No Stinking Badges: Better Lessons from Game Design

When badges ain’t enough

7 Lessons from Game Design

See notes: http://www.eleganthack.com/?p=3233

These are the wise people I learned from

Some I interviewed, some I read their books, some I watched their videos…

7 Lessons from game design

1.Find your North Star2.Player Types

3.Player Journey4.Know your mechanics

5.Aesthetics 6.Learn to Teach

7.Measure the f*ck out of everything

Find your North StarEvery project needs a goal that everyone agrees is worth doing.

What is a north star? It is the goal, the thing you are aiming for, and when you arrive, you can launch.http://www.boxesandarrows.com/view/building_a_vision_of_design_success,

FUNGame designers have an inherent North Star because they are building a game. It’s FUN. Game designers constantly ask “Is it fun yet” and if the answer is no, they don’t launch. And their team doesn’t launch. Even when it’s late late late. Because there is no point in launching an un-fun game.

The Player Should Have The Fun, Not

The Designer Or The Computer

From a Gamasutra Article “Analysis: Sid Meier's Key Design Lessons”

The algorithms were, of course, very fun to construct and interesting to discuss outside of the game. The players, however, felt left behind -- the computer was having all the fun -- so we cut the feature.

Game designers are very user centered. They have to be.

EmotionYour northstar is for the heart, not the head

So when you are working on your project, your northstar should be a strong emotion.

Brenda Braithwaite http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9Z-3mz3j6U&feature=BFa&list=PL8E8E672C0031DC3AWarning: this video will make you cry. It’s awesome. Watch 4:30-7:20

Design for An Emotion

Conversion is a crap north star

We have been designing in Black and White. There is a world of amazing emotions in technicolor just waiting

CONNECTIONacceptanceaffectionappreciationbelongingcooperationcommunicationclosenesscommunitycompanionshipcompassionconsiderationconsistencyempathyinclusionintimacylovemutualitynurturingrespect/self-respect

CONNECTION continuedsafetysecuritystabilitysupportto know and be knownto see and be seento understand and be understoodtrustwarmthPHYSICAL WELL-BEINGairfoodmovement/exerciserest/sleepsexual expressionsafetysheltertouchwater

HONESTYauthenticityintegritypresencePLAYjoyhumorPEACEbeautycommunioneaseequalityharmonyinspirationorderAUTONOMYchoicefreedomindependencespacespontaneity

MEANINGawarenesscelebration of lifechallengeclaritycompetenceconsciousnesscontributioncreativitydiscoveryefficacyeffectivenessgrowthhopelearningmourningparticipationpurposeself-expressionstimulationto matterunderstanding

Needs

(c) 2005 by Center for Nonviolent Communication Website: www.cnvc.org

We are often facile when discussing needs in wed design. If we tap deeper into basic needs, we can get moresatisfying products.

AFFECTIONATEcompassionatefriendlylovingopen heartedsympathetictenderwarm

ENGAGEDabsorbedalertcuriousengrossedenchantedentrancedfascinatedinterestedintriguedinvolvedspellboundstimulated

HOPEFULexpectantencouragedoptimistic

CONFIDENTempoweredopenproudsafesecure

EXCITEDamazedanimatedardentarousedastonisheddazzledeagerenergeticenthusiasticgiddyinvigoratedlivelypassionatesurprisedvibrant

GRATEFULappreciativemovedthankfultouched

INSPIREDamazedawedwonder

JOYFULamuseddelightedgladhappyjubilantpleasedtickled

EXHILARATEDblissfulecstaticelatedenthralledexuberantradiantrapturousthrilled

PEACEFULcalmclear headedcomfortablecenteredcontentequanimousfulfilledmellowquietrelaxedrelievedsatisfiedserenestilltranquiltrusting

REFRESHEDenlivenedrejuvenatedrenewedrestedrestoredrevived


We are limited in how we talk about emotion in Wed Design. We talk about delight, and frustration. But there are many more words we could be designing for…

AFRAIDapprehensivedreadforebodingfrightenedmistrustfulpanickedpetrifiedscaredsuspiciousterrifiedwaryworried

ANNOYEDaggravateddismayeddisgruntleddispleasedexasperatedfrustratedimpatientirritatedirkedCONFUSEDambivalentbaffledbewildereddazedhesitant

lostmystifiedperplexedpuzzledtorn

DISCONNECTEDalienatedaloofapatheticboredcolddetacheddistantdistractedindifferentnumbremoveduninterestedwithdrawn

EMBARRASSEDashamedchagrinedflusteredguiltymortifiedself-conscious

DISQUIETagitatedalarmeddiscombobulateddisconcerteddisturbedperturbedrattledrestlessshockedstartledsurprisedtroubledturbulentturmoiluncomfortableuneasyunnervedunsettledupset

YEARNINGenviousjealouslongingnostalgicpiningwistful

PAINagonyanguishedbereaveddevastatedgriefheartbrokenhurtlonelymiserableregretfulremorsefulSADdepresseddejecteddespairdespondentdisappointeddiscourageddisheartenedforlorngloomyheavy heartedhopelessmelancholyunhappywretched

TENSEanxiouscrankydistresseddistraughtedgyfidgetyfrazzledirritablejitterynervousoverwhelmedrestlessstressed out

VULNERABLEfragileguardedhelplessinsecureleeryreservedsensitiveshaky

AVERSIONanimosityappalledcontemptdisgusteddislikehatehorrifiedhostilerepulsed

FATIGUEbeatburnt outdepletedexhaustedlethargiclistlesstiredwearyworn out

ANGRYenragedfuriousincensedindignantiratelividoutragedresentful


As well, Game designers are much more comfortable with creating negative emotions than wed designers, whoMostly aim for “happy.” But as part of a sequence, a slight negative can increase a positive.

People find role playing cheesy, makes them self conscious. The game forces you into uncomfortable situations.

You take a situation and a pattern and match them up.. It might be a pattern you avoid because you aren’t good at it. And it creates much more teachable scenarios.

Dan Brown’s Communicating Design Game. Sometimes stress can teach.

aggravated

discouraged

incensed

perplexed

burnt out

invigorated

encouraged

serene

empowered

giddy

Design exercise: what could be made to create these emotions?

Well, I didn’t expect that.

Types vs Personas

Grace (62/ female/ widowed/ Little Rock, AR.)“I like playing my favorite games online, but if I can play with friends, well that’s even better!” Personal Background: Her husband has passed on. She has two grown kids, both of whom live far away. She misses the kids, but has a fairly large circle of friends that she spends time with. Technical Proficiency: Limited. Can use her browser and her email. MS Word confuses her, and she doesn’t like using it. Doesn’t know what an OS is. Tends to click yes if the browser prompts her to do anything, and will click wildly until things work.History with games: Plays crossword puzzles daily and saves them. Plays card games, PhotoJam, but is offended by South Park cartoons

Game’s opportunity: If Grace can be convinced to participate in community activities, she will become a loyal user of the site. She needs to be sheltered from the sick and twisted content, however.

2001

This is a classic persona my old company CarbonIQ made for a casual gaming site. It was useful. But….

Richard Bartle http://www.mud.co.uk/richard/hcds.htm Drawing: Frank Caron http://frankcaron.com

Understanding behavioral patterns in player types, and what features support the behavior desired is also useful.Maybe more useful.

4 Key Engagement Styles in Social GamingCompete

CollaborateExplore

Express

Copyright Amy Jo Kim

Amy Jo Kim has developed different player types that you find in Social Games. Each one has his or her own play style. Knowing these needs shapes the feature set and core loop.

The Core LoopAnd the Mechanics

This is a core loop for a very simple game. I’m actually shocked we don’t map this on other projects. Amazon’s is Seek, evaluate, buy.

Will Wright on Game Design: http://youtu.be/CdgQyq3hEPo Watch 30:27-33:27

Backyard Monsters takes the classic tower defense loop (build defense, get attacked, redo) and adds complexity by letting you also attack and build offensive as well as defensive tools.

Mechanics

Some of the more sleezy gamification gurus use this term as mind-control tricks. But really they are just what makes games tick.

Sometimes they are rules

Paper beats rock, rock beats scissors, scissors beats paper. The game of rock paper scissors lizard spock addsIn two more elements for added complexity. And nerdity.

Just in case you need it

http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts-apparel/unisex/generic/b597/

Sometimes they are constraints

A constraint is usually about resource management. How much energy/money/stuff you need.

Pinch

The pinch is the place where you run out of something. I.e. You run out of lives in the arcade, and you reach inyour pocked for a quarter. Or twelve.

Energy is a typical social game pinch. You can solve with money or with being “social” i.e. begging from friends.

In cityville, real estate is an excellent pinch. You could just buy more land, but you could also upgrade to better buildings, rearrange your items, or store something. More options + more fun play.

In Castleville the pinch is also part of the play. New land is shrouded in shadow, so you may discover new mysteries as you look to expand.

Sometimes they are manipulations

But it’s ok because I feel something?

Manipulation is tough. We go to the theater to be manipulated. We like a certain amount of orchestration of ourfeelings. But we sure don’t like being taken advantage of.

6 key principles of persuasion by Robert CialdiniReciprocity Social ProofCommitment and Consistency AuthorityLiking Scarcity

Name the persuasion techniques being used by these social games. Trust me, a little time on Facebook andyou can collect all six. And find a few new ones.

Progress

All game designers I’ve met talk about FTUE (first time user experience) and elder game at a minimum. Almostno web/app developer I speak with discusses these much if at all. Is a tutorial enough?

AcheivementsReward me

Short term:Actions taken successfully create mini-rewards in the form of doobers.

Zynga invented the “doobers” which is when something good happens you see an outflowing of stars or coins. It’s the equivalent of the slot machine flowing out, and very satisfying.

Leaderboards

There is a certain satisfaction in kicking a friends bum. However, if you have a place where not much social is happening, be sure to motivate me by making me beat my own high score. Not feel lonely.

Mastery

Moving from a novice to a master is why we play tennis, chess or even do things like knitting or woodworking. We humans love to know we are getting better at something.

Crafting in Castleville, and many other games is all about repetition. Is the user really feeling mastery here?

In Bubblewich saga, like many match-three games, it’s all about beating your own score as well as others. You can see and feel your improvement.

Stop, drop and rollYour own game

Chance

Narrative,

mechanics

Chits(characters)

Emotionsappreciativemovedthankfultouchedamazedawedwonderamuseddelightedgladhappyjubilantpleasedtickledblissfulecstaticelatedenthralledexuberant

This slide was up for the Design exercise. Everyone got dice, five index cards and a token.

Process

Classic waterfall. Even web people don’t like this anymore.

From Art of Game Design, by Jesse Schell. This his process diagram, and looks accurate to me. Game people often talk about “wandering in the wilderness”: the time while you are trying to achieve fun.

AestheticsThis ain’t flip this house

Make it pretty, make a profit. Often web and app design just slaps some pretty on it at the end.

Grace and Glory enemy concept designs by Yusuke Hashimoto. From the upcoming video game Bayonetta.

Concept design by Min Zhouhttp://minzhouportfolio.blogspot.com/

However, in game design the aesthetics are considered as much a part of the game as the mechanics and loop, and work is begun on exploring direction on day one… and this inspires the mechanics.

MeasurePretend you have OCD.

Playtestlike you mean it

Again, game designers seem way more user centered than most others. They don’t say “we’ll do two rounds of testing.” They’ll test over and over until fun arrives.

Sid Meir, Everything You Think You Know Is Wrong. Watch 18:40-23:53 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bY7aRJE-oOY&feature=BFa&list=PL8E8E672C0031DC3A

Learn how to teach

Most web app designers through learning into a quickie tutorial in the beginning. But game designers, focusedon mastery and that satisfaction weave it through the game.

Dance Central: you have to do the moves along with the dancer to earn points

Dance Central made learning the moves a key part of the game, not just a simple add on. You feel like you are really learning to dance.

AfterRelease the hounds of project management

Optimize, optimize, optimize. Determine key metrics, and watch them like a hawk. Measure everything, but knowwhat key metrics are your life blood. Test all assumptions.

Now Playtest!

This was the last design exercise. Users taught each other how to play their game.