2. Summary
Playcentric Design
Moment Based Design
Game Design Moments
Positive Moments
Good Negative Moments
Bad Negative Moments
Prototyping
Playtesting and Iteration
3. Good Game/Level Design is…
Creating opportunities for
the player to make an
interesting choice that
results in an engaging
moment.
4. Playcentric Design
What will the player feel?
List of player experience goals
Prototype the mechanics
Playtest the game
Iterate
5. Experience Goals
What will the player feel?
“Players will need to cooperate to win, but the game will
be structured so they can never trust each other”
“Players will feel a sense of happiness or playfulness
rather than competitiveness”
“Players will have the freedom to pursue the goals of the
game in any order that they choose”
7. Brainstorming Interesting
Moments
What will the player feel?
How will the player interact with the experience?
Platform, Controls, Camera, Mechanics
What role does the player have in the experience?
Story, Interactions, Mechanics, Camera
Where/When does the experience take place?
Narrative, Theme
Why would the player want to be a part of the experience?
Goals, Aspirations, Audience
8. Consider the Player
The player will have preconceived notions based on
experience history
The player will trust you
The player will learn but can only learn so much
The player will follow directions
9. Game Design Rules
Use reality to reinforce gameplay
Be consistent
Build relationships
Deliver on promises
Provide plenty of feedback
Set goals
10. Positive Moments
Outsmarting the AI
Powerful Feedback
Being Surprised
Learning a Skill
Recalling Previous Learning
Being Lucky
Solving a Puzzle
Winning
11. Outsmarting the AI
Predicting what the enemy will do
Tells
Using a clever strategy to defeat the enemy
Clever is usually unexpected or unconventional
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S88t1Zswons
12. Outsmarting the AI
Predicting what the enemy will do
Tells
Using a clever strategy to defeat the enemy
Clever is usually unexpected or unconventional
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S88t1Zswons
13. Powerful Feedback
Make every action and reaction larger than life
Make the player feel cool
http://youtu.be/rXaw1I1XucI?t=3m35s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX1IhK9bDXs
21. Good Negative Moments
Just barely lose
You’ll get them next time
Losing fairly
You lost fair and square
You did the best you could
22. Just Barely Lose
Challenges should be close whenever possible
A close loss is motivating
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-B4SCPVh8Z8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0M7QIkM2Nhg
23. Losing Fairly
Players can accept their own mistakes and learn from
them
Try to teach the player the correct strategy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaYOlqnuTD0
24. Negative Moments
Misinterpreting a direction, interface or clue
Losing unfairly
Winning Easily
Narrative Inconsistencies
Physical Inconsistencies
25. Misunderstanding the
Game
Typically caused by inconsistency
This is why sequels are hard
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fraUzGv2abU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guBCc05_prM
26. Losing Unfairly
This is the same as the game being too hard
The player will blame the game for not preparing them
properly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3hYJR0-pf0
27. Winning Easily
If there is no challenge the win feels hollow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9Nw17hg8wo
28. Narrative Inconsistencies
A character does something incongruous or confusing
This is really bad if it is the player character
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHXN3xtUu44
31. Prototyping
What are the moments?
What moments are the most important?
How often should each moment occur?
In what order should these moments occur?
32. Playtesting and Iteration
What is the minimum needed to test these
moments?
Did these moments occur?
What new moments occurred?
What can make these moments occur more?