Administrative: “Create New Game” Project Apply the principles of Iterative Design –First run of games in class: March 28 th in class Short document describing: goal + operational rules (1-2 pages) Main point: bring a working prototype Class will be given a questionnaire evaluating the game Answered questionnaire will be returned to game designers (questions about meaningful play) Game designers modify game as they see fit

Administrative: “Design New Game” Project (2) Apply the principles of Iterative Design –Prototype deadline: Thursday, March 22 Class will be given a questionnaire evaluating the game Answered questionnaire will be returned to instructor (questions about meaningful play) –Final product deadline: Tuesday, April 23 Final working game –Document deadline: April 25 th in class (see next slide) –Announcement about final exam exemption: April 27 th (per )

Talking Points “Design New Game” Document Note: always justify your assertions by pointing to material from class/book Length: 5 pages Describe the game: what it does (operational rules, idea) Overall game: meaningful play? Game as system: –Explain the 4 elements (attributes, etc) for the game Interactivity –Map the anatomy of choice: answer the five questions for the game After thought: things you would have done differently

Final Thought “Design New Game” Avoid worst-case scenario: spending time on this project and still need to do Final Exam Start working on the two projects now  Reward: one less exam to worry about  And have fun creating your own game!

About Presentations on Special topics 15 minutes long (rehears it) I need to see it before hand –You can it to me Important: make sure to relate with topics covered in class

Rules for Digital Games (Ch. 13)

Key Question Are the rules of a digital game the same as the program that codes this game? Parts of the program that are unrelated to the rules of the game: “allocate” more memory for program Load a software library to build complex pieces of code “garbage collection” …

So what are the rules? Characteristics of rules in games Rules in any game exists on 3 related levels:  Rules limit player action What kinds of limitations for digital games?  Rules are explicit and unambiguous  Rule are shared by all players  Rules are fixed  Rules are binding can be enforced automatically  Rules are repeatable  Constitutive rules  Operational rules  Implicit rules Do these hold for digital games?

Example: Rules of Tetris Let us list the operational rules of Tetris –For this versionversion Keyboard  action are part of the game rules Randomness of next piece is an integral part of the rule design

Categories of Digital Games (from “Artificial Intelligence” perspective) Every player action has a single pre-determined outcome?  Yes: Deterministic  No: Chance Does the player has complete information about state of the game?  Yes: Perfect information  No: Imperfect information

Categories of Digital Games (from “Artificial Intelligence” perspective) Chutes and Ladders Perfect information Imperfect information Deterministic Chance Chess FPS Poker, Civilization

Example: Rules versus Non rules in Digital games Examples of “non rules” Background in Tetris Are visuals part of the operational rules?  Sometimes. For example: reflection allows you to see enemies behind you  Classical game were visuals are integral part of the rules?

Thief: Some Operational Rules Check the videovideo Factors influencing NPCs detection: –Lighting Your location Environment (torches) –Proximity to NPC –Line of view of NPC –Your movement Thus, visuals are an integral part of the operational rules for this game

Constitutive Rules for Digital Games Same as constitutive rules for non digital games –Why?  They concern with the game logic  Internal events (how choice is processed)  As opposed to external (how choice is represented) Lets think of the constitutive rules for a digital Chutes and Ladders with a non digital one. Any difference?

Operational Rules for Digital Games Include input devices (keyboard, etc) Lets think of the operational rules for a digital Chutes and Ladders Operational rules focuses on external events (how choice is represented) –Water reflection example

Implicit Rules for Digital Games Examples of implicit rules in digital games? –Or may there are none? Sure there are!. Here are some:  Move mouse  cursor moves  Playing the game won’t affect my computer!  …