Game Design

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Genre, Players, Objectives, Rules, Resources, Conflict, Controls, UI

Related notes: Ludology Game Design Game Mechanics Game Theory Level Design

[[08-01-01-GameDesign]] [[10-01-01-GameTheory]] [[Classic_Mechanics]] [[05-01-01-MechanicsSingle]] [[09-01-01-Ludology]] [[10-01-01-GameTheory]] [[12-01-01-Lore]]

# Structure 
Journey from uncertainty to solution 

Base unique game mechanics
- Core Mechanic
- Implicit learning 
Second layer novelty 
- complexity escalation 
- reprisals 
- subversion

Static games - content matter
Dynamic games - mechanics matters 


- Jakie sa mechaniki 
	- Co wiem czego nie. Jakie informacje są utajnione 
	- Jaki jest cel - victory condition 
	- coop / rival ? 

Make game long not by Time gates but by complex mechanics 

Mechanics vs Design?
Story Symbol Idea Slogan Surprise 

https://lizengland.com/blog/game-design-library/

PUZZLES:
- Alignment problem 
- Order of operation problem 


Depth vs Complexity 

EMERGENT STRATEGIES: 


in games: 

mission 
relation 
experience 


push  pull 
risk reward 
stress reliefe 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYh5SJb5gWk&list=PLgKCjZ2WsVLScUWJZ7ppkHGlCUIXEj5Io&index=2

---
Game is activity ....


GENRE (genus - category) nowodays cathegory of medium 
- semantic - by seeing 
- syntactic - by structure 
- pragmatic - whatever called by public 

MODE - structure of story (how is told) [satire,..] - brother than genre 
cam/char/cntrl  << C3

MOOD 

Practical way (otheer way around require more examples and comparision to solve basic problems like other dids in same MOOD/MODE)

STEP 1 GENRE
Over again what is doing main activity >
STEP 2  MODE
progression mechanics - why doing / what reward / 
STEP 3  MOOD
wibes/ aestetic /mood

----


https://www.psychologyofgames.com/2011/03/the-unit-effect-and-player-perceptions/

 https://youtu.be/_Hjm9LLSICg < rational to emotional 
https://youtu.be/P4Um97AUqp4 - design withou a pitch 

[Sid Meiers psychology of game design](https://youtu.be/MtzCLd93SyU)


choices are only meaningful and reinforces players identity

2 SIDES OF DESIGN 
- MECHANICAL 
	-  scripted vs system 
- FICTIONAL 



extraction / waves / roug /
resources / gune type - speed reload recoil auto aim  
scary place /
try and error - souslike
telegraphing attacs

/// dont subvert expectations. to not make player desapointed ///

Exploration loop /  Combat loop

=== NEW
natural patterns lerners
- whenever we run out of things to lern we get bored
match personal interest  to easy/dificulty, to fast or slow timing, find way to cheat

paterns:
(helpfull in evolution)
- calculating odds and prediction of events
- social status pattern < most addictive
- spatial reasoning < think ahead of time and figure out puzzle
- memory - counting cards
- visceral responses
- teamwork


===

https://pixelprospector.com/#archive
[The Gamer's Brain: How Neuroscience and UX Can Impact Design](https://youtu.be/XIpDLa585ao)
https://www.gamedeveloper.com/blogs/the-cognitive-science-behind-games-user-research
https://www.psychologyofgames.com
https://www.psychologyofgames.com/2011/03/the-unit-effect-and-player-perceptions/



---

+ power celling - in progression
+ resource  management - how you budget power over time.
+ cost curve


Games putting us in different emotional states and challenge us.

MACRO (proteins fats carbohydrates - energy to function >> need more )
- large scale  > maps, camps, objectives

MICRO (vitamines amd minerals - micronutrions >> need less  )
- efficiency of everything u do > easier to acomplish macro
- skillshots, abbilities, position (get less damage)


Patterns across scales m2m like fractals
More that feels earn, more satisfyingly - (potential of things going wrong)   progress is key. Getting better learning. [YT GDC Sid Meier's Psychology of Game Design](https://youtu.be/MtzCLd93SyU?t=3884)


advanced mechanics hidden  (those u need skill knowledge timing dexterity )- advanced
shooters - strategy + mobility


1. Selling point - why you should play it
2. Incentive to play - why u should keep playing
 - chase a number (rank up). Mastery (self actualization) (level up score leader board)
 - story. Novelty (provide experience things that are impossible in normal world)
 - exploration & freedom  
 - emotion: fun, no real world risk / save to fail / - easy creativity / relax / escape
 - Competition -
 - social
 - feel measurable progress
 - collecting
3. Increasing, more difficult challenges - progression system progression

Long/sort term decisions  
risk averse  reward

**reinforce through mechanics, incentivizes through game systems**   
Center of gravity in game should be settled in one place     
feedback is important      
Embrace failure as a chance to create stories   
Guided by AI   - have high saliency !!   
 [Ludology](/ludology/), [Game Mechanics](/gamemechanics/)       

Gameplay Form a desired experience   
**Qualia** - are defined as individual instances of subjective, conscious experience  
How to deal with problem: functionally, narratively and thematically  (What is a purpose of the design.   )
Why system is important and not a secondary value:     
Reaction to action (payoff get new gear / get new info )      
synergy - every element compliment each other  


excuse   
momentum   
payoff

Players

Avatar vs Character

  • Avatar give mechanical context.
  • Character - Emotional context.

GDC Character creation

Motivation, Characters, Personality

Players ‘senses’:

  • See
  • Move
  • Shoot/Attack
  • Take cover
  • Hear
  • Get Hurt

    Type of players:

  • Rusher
  • Sniper
  • Ninja
  • Opportunist

Player Character

Bridging player and character more emergent if character can surprise you ? .> characterization - understanding character, to resonate. how much u know about character. what convince us to invest time in them. personality convey thou dialog. what would they really say.

Non Player Character NPC’s

  • bring satisfaction, don’t stole moments from player or be burden u must carry on.

OUD - Orthoigonal unit differentiation to make dynamic play space
villains - what mean to be offended by villain force

Objectives

to get meta paterns.

side quests vs main plot

Interactions

Aim, Arcade skills,
Chase, Run, Race, Hide,
Align, Forbiden Act , Construct, Explore, Solve,
Resources to escape,

…

Restriction

   
turn based  
real time  
time limits  
keys and barriers > progress  
rpg - freedom > expand network / models for ai behavior’s and diplomacy,  
strategy - field (resource allocation > use ) - are mapping puzzles  
match 4 dynamics in strategy games.  
strategies - Managing points to use to win  

Strategies

  • Skill
  • action
  • Smart
  • diplomacy
  • stealth

Rules

  • defining objects and concepts
  • restricting actions
  • determining effects

    Boundaries

Space

Level Design Architecture

Conflict

enemies dont need to kill
War , sport - a lot of similar drama structure

Motivation

  • care about story: imply meaning, to enable discover meaning
  • Give 2+2 (simple deduction)(connect the dots) - Invite Questions!!! motivation for character
  • inretnal change sth inside person. Overcoming grive / block

  • external: change sth in world outside / travel / fulfill emotions

  • obstacle, desire
Tension

crisis and climax dyolemat niejednoznaczne rozwiazanie balance between: anxiet and boredom

  • overpowered to much , no tention

Obstacles, Opponents, Dilemmas

Relationships

all vs player all for all

Outcome

Victory condition:

  • 1 winner - else looses

  • no explicit win conditions - sandboxes

  • Traither mechanics.
  • working toghether towards one goal and smiultaniously win (not enough hairs when music stops) Semicoop
  • highest scores after time

win loose state is important or just engagement is ok too ..

Video Games Don’t Need to Be Fun - GameSpot

UI

Diedests - in world non Diagetic - not in the fiction

Use existing mental models and make to be more intuitive

Design

Perception information is 3 lvl processes

  • sensations
  • preception
  • cognition
    but sometimes if u have signs (icons) it can influate how u see (gestalt) perception is subjective
    input is processed by brain (not raw)
    Memory
  • sences - sensory (part of perception)
  • attention »> then it go to short time memory
  • then go to long term mem forgeting curve - after 20 min 60% lost Attention

Inputs

Mouse, suit, brain sensors

UI: https://www.gameuidatabase.com/index.php?scrn=160

.

Onboarding

  • tutorials

“PICK UP THAT CAN.” If you do, he lets you go. If you don’t, he beats you. This accomplishes two things at once. It establishes story: you’re living in an oppressive society and must do what this cop says for fear of death. Second, on a more basic level it teaches you the basic mechanics of picking objects up and throwing them in the game.. .#gamasutra.

  • rewards
  • accessibility
  • gamification

Accessibility

  • Ability to remap controls
  • Subtitles - Large and contrast
  • UI visuals should be clear

##Loading bar https://www.psychologyofgames.com/2019/10/loading-when-were-willing-to-wait/

Overview

a-b mission Endgame

Cycles (gameplay loop )

Second to second - micronarrative (momentary) core mechanics
Minute to minute - events, tactics and problem-solving puzzles
Hour to Hour - (structural) game premise goal. why where

  • Compulsion loops.
  • Story Shape Ups and downs tension !!!!
  • Therefor instead of: Then (a means to an end) (Causality)
  • Try and fail. Fail and find new: clue, inspiration, information plot expansion: instead of twist /u get more than promised not unexpected change
    change

.

  • life cycle of agents in simulation . Dynamically changing agents

Endgame

fast pase slow pase - time to think

Game Design

Balancing

BUFF vs NERF

================================

Psychology

morality systems

  • choices like kotor path of doing good/bad things lead to perska

  • how decisions are attached to main conflict
  • binary system > if u r not polite we will lock dialogs - is no go
[YT How Game Designers Create Systemic Games Emergence, Dynamic Narrative and Systems in Game Design](https://youtu.be/OrmyLaLCaIo)

Psychology in games:
Sid Meier’s Psychology of Game Design
Mike Ambinder - Principal Experimental Psychologist
game mechanics advanced game design BOOK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ernest adams joris dormans :
a systemic approach advanced game design BOOK:L!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! michael selers
persuasive games ian bogost book

Mental models https://quanticfoundry.com/gamer-motivation-model/ https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1025742/A-Deep-Dive-into-the https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxJUPfKtg_Q https://quanticfoundry.com/2019/04/11/gdc2019/


---

player-facing:
- exposition
- investigation
- action
- reaction / reprisal

---------------

strategic
systematic
narrative
emergent

environmental reconciliation
design by theming.

casual games, requiring players to make time to play, rather than playing opportunistically or sporadically.

Q

What make game meaningful. is it progress save and win screen or experience itself? What game can teach us. What kind of narration. What we are doing why it maters and what are the consequences

how to:

  • by connecting main ideas

https://gamedesignconcepts.wordpress.com/

How Game Designers Create Systemic Games | Emergence, Dynamic Narrative and Systems in Game Design https://youtu.be/OrmyLaLCaIo

The Freedom Fallacy: Understanding “Player Autonomy” in Game Design https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vct13OhIio&ab_channel=GDC

Rules of the Game: Five Further Techniques from Rather Clever Designers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh5oqH1Dv8g&ab_channel=GDC

Rules of the Game: Another Five Techniques from Particularly Crafty Designers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVq1-y7ailE&ab_channel=GDC

https://youtu.be/3YXGcw1tvtc

https://www.youtube.com/@PeopleMakeGames