Slides for my 2011 GDC talk for the Level Design in a Day Tutorial. Largely useless without companion audio or transcript. See www.joelburgess.com for info.

1. I WANT TO GO TO THERE Motivating Players in Open Games Joel Burgess, Senior Designer Bethesda Game Studios

2. Simple Question How do you go about making levels for open-world games?

4. First – What’s Unique? Open-World vs Sandbox One describes world, the other mechanics Both emphasize player choice or player agency

5. Define “Open”

6. Player Agency

7. Why Are We Fascinated? What makes Open games so interesting? Best positioned to fulfill the core promise of videogames Old Hat, but interactivity is what makes our medium special, and interactivity is the focal point of Open Games Why Are Open GamesImportant?

8. Tandem Authorship

9. The Unpredictable Player Trained to Defy Direction Will always confound you Not, actually, a jerk.

10. Player-Designer Contract The Player is in Control

11. Player-Designer Contract The Player is in Control Stay Backstage

12. Player-Designer Contract The Player is in Control Stay Backstage Fulfill Expectations

13. Player-Designer Contract The Player is in Control Stay Backstage Fulfill Expectations Player Story > Designer Story

14. Setting Up For Fun

15. Environmental Techniques

16. Distant Landmarks

17. Nearby Landmarks

18. Point Lookout Video Introduction

20. Motion in Environment

21. Prior Knowledge

22. Don’t Forget Audio

24. Goals & Player Motivation Aim for the player to always have a goal

25. Goal Types Explicit Goals Player Determined Goals Emergent Goals Goals of Opportunity Out-of-Game Goals

26. Components of a Goal Perceived Risk/Reward Commitment Inherent Interest

27. Are We Powerless? No! Provide Interesting Goals For the Widest Possible Range of Player Interests

28. Deliberate Distraction A B Entertainment Yawn… Time

29. Deliberate Distraction X Z A B Y

30. Deliberate Distraction A B Y X Entertainment Time

31. Dealing With Empty Area “Just for Looks”

32. The Iconic Rope Bridge

33. Handling for Open Games

34. The Iconic Rope Bridge Handle Falling Hint: Killboxes Suck Build a Way Out of the Ravine Don’t abandon as Dead Area

35. Consolation Loot

36. Same Problem, New Scope POI Density

37. POI Density POI Options Time per POI Your Desired POI Density Vertical “Chunk” Estimate Extrapolate Against Time in Schedule

38. Fallout 3 Example: DC Neighborhoods

39. Fallout 3 Example: The Wasteland

41. Thank You