Human Computer Interaction: Interaction Systems

Transcript

1 M154 Human Computer Interaction: Interaction Systems Dr. Maria Roussou Game Design

2 Discuss interest, empathy, imagination Schell, J. (2002). Understanding entertainment: story and gameplay are one. In J. A. Jacko & A. Sears (Eds.), (pp ). Mahwah, NJ, USA: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.

3 What is a game? Game qualities according to Schell Q1. Games are entered willfully Q2. Games have goals Q3. Games have conflict Q4. Games have rules Q5. Games can be won and lost Q6. Games are interactive Q7. Games have challenge Q8. Games can create their own internal value Q9. Games engage players Q10. Games are closed, formal systems

4 What is a game? Game qualities according to Schell Most games involve problem solving, e.g. Find a way to get more points than the other team Find a way to get to the finish line before the other players Find a way to complete this level Find a way to destroy the other player before he destroys you Even in a children s card game where the outcome is random, the problem to be solved is Can I control fate and win this game?

5 A definition covering all game qualities A game is a problem solving activity, approached with a playful attitude. Fun is pleasure with surprises. Play is manipulation that satisfies curiosity. A toy is an object you can play with. A good toy is an object that is fun to play with.

6 The Four Basic Elements (elemental tetrad) Mechanics: procedures and rules. The goal and how players can or cannot achieve it Story: the sequence of events that unfolds in the game More visible Aesthetics Aesthetics: how the game looks, sounds, feels Mechanics Story Technology: any materials & interactions that make the game possible Technology All elements are of equal importance; none is more important than the others Less visible

7 The Four Basic Elements: example Space Invaders Technology: the technology was custom designed for the game; it was the 1 st videogame where a player fought an advancing army, and this was only possible due to the custom motherboard that was created for it

8 The Four Basic Elements: example Space Invaders Mechanics: the gameplay mechanic was well-balanced. The player can shoot at aliens that shoot back at him can hide behind shields that the aliens can destroy can earn bonus points by shooting a mysterious flying saucer no need for a time limit because the game can end in two ways: either the players ships are destroyed by alien bombs or the aliens will eventually reach the player s planet. aliens farther away are worth more points the more of the 48 aliens you destroy, the faster the invading army gets

9 The Four Basic Elements: example Space Invaders Story: the game didn t need to have a story but it did and that made it more effective. A game where you could be in a space battle was novel at the time; you didn t shoot people; the high-tech graphics lent themselves to a futuristic theme

10 The Four Basic Elements: example Space Invaders Aesthetics: the aliens are not all identical. There are different designs, each worth a different amount of points. Each perform a simple two frame marching animation. Audio: a sort of heartbeat noise which sped up with the aliens.

11 Let s play

12 The game begins with an Idea Step 1: think of an idea Step 2: you have to try it out! Step 3: find out what's wrong with it (and change it so it is better) For this exercise we will start out with an existing idea, a traditional game which we (most probably when we were kids) have all played.

13 A game of game design Split up into teams of 3+ Each team will choose one well known game: Κλέφτες & αστυνόμοι Μήλα Κρυφτό Τα αγαλματάκια And think how the game fulfills each of the 4 basic elements

14 A game of game design Κλέφτες & αστυνόμοι Δύο οµάδες: οι «κλέφτες» και οι «αστυνόµοι». Οι «αστυνόµοι» κυνηγούν τους «κλέφτες» και όποιον ακουμπήσουν στην πλάτη, τον βάζουν «φυλακή». Οι υπόλοιποι «κλέφτες» προσπαθούν ν ακουμπήσουν τον «φυλακισµένο», για να «ξελευτερωθεί» και να ξαναγίνει κλέφτης. Μήλα Δύο παίκτες στέκονται αντικρυστά, 15-20μ. μακριά η μια από την άλλη, ενώ στη μέση αυτής της απόστασης συγκεντρώνονται όσα μέλη τους όρισαν. Οι δυο παίκτες προσπαθούν με μπάλα να κτυπήσουν κάποιο από τα μέλη που είναι μέσα, αυτό «καίγεται» και βγαίνει από το παιχνίδι. Αντίθετα, όποιος καταφέρει να πιάσει τη μπάλα χωρίς να πέσει κάτω κερδίζει «ένα μήλο» που θα του επιτρέψει, αν κάποια στιγμή «καεί» να μη βγει, αλλά να παραμείνει στο παιχνίδι, ή, αν καεί κάποιος φίλος του να του το παραχωρήσει! Όταν απομείνει ένας μόνο, οι δυο παίχτες μπορούν να κάνουν μόνο δέκα προσπάθειες να το χτυπήσουν. Αν τους ξεφύγει, το παιχνίδι αρχίζει από την αρχή.

15 A game of game design Κρυφτό Μετά από κλήρο, ένας παίκτης τα "φυλάει" (δηλ. μετρά μέχρι έναν αριθμό με κλειστά μάτια). Τα υπόλοιπα παιδιά, στο διάστημα αυτό, κρύβονται. Όταν το παιδί που «τα φυλάει» τελειώσει το μέτρημα, ψάχνει να βρει τους συμπαίκτες που έχουν κρυφτεί. Αν βρει κάποιον, λέει «φτου, σε βρήκα!». Αν όμως προλάβει κάποιο παιδί και φτάσει στο χώρο που «τα φυλάνε» και πει «φτου, ξελεφτερία!», τότε ελυθερώνονται όλοι από τις κρυψώνες και ο συμπαίκτης που «τα φύλαγε», «τα ξαναφυλάει». Τα αγαλματάκια Ένας «τα φυλάει» και κλείνει τα μάτια. Κρατά κλειστά τα μάτια του και λέει τη φράση: «Αγαλματάκια αγαλματάκια, ακίνητα κι αγέλαστα, μέρα ή νύχτα;». Όσο λέει τη φράση και κρατά κλειστά τα μάτια, οι υπόλοιποι κινούνται. Όταν τα ανοίξει όλοι πρέπει να είναι ακίνητοι. Αν κάποιος εκείνη τη στιγμή που ανοίγει τα μάτια του κινηθεί, «τα φυλάει» εκείνος.

16 The Four Basic Elements (elemental tetrad)

17 A game of game design: the elemental tetrad Mechanics: all 4 of these traditional games have well developed (tried and tested!) mechanics Story: with the exception of «Κλέφτες & Αστυνόμοι», which alludes to the archetypal battle between good & evil, all other games have no explicit story Aesthetics: all 4 games essentially have no aesthetics Technology: gameplay for all 4 games relies on human bodies and their movement. Τα «Μήλα» use a ball.

18 A Game Born From Questions Step 1: think of an idea Step 2: you have to try it out! Step 3: find out what's wrong with it (and change it so it is better) Consider the design of a digital version of the game; try to think of extensions or changes to the game in order to develop the elements that are not well developed.

19 A game of game design (a deck of lenses) Each team gets a deck of cards (lenses). Each member of the team will then draw 5 cards at random from the deck. "The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses" book by Jesse Schell.

20 A deck of lenses 1. Card Number 2. Card Symbol 3. Card Name 4. Illustration 5. Lens description and logic 6. Key Questions

21 A deck of lenses: types of lenses the experience a player has when they play your game the player the game designer the game or the game mechanics the process of game design and game development

22 A deck of lenses: types of lenses

23 A deck of lenses: examples

24 A deck of lenses: #15, The Lens of the Toy

25 A deck of lenses: #49 The Lens of Visible Progress

26 A deck of lenses: #68 The Lens of The Hero s Journey

27 A deck of lenses: #17, The Lens of Pleasure

28 (other) ways to use the deck of lenses Methodical: study each lens in the deck, one at a time. Set aside lenses that have special importance for your game. Meditate on these lenses. Divination: Deal out 5 cards face down. Flip them over one-byone. Somewhere in their combination lies your answer. Kibbutz: Get a group of friends who all have played your game. Give them 5 cards each. Then take turns talking about which cards are most useful for solving the current problems. Sleep on it: find the lens that best represents your biggest game design problem. Sleep with it under your pillow. The answer will appear in your dreams. Leave it to the Fates: shuffle the deck carefully. Put it on the table and stare at it, while you concentrate on your biggest game design problem. When you are ready, flip over the top card. On a good day insight will come immediately. Other days, it might take a few tries.

29 A deck of lenses: free ios & Android app You can use the deck of lenses when defining your game idea. Android

30 A deck of lenses: free ios & Android app You can use the deck of lenses when defining your game idea. ios

31 The Art of Game Design The book

32 For next week Start creating your teams Start thinking of a (game) idea / theme and brainstorming on its basic elements We will discuss your ideas in class.

33 Thank you!