CS/INFO 4154: Analytics-driven Game Design

Transcription

1 CS/INFO 4154: Analytics-driven Game Design Class 9: Progressions

2 Mon Wed Fri 9/14 Progressions 9/17 Playtesting and Bias 9/19 Alpha Testing 1 9/21 Alpha Testing 2 Wed 10:10am: Alpha Prototype

3 Review: discoverable situations Impossible to pass without experiencing interaction Isolated from other actions and interactions Player is relatively safe Braid (2008)

4 Now: progress through mechanics The Company of Myself (2009)

5 Outline 1. Flow and units of challenge 2. Gantt charts 3. Case study 4. Progression metrics 5. Learning pathways 6. Group activity

6 Outline 1. Flow and units of challenge 2. Gantt charts 3. Case study 4. Progression metrics 5. Learning pathways 6. Group activity

7 Flow

8 Flow State Intense and focused concentration on what one is doing in the present moment Loss of reflective self-consciousness A sense that one can control one s actions Distortion of temporal experience Experience of the activity as intrinsically rewarding Nakamura and Csikszentmihalyi 2001

9 Conditions for Flow Perceived challenges, or opportunities for action, that stretch (neither overmatching nor underutilizing) existing skills Clear proximal goals and immediate feedback about the progress that is being made Nakamura and Csikszentmihalyi 2001

10 Flow: Ideal situation Anxiety Difficulty Boredom Skill

11 Challenge: manage complexity Systematically and gradually introduce mechanics This is called a progression

12 Units of Challenge: Design Patterns Platformer: Jump Stealth Game: Avoidance Tricky Jump Avoid Detection Help player to recognize situations and apply learned skills Often inspired by game genre Ultimately, specific to your game design

13 Robot Unicorn Attack Challenges: A = jump B = dash

14 Robot Unicorn Attack

15 Robot Unicorn Attack Progression Challenges: A = jump B = dash A A A B A A AB Time

16 Outline 1. Flow and units of challenge 2. Gantt charts 3. Case study 4. Progression metrics 5. Learning pathways 6. Group activity

17 Outline 1. Flow and units of challenge 2. Gantt charts 3. Case study 4. Progression metrics 5. Learning pathways 6. Group activity

18 Gantt Chart Generally used for project planning We will use them to analyze and plan progressions Task 1 Task 2 Task 3 Task 4

19 Robot Unicorn Attack Gantt Chart Challenge dash jump Time

20 Portal 2 Gantt Chart Level Mechanic Source: Piotr Bugno

21

22 This tends not to happen Challenge Mechanic 3 Mechanic 2 Mechanic 1 Task

23 This tends not to happen Challenge Mechanic 3 Mechanic 2 Mechanic 1 Task

24 More likely Challenge Mechanic 3 Mechanic 2 Mechanic 1 Task

25 Ideal? Challenge Mechanic 3 Mechanic 2 Mechanic 1 Task

26 Outline 1. Flow and units of challenge 2. Gantt charts 3. Case study 4. Progression metrics 5. Learning pathways 6. Group activity

27 Outline 1. Flow and units of challenge 2. Gantt charts 3. Case study 4. Progression metrics 5. Learning pathways 6. Group activity

28 Action: move left and right The Company of Myself (2009)

29 Action: level win confirmation The Company of Myself (2009)

30 Action: jump The Company of Myself (2009)

31 Interaction: death The Company of Myself (2009)

32 Action: restart The Company of Myself (2009)

33 Action: clone The Company of Myself (2009)

34 Interaction: stand on clone The Company of Myself (2009)

35 5-10 min: pair activiy Make a Gantt Chart for In the Company of Myself Challenge Mechanic 3 Mechanic 2 Mechanic 1 Task

36 Outline 1. Flow and units of challenge 2. Gantt charts 3. Case study 4. Progression metrics 5. Learning pathways 6. Group activity

37 Outline 1. Flow and units of challenge 2. Gantt charts 3. Case study 4. Progression metrics 5. Learning pathways 6. Group activity

38 What metrics define a progression? Challenge Mechanic 3 Mechanic 2 Mechanic 1 Task

39 Learning Pace

40 Learning Pace How frequently to introduce new mechanics? # oooo mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm # oooo tttttttttt

41 Portal 2 Pace 61 levels 28 mechanics pppppppp = # oooo mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm # oooo tttttttttt = = 0.46 mechanics/task

42 Reinforcement & Recombination

43 Reinforcement How long to dwell on a mechanic before introducing a new one? Challenges : A = jump B = dash A B vs. A A A B

44 Recombination How often to combine mechanics with other mechanics? Challenges: A = jump B = dash C = shoot fireball A B C vs. A AB ABC

45 Comparing progressions Reinforcement Recombination

46 Pair activity: compare progressions Reinforcement A, A, A, B, B, B A, A, B, B, AB, AB A, B, C, D, E, F A, AB, ABC, ABCD, ABCDE Recombination

47 A, A, A, B, B, B Reinforcement A, A, A, B, B, B Recombination

48 A, AB, ABC, ABCD, ABCDE Reinforcement A, A, A, B, B, B A, AB, ABC, ABCD, ABCDE Recombination

49 A, B, C, D, E Reinforcement A, A, A, B, B, B A, B, C, D, E A, AB, ABC, ABCD, ABCDE Recombination

50 A, A, B, B, AB, AB Reinforcement A, A, A, B, B, B A, B, C, D, E A, A, B, B, AB, AB A, AB, ABC, ABCD, ABCDE Recombination

51 Robot Unicorn Attack Progression Challenges: A = jump B = dash A A A B A A AB High reinforcement, low recombination

52 Hello Worlds Challenges: A = move B = two worlds C = close world

53 A

54 AB

55 AB

56 ABC

57 ABC

58 Hello Worlds Challenges: A = move B = two worlds C = close world A AB AB ABC ABC Moderate reinforcement, high recombination

59 What s the best? No correct answer Enough reinforcement to internalize mechanics Enough recombination to make challenges interesting

60 Aside: progressions are everywhere

61 Outline 1. Flow and units of challenge 2. Gantt charts 3. Case study 4. Progression metrics 5. Learning pathways 6. Group activity

62 Outline 1. Flow and units of challenge 2. Gantt charts 3. Case study 4. Progression metrics 5. Learning pathways 6. Group activity

63 How to build to a particular goal? Consider pathways through the mechanic combination space

64 Level 1

65 Level 2

66 Level 3

67 Level 4

68 Level 5

69 Which is harder? Design Patterns Level 1 Level 2

70 Which is harder? Design Patterns Level 2 Level 3

71 Which is harder? Design Patterns Level 3 Level 4

72 Which is harder? Design Patterns Level 4 Level 5

73 Which is harder? Design Patterns Level 3 Level 5

74 TCOM Skill Tree

75 Two promising learning pathways 1. move complex jumps clone and jump clone and complex jumps 2. move clone and jump complex jumps clone and complex jumps

76 Outline 1. Flow and units of challenge 2. Gantt charts 3. Case study 4. Progression metrics 5. Learning pathways 6. Group activity

77 Outline 1. Flow and units of challenge 2. Gantt charts 3. Case study 4. Progression metrics 5. Learning pathways 6. Group activity

78 Group activity: plan your tasks Challenge Mechanic 2 Mechanic 1 Task Step 1. Plan a Gantt Chart for your game Step 2. Sketch what the levels might be

79 Summary: Learnability 9/10 Nobody Reads and Nobody Listens 9/12 Discoverability 9/14 Progressions

80 Review: tutorials not always good 8 Foldit 20 Refraction 12 Hello Worlds Levels completed

81 Review: design for discoverability Super Mario Bros. (1985)

82 Review: progress through mechanics The Company of Myself (2009)

83 Monday: Playtesting and Bias M. Ambinder, Biofeedback in Gameplay: How Valve Measures Physiology to Enhance Gaming Experience, GDC 2011