Computer Game Design Class Dr. Héctor Muñoz-Avila Sources: My own Disclaimer: I use these notes as a guide rather than.

Computer Game Design Class

Dr. Héctor Muñoz-Avila

Sources:• www.wikipedia.org• www.gamespot.com• My own

Disclaimer: I use these notes as a guide rather than a comprehensive coverage of the topic. They are neither a substitute for attending the lectures nor for reading the assigned material

A Brief History of Research on Game AI at Lehigh

Research on AI & Computer Games at Lehigh

http://www.cse.lehigh.edu/~munoz

Aaron BattalionTodd Fisher Hai HoangStephen Lee-UrbanMarc Ponsen Megan Vasta

Chad HoggJoe Souto

Kit Ming ChangFrank Cremen John Gerace Ben Mautner Chris Olsisnki Jarret RaimJustin KarneebKellen GuillespieMatt Dilts

Alexandra ComanUlit JaideeDustin DannenhauerGiulio Finestrali Seth T. DenburgNicholas E. Roessler Nick Wuensch Pete Biencourt

Matthew Kilgore Steven R. Stinson

Matthew Mitchell

The Origins

• Long term interest on Games• 2002: Aaron Battalion & Todd Fisher wanted to do an

Ind. Study on “Game stuff”• 2003: First Installation of Unreal Tournament Bots at

Lehigh

First Steps: 2003

• Kit Ming Chang report on Age of Empires Rule-Based System: “CLIPS”

• Frank Cremen, Ben Mautner and Chris Olsisnki build Poker game

http://www.cse.lehigh.edu/%7Emunoz/projects/AIGames/poker-web/LUPoker.html

• Small grant from NRL on game (military simulation-related) research

Continuation - 2004

• Exploratory paper on hierarchical explanation in games• Exploratory paper on using hierarchical planning for

controlling a team of Unreal Tournament bots• First class Game Programming at Lehigh

– Graduate-level course• Exploratory grant from DARPA on game (military

simulation-related) research

Expansion - 2005

• Paper on using hierarchical planning for controlling a team of Unreal Tournament bots in the First International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Interactive Digital Entertainment

• Work on translation of gaming language to AI languages

• Paper on Reinforcement Learning in Real Time Strategy Games (at Innovative Applications of AI conference)

• Grant from DARPA on game (military simulation-related) research

• Donation from Poker Academy

http://press.arrivenet.com/tec/article.php/593714.html

• AI Game Programming course taught for the second time

– Undergraduate (senior) level and graduate level

Expansion II – 2006 - 2008

• Chapter appeared AI Game Programming Wisdom 3 on hierarchical planning for controlling a team of Unreal Tournament bots

• First time Game Design Class is taught • Grants from different sources involving game research• Cognitive study on how “fun” is affected by game

difficulty

Today

• Over 30 articles, book chapters and conference papers on the topic of Game AI

• Continuous work on this area: 6 MS thesis over the last years. Some topics:– Learning to play in a turn-based RPG game– Learning to play in a team-based first-person shooter– Mimicking player’s actions

• Game design and AI Game Programing taught 4+ times • PC of main conference in the field (AIIDEE since its

inception) and Associate Editor in main journal (IEEE Transactions of Computational Intelligence and AI in Games)

Myths About Computer Game Design

Myth # 1: Computers have to play as good as possible

Myth # 2: Only programmers can design computer games

Myth # 4: Computer graphics “make” a game

Myth # 3: Succesful games need deep storylines

Myth # 1: Computers have to play as good as possible

You know what is an attack “Kung Fu” style?

•Only 2 enemies are attacking at any point of time

•The other “appear” busy

•Same idea is implemented in many games

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aTbfxwdYQo

Caveat

• But sloppy Game AI programming can lead to player frustration

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWQuDDYq-2w

Myth # 2: Only programmers can design computer games

• In the “old times” it was like that• Modern tools allow the design of “AI” behavior without

need of a computer programmer

Spawn

Wander

~E

D

Attack

~E

E

E

D

~S

Chase

E

S

S

D

Myth # 3: Successful games need deep Storylines

Myth # 3: Successful games need deep Storylines (II)

Duke Nukem 3d

• Released in 1996• Crude humor

“That's gotta hurt”

• Simplistic and predictable storyline http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6JcZv3wPuU

Storyline: "Murderous aliens have landed in futuristic Los Angeles, and humans suddenly find themselves atop the endangered species list. The odds are a million-to-one, just the way Duke likes it!"

Caveat• Some games are memorable not only

because of solid gameplay but also strong storylines

Myth # 4: Computer graphics “make” a game

• Tale of two games:

Game # 1:

•Top-notch (for its time) 3D Graphics•Real-time•Dinosaurs!•“beautiful” people•“Realistic” physics encoded in game

Game # 2:

•2D graphics•Turn-based•Graphics highlight: Lead designer appears in the game•Roles a dice to decide who wins combat

Game # 1: some screenshots

Game # 2: Screenshot

Myth # 4: Computer graphics “make” a game

• Tale of two games:

Game # 1:

•Trespasser (PC version)•Gamespot.com score: 3.9/10•Graphics grew old pretty quickly

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBRfPrCU0fo&feature=related

Game # 2:

•Civilization II•Gamespot.com score: 9.2/10•Graphics are functional•Considered one of the best games of all time

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reaROufQ0Pk&feature=related

Ok So What is a Good Computer Game Design?

• We don’t know– No easy answer– So no “recipe” for creating good games

• We know that many (most?) games developed fail because of inadequate design

• Strong evidence that “gameplay mechanics” have a crucial role in the success of a game:– Civilization– Diablo– World of Warcraft– Heroes of Might and Magic

• We are going to study a model inspired by cognitive science and other fields.– We may not agree completely with this model. But provides a good base for

discussion into a complex topic

Computer Game Design Class

Game mechanics – rules of play

Concept art

graphics

Narrative - storyline

sound

class

Computer Game Design Class

• “Designing/programming games is not a game”• URL of the course:

http://www.cse.lehigh.edu/~munoz/ComputerGameDesignClass/

• Text book:– Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals

• Author: Katie Salen and Eric Zimmerman

• Optional text book:– Game Design: Theory & Practice

• Author: Richard Rouse III • Available electronically in campus computers

• Additional reading:– The Art of Game Design: A book of lenses

• Author: Jesse Schell

Student’s Work (I)• Written examinations:

– 2 tests (20% each)– A final exam (35%; cumulative)

• Material for evaluations:– Classes– Chapters covered from text books

• In class we will typically cover only part of a chapter• You are responsible for the whole chapter• Strongly suggest that you read as we cover the topics

• Other work:– Design project (15%)– Homework assignments (10%)

• Attendance to class is required– This is after all an elective course

Student Work (II)• Design Project:

1. Select a game of your choice2. Write a document (10-15 pages) analyzing its design

according o the methodology studied in the course3. Class presentation of the design4. Groups of 2 or 3 people

• Optional: (extra-credit)– Class presentation about a topic of your choice– Creation of a new game (groups of 2 or 3 people)

• This may exempt you from the Final Exam. Most students end up taking this option