1. F UNDAMENTALS OF G AME D ESIGN W HAT IS G AME D ESIGN ? Sayed Ahmed BSc. Eng. in CSc. & Eng. (BUET) MSc. in CSc. (U of Manitoba) http://sayed.justEtc.net http://www.justETC.net Just E.T.C for Business, Education, and Technology Solutionss www.JustEtc.net Just E.T.C sayed@justetc.net 1

2. C OURSE T ARGET You Will Be Introduced to Unreal Learn major elements of Game Design Learn major elements of game play Learn fundamental game design techniques Develop a game design Critically evaluate games from different genres Develop an understanding of the basic elements of game play Balancing Risk versus reward Engagement Document a game design using a game design document 2 Just E.T.C sayed@justetc.net

3. T ODAY ’ S C LASS Discuss What is a game Introduction to Unreal (Game Development Engine) Discuss the Elements of Game Play Character Development Storytelling and Narrative User Interfaces Game Play Core Mechanics Game Balancing Level Design Introduction to the Game Design Document Analyze a serious game in light of Game Design Document Brainstorm Game Design Ideas 3 Just E.T.C sayed@justetc.net

4. D EFINE GAME D ESIGN It’s a process that involves Imagining a game Define how it will work (the story, the interaction, the rules) Define the elements of the game Conceptual Functional Artistic Others…. Communicate the idea to the design team What does a game designer do? Perform all the above tasks 4 Just E.T.C sayed@justetc.net

5. D ESIGN A RTS OR S CIENCE Neither purely arts nor purely science The imagining of ideas and concepts, and making the game aesthetic belong to Arts However, to be a great game, the game also needs to function well. Though it’s not purely science but to implement the functionality, concepts from science and math are highly used Games are crafts with highest possible level of elegance 5 Just E.T.C sayed@justetc.net

6. A NATOMY OF G AME D ESIGN Game design is creative and imaginative where inherent talent also plays a very important role And hence, Game design cannot be represented as strict step by step procedure or rules or processes However, game design is not a random process either (knowingly or unknowingly). We may be able to identify some similarities (common/basic components/concepts/principles) in the successful games (may be genre dependent) And device some common principles that hopefully will lead to good game design Can work as guidelines for the novices (or checklist for the more experienced) 6 Just E.T.C sayed@justetc.net

7. K EY E LEMENTS OF G AMES As there is no perfect rule One way of seeing game design is Identifying common elements in a genre of games And Create games in that genre with similar elements but different story, or graphics goals Or find out the genre of your game concept, identify the common elements of that genre, compare, think, innovate. Make the game more interesting Your ideas, stories can be great but it also needs to have some of those common and useful elements Publishers usually do not go for the very innovative ideas but want the idea similar to a recent hit with some more twists The successful games are successful – there is a reason behind this 7 Just E.T.C sayed@justetc.net

8. K EY E LEMENTS OF G AME Common elements Rules of the game (your concept should have rules) The player’s role The challenges …. Two games can have many common elements but different settings, rules, strategies, and balancing Many games have the same/similar play mechanics but with different graphics Identifying common elements does not to encourage you to imitate/create cookie-cutter games but to ensure that all essential elements are covered 8 Just E.T.C sayed@justetc.net

9. G ROUND R ULES FOR G AME D ESIGN Game design can be broken in three specific area Core mechanics Storytelling Interactivity Core mechanics Storytelling All game has a story The game itself can be a story like princess of Persia The player can create the story (the way he plays and reaches the goal) Talk about Narrative and non – narrative No story, the player creates the story Linear narrative, non linear narrative 9 Just E.T.C sayed@justetc.net

10. I NTERACTIVITY Define how the interactivity will work Graphics Sounds User Interface Poor interactivity can ruin a game Wire wind for example Use right click, icon based menus, select options to proceed Interactivity includes the user interface as well Sonic the Hedgehog, and Mario 64 for Wii 10 Just E.T.C sayed@justetc.net

11. I MPORTANCE OF D ESIGN D OCUMENT All game companies now want a design document to be written The design document may not include all ideas but can write down the decisions Many ideas come from lunch meetings If a feature is not written down Someone has to create it on the fly Different team member may work to different goals 11 Just E.T.C sayed@justetc.net

12. T YPES OF D ESIGN D OCUMENTS High Concept (2-4) pages Game treatment (10-20 pages) Game script (50-200 pages) High Concept (2-4) pages Got a great game idea? Write a high concept document. Will be used to express the idea to the publishers to fund the game Covers Premise of the game Intended audience Genre 12 Just E.T.C sayed@justetc.net

13. G AME D ESIGN D OCUMENT Game Treatment Analysis of the Competition How your game is different A document to sale your game Some business and development details Game Script Bible of the game Game design decisions Creative, conceptual, and functional Does not include how the game will be implemented in software The design document may help you to play the games in paper – brainstorm, get feedbacks A cheaper way to evaluate the game 13 Just E.T.C sayed@justetc.net

14. D ESIGN D OCUMENT Design Document The design document defines the game concept as well as functional and technical specifics of the game. A design document consists of 3 parts: Game Concept Document Game Design Document Technical Design Document Game Design Document : Game Foundations (Game Features, The Essence of the Game play, Characters, Game play Elements, AI) User Interface (Navigational Chart, Functional Requirements, Objects of the User Interface) Graphics and Video (Graphics and Animations, Animated Insertions) Sounds and Music (General Description, Sound Effects, Music) Plot Level Description (The graph of the Positional Relationship of the Levels, Queue of the New Objects Implementation, General Level Design Description) Reference: http://digitalworlds.wordpress.com/2008/04/10/the-process- of-game-creation-the-game-design-document/ (Program Ace)http://digitalworlds.wordpress.com/2008/04/10/the-process- of-game-creation-the-game-design-document/ 14 Just E.T.C sayed@justetc.net

15. E LEMENTS OF G AME P LAY Character Development, Storytelling and Narrative, User Interfaces, Game play, Core Mechanics, Game Balancing, Level Design Introduction to the Game Design Document Activity: Analyze a serious game in light of a game design document – “ Project Moonwalk” Group discussion of Moonwalk Activity: Brainstorm Game design ideas, begin documentation 15 Just E.T.C sayed@justetc.net

16. S PONSOR Just E. T. C Technologies Inc. Just E.T.C Education Inc. (non-profit) http://www.justETC.net Online Store http://mall.justETC.net Recruiting Services http://jobs.justETC.net Free Training Videos, Articles on Programming and IT http://computer.justETC.net 16 Just E.T.C sayed@justetc.net

17. A NATOMY OF G AME D ESIGNER Requires both Talent Skill Skill Set Imagination Still if you do not have a talent for it, you can grow and improve (through exercise of imaginations) Forms of Imagination Visual and auditory Dramatic Good character plot, motivation, emotion, climaxes, and outcomes Conceptual Relationship between ideas, their interactions, and dependencies Basic knowledge of the technical capabilities of the platform 17 Just E.T.C sayed@justetc.net

18. A NATOMY OF G AME D ESIGNER Analytical Competence Able to recognize good part and bad part of a design. Self criticize and improve Take opinions, and process those opinions Mathematical Competence Some math concepts are essential Aesthetic Competence Writing Skills Technical Writing Fiction Writing Manual, Background Material, Character Description Dialog Writing Audio voice cover and cinematic materials 18 Just E.T.C sayed@justetc.net

19. A NATOMY OF G AME D ESIGNER Drawing Skills Ability to Compromise Consider customer or publisher interests and adjust Compromise to the limitation of the platform 19 Just E.T.C sayed@justetc.net

20. R EFERENCES Fundamentals of Game Design, 2nd Edition, Ernest Adams, Prentice Hall, 2006, ISBN-10: 0131687476. ISBN-13: 978-0131687479 http://computer.justetc.net 20 Just E.T.C sayed@justetc.net

21. F UNDAMENTALS OF G AME D ESIGN U NREAL AND M AYA Sayed Ahmed BSc. Eng. in CSc. & Eng. MSc. in CSc. http://sayed.justetc.net http://www.justETC.net Presented at the University of Winnipeg Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada By Just E.T.C www.JustEtc.nets Just E.T.C sayed@justetc.net 21

22. U NREAL G AME E NGINE (UDK) Reference: Basics, creating a scene http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8eJUYMKvUo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8eJUYMKvUo Adding Objects/Items to the scene http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqVPQ5S_Au 0&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqVPQ5S_Au 0&feature=related 22 Just E.T.C sayed@justetc.net

23. V IDEO T UTORIALS http://udn.epicgames.com/Three/VideoTutorials.html User Interfaces All Content Browsers Import external objects View Port Options Sound Effects Use existing sound waves Use Existing Sound Cues Create new sound waves/cues Physics Whatever is shown in the class UI Scenes Convert UI elements and add game play Import external objects and add properties 23 Just E.T.C sayed@justetc.net

24. C REATE AND U SE E XISTING M AP F ILES Create http://www.fileplanet.com/209254/download/UDK- Tutorial---First-Map-Creation http://www.fileplanet.com/209254/download/UDK- Tutorial---First-Map-Creation 24 Just E.T.C sayed@justetc.net

25. R ESOURCES http://udk.com/documentation 25 Just E.T.C sayed@justetc.net

26. G AME D ESIGN AND D EVELOPMENT C AREER Inside EA: http://www.youtube.com/user/InsideEA EA Game Design Career Paths http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvPZ8xG4LlQ Mum, Dad, I want to be a Game Designer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiQcANX3NN E&feature=relmfu http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiQcANX3NN E&feature=relmfu EA QA (Games Tester) Career Paths http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foyEgHHBcI4 &feature=relmfu http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foyEgHHBcI4 &feature=relmfu EA Programming Career Paths http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Eo2ikmbRE o&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Eo2ikmbRE o&feature=related 26 Just E.T.C sayed@justetc.net