Sid Meier- Psychology of designing games
During GDC I watched Sid Meier (of civilisation franchise fame) give a lecture on the psychology of designing games.
He explained that the main reason people play games is to win. The fact that whatever happens in the story, players expect to win at the end. Nobody who plays games plays them to lose.
Designers need to keep in mind that players will play the game again after winning, because of this different ways to win and complete the game must be available in the game.
Another way to keep the player interested in the game is showcase some of the “cool” stuff that you can do later in the game when progress is made. He says this gives the player a taster of the skill and power you can posses in game when you put the hours in. Sid says this period should be no longer than the first 15minutes of a game as to not give the illusion to the player when the skills are taken away that it will take 10x as long to get the skills back.
He argues that more than four difficulty levels add more joy to a game. In civilisation games there are roughly 9 levels of difficulty. The idea of progression from a lower level to a higher level, gives the player a greater sense of reward when completing the game on a greater difficulty than before.
The main clause in keeping the gamer playing the game is to make them feel good about themselves. One way this can be done by giving themselves a sense of achievement from in game A.I reacting to the players actions
When the action is taken out of the players hand, people becoming annoyed and feel the game is out to get them. This is one reason why Civilisation is a turn based game. It makes the player feel like the star of the show and that everything in the world can be affected by their own decisions in game.
The lecture was almost and hour long, but the way Mr Meier explained his ideas through experience and logic was very interesting and made the time fly by. Well worth a watch for anyone who is interested in designing computer games
Wednesday, 21 April 2010
Monday, 15 March 2010
Week 21
What do I want to do with my life? If I’m totally honest I still really don’t know. I currently enjoy drawing and painting as it’s what I’ve known for a long time. I do want to better myself though; I don’t want to rest on my Loral’s. Before joining the course I had no prior experience with 3d design having come from fine art. The problems I currently have aren’t from shape and form but getting the program to do what I want. The way forward is to obviously to spend more hours on it progress to a better level very much the same as with my visual stuff. I’m not on the course to mess about (even though this is debatable at times) I’m here to learn skills that can help me get employed area that I’m passionate about. A basic understanding of 3d modelling and working at urban tiger doesn’t interest me. I want to produce ideas that people can appreciate and enjoy through 2d or 3d modelling.
I think for me it’s too early to say what I want to do at the end. It seems although I’m pointing towards concept art but I want to more than just a concept artist. Obviously this all depends on my development over the course, and I suppose my career path depends upon it also.
I think for me it’s too early to say what I want to do at the end. It seems although I’m pointing towards concept art but I want to more than just a concept artist. Obviously this all depends on my development over the course, and I suppose my career path depends upon it also.
Week 20
Creativity again….
Creativity can’t be defined in one sentence I’m certain of this. The only way even comprehend this human phoneme is to understand all thoughts and explanations for it. It can be summed up as a mental process involving the discovery of new ideas or concepts, relating to existing ideas or concepts conceived through either conscious or unconscious thought. This definition doesn’t explain everything though. It doesn’t just apply to the arts; it can be applied to everyday life. The way people deal with certain situations in life like a road block can be classed as creative.
Creativity can come through reflection of process and life experience. It’s the process in which we as race look to solve problems that affect us. The Neanderthals didn’t sit back whilst they froze and starved to death, they made tools and went hunting. Leonardo Da Vinci saw a problem with travel during his life time so thought how else he could travel so designed the submarine and helicopter. The difference between Da Vinci and the Sci fi writers in the 50’s is that Da Vinci’s ideas where obtainable at the time of there conception. Whereas Isaac Asimov’s ideas of Artificial intelligence are still not attainable to this date in the case of I Robot in particular. This takes nothing away from Asimov’s creativity; his ideas have opened up new pathways for new minds to find creative solutions to his ideas. My point being that creativity can’t be measure in its relativity. If Asimov’s ideas at the time are measured are in relativity on a scale of 1-10 they’d probably be measured 2 or 1. The idea of creating machines with unique traits was very low on people’s agenda at a time when the world was recovering for WWII and the cold war was warming up (poor joke I know). So what is the line between an idea being considered creative or just madness or stupidity?
My dad used to work for a model car company until I was 10 or so. I remember drawing ideas for cars and handing them to him when I was little and asking him to show his boss if he would make it or not… stupidity of a little boy yeah? Madness to show your boss the drawing? Or seeing it as a creative idea? A different take on a problem was seen as a creative idea and put into production.
So how will I show my creativity? I feel I can portray my thoughts and ideas through the mightiest weapon of them all, the pen. So I will continue to portray what is in my head in this manner and be judge purely on what has come before hand in the genre. If I draw something that resembles a chicken walker it won’t be considered creative but maybe my jet hovercraft will be? Yes it’s a combination of existing technology but the concept is new, less friction faster speeds and surface doesn’t matter? Creative? In the eyes of the viewer I think.
Creativity can’t be defined in one sentence I’m certain of this. The only way even comprehend this human phoneme is to understand all thoughts and explanations for it. It can be summed up as a mental process involving the discovery of new ideas or concepts, relating to existing ideas or concepts conceived through either conscious or unconscious thought. This definition doesn’t explain everything though. It doesn’t just apply to the arts; it can be applied to everyday life. The way people deal with certain situations in life like a road block can be classed as creative.
Creativity can come through reflection of process and life experience. It’s the process in which we as race look to solve problems that affect us. The Neanderthals didn’t sit back whilst they froze and starved to death, they made tools and went hunting. Leonardo Da Vinci saw a problem with travel during his life time so thought how else he could travel so designed the submarine and helicopter. The difference between Da Vinci and the Sci fi writers in the 50’s is that Da Vinci’s ideas where obtainable at the time of there conception. Whereas Isaac Asimov’s ideas of Artificial intelligence are still not attainable to this date in the case of I Robot in particular. This takes nothing away from Asimov’s creativity; his ideas have opened up new pathways for new minds to find creative solutions to his ideas. My point being that creativity can’t be measure in its relativity. If Asimov’s ideas at the time are measured are in relativity on a scale of 1-10 they’d probably be measured 2 or 1. The idea of creating machines with unique traits was very low on people’s agenda at a time when the world was recovering for WWII and the cold war was warming up (poor joke I know). So what is the line between an idea being considered creative or just madness or stupidity?
My dad used to work for a model car company until I was 10 or so. I remember drawing ideas for cars and handing them to him when I was little and asking him to show his boss if he would make it or not… stupidity of a little boy yeah? Madness to show your boss the drawing? Or seeing it as a creative idea? A different take on a problem was seen as a creative idea and put into production.
So how will I show my creativity? I feel I can portray my thoughts and ideas through the mightiest weapon of them all, the pen. So I will continue to portray what is in my head in this manner and be judge purely on what has come before hand in the genre. If I draw something that resembles a chicken walker it won’t be considered creative but maybe my jet hovercraft will be? Yes it’s a combination of existing technology but the concept is new, less friction faster speeds and surface doesn’t matter? Creative? In the eyes of the viewer I think.
Week 19
What the industry wants is a bunch of all round superb artists. If you have a ten people who can do fifty peoples work better and more efficiently, you can pay them more than those fifty people earn and still save money. With companies looking to maximise profit and cut expenses this surely makes perfect sense why they want all singing and dancing artists.
Is it achievable though? I think so, but not on the scale the industry wants. I think as we move into a more technology based society the arts with suffer as people spend more time starring at computer screens. Added to this the governments plans to cut funding to the arts and focus on English, maths and science will mean an increase in less talented artists coming through. On the other hand, you could have someone who is completely computer based learning artistic skills at a late point in time. I think that in the next few years some of the greatest artists the industry will ever see will make and appearance and then there will be a lull in standards there after (Not saying I’m going to be one of the best ever)
If the industry wants all round artists I think they should start investing some money at early education and save the arts before they are pushed out the curriculum completely.
Is it achievable though? I think so, but not on the scale the industry wants. I think as we move into a more technology based society the arts with suffer as people spend more time starring at computer screens. Added to this the governments plans to cut funding to the arts and focus on English, maths and science will mean an increase in less talented artists coming through. On the other hand, you could have someone who is completely computer based learning artistic skills at a late point in time. I think that in the next few years some of the greatest artists the industry will ever see will make and appearance and then there will be a lull in standards there after (Not saying I’m going to be one of the best ever)
If the industry wants all round artists I think they should start investing some money at early education and save the arts before they are pushed out the curriculum completely.
Week 18
Computer games and films have become ever closer with technology in recent years. They have both learnt from each other. On the gaming side of things, one thing they have learnt is the use of music. Music is used to add drama and reinforce the atmosphere of the scene taking stage. Jesper kyd has worked on the Hitman and assassins creed series he explains well the difference between composing for games and films
“When writing music for films, you have to pay close attention to what happens on the screen 100% of the time and so it's difficult to fit lots of crazy ideas into a film score. For games I like to add lots of subconscious elements in order to further develop the game’s atmosphere. My job as a game composer is to immerse the player in the world and enhance the vision of the director and producers.”
Kyd is one of my favourite composers at the moment. I first gained respect for music in games when playing Street fighter 2 with was composed by Capcom’s house band Alph Lyla. The music is so good I can listen to it comfortably now, this is also true with the music of streets of rage II by Yuzo Koshiro (that I’ve mention in earlier blogs). I’m sure these games have sculpted my love for electronica and digital sounds. Good times by Nile Rodgers & Bernard Edwards is undoubtedly an important piece of music of the 20th century. It can be argued it single handedly saved funky house (disco) from extinction from the mainstream. I don’t think any music can be handed that title due to some great records being produced to name two; travelling without moving – Jamiroquai, Thriller- Michael Jackson.
“When writing music for films, you have to pay close attention to what happens on the screen 100% of the time and so it's difficult to fit lots of crazy ideas into a film score. For games I like to add lots of subconscious elements in order to further develop the game’s atmosphere. My job as a game composer is to immerse the player in the world and enhance the vision of the director and producers.”
Kyd is one of my favourite composers at the moment. I first gained respect for music in games when playing Street fighter 2 with was composed by Capcom’s house band Alph Lyla. The music is so good I can listen to it comfortably now, this is also true with the music of streets of rage II by Yuzo Koshiro (that I’ve mention in earlier blogs). I’m sure these games have sculpted my love for electronica and digital sounds. Good times by Nile Rodgers & Bernard Edwards is undoubtedly an important piece of music of the 20th century. It can be argued it single handedly saved funky house (disco) from extinction from the mainstream. I don’t think any music can be handed that title due to some great records being produced to name two; travelling without moving – Jamiroquai, Thriller- Michael Jackson.
Week 17
Game engines are something that before joining the course knew existed by didn’t know how or what they did specifically but where essential for games. Very much like alcohol for courtship. Game engines from my understanding are software programs that allow people to create computer game environments. They are different engines to work with different operating systems so the information isn’t corrupted or lost in transfer. Engines allow you to render objects and set in game physics along with sound and animation. Basically there are the foundations that allow games to work.
So a variety of game engines exist in the world for a few reasons. One reason is that some clever fella decided to make one and sell it to people to make games. The second reason is that people making the games thought the engines available where pants so made there own tailored to there needs for their titles. Modern game engines have the task of running a multi used map that can be affected by anyone in it (MMO’s). Thousands of finely tuned calculations are needed to run online games to the standard the public now expects.
Vague I know, but I just like drawings pretty pictures really. I’m learning all the time so maybe in 2 years time I’ll write something that is accurate.
So a variety of game engines exist in the world for a few reasons. One reason is that some clever fella decided to make one and sell it to people to make games. The second reason is that people making the games thought the engines available where pants so made there own tailored to there needs for their titles. Modern game engines have the task of running a multi used map that can be affected by anyone in it (MMO’s). Thousands of finely tuned calculations are needed to run online games to the standard the public now expects.
Vague I know, but I just like drawings pretty pictures really. I’m learning all the time so maybe in 2 years time I’ll write something that is accurate.
Week 16
Game culture in the last 10 years has come to the fore front of society. I remember at primary school trying to explain mortal kombat to classmate who thought I was part of a silly Fad. Now 16 years on from that, he has an Xbox 360 and plays COD thinking he is MLG pro (major league gaming). Xbox live and PSN have defiantly made a major impact on modern society. I think most important is the effect it has had on the current generation of youngsters. The term internet warrior has been created thanks to the squeaky voiced ragamuffin calling you gay and insulting your mother via his headset via one of these online gaming systems.
I have experienced the same in real life which is worrying. I remember going to secondary school and giving the upmost respect to the people in years above me because they’d beat the crap out of you. And now that respect has been lost, not just in school but in every day occurrences with youths. This obviously can’t all be blamed on the gaming or media in general but it does add to the problem.
You can talk to people via the internet without seeing a 3d image of whom you are speaking to and I think people forget there is a real person behind the other side of the screen. Just my opinion, I don’t sit awake at night thinking what insult I’m going to get next time I log on, as I mute everyone
I have experienced the same in real life which is worrying. I remember going to secondary school and giving the upmost respect to the people in years above me because they’d beat the crap out of you. And now that respect has been lost, not just in school but in every day occurrences with youths. This obviously can’t all be blamed on the gaming or media in general but it does add to the problem.
You can talk to people via the internet without seeing a 3d image of whom you are speaking to and I think people forget there is a real person behind the other side of the screen. Just my opinion, I don’t sit awake at night thinking what insult I’m going to get next time I log on, as I mute everyone
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)