SiSSYFiGHT 3000

Overview SiSSYFiGHT simulates a playground fight between school children.

Overview Each kid begins with 10 Self-Esteem chips … and the goal of the game is to reduce your opponents’ self-esteem to ZERO!

Overview When there are only one or two players left with any self-esteem, they win the game!

Setup

Each Round:

1.Choose action and target card in secret. You can plot and scheme with other players, but your final choice must be secret. All communication must be public.

Each Round: 1.Choose action and target card in secret. 2.Everyone Reveals

Each Round: 1.Choose action and target card in secret. 2.Everyone Reveals 3.Resolve all actions.

Solo Your target discards one chip.

Team If someone teams up with you, each Team card forces the target to discard two chips…

Team … but, if no one else played a “Team” with your target, there’s no effect. If someone teams up with you, each Team card forces the target to discard two chips…

Defend Always play with “No Target” Lose half as many chips as you would have: 1  0 2  1 3  1 4  2 etc. If no one targets you, lose 1 chip.

Game End ● When you run out of chips, you’re out. ● When one or two people are left, they win.

Play until 11:00 ● Put the cards back in the box when you’re done

General Observations About Sissyfight?

What’s fun about SiSSYFiGHT? ● What kinds of fun did you experience? ● Can we get more specific than “fun?”

What’s fun about SiSSYFiGHT? ● What kinds of fun did you experience? ● Can we get more specific than “fun?” ● Intrigue: Negotiation, Cooperation, Betrayal ● Challenge: Tactics, Problem Solving ● Drama: Narrative Arc

How do we get from… Cards Chips Rules

To… Intrigue Challenge Drama Cards Chips Rules

What’s missing? “Rules”“Fun”

The causal link… This is what sets games apart… “Rules”“Fun”

Games As Software “Rules”“Fun” “Activity” CodeRequirements Process

A Design Vocabulary “Fun” “Activity” Requirements Process Mechanics

A Design Vocabulary “Fun” Requirements Mechanics Dynamics

A Design Vocabulary Mechanics Dynamics Aesthetics

The MDA Framework Mechanics Dynamics Aesthetics

Definitions ● Mechanics: The rules, concepts and materials that formally specify the game-as-system. ● Dynamics: The run-time behavior of the game- as-system. ● Aesthetics: The desirable emotional responses evoked by the game dynamics.

The Designer/Player Relationship   Designer Player MechanicsAestheticsDynamics

 Player MechanicsAestheticsDynamics The Player’s Perspective

The Designer’s Perspective  Designer MechanicsAestheticsDynamics

MDA ● A “Taxonomy” of Design Knowledge ● Aesthetics ● Dynamics ● Mechanics ● …and the interactions between them.

Aesthetics of SiSSYFiGHT ● Fellowship: Negotiation, Cooperation, Betrayal ● Challenge: Tactics, Problem Solving ● Narrative: Drama

Mechanics of SiSSYFiGHT ● Turn-based ● Hit Points ● Public Communication ● Simultaneous Action

Dynamics of SiSSYFIGHT EqualityScourge Competition, Random Attacks Cooperation, Team Attacks

SiSSYFiGHT Fiction ● Does SiSSYFiGHT do a good job of conveying its subject matter? ● How can it do better?

SiSSYFiGHT Fiction What other fictional genre or subject matter could the mechanics of SiSSYFiGHT simulate?

Exercise ● Choose a fictional genre and/or setting that might fit this game. ● Adapt the game to your chosen subject matter. ● Keep in mind the aesthetic qualities we identified in the breakdown. ● How can the rules of the game be changed to best support your fiction?

Brainstorming ● Everyone Grab a Sticky Pad

When I Say “Go…” 1. You will have 90 seconds. 2. Write down as many subject matter ideas as you can. 3. One to a sticky note. 4. Keep it Short ( 5 words) 5. No idea is too dumb. 6. Work in silence.

Ready? ● Go!

Pens Down! With your group: ● Get on your feet! ● Find some wall space ● Stick your ideas to the wall ● Put like ideas together ● Look for critical mass ● Narrow down a fiction to work on.

Fill Out the Template ● Everyone on the team should fill it out the SAME way. ● Fill one out as a team, then everyone copies. ● Cut it into cards for testing. ● Once you’ve played the skinned version, go to lunch.

Lunch ● Sign up for electives on gdc.8kindsoffun.com or tinyurl.com/gdc-mda ● Continue work at 1:30

Exercise: ● You’ve chosen a setting or fiction for SiSSYFiGHT. ● You’ve played a “skinned” version of the game. ● Now go deeper, look for rules changes that will support your theme. Work until 2:45

Beta Test at 3:00 ● Make sure your rules are written down.

Beta Test ● Send 2 team members to another table as beta testers. ● Test until 3:20

Discussion ● Let’s compare solutions. What different approaches did we take? 3:35

The Message Game dynamics have emergent meaning. This can harmonize with your subject matter, or clash with it. We often desire harmony, but not always.

Any Final Observations? 3:40

The MDA Framework Mechanics Dynamics Aesthetics

Understanding Aesthetics ● We need to get past words like “fun” and “gameplay.” ● What kinds of “fun” are there?

Eight Kinds of “Fun”

● Sensation Game as sensory experience.

Eight Kinds of “Fun” ● Sensation ● Fantasy Game as make-believe

Eight Kinds of “Fun” ● Sensation ● Fantasy ● Narrative Game as unfolding story

Eight Kinds of “Fun” ● Sensation ● Fantasy ● Narrative ● Challenge Game as obstacle course

Eight Kinds of “Fun” ● Sensation ● Fantasy ● Narrative ● Challenge ● Fellowship Game as social framework

Eight Kinds of “Fun” ● Sensation ● Fantasy ● Narrative ● Challenge ● Fellowship ● Discovery Game as uncharted territory

Eight Kinds of “Fun” ● Sensation ● Fantasy ● Narrative ● Challenge ● Fellowship ● Discovery ● Expression Game as soap box

Eight Kinds of “Fun” ● Sensation ● Fantasy ● Narrative ● Challenge ● Fellowship ● Discovery ● Expression ● Submission Game as mindless pastime

Charades is “fun” Team Fortress is “fun” Final Fantasy is “fun” Each game pursues multiple aesthetics. No Grand Unified Theory. Clarifying Our Aesthetics

Charades is Fellowship, Expression, Challenge Team Fortress is Competition, Schadenfreude, Challenge, Sensation, Fantasy Final Fantasy is Fantasy, Narrative, Expression, Discovery, Challenge, Masochism Each game pursues multiple aesthetics. No Grand Unified Theory. Clarifying Our Aesthetics

Clarifying Our Goals ● As designers, we can choose certain aesthetics as goals for our game design. ● We need more than a one-word definition of our goals.

More on Aesthetics Check out: Extra Credits – Aesthetics of Play

See Also: Nicole Lazzaro

See Also: Jason VandenBerghe N ovelty C hallenge S timulation H armony T hreat

See Also: Jamie Madigan, et al.

A Few Words on Dynamics ● We can use abstract models to explain and predict game behaviors.

Example: The “Scourge Factor” SissyFight Is Someone Winning? Let’s gang up!Team Attack!

Model: Feedback Loop STATE Measure DecideAct

An Ideal Thermostat Room Too Cold Too Hot Thermometer Controller Cooler Heater These Models are Well Understood

MDA in SiSSYFiGHT Simultaneous turns + attack actions 

MDA in SiSSYFiGHT Simultaneous turns + attack actions  EqualityScourge Competition, Random Attacks Cooperation, Team Attacks

MDA in SiSSYFiGHT Simultaneous turns + attack actions  EqualityScourge Competition, Random Attacks Cooperation, Team Attacks  Betrayal!

Short Break Go to your Elective A room at 4:05 ● Denouement: 236 ● Emotional Investment: 224 ● Card Wars: 220