Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition

Cover......Page 1 Half Title......Page 2 Title Page......Page 4 Copyright Page......Page 5 Contents......Page 6 Foreword......Page 20 Preface......Page 22 Acknowledgments......Page 24 Image Credits and Copyright Notices......Page 28 Introduction......Page 32 Part 1: Game Design Basics......Page 36 An Advocate for the Player......Page 38 Playtesters......Page 39 Communication......Page 41 Process......Page 42 Inspiration......Page 43 Becoming a Better Player......Page 44 Creativity......Page 45 Prototyping and Playtesting......Page 47 Designers You Should Know......Page 48 Iteration......Page 51 The Iterative Design Process......Page 53 Prototypes and Playtesting in the Industry......Page 56 Conclusion......Page 58 Designer Perspective: Christina Norman......Page 59 Designer Perspective: Warren Spector......Page 62 End Notes......Page 64 Go Fish......Page 66 Comparison......Page 67 Engaging the Player......Page 73 Play......Page 74 What is a Puzzle?......Page 75 Character......Page 80 Dramatic Elements......Page 81 Defining Games......Page 82 Beyond Definitions......Page 83 Conclusion......Page 85 Designer Perspective: Jane McGonigal......Page 86 Designer Perspective: Randy Smith......Page 89 End Notes......Page 91 Players......Page 92 Roles of Players......Page 93 Player Interaction Patterns......Page 94 Persuasive Games......Page 100 Objectives......Page 103 Summary......Page 108 Comparison......Page 109 System Procedures......Page 110 Rules......Page 111 Rules Defining Objects and Concepts......Page 112 Rules Determining Effects......Page 114 Resources......Page 115 Units......Page 116 Power-ups......Page 117 Special Terrain......Page 118 Time......Page 119 Conflict......Page 120 Dilemmas......Page 121 Boundaries......Page 122 The Mechanic is the Message......Page 123 Outcome......Page 126 Conclusion......Page 127 Designer Perspective: Tim LeTourneau......Page 128 End Notes......Page 130 Challenge......Page 132 Clear Goals and Feedback......Page 134 The Paradox of Control......Page 135 Experience Becomes an End in Itself......Page 136 The Nature of Play......Page 137 Levels of Engagement......Page 139 Premise......Page 140 Character......Page 143 Story......Page 147 Directing Games for Emotion......Page 149 The Dramatic Arc......Page 152 Conclusion......Page 157 Designer Perspective: Dr. Ray Muzyka......Page 158 Designer Perspective: Don Daglow......Page 160 End Notes......Page 162 Games as Systems......Page 164 Properties......Page 165 Relationships......Page 166 System Dynamics......Page 168 Deconstructing Set......Page 169 Tic-Tac-Toe......Page 171 Chess......Page 172 Mastermind versus Clue......Page 173 Simple Bartering......Page 175 Complex Bartering......Page 176 Simple Market......Page 177 Complex Market......Page 178 Metaeconomy......Page 179 Emergent Systems......Page 181 Information Structure......Page 183 Control......Page 184 Feedback......Page 186 Interaction Loops and Arcs......Page 188 Tuning Game Systems......Page 194 Conclusion......Page 195 Designer Perspective: Alan R. Moon......Page 196 Designer Perspective: Frank Lantz......Page 199 End Notes......Page 201 Part 2: Designing a Game......Page 202 Where Do Ideas Come From?......Page 204 Brainstorming......Page 206 Brainstorming Best Practices......Page 207 Idea Cards......Page 209 Electronic Arts Preproduction Workshop......Page 210 Cut It Up......Page 214 Research......Page 215 Editing and Refining......Page 216 Business/Cost Restrictions......Page 217 A Conversation with Will Wright......Page 218 Turning Ideas into a Game......Page 223 Focus on the Formal Elements......Page 224 Feature Design......Page 225 Getting the Most out of Focus Groups......Page 226 Feature Storyboards......Page 228 Experimental Gameplay......Page 229 Conclusion......Page 233 Designer Perspective: Josh Holmes......Page 234 End Notes......Page 236 Physical Prototypes......Page 238 Battleship Prototype......Page 239 Up the River Prototype......Page 241 Prototyping a First-Person Shooter......Page 244 Catastrophic Prototyping and Other Stories......Page 245 Perspective on Physical Prototyping......Page 250 Visualizing Core Gameplay......Page 251 Building the Physical Prototype......Page 252 The Design Evolution of Magic: The Gathering......Page 254 Refining Your Visualization......Page 268 Beyond the Physical Prototype......Page 269 Conclusion......Page 270 Designer Perspective: James Ernest......Page 271 Designer Perspective: Katie Salen......Page 273 Further Reading......Page 275 Types of Digital Prototypes......Page 276 Prototyping Game Mechanics......Page 277 Prototyping Aesthetics......Page 279 Prototyping Kinesthetics......Page 280 Prototyping Technology......Page 282 Using Software Prototypes in Game Design......Page 283 Prototyping Cloud......Page 287 Designing Control Schemes......Page 289 Prototyping for Game Feel......Page 292 Selecting Viewpoints......Page 295 Isometric View......Page 296 Third-Person View......Page 297 Metaphors......Page 299 Grouping Features......Page 300 Prototyping Tools......Page 301 Level Editors......Page 302 Conclusion......Page 306 Designer Perspective: David Perry......Page 307 Designer Perspective: Elan Lee......Page 309 End Notes......Page 311 Chapter 9: Playtesting......Page 312 Self-Testing......Page 313 Playtesting with Confidants......Page 314 Playtesting with Your Target Audience......Page 315 Conducting a Playtesting Session......Page 316 Why We Play Games......Page 317 Discussion of Game Experience (15–20 Minutes)......Page 320 Wrap-Up......Page 321 Methods of Playtesting......Page 323 How Feedback from Typical Gamers Can Help Avoid Disappointing Outcomes......Page 324 A Primer for Playtesting: Don’t Follow These Rules!......Page 328 The Play Matrix......Page 334 Taking Notes......Page 335 Quantitative Data......Page 337 Metrics in Game Design......Page 338 Data Gathering......Page 341 Test Control Situations......Page 343 Connect Four......Page 344 End Note......Page 345 What Are You Testing For?......Page 346 Formal Details......Page 347 Is Your Game Functional?......Page 348 Is Your Game Internally Complete?......Page 349 Discussion......Page 350 Loopholes......Page 351 Loopholes versus Features......Page 352 Wrapping Up Completeness......Page 355 Balancing Variables......Page 356 Reinforcing Relationships......Page 357 Dominant Objects......Page 358 Balancing Positions......Page 360 Asymmetrical Games......Page 361 Protection......Page 363 Complete Asymmetry......Page 364 Balancing for Skill......Page 366 Balancing Dynamically......Page 367 Think Modular......Page 368 A Conversation with Rob Pardo......Page 369 Spreadsheets......Page 376 Conclusion......Page 377 Designer Perspective: Brian Hersch......Page 378 Designer Perspective: Heather Kelley......Page 380 End Notes......Page 382 Challenge......Page 384 Play......Page 386 Analyzing Appeal......Page 389 Improving Player Choices......Page 390 Types of Decisions......Page 391 Dilemmas......Page 392 Cake-Cutting Scenario......Page 393 The Prisoner’s Dilemma......Page 394 Puzzles......Page 396 Rewards and Punishments......Page 397 Surprise......Page 399 Progress......Page 400 The End......Page 401 Micromanagement......Page 402 Tuning and Balance: Us vs. It......Page 403 Stagnation......Page 408 Insurmountable Obstacles......Page 409 Predictable Paths......Page 410 Is Your Game Accessible?......Page 411 Using Audio as a Game Feedback Device......Page 413 Conclusion......Page 417 Designer Perspective: Robin Hunicke......Page 418 Designer Perspective: Lorne Lanning......Page 421 End Notes......Page 423 Part 3: Working as a Game Designer......Page 424 Chapter 12: Team Structures......Page 426 Publisher versus Developer......Page 427 Game Designer......Page 429 Producer......Page 430 Building Inclusive Design Teams......Page 431 Programmers......Page 435 Visual Artists......Page 436 Specialized Media......Page 438 Level Designer......Page 439 Producer......Page 440 Executives......Page 441 Usability Specialists......Page 442 User Research and Metrics......Page 443 All Contribute to the Design......Page 444 Team Communication......Page 445 Agile Development......Page 446 Conclusion......Page 447 Designer Perspective: Nahil Sharkasi......Page 448 Designer Perspective: Matt Firor......Page 451 Designer Perspective: Jenova Chen......Page 453 End Note......Page 456 Stages Defined......Page 458 Concept/Contract......Page 459 Preproduction......Page 461 Production......Page 462 QA/Polish......Page 463 From Classroom to Console: Producing flOw for the PlayStation 3......Page 464 Using Agile Development......Page 466 Goals......Page 468 Schedule......Page 469 Budget......Page 470 Scoping and Revising......Page 471 Opportunities for Indie Gamemakers......Page 472 Conclusion......Page 475 Designer Perspective: Michael John......Page 476 Designer Perspective: Jeff Watson......Page 480 Further Reading......Page 482 Visualization......Page 484 Flowcharts......Page 486 Concept Art......Page 488 Description......Page 489 Virtual Reality and the Oculus Rift......Page 490 Formats for Design Documents......Page 493 Contents......Page 494 Design Macros......Page 499 Conclusion......Page 500 Designer Perspective: Anna Anthropy......Page 501 Designer Perspective: Rob Daviau......Page 503 End Notes......Page 504 The Size of the Game Industry......Page 506 Platforms for Distribution......Page 507 Computer (PC and Mac)......Page 508 Genres of Gameplay......Page 509 Role-Playing Games......Page 510 Mobile Game Design and Zombies, Run!......Page 511 Simulation/Building Games......Page 514 Casual Games......Page 515 Nintendo......Page 516 Developers......Page 517 Element 1: Development......Page 518 Element 2: Licensing......Page 519 Element 4: Distribution......Page 520 Conclusion......Page 521 Designer Perspective: Keita Takahasi......Page 522 Designer Perspective: Graeme Bayless......Page 524 End Notes......Page 527 Educate Yourself......Page 528 Design Games and Levels......Page 529 Conferences......Page 530 Starting at the Bottom......Page 531 Pitching Your Original Ideas......Page 532 Pitch Materials......Page 533 What Happens after the Pitch......Page 535 Conclusion......Page 536 Designer Perspective: Erin Reynolds......Page 537 Designer Perspective: Matt Korba......Page 540 Designer Perspective: Asher Vollmer......Page 542 Further Reading......Page 543 Conclusion......Page 544 Index......Page 546 "Discover an exercise-driven, non-technical approach to game design, without the need for programming or artistic expertise with Game Design Workshop, Fourth Edition. Tracy Fullerton demystifies the creative process with clear and accessible analysis of the formal and dramatic systems of game design. Using examples of popular games, illustrations of design techniques, and refined exercises to strengthen your understanding of how game systems function and give you the skills and tools necessary to create a compelling and engaging game. Game Design Workshop puts you to work prototyping, playtesting, and revising your own games with time-tested methods and tools. These skills will provide the foundation for your career in any facet of the game industry including design, producing, programming, and visual design."--Descripción del editor "Discover an exercise-driven, non-technical approach to game design, without the need for programming or artistic expertise with Game Design Workshop, Fourth Edition. Tracy Fullerton demystifies the creative process with clear and accessible analysis of the formal and dramatic systems of game design. Using examples of popular games, illustrations of design techniques, and refined exercises to strengthen your understanding of how game systems function and give you the skills and tools necessary to create a compelling and engaging game. Game Design Workshop puts you to work prototyping, playtesting, and revising your own games with time-tested methods and tools. These skills will provide the foundation for your career in any facet of the game industry including design, producing, programming, and visual design."--Back cover.