Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games. 5 Ed

Cover....1

Endorsements Page....2

Half Title....4

Title Page....6

Copyright Page....7

Table of Contents....8

Foreword....21

Preface....23

Acknowledgments....25

Image Credits and Copyright Notices....28

Introduction....31

Part 1 Game Design Basics....34

Chapter 1 The Role of the Game Designer....36

An Advocate for the Player....36

Playtesters....37

Passions and Skills....39

Communication....39

Teamwork....40

Process....41

Inspiration....41

Becoming a Better Player....43

Creativity....44

A Playcentric Design Process....45

Setting Player Experience Goals....46

Prototyping and Playtesting....46

Designers You Should Know....47

Iteration....50

The Iterative Design Process....53

Prototypes and Playtesting in the Industry....56

Designing for Innovation....58

Conclusion....58

Designer Perspective: Christina Norman....59

Designer Perspective: Warren Spector....62

Further Reading....64

End Notes....65

Chapter 2 The Structure of Games....66

Go Fish versus Quake....66

Go Fish....67

Quake....67

Comparison....68

Engaging the Player....74

Challenge....74

Play....74

Premise....75

What is a Puzzle?....76

Character....81

Story....81

Dramatic Elements....82

The Sum of the Parts....82

Defining Games....83

Beyond Definitions....84

Conclusion....86

Designer Perspective: Jane McGonigal....87

Designer Perspective: Randy Smith....90

Further Reading....92

End Notes....92

Chapter 3 Working with Formal Elements....93

Players....93

Invitation to Play....94

Number of Players....94

Roles of Players....95

Player Interaction Patterns....96

Persuasive Games....102

Objectives....105

Summary....111

Procedures....111

Connect Four....112

Super Mario Bros....112

Comparison....112

System Procedures....112

Defining Procedures....113

Rules....114

Rules Defining Objects and Concepts....115

Rules Restricting Actions....116

Rules Determining Effects....117

Defining Rules....117

Resources....117

Lives....118

Units....119

Health....119

Currency....119

Actions....120

Power-Ups....121

Inventory....121

Special Terrain....122

Time....122

Conflict....123

Obstacles....124

Opponents....124

Dilemmas....124

Boundaries....125

The Mechanic is the Message....126

Outcome....129

Conclusion....130

Designer Perspective: Derek Yu....131

Further Reading....133

End Notes....133

Chapter 4 Working with Dramatic Elements....134

Challenge....135

A Challenging Activity That Requires Skill....136

The Merging of Action and Awareness....136

Clear Goals and Feedback....136

Concentration on the Task at Hand....137

The Paradox of Control....138

The Loss of Self-Consciousness....138

The Transformation of Time....138

Experience Becomes an End in Itself....139

Play....140

The Nature of Play....140

Types of Players....141

Levels of Engagement....142

Premise....142

Character....146

Story....150

Directing Games for Emotion....152

World Building....155

The Dramatic Arc....156

Crafting Emotional Beats in The Last of Us....162

Conclusion....165

Further Reading....166

End Notes....166

Chapter 5 Working with System Dynamics....167

Games as Systems....167

Objects....168

Properties....168

Behaviors....169

Relationships....170

System Dynamics....171

Deconstructing Set....172

Tic-Tac-Toe....175

Chess....176

Mastermind versus Clue....177

Economies....179

Simple Bartering....180

Complex Bartering....181

Simple Market....182

Complex Market....183

Meta Economy....184

Emergent Systems....187

Interacting with Systems....189

Information Structure....189

Control....190

Feedback....192

Interaction Loops and Arcs....194

Tuning Game Systems....200

Conclusion....201

Designer Perspective: Mary Flanagan....202

Designer Perspective: Frank Lantz....205

Further Reading....207

End Notes....207

Part 2 Designing a Game....208

Chapter 6 Ideation....210

Where Do Ideas Come From?....210

Constraints and Creativity....213

Brainstorming....216

Brainstorming Best Practices....217

Alternative Methods....219

List Creation....219

Idea Cards....220

Mind Map....220

Stream of Consciousness....220

Electronic Arts Preproduction Workshop....221

Shout It Out....225

Cut It Up....225

Surrealist Games....225

Research....226

Editing and Refining....227

Aligned with Goals....227

Technical Feasibility....227

Market Opportunity....227

Artistic Considerations....228

Business/Cost Restrictions....228

A Conversation with Will Wright....229

Turning Ideas into a Game....233

Focus on the Formal Elements....234

Writing a Treatment....235

Logline....236

Key Art....236

Practice, Practice, Practice....237

Feature Design....238

Feature Storyboards....238

Getting the Most out of Focus Groups....239

Experimental Gameplay....242

Ideas vs. Designs....246

Conclusion....246

Designer Perspective: Josh Holmes....247

Further Reading....250

End Notes....250

Chapter 7 Prototyping....251

Methods of Prototyping....251

Physical Prototypes....252

Battleship Prototype....252

More Examples....254

Up the River Prototype....255

Prototyping a First-Person Shooter....258

Catastrophic Prototyping and Other Stories....259

Perspective on Physical Prototyping....264

Prototyping Your Original Game Idea....265

Visualizing Core Gameplay....265

Building the Physical Prototype....268

The Design Evolution of Magic: The Gathering....269

Refining Your Visualization....283

Making the Physical Prototype Better....283

Beyond the Physical Prototype....283

Conclusion....284

Designer Perspective: James Ernest....285

Designer Perspective: Katie Salen....287

Further Reading....289

Chapter 8 Digital Prototyping....290

Types of Digital Prototypes....290

Prototyping Game Mechanics....291

Prototyping Aesthetics....293

Prototyping Kinesthetics....295

Prototyping Technology....296

Using Software Prototypes in Game Design....297

Prototyping Cloud....301

Designing Control Schemes....304

Selecting Viewpoints....306

Overhead View....306

Prototyping for Game Feel....307

Side View....310

Isometric View....310

First-Person View....311

Third-Person View....311

Effective Interface Design....314

Form Follows Function....314

Metaphors....314

Visualization....315

Grouping Features....316

Consistency....316

Feedback....316

Prototyping Tools....317

Programming Languages....317

Game Engines....317

Popular Creation Tools....318

Conclusion....320

Designer Perspective: David Perry....321

Designer Perspective: Elan Lee....323

Further Reading....325

End Notes....325

Chapter 9 Playtesting....326

Playtesting and Iterative Design....327

Recruiting Playtesters....328

Self-Testing....328

Playtesting with Confidants....329

Playtesting with People You Do Not Know....329

Finding the Ideal Playtesters....330

Playtesting with Your Target Audience....330

Conducting a Playtesting Session....331

Why We Play Games....332

Introduction (2–3 Minutes)....334

Warm-Up Discussion (5 Minutes)....335

Play Session (15–20 Minutes)....335

Discussion of Game Experience (15–20 Minutes)....335

Wrap-Up....336

Methods of Playtesting....338

How Feedback from Typical Gamers Can Help Avoid Disappointing Outcomes....339

A Primer for Playtesting: Don’t Follow These Rules!....343

The Play Matrix....348

Taking Notes....350

Basic Usability Techniques....352

Do Not Lead....352

Remind Testers to Think Out Loud....352

Quantitative Data....352

Metrics in Game Design....353

Data Gathering....356

Test Control Situations....358

Rapid Iterative Testing and Evaluation....358

Playtesting Practice....360

Connect Four....360

Final Analysis....361

Conclusion....361

Further Reading....362

End Notes....362

Chapter 10 Functionality, Completeness, and Balance....363

What Are You Testing For?....363

Foundation....364

Structure....364

Formal Details....364

Refinement....365

Is Your Game Functional?....366

Is Your Game Internally Complete?....366

Solution #1....367

Solution #2....367

Solution #3....367

Solution #4....368

Discussion....368

Loopholes....368

Loopholes versus Features....369

Dead Ends....373

Wrapping Up Completeness....373

Is Your Game Balanced?....374

Balancing Variables....374

Balancing the Dynamics....375

Reinforcing Relationships....375

Dominant Objects....376

Dominant Strategies....378

Balancing Positions....379

Symmetrical Games....379

Asymmetrical Games....380

Asymmetrical Objectives....381

Ticking Clock....381

Protection....382

Combination....382

Individual Objectives....382

Complete Asymmetry....383

Balancing for Skill....383

Balancing for the Median Skill Level....385

Balancing Dynamically....385

Balancing Computer-Controlled Characters....386

Techniques for Balancing Your Game....387

Think Modular....387

Purity of Purpose....387

A Conversation with Rob Pardo....388

One Change at a Time....394

Spreadsheets....394

Conclusion....395

Designer Perspective: Shawn Alexander Allen....396

Designer Perspective: Heather Kelley....401

Further Reading....403

End Notes....403

Chapter 11 Fun and Accessibility....404

Is Your Game Fun?....405

Challenge....405

Play....407

Story....409

Analyzing Appeal....410

Improving Player Choices....411

Types of Decisions....412

Dilemmas....413

Cake-Cutting Scenario....414

The Prisoner’s Dilemma....415

Puzzles....417

Rewards and Punishments....419

Anticipation....420

Surprise....421

Progress....422

The End....423

Fun Killers....423

Micromanagement....423

Stagnation....424

Tuning and Balance: Us vs . It....425

Insurmountable Obstacles....430

Arbitrary Events....432

Predictable Paths....432

Beyond Fun....433

Is Your Game Accessible?....433

Using Audio as a Game Feedback Device....435

Conclusion....439

Designer Perspective: Wren Brier....440

Further Reading....443

End Notes....443

Part 3 Working as a Game Designer....444

Chapter 12 Team Structures....446

Team Structure....447

Publisher versus Developer....447

Developer’s Team....448

Game Designer....449

Producer....449

Programmers....450

Building Inclusive Design Teams....451

Visual Artists....456

QA Engineers....457

Specialized Media....458

Level Designer....459

Publisher’s Team....460

Producer....460

Marketing Team....461

Executives....461

QA Engineers....462

Usability Specialists....463

User Research and Metrics....464

Team Profile....464

All Contribute to the Design....465

Team Building....465

Team Communication....466

Conducting Meetings....466

Agile Development....467

Unions in the Game Industry....467

Conclusion....468

Designer Perspective: Nahil Sharkasi....469

Designer Perspective: Elizabeth Lapensée....472

Designer Perspective: Jenova Chen....476

Further Reading....479

End Note....479

Chapter 13 Stages and Methods of Development....480

Stages Defined....481

From Concept to Contract....482

Preproduction....484

Production....485

From Classroom to Console: Producing flOw for the PlayStation 3....486

Postproduction and Quality Assurance....488

Maintenance and Updates....489

Using Agile Development....489

Agile Project Planning....490

Goals....491

Priorities....491

Schedule....491

Budget....494

Scoping and Revising....495

Milestones and Approvals....495

Opportunities for Indie Gamemakers....496

Conclusion....499

Designer Perspective: Michael John....500

Further Reading....501

Chapter 14 Communicating Your Designs....502

Visualization....503

Flowcharts....504

Tables and Spreadsheets....506

Concept Art....506

Description....507

Artificial Intelligence & the Creative Process....508

Virtual Reality and Beyond....511

Formats for Design Documents....516

Contents....516

Design Macros....522

Conclusion....524

Designer Perspective: Anna Anthropy....525

Designer Perspective: Rob Daviau....527

Further Reading....528

End Notes....528

Chapter 15 Understanding the New Game Industry....529

The Size of the Game Industry....530

Platforms for Distribution....531

Consoles....531

Computer (PC and Mac)....532

Mobile (Phone and Tablet)....532

Virtual Reality and Alternate Reality....533

Immersive Entertainment....533

Board Games....533

Genres of Gameplay....534

Action Games....534

Strategy Games....534

Mobile Game Design and Zombies, Run!....535

Role-Playing Games....537

Sports Games....538

Racing/Driving Games....538

Simulation/Building Games....538

Flight and Other Simulations....538

Adventure and Action Adventure Games....538

Educational Games....539

Children’s Games....539

Casual Games....539

Experimental Games....539

Publishers....540

Play Beyond Screens....541

Developers....543

The Business of Game Publishing....544

Development....544

Licensing....545

Marketing....547

Distribution....547

Conclusion....548

Designer Perspective: Neil Jones....549

Designer Perspective: Graeme Bayless....552

Further Reading....555

End Notes....555

Chapter 16 Selling Yourself and Your Ideas to the Game Industry....556

Getting a Job at a Publisher or Developer....556

Educate Yourself....557

Academic Programs....557

Portfolio....557

Play Games....558

Design Games and Levels....558

Know the Industry....559

Networking....559

Organizations....559

Conferences....559

Game Jams....560

Internet and E-mail....560

Starting at the Bottom....561

Interning....561

QA....561

Pitching Your Original Ideas....562

Pitch Process....562

Pitch Materials....563

What Happens after the Pitch....564

Independent Production....565

Conclusion....566

Designer Perspective: Erin Reynolds....567

Designer Perspective: Matt Korba....570

Designer Perspective: Asher Vollmer....572

Further Reading....573

End Note....573

Conclusion....574

Index....576

This book helps you to create the digital games you love to play, using a non-technical approach to game design without the need for programming or artistic experience.

Award-winning author Tracy Fullerton demystifies the creative process with clear and accessible guidance on the formal, dramatic, and dynamic systems of game design. Using examples of classic and popular games, illustrations of design techniques, and refined exercises to strengthen your understanding of how game systems function, the book gives you the skills and tools necessary to create a compelling and engaging game.

This updated 5th edition brings deeper coverage of playcentric design techniques, including setting emotion-focused experience goals and managing the design process to meet them. It includes a host of new diverse perspectives from top industry game designers.