AFT713-FUNDAMENTAL OF GAME DESIGN
Fundamental of Game Design Element and its
principle

Why do you talk about so many old games ?
They are simpler and illustrate one principle clearly. Ex - Monopoly game ?

“Why do you talk about non video games ?

Reality A GAME IS GAME :
Fundamental are same
1.Either is video game, card game, sports game
2.Its all about entertaining people through PLAY.
3.SO a professional game designer should able to make
either card game or video game ,sports game
4.Today we will concentrate on video game
5.Example Monopoly and chess game are world wide well
known

Why we are not talk about
Character Design
Creative Play
Genre
Emotion
Commercials Issue
Planning and Pre-production
Tools and Testing
Designing for modders (Mod-video gaming)
( Modding is a slang expression that is derived from the verb "modify". Modding refers to the act
of modifying hardware, software, or virtually anything else, to perform a function not originally
conceived or intended by the designer, or achieve a bespoke specification)
Monetization
Gamification

We will not talk about software, technology ,Engine
We will only talk about only gaming and entertaining part of game

What is game ?
Game have four key elements
PLAY -RULES –GOALS – THE MAGIC CIRCLE
 Play, non essential usually recreational activity
Competitive play-: overcoming challenge , defeating opponent
(Competitive Play is one of Over watch's game modes that can be accessed from
the Play menu).
Creative play-: construction and self –expression Ex –
(Creative play definition is - children's play (as modeling or painting) that tends to
satisfy the need for self-expression as well as to develop manual skills Ex – Mine Craft).
Social play-: role playing and interacting with others
All these games are single player means Player verses Machine

What is game ?
Game have four key elements
PLAY -RULES –GOALS – THE MAGIC CIRCLE
 RULES- that define how game is played
•In video rules are implicit and enforced by the software.
GOALS to be achieved in victory condition
•Not all video games are game in the formal sense
THE MAGIC CIRCLE-a social mental space created by pretending
•Pretending creates suspension of disbelief, also called immersion
which is common to all fictional form of entertainment.
•Games are different from other form of entertainment and may have
multiple end .
• While Participatory books and movies are presentational and have one end

HOW VIDEO GAME ENTERTAIN ?
Game Play- Challenges and achievement
Aesthetic – Visual and auditory style
Story telling – Character to be care about.
Exploration – Moving through unfamiliar space
Novelty- New thing to do , see and hear
Progression- Growth in many forms
Risk and Reward-Fear of Loss and Hope of gain
Learning - Understanding and mastering
Creativity- Making and sharing things
Role Playing- Wearing a mask and acting a part.
Socializing- Interacting with other people

FUNDAMENTAL PART OF VIDEO GAME
PLAYERS
USER
INTERFACE
CODE
MECHANICS
Input Actions
Output Challenges
( INTRACTION LOOP OF PLAY )
PLAYER-Play the game
Senses outputs ,thinks and acts , generate inputs
User Interface –Presents the game to the player
Converts challenge into outputs and converts input into actions
Core Mechanics –Implement the rules and game AI
Generate the challenges and compute the effects of action

WHAT IS GAME DESIGN ?
Imagine the game
Ideas, story ,fun,
Defining ,how it works
Core Mechanics(game play , victory condition, internal process
Use Interface(Inputs and Outputs)
Describe the Elements that make it up.
Conceptual, functional, visual, auditory etc
Transmitting the information to others.
Either is big team or small team
Design is craft ,not an pure art or pure science
Design has pleasant aesthetic and functional elements

To Full Fill Dream ,Understand the Role
Large Video games exists to full fill the dream.
Dream of power ,achievement , creativity , beauty, approval…
Ask first ,Does the player dream of doing?
Understand the action at the heart of role
Which are fun (include them), which are not fun(Omit them) ?
Only then think about the character, story ,setting, art style etc
Games can offer more then one role, example Sports game
ex Athlete ,coach, general manager, striker, goelie
If you cant describe the player role clearly
The Player might not understand
The Marketing department definitely won’t understand.

Game play
There have been many effort to define it
My Definition : game play= challenges + actions
Challenges is the goal of the game
This include immediate goals and the overall goal or victory condition
Must have one or more action that overcome them
Actions : the verbs of the game , the player options
(what the player is going to do)
Actions are assigned to input devices and menus
Some action are unrelated to challenges
Creative play action, customization ,chatting ,saving the game etc

Hierarchy of challenges Win The
GAME
Complete
level1
Complete
level2
g
ion
3.Defeat Level
Boss Mission
2.Distroy
Object Mission
Bargain
Successfully
Solve
Puzzle
Defeat
Level
Boss
Solve
Puzzle
Win
Fight
Destroy
object
Win Big
Fight
1.Win Big
Fight Mission
3.Defeat Level
Boss Mission
2.Distroy
Object Mission
Bargain
Successfully
Solve
Puzzle
D
L
B
Solve
Puzzle
Win
Fight
Destroy
object
Win Big
Fight
Find
Item
Win
Fight
Lowest level of challenges are called ATOMIC CHALLENGES
Cannot break into smaller challenges
Each new have one or more action that overcome it

Game play Modes
Most game offer only subset of their game play at any one time .
Each subset is game play mode
Most video games have 4-5 modes ; some have dozens
A game play mode is characterized by :
A camera model (explained later)
An interaction model (explained later)
Game play that is available in that mode
Whenever any of these changes significantly ,it’s probably a new
mode
But the definition is not rigorous
Does the player sense that something has changed?

PLAYERS
INTRACTION
MODEL CODE
MECHANICS
Input
Actions
Output Challenges
CAMERA
MODEL
GAME PLAYUSER INTERFACE

INTRACTION MODEL
How the player interacts with game world.
Two traditional model are
Avatar based
A character or object that represent the player
Player affects the game world through Avatar
Shooter platform and driving games
Omnipresent
Player can act many places in the world

CAMERA MODEL (Perspective)
Most all game stimulate in physical space
Virtual camera looks at that space
oFirst person used with avatar based interaction model
First person shooters e.g. Half life
oThird person –i.e. over the shoulder , avatar based
Tom Raider ,modern era Mario
oSide scrolling ,top scrolling , fixed –varies
Super Nintendo Mario ,Pac-Man
oAerial (isometric , top down etc)-omnipresent
Sim City , Starcraft , FIFA- Soccer
oContext Sensitive –varies
Resider, Silent Hill

Perspective
Isometric
Interaction
Model:
Omnipresent
Game Play
Strategic

Perspective
Isometric
Interaction
Model:
Omnipresent
Game Play
Strategic

Perspective
Isometric
Interaction
Model:
Omnipresent
Game Play
Strategic

Perspective
Isometric
Interaction
Model:
Omnipresent
Game Play
Strategic

Perspective
First person
Interaction
Model:
Avatar based
Game Play
Tactical

Game Structure
The Relation ship among game play mode
Some mode are entered by player action
E.g. Going to strategy menu in sports game
Some mode are entered automatically
E.g. Going into penalty kick mode in soccer game
Create a flow board to design the structure.


Core Mechanics
The Core mechanics are rules of algorithm form
They implement internal economy of the game
Internal economy govern the behavior of numeric quantities(
money ,points , health etc.)
Most game have internal economy
Exception : adventure game ,puzzle game
•They don’t use number much
Economy of first person shooter
Resource :ammunition , hit points ,Enemies
Source: found clips, medical kits , spawn points
Drains: firing weapon , being hit by enemy ,death
You have the game adjusting them

The Settlers III : 26 different Resources

P RO G R ES S I O N

BALANCE
Different meaning in different types of game
FAIR –In a player v/s player (multiplayer game) All player must have equal chance
of winning at the start
Appropriately challenging – a player v/s environment (single player ) game must
neither too hard or too easy
It is good design practice to offer multiple difficulty level
It is hard to create multiple levels of symbolic relationship and so on..
Puzzle based and adventure game are difficult to balance
Winnable : the game must end some time.
Symmetry : everyone start the same, plays the same
Simplest way to balance PvP game
Chess , monopoly , draughts
Asymmetry :Player starts and play by different rule
Hard to balance , more interesting to play
Most of game are asymmetric.

Positive Feedback
Positive feedback occurs when a resources add the same process that
produce the resources
In games it occurs if an achievement make the next achievement
easier.
MONOPOLY is classical
example
Positive feedback prevent
stalemate
It must not give too much
advantage to the player in
lead
EARNS
REWARDSACHEVEMENTS
POWERS

Balance Graph : Sprint Foot race
A
B
NO POSITIVE FEEDBACK

Unfair ie. Unbalanced Game
A
B
If A and B have equal skill ,B has unfair advantage
(CHANCE PLAYS TOO LARGE A ROLE)

Stalemate
A
B
If A and B have equal skill ,Then Too little Positive Feedback

Game is Balanced but too short
A
B
If A and B have equal skill ,Then Too much Positive Feedback

Wild Swing in the Lead
A
B
If A and B have equal skill ,Then effect of powerful negative Feedback

Ideal Game Progression
A
B
If A and B have equal skill ,Then lead changes hand but better player wins in end

C H A L L E NG ES

CHALLENGES
Physical Coordination challenges
Speed and reaction time(Twitch games)
Accuracy and precision (Steering and shooting)
Timing and Rhythm (dance game)
Learning Special move (fighting game)
Logical Challenges (Puzzle game)
Should be based on underlying principle
Trial and error solution is a sign of bad design
Pattern recognition
Relationship among thing or pattern or behavior
Races and Time Pressure
Doing something before someone else does
Beating the clock

CHALLENGES
Factual Knowledge challenges
Found in trivia games
In all other game types, all factual knowledge should be available
inside the game
Memory challenges
Testing the player’s ability to remember something
Player can cheat by taking notes
List of time table for them to see the information.
Exploration Challenges
Locked doors and traps
Mazes and illogical or complicated, spaces
Teleporters

CHALLENGES
Conflict Challenges
Strategy ,tactic and logistic ( food, ammo)
In war games we usually abstract out logistics to reduce the burden
on the player
Survival and reduction of enemy forces
Defending vulnerable items or units
Stealth (can beat directly or indirectly)
Economic Challenges
Accumulating wealth and points
Efficient manufacturing
Achieving balance or stability in a system
Caring of living thing within a system

CHALLENGES
Lateral Thinking and Conceptual Reasoning
Understanding something new
Observation , interpretation , deduction
Match the related words : detecting games
Requires common senses or familiarity with subject

USER INTERFACE DESIGN

Things the Player Need to know
Where am I ?
What am I doing ?
What challenge am I facing ?
Did my choice of action succeed or fail ?
This is called feedback and is critically important
Not the same as positive feedback in mechanics
Do I have what I need to play successfully ?
Am in danger of losing the game ?
Am I making progress toward victory ?
User interface also provide emotional rewards

Indicators
Show the internal value the player need to know.
Graphics : display data on beside the main view
Audio : Pitch, volume, beat frequency
Indicator Type :
Binary : on /off , Present/ Absent , grayed out
Multi state
Traffic light shows 1 or 3 possibilities at a time
Numeric
Don’t display raw digits unless you have to.
Multi dimensional value
X, Y Position on map, color +Position ; color + size
Don’t display the data the player can already see by looking at
the game

How UI Element provide information ?
Where am I ?
Main view if game world
Maps or mini- map or radar screens
Environment sound
What am I doing ?
View of avatar , Units or other interaction mechanism
Audio feed back as buttons are pressed
What challenges am I facing ?
View of enemies , puzzles or other obstacles.
Audible sound of threats (if any )
Did my choice of action succeed or fail ?
Animation or indicators showing the result of my actions
Audio feedback indication indicate what happened ?(explosion)

How UI Element provide information ?
Where am I ?
Main view if game world
Maps or mini- map or radar screens
Environment sound
What am I doing ?
View of avatar , Units or other interaction mechanism
Audio feed back as buttons are pressed
What challenges am I facing ?
View of enemies , puzzles or other obstacles.
Audible sound of threats (if any )
Did my choice of action succeed or fail ?
Animation or indicators showing the result of my actions
Audio feedback indication indicate what happened ?(explosion)

How UI Element provide information ?
Do I have what I need to play successfully ?
Inventory
Indicators for :
Ammo, money, power-ups , spells, other resources, etc.
Am I in danger of losing the game ?
Indicators for life ,health , power , time left
Audio feedback : heartbeat ,warning signals
Am I making progress toward victory ?
Indicators for score, completion percentage ,Check points
Emotional rewards
Congratulation ,special animation ,special sound

C O N S T R U C T I N G T H E FA N TA S Y WO R L D S

Game Setting
The setting is fictional component of magic circle,
pretended world
It contribute the immersion and fantasy.
If the game play is absorbing enough , a setting is not needed
Chess and deal match FPS player ignore it
Video game setting have many dimension like physical,
temporal, environmental , esthetical , realism ,abstract v/s
representational game

D I M E N T I O N

THE PHYSICAL DIMENTION
TEMPORAL DIMENTION
ENVIRONMENTAL DIMENTION
EMOTIONAL DIMENTION
ETHICAL DIMENTION
REALISM
ABSTRACT GAME
REPRESENTATIONAL GAME

PHYSICAL DIMENTION
Dimensionality
2D, 2.5 D (layer 2D) ,3 D
Scale
How big is the world ?
How big are the things relative to each other ?
Boundaries
What happened at the edge of the world ?
Law of Physics
Literal, adjusted for game play or totally Bogus ?
Literal seldom works except in vehicle Sims because in other
games the controller mechanism are poor analogies for real
world

TEMPORAL DIMENTION
Is the time meaningful to the game ?
What happens if the player put down the controller ?
Time can merely cosmetics
Sun goes up and down , but the play does not change
Variable time
In the Sims , time speed up while people sleep
Analogous Time
Time goes faster for something than others.
Player adjustable time
Speed up and slow down : often seen in fight simulators
Reverse time : prince of Persia :sans of time

ENVIRONMENTAL DIMENTION
Natural surrounding
Landscape , flora , fauna ,weather
Man made surrounding
Building , vehicles ,clothing ,weapons ,furniture ,art etc
These are influenced by the culture of the world
Beliefs ,values ,social ,governmental and economic system , family
structure ,key ceremonies and rituals ,history
Level of Details
What the player can see and interact with ?
Visual and Auditory Style ( Music , Sound )
These attribute strongly maintain to tone and mood

Underlying Style v/s Style of Depiction
Depiction is stylistic filter through which view underlying style.
Clip art depiction of classical Taj MahaUnderlying style – Taj Mahal

EMOTIONAL DIMENTION
What is emotional tone of the world ?
What do you want to make player feel ?
Most game are not emotional subtle.
Emotion related “yahoo” or “damn”
Consider other also:
Jealousy ,grief ,anger ,greed ,ambition
MMORPGs are good at this because they are social.
How will you inspire these emotions ?
These questions skill test you as dramatist.

ETHICAL DIMENTION
With passive entertainment (books , film, TV )
Viewers can use their own moral judgment.
With interactive entertainment (games)
We give the player a moral compass.
Action that lead to victory are defined as good
Player must conform their morality to win
They can’t win at Call of Duty by being a pacifist.
You must make the game’s ethical system clear.
A game gets into political trouble when:
It looks like a real world but its ethics do not.
Its OK to kill aliens and robot realistically.
Its also OK to kill people unrealistic.

DEFCON
SOLDERS
OF FORTUNE

Abstract v/s Representational
Realism is the misnomer
No game is truly realistic
All have compromise and simplification.
Abstract Game (e.g. Packman)
Take place in unfamiliar world.
 Can have a arbitrary rule
Representational game (e.g. flight Sims )
Present the world the player is familiar with.
Except player to use some common senses
Must avoid conceptual non-sequiturs
No of medical kits hidden in oil tank.

P O RT FO L I O
• http://www.dankennygamedesign.com/legends-of-
dorin.html
• http://www.designersnotebook.com/