FCN = Functionality, completeness, Balance
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FCN = Functionality,completeness, Balance
Refinement • You have a playable system
• Play, tweak, play, tweak, play, tweak, …
• Question smaller and smaller details• Especially: Is the game fun?
• Modify formal details to achieve…– Functionality– Completeness– Balance
Functionality
• Stranger can sit down and play, unaided by the game designers
• Components of game interact properly
• Following the gameplay, rules, etc. results in some conclusion or resolution
Completeness
“An internally complete game is one in which the players can operate the game without reaching any point at which either the gameplay or the functionality is compromised.”
• Often, games functional but incomplete
• Missing rules, winning condition, etc.• Gaps in rules lead to irresolvable
situations, gray areas, loopholes, dead ends
Completeness
• “The rules don’t say either way”• “I’m completely stuck”• “You can’t do that!”
Red flags
Completeness • Flaw that users exploit for unfair or
unintended advantage Loopholes
Completeness • Controlled testing
– End of game– Random, rare event– Special situation– Particular level– New features
• Challenge testers to find loopholes
Findingloopholes
Completeness • Player gets stranded and cannot
continue
– Adventure game: missing item needed to solve puzzle
– Strategy game: cannot resolve conflict because of lack of resources
– FPS: unintended space that player cannot escape from
Dead ends
Balance“'Balancing' a game is the process of making sure the game meets the goals you've set for the player experience: that the system is of the scope and complexity you envisioned and that the elements of that system are working together without undesired results.”
Balance• Variables: number of players, size of
playing field, properites of resources, etc.
• Often, variables interconnectedVariables
Balance • Consider forces at work when game is“in action”
• Combination of rules, objects, actions, can cause imbalance
Dynamics
Balance• If player is awarded a bonus, it makes
him/her stronger; could create cycle
• Keep strong player from accumulating too much power– Should pay price for strategic advantage– Add randomness– Allow weaker players to band together
• Allow scales to tip dramatically in end-game
Relationships
Balance• Keep similar game objects
proportional in terms of strength– Power-ups– Skills
• Think “rock, paper, scissors”
Objects
Balance• Starting position• Resources
– Symmetrical – Asymmetrical
• Objectives• Winning conditions
Fairness
Balance • Match difficulty of game to skill of player
• But, every users has different skill levels– Offer multiple difficulty settings– Balance based on median skill level
(requires lots of playtesting)– Adjust difficulty level dynamically
Skill
Balance• Think modular
– Design discrete functional units andconsider mechanics of how they interrelate
• Purity of purpose– Every component has single, clearly
defined purpose• One change at a time
Achieving it?
Don’t justbelieve me!!
Making Emotion Work for You: A Case Study of Collaboration Between Design and Research in Building the Halo Franchise
Dennis WixonDirector of Research, Microsoft Game Studios
https://www.facultyresourcecenter.com/curriculum/pfv.aspx?ID=7291Watch ~0:24:30 – 0:40:16
Final presentation
• Tuesday 29 May 2012– AV test in morning: 10.00 at StuZ + setup
xBoxes– 15.00: Teams arrive for setup– 16.00 – 18.00: Public presentation
• Intro by Bob• Each team presentation in team order• Audience voting• Short presentation by Gobo + vote counting• Announce audience & jury prizes
– 18.00 -- ??.??: Apero & vernissage
Tuesday29 May 201216.00 – 18.00StuZ
Final presentation
• Slides– Explain your vision the “BIG IDEA”, and
how it fits the theme of “Attraction”– Show concept art, sketches, photos– Possibly include “then and now” comparison– Highlight major challenges– Help us understand what the journey was like
• Live demo– After building anticipation, show live demo– Practice to show off most interesting aspects
• Target 10 minutes• Be exciting and entertaining• Focus on visual rather than text• Include specific stories & anecdotes
This is the story of your experience!
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