecting particular strategies… …to basic motor actions (e.g. pressing a button)

Goals and Objectives

Objectives and goals can differ Players goals reflect their understanding of the game Designers must consider how the game communicates with

players Affordances – the apparent ways something can be used

D esigner U serSystem

F in d s w o r dKill d r ag o nR es c u e p r in c es s

F in d s w o r dR es c u e d r ag o nKill p r in c es s

Resources/Economies

Resources Things used by agents to reach goals To be meaningful, they must be…

Useful – provide some value Limited – in total or rate of supply

Economies Systems of supply, distribution, consumption Questions regarding game economies:

What resources exist? How and when will resources be used? How and when will resources be supplied? What are their limits?

Player Strategy

People usually reason with commonsense A view of linear causation – cause and effect

Complex systems do not behave linearly Players need information to support linear

strategy

Situat io n R e s ultAc tio n

Game Theory

Game Theory Branch of economics Studies decision making

Utility A measure of desire associated with an outcome

Payoffs The utility value for a given outcome

Preference The bias of players towards utility

Game Theory

Rational Players Abstract model players – not real people

Always try to maximize their potential utility Solve problems using pure logic Always fully aware of the state of the game

Game Theory

Games of skill One-player games Outcomes determined solely by choices

Games of Chance One-player games Outcomes determined in whole or part by nature (chance)

Games of Strategy Competitions between two or more players

Game Theory

Decision under certainty Players know the outcome of any

decision Risky decisions

Probabilities of nature are known Decision under uncertainty

Probabilities of nature are unknown

Interface

Interface Input, presentation, and feedback.

Input Player to game

Output Game to player

Interface

Contains both hardware, software, and performance elements. Hardware such as game pads Software such as engines Performance such as pressing a button

Graphical user interface (GUI) A visual paradigm of control GUI is the first impression of the game And hard to be cross-platform First: 1984 Macintosh GUI with mouse

Interface

Typical perspectives: First-person Over-the-shoulder (OTS) Overhead (top-down) Side Isometric

First person

OTS

Overhead and Side

Isometric

Audio Interface

General categories of audio Music

Powerful tool for establishing mood and theme

Pay attention to license issues The campus is cited 960 times last year

Sound effects Dialog

Input Interface

Controls Physical input devices: mouse, key,

motion, etc Control inputs

User manipulations of the controls They are not strategies

Example: a sequence of buttons to perform a combo

Strategies involve deciding when to perform

Keys

Key map or control table A diagram showing control input, action,

and context Mapping: An understood relationship

between two things Map keys by looking at your own hand Suit your targeted players: small/big

Key maps

Complex games have many keys and combinations

Ship your game with a detailed key map Control diagrams

Show input, action, and context

Example

Front End Interface

Front-end In application software

The visible portion of the application In games

GUI elements not displayed during play Used mainly for input/configure/choice

Hud Interface

HUD (Head-Up Display) Displays during play

Shows and other information difficult to present directly in the game environment

Examples Scores Resource levels Mini Map Chat Alerts Level

Huds