This class is focused on understanding interest curves now that we have a firm understanding around interesting moments.

1. Level Design
Experience Architecture – Sept. 18, 2012
Fall 2012
Seth Sivak

2. Summary
Interest Curves
Three Act Structure
Experience Examples
Multiple Interest Curves
Portal
Diablo 2
Manipulating the Curve

3. Interest Curves
Jesse Schell
Art of Game Design
ACM Paper

4. Interest Curve
The quality of an
entertainment experience is
determined by how well the
sequence of events is able to
hold the interest of the
audience.

5. Interest
Inherent Interest
Poetry of Presentation
Psychological Proximity

6. Inherent Interest
Risky
Extraordinary
New
Rare

7. Inherent Interest
Depends on the audience
Fluctuates over time

8. Poetry of Presentation
Beautiful Art
Clean Organization
Consistency of Theme
Elegant Simplicity

9. Psychological Proximity

10. Tetris

11. Good Interest Curve

12. Bad Interest Curve

13. Three Act Structure

14. Three Act Structure

15. Experience Examples
Pacman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uswzriFIf_k

16. Break

17. Experience Examples
Test Chamber 18
Portal 1
Episodic Experiences

18. Repeated Interest

19. Multiple Interest Curves
Portal
Avatar/World/Setting
Story
Gameplay
Diablo 2
Avatar/World/Setting
Story
Gameplay
Social
Investment

20. Manipulating the Curve
Increase Tension
Force ending (time)
Ramp difficulty
Add Downtime
Allow for break between high points
Increase Interest
Add story or a new mechanic
Add high risk vs. reward
Add Difficulty

21. Add Downtime
http://youtu.be/9m2am6cF5aM?t=9m55s