class: center, middle # Creación de Videojuegos ### Game Design Document --- class: center, middle # Achievements --- # Achievements * In addition to goals (as we discussed last time), games provide players with "achievements" * The distinction is sometimes a bit blurry * Often, though, games use achievements as "bonus"/optional goals --- # Achievements <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hFM4eIAou5M" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe> --- # Achievements Which Achievements could we add to Super Mario? * Unavoidable * Optional * Inspiring --- class: center, middle # Game Design Document --- # Game Design Document (GDD) A living, changing document containing * Game Pitch ("hook") * Setting * Rules (interactions) * Goals --- # Game Design Document * GDDs have been described as "obsolete" * Prototyping has become easier * There is usually still *some* documentation about a game before it is actually implemented * GDDs differ from company to company --- # Game Pitch * The most important part of the GDD * You want the reader to become interested ("hooked") * One approach: Relate to an existing game and provide a twist * Another approach: Mention a unique idea/setting/mechanic * In practice, also: Argue using proven concepts --- # What's the pitch? <img src="/CI-2700/assets/img/tetris.gif" height="400px"/> (Tetris) --- # What's the pitch? <img src="/CI-2700/assets/img/minecraft.jpg" width="90%"/> (Minecraft) --- # What's the pitch? <img src="/CI-2700/assets/img/portal2.jpg" width="90%"/> (Portal 2) --- # What's the pitch? <img src="/CI-2700/assets/img/mariokart.gif" width="90%"/> (Mario Kart) --- # What's the pitch? <img src="/CI-2700/assets/img/guitar-hero.jpg" width="90%"/> (Guitar Hero) --- # Ideation * What do you want players to feel/experience? * What mechanics do you want to incorporate? * What do you see in the world around you? * Which games are already fun? * Which technology is available? * Which art assets, world, IP do you have? * Who do you want to play your game? * Random page on wikipedia, tvtropes, a dictionary, ... --- # Setting * Characters * World * Story * Not applicable to all games (Tetris?) --- # Characters * Personality * Goals * Relationships, conflicts * Who is the player? --- # World * Time/technological level * Location, real or fictional * Relevant factions/groups * Where is the player? --- # Story * Characters want to achieve their goals * Conflicting goals result in obstacles * What does the player need to do? * How does the player progress through the story? * Non-linear stories, sandbox games --- # Name a popular story! * Characters * World * Story/Conflict --- class: middle, center # Popular Story ## Game? --- # Rules/mechanics * Objects, attributes, and relationships * Describes gameplay formally and provides basis for implementation * What does the player do in the game/how is it challenging? * Informal description is helpful * Compare to design in software engineering --- # Goals * What is the player supposed to achieve? * Is there a win/loss condition, quests, etc. * Why should someone play the game? * Not always a clear answer --- # Aesthetics * What should the game look/feel like * Art assets (<a href="https://opengameart.org/">opengameart.org</a>, Unity asset store) * UI Style * Sound? * Can provide concept art, prototype screenshots, etc. --- # For the project * Team name, game name * Rules and goals for the game * Setting/story, if applicable * Team members and relevant skills --- # For the project * Team name, game name * <b>Rules and goals for the game</b> * Setting/story, if applicable * Team members and relevant skills --- # For the project * I want you to think about your game in a formal way * List the objects, attributes, and relationships explicitly * You should also provide a textual description of the rules and goals * If you have any prototype screenshots or diagrams, feel free to include them, but they are not required --- class: small # For the project * Choose an appropriate level of abstraction * Be **consistent** * There should be a description of: - What the player can do - How the game reacts - What the goal is --- # For example: Hoverrace * [Hoverrace](/CI-2700/assets/unity/winbuild.zip) is a small game I made as a demo for the course * It is a racing game set on a lake, with high speed hovercrafts that can slide around corners * Makes heavy use of the Unity physics engine * You will recreate a basic version of it during a lab next week --- class: middle, center # Example GDD ## <a href="/CI-2700/assets/pdf/GDD.pdf">Hoverrace GDD</a> --- # Objects and Attributes * You can also put the objects and attributes into a table, or tables * Or draw a (sort of) class diagram * Consistency is key --- class: small # From the design document to a game * Like in software engineering, the design document tells you how to start implementing * Objects fall into three categories: - Objects with behavior (code) - Passive scene objects - Abstract objects (buttons) * In Unity: Create a scene, and populate with objects * Add behavior/code step by step --- class: small # Hoverrace scene .left-column[ <img src="/CI-2700/assets/img/scene.png" width="100%"/> ] .right-column[ * Player * AI Opponent * Checkpoints * Terrain, water * UI * etc ] --- # Further notes on game design * Try to play games with an open eye * Explicitly identify objects, attributes and relationships * Think about *why* objects relate in a certain way * What could you change about the game to keep it the same/similar, what would change it * Exploit behavior, find unintended functionality --- # Every Frame a Painting * Don't assume that any detail is added randomly * Game designers have very particular experiences in mind * Compare to films: Very subtle effects are used intentionally by the directors * Warning: This may change your experience of games (or movies) --- # Every Frame a Painting <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5UE3jz_O_EM" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe> --- class: center, middle # Story Time! --- # Apex Legends * Apex Legends was released earlier this year * "The Next Evolution of Battle Royale", published by EA * Very popular game, reaching 50 Mio downloads in less than a month * Free to play with monetization in the form of cosmetic items --- # Apex Legends: Iron Crown Event * About a week ago, an in-game event called "Iron Crown" started * It added 25 new cosmetic items * One of them, a legendary axe, could only be obtained after a player had the other 24 * The items are contained in loot boxes, which cost $7 each * Only 2 loot boxes could be obtained for free by playing the game --- # Apex Legends: Controversy * The legendary axe basically costs $170 * Forbes, a **financial/business magazine** called this price "hilariously out of touch" * Players were equally unhappy * Reddit was fuming --- # Apex Legends: How **not** to do PR * At this point, the developers could have apologized and fixed things * They apologized ... -- * And told players that they could also buy items for $18/piece (without the loot box) * Somehow, players were still not happy --- # Apex Legends: How not to talk to your players <img src="/CI-2807/assets/img/asshats.jpg" width="60%"/><br/> <img src="/CI-2807/assets/img/dick2.jpg" width="60%"/> --- class: center, middle # Next Week --- class: medium # Next Week: FDG * I will be in California next week, to present a paper at the conference "Foundations of Digital Games" (FDG) * FDG is an interesting place, because there are many different kinds of games researchers there * My paper is a collaboration with Daniel Gruss from University of Technology Graz, Austria * We present a communication method for Hanabi that uses timing rather than explicit communication * Since computers can measure timing very precisely, we can transmit a lot of information this way, which helps a lot with the game --- class: medium # Next Week: Labs * While I am gone, you will get to play with Unity * I have prepared two tutorials you should work through * I have reserved Lab 105 for this purpose during normal class hours, and Ruben will be present to help you if you get stuck * You can find the labs [on the website](/CI-2807/labs) --- class: small # Resources * <a href="https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/131791/the_anatomy_of_a_design_document_.php">The Anatomy of a Design Document</a> * <a href="https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/LeandroGonzalez/20160726/277928/How_to_Write_a_Game_Design_Document.php">How to write a Game Design Document</a> * <a href="https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Tropes">TVTropes</a> * <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UE3jz_O_EM">Every Frame a Painting: Shot/Reverse Shot</a> * <a href="https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/apex-legends-heirloom-items/">Apex Legends Super-Legendary Axe</a> * <a href="https://www.polygon.com/2019/8/18/20811014/apex-legends-iron-crown-skins-developers-rant-ass-hats-freeloaders-pc-ps4-xbox-one">Apex Legends Controversy</a>