Art Behind Video Game Development @mattrac - Tumblr Blog

Scripting and AI

This week in class we watch a GDC video that was very interesting. The topic was on as the title of this blog describes: AI with scripts. Scripts are code just done in a different way. They can be domain specific or simply a language needed to get your job done. When scripting you should always implement a robust system compared to a brittle system.

Taking scripting and implementing it as architecture is great and saves months of development time. I would know this as for the game I am currently working on it took a bit to set everything up but now because it’s done, things are being developed at a much faster rate. When listening to the speaker there was one thing that I think is important that he said. At sputnik their strategy is to have script at the pillar/ main support of the whole engine. Because the engine uses the component object model the components can be implemented in both script (ie lua) and in c++. Script is the glue of the whole engine.

Scripts can be divided into 3 parts: component scripts, system scripts, data scripts. Component scripts are the middle ground between one action and the output you’re trying to get. Component scripts tend to be grouped together in a ‘soup’ where as the project is being developed some things may be moved from script to code and vice versa. System scripts are organized boids in groups that can be accessed easily by the system. Finally there are data scripts. These scripts need to save the states of the scripts, drive the system and finally define a structure for both.

The greatest advantage of scripting is the fact that it integrates both programmers and designers in the development process. Scripting is much easier to understand and do therefore it can include designers and allow them to implement the game as intended. At sputnik they have the engineers create the initial framework and complete final implementation whereas the designer does the initial implementation and the final buy-off processes. But of course the big difference between code and script is that code is the technology you plan to keep for a long time and scripts make the game unique and awesome.

So now you might as what is DSL? First of all it stands for Domain-specific Language and are designed to work and solve specific issues/problems that are occurring. DSL’s can look different from one project to the next; it is all dependant on the programmer and the needs that need to be fulfilled. DSL’s should be used for AI because code is clean, bugs are minimized and you can maximize productivity.

DSL’s are good because it separates the game from c++ code and is accessible to designer and less likely to cause severe bugs. DSL’s can be implemented in an easy way and does not need to be complex. I never thought of it but as a student in previous years we created our own DSL’s in a way it was easy for us to understand and allowed everyone on the team to work productively. DSL’s remove all the complicated stuff and strip code syntax to a simple format.

To conclude scripting and using DSL’s are very good and important to use. They expand the team and allow simple AI functionality to but done outside of c++ code. As a long as syntax is clean and understandable it’s a win-win for everyone!

#i3110 #UOITGameDev #Engines

Nav Meshes and Insomniac Games

In class we discuss the concepts of navigation meshes and went into further detail of their implementation. Navigation meshes is a simplified geometry layout of the level or environment created that is used in games for AI movement. The mesh created gives paths the AI can follow and is done using the A* algorithm. Navigation meshes a very useful because it reduces the cost it takes for an AI character to move. There is no need to use high detailed geometry to create a path for the characters because low detailed mesh does the exact same job and is much faster for the system to compute the movement. A nav mesh contains the necessary information needed for the AI in your games to move the character in all types of environments.

Now you may ask yourself how do you generate a nav mesh. Well there are multiples ways of doing it. The first ways is modelling a low detailed level and create points within your level that indicate where the AI can go but that is time consuming. Another way you can create a nav mesh is through the use of a tool called Recast. Recast is a navigation mesh tool that generates a mesh for you and all you need to do is load your scene in and create your paths. Recast is such a useful tool that the developers at Insomniac games started using it for their games.

Insomniac Games

Video games AI typically navigate through target scanning, threat perception and spawn locations. The AI generally move using A* algorithm. At Insomniac games they have set up their AI into a hierarchy. Over time they have developed their navigation systems, upgrading and changing old systems to better AI in their games.

In Ratchet and Clank: Deadlocked for the PS2 they used a way-volume representation of navigation made by the designers. The whole idea around this is each square’s volume would represent the node in a graph in which the AI can move to using A*.

This was good but with the new PS3 released they were able to upgrade their navigation to make it even better. Now at this point they had released Resistance: Fall of Man and the designer laid a nav mesh in maya. Essentially it was a mesh overtop of a level/object mesh in which the AI could move. This was good but it had its issues such as ppu bottlenecking. This bottlenecking limited the amount of AI navigating and required a special PS3 launch production cycle to work.

In resistance 2 they wanted to fix the issues they were getting from the first game. This time around they took the navigation meshes they had made and clustered them into groups. This way they were capable of parameterizing path-queries and group them together. It allowed them to use the ps3’s SPU to find a point in the mesh, find the path the object would take to get to the point, plan obstacle processing and finally assemble the routines.

Now to fix AI movement around corners they used a modified path smoothing technique. This was done used a Bezier curve to bend the point as the object approached a corner.

After Resistance 2 they had added additional functionality to their AI system that would make their system more robust. In this update they added the capability of custom links. These ‘custom links’ allowed the AI to jump, use ladders, tunnels, teleport etc. With this addition they had to strip out there traditional approach because it didn’t fit well with A* or smoothing. That being said their new approach was using custom clue boxes. These boxes would give the AI an idea of where to move and it fit nice with their system. With this new approach they also swapped out their old nav meshes with a new layout tool called RECAST. When using recast though they had to make adjustments to the tool because of some slight issues where there would be areas with undesired nav-meshes. This was their modification:

To conclude the progression of AI has increased a lot. AI used to simple just be able to move in straight lines and now we have managed to get them to do all these amazing things that just increase the player’s overall gaming experience. Insomniac games definitely have taken AI to a whole new level and is shaping the way AI is and will be looked at for a long time.

#i3110 #UOITGameDev #Engines

AI In Games

So what is artificial intelligence? In video games Artificial Intelligence is the illusion of intelligence a non-player character has. As humans we would like to emulate real human behaviors visually on screen in games. We would like to see NPC’s and enemies have decision making abilities to give them more life but it is not as easy as it seems. That being said when created AI we need to strip everything down and create rules which the non-player characters can follow. This can help amplify the illusion of those characters being intelligent.

Typically there are 2 types of AI. The first one being traditional is done where everything is solved with logic. The character will sense, plan then act. All of these are a list of actions that will occur and allows the AI to act upon them. The second one is what modern games use today. That is Game AI. Game AI removes the sophisticated planning as planning leads to scripted events that the character just follows and what we are looking for is for the character to be as realistic as possible. That being said in modern games the basic needs that are covered are:

Ability to move characters

Ability to make decisions about where/how to move

Ability to think tactically or strategically

These are very important to Game AI because if done correctly it gives the player the sense that the non-players are really intelligent.

When combined the non-player is given behaviors and are done through the use of algorithms to give them life. Behaviors such as sitting, standing, walking, exploring are given as example. For something like this to occur correctly they are given rules which are followed. Take a look at Assassin’s Creed AI movement:

This is a good example of good AI movement because it shows characters moving around and even a fight scene towards the end of the clip.

Now you might ask how you would give these characters the illusion of life. Well there are algorithms created to give this illusion. These algorithms generate behaviors which the characters follow. They are:

Seek

- This behavior takes input, character and target position and just calculates the direction to the target. Essentially it sends the character from point A to point B with a velocity attached to it

Flee

- Flee is simply just the opposite of seek

Arrive

- This behavior allows the character to seek but then slow down once get close to the target position. It would be like a character running towards a cliff but slows down so they don’t overshoot and fall off the cliff. This effect can be done through dampening the characters speed

Wander

- This behavior makes it look like the non-player has a mind of its own. The character will wander around and constantly explore in many directions. This effect can be done through changing orientation by a small random amount and the moving the character in the current orientation they are facing.

Steering

- This algorithm just makes sure the steering is in the correct direction.

Along with these algorithms you can define paths which the NPC can follow which will give off a much greater illusion. This is seen in Assassin creed. In that series of games the NPC’s are in crowds exhibiting the flocking and separation behaviors.

NEXT BLOG I WILL DISCUSS NAV MESHES AND GOING INTO HAVE INSOMNIAC GAMES USED THEM TO CREATE THERE AI.

#i3110 #UOITGameDev #Engines

Camera’s In Games

All games have some sort of camera system implemented that works well with the game they are making. Camera’s in games can create interesting effects and change the feel of the game. Imagine playing street fighter in first person. How do you think it would change the game? I think the feel and overall gameplay would change drastically. New elements would need to be brought in to adjust the gameplay with that camera. Camera systems are not difficult to implement. The designer would layout the positions the cameras are in the scene and it can be as simple as cycling through each camera closes to the player to give a good effect.

When implementing a camera system there are different types you can do. Games usually have either a fixed or tracking camera. Fixed cameras are tied to the player position or area that the player is located. This type of camera can be seen in street fighters with a fixed camera showing the battle field.

Fixed cameras can be used both in first and third person. Then there are tracking cameras. Tracking cameras generally are seen in third person gameplay. Games like god of war and prince of Persia use these types of camera very well. The cameras always make sure the player is in the center of the screen but move along a rail which interpolates the camera depend on the location of the player. This can make a scene quite interesting and adds cool effects.

Now since technology is developing a new type of camera can be introduced into gaming. That is through the use of the oculus rift. This camera really enhances the player experience. The player can now be virtually be placed into the action of your game and can see a world completely. This type of camera would be most useful for first person games like a flight simulation because it puts them into the cockpit of a jet and through animations you make it seem like the real thing.

To conclude cameras are very important for games. They make scenes very interesting and add cool effects to your game. The camera system that I find most interesting are the ones like in god of war. It makes the action scenes look really awesome.

#i3110 #UOITGameDev #Engines

Maya and Mel

When created a game, initially before this class I was always under the impression that the artists and programmers work together but integration between the two was limited. Well I was wrong. In the industry there is the need to give artists as many tools as possible to make an awesome game. Also in the industry artists have the ability to make their own tools which can help the development process. I first noticed this when working with the TwoLoc Engine we were given which uses Ogre for graphics and Havok for all physics. When working with the engine, there is a lot of integration with maya and it makes it so a majority of the work is not within the engine but within 3D applications such as Maya. What I mean by this is that when going over stuff in the tutorials a majority of the way the game is played can be done by the designers.

Maya can be a very useful tool in the design process. Not only can you make the necessary art assets that are required for the game, you can also layout cameras, set up cut-scenes and you can use Havok tools. Havok has made a plugin for maya called Havok Creation Tools. This tool determines how objects interact with each other. With the use of Havok creation tools you can set up and test all of the physics you want without having to directly work inside your engine. You can attach rigid bodies to objects, mass, collision boxes as well along with other attributes that can be played around with inside maya and then the information can be exported to a file and then that information can be imported into your engine.

So I have been using maya to model our game assets and using havoc creation tools to layout the physics but I thought how can make tools in maya that would be useful for our production. Well I have an answer to that is creating MEL or Python scripts in maya. Creating scripts in maya can allow designers to create tools they need without having to go to a programmer to get it done. MEL scripting stands for Maya embedded Language which is the scripting language autodesk designed specifically for maya. When started out with MEL it might be a little confusing with their name conventions and you may need to look at their references online to figure stuff out but it can be done. I used MEL script last year to create a tool for my team to help with level loading. From that one experience, I gained the basic knowledge with MEL. This year I will most likely be making more scripts needed for Engines Homework and game related stuff. A script that I created that I think is very useful exports all selected objects in your scene to a text file with its position and orientation. These objects can be cameras as well and is not strictly limited to just objects you have modelled. This is good because this information can used for setting up scenes in your game and can be easily parsed.

I have also recently added the functionality to output shape names as well:

Another script I have made creates locators on selected objects and sets the locators to the correct orientation. This was made for a friend who asked for some MEL help.

Out of the two the first I think is very important and I’m putting the code here for anyone to use but please do the right thing give me he credit.

To conclude learning how to use this tools are very important. As a 3D artist you should be able to use the tools that are given to you and well as create your own tools. You may only be an artist and not a programmer but MEL is very easy to use once you understand the syntax and using havok creation tools is not difficult to use.

#i3110 #UOITGameDev #Engines

Crafting a Dekonstruer 3

In the previous dekonstruer blogs I have done I have examined game design atoms for portal 2 and Halo Reach. Game design atoms look at the experience the player should have with the game with a specific structure put into place. For this blog I will look at the game design atoms in Madden NFL 12;

Players

In Madden the game types limit the amount of players in the game. In madden there are a few game types but all lead to either the player vs game or player vs player. The game has this because there is one opponent in the game. That is the opposing team which is either played as human or computer.

Objectives

In Madden the overall object is to capture and outwit the opposing player whether it be computer or human. The objectives of the game you play is to score points and defend your end zone to prevent players from capturing points. Both of these objectives work well with the game and its gameplay. The reason for this is because the whole idea is to outsmart (“outwit”) your opponent and capture points. This is generally done by picking the right plays and throwing/running the ball at the right time.

Rules

The rules are defined within the game to give the correct gameplay experience. Not only are their game rules (i.e. only move within the field), the game takes into account rules that are placed in real football. If the player were to break such rules that are present in real football, the game penalizes them for their actions.

Sequencing

The sequencing of this game is quite different than most games. This is because it takes multiple sequences and puts them into one game. The game uses turn-based, real time play and time limit sequences in the game. What is mean by this is that when playing a game against your opponent each player gets turns with the ball throughout the game (turn based) with real time play(player catches the ball and needs to avoid other attack players) and finally time pressure(time limit of picking play or game clock that can lead to a penalty/ make you lose the game).

Information

Information in the game gives total information as well as private information. When in game the player is given information of plays to pick, player formation, paths they will follow. Also in game they are given private information as well. For example when on defence the player is given some information about the opposing play but not all information. This information is generally how many receivers or running backs will be on the field and give the player an idea of what play is going to happen.

Player Interaction

The player interaction in this game is direct conflict. The player interacts with one other opponent whether in be the computer or someone online. The one direct conflict is the opposing player.

#i3330 #GDP

Scripting in Games and Integration into a game Engine

Scripting is one of the most useful types of system a game engine can use. Implementing scripting into your engine allows for development to happen at a much faster rate. This is because scripts are basically just a text file with a bunch of information in them. The reason why it allows for much faster development is because whenever changes are made in the script there is no need to recompile your game as its not physically changing anything on the engine side of thing. The syntax for most scripting languages as relatively simple and because of this you don’t need to be a programmer to understand it. Engines like unity are script dependant where all the end user needs to do is create some models and implement scripts and everything else is done for you.

There are many types of scripting languages. The language you choose is based off your comfortably with it. They can be any of these but the list is much longer:

Lua

Python

GameMonkey

Squirrel

AngelScript

SpiderMonkey

Ruby

Game Maker Language

UnrealScript

There is no ‘best’ language out there for scripting just ones that have been out for much longer that have much better support and information on. For example Python has been out since the 1980’s whereas game monkey has only been available since 2003. This makes a huge difference when trying to figure out how to implement scripting in your games. Trust me when I had to learn how to figure out how to implement the scripting language we have in our game it was a pain because it is a much newer language. Anyways out of the list the most popular ones used to in the industry are LUA and Python. I chose to learn squirrel. This was because I read in a paper that Valve used squirrel in the recent games like Left 4 Dead 2 and Portal 2.

So in this blog I am going to give a basic tutorial on how to implement squirrel. I will be showing how to bind c++ function so that all coding can be done in script rather than in the engine. Squirrel is very similar to LUA because the person who created the scripting language based it off of the LUA table code. First thing you need to do is visit http://www.squirrel-lang.org/ and download squirrel. Then go to http://scrat.sourceforge.net/ and download sqrat. Sqrat allows c++ binding so you can create functions calls in script.

First thing that needs to be done is to initialize squirrel and give it some memory.

Sq_setcompilererrorhandler will output any syntax errors in the script. Not necessary but can be useful if you missed a ‘;’ somewhere. Next say we have this class:

We want to bind those functions in the class such that we can call functions/and or write what the function does in script rather than in c++.

This is where sqrat comes into action. You need to create another table which everything will be bound to. From here you select the class and its functions you want to bind. This allows you to bind the functions and variables you want to send to script. Now in script it would like like this:

The above script I’ve created a new class in script which inherits ‘extends’ from test class. You do not need to do it like this but this is one way. If you just want to create functions you can do that as well.

Obviously there are better ways to implement this but this was the first implementation I did to get it to work. Along with my group members we have made this implementation much better for our game and it works really well. Hopefully this gives whomever reads this an idea how to implement squirrel and understand what I am talking about.

#i3110 #UOITGameDev #Engines

Crafting a Dekonstruer 2

Game design atoms are the core structure to what makes a game. Every game contains these atoms which give the game the fun experience for the player. In games the type of atoms that are present at all times are players, objectives, rules, resources, game states, information, sequencing, player interaction and theme. When designing a game you must take into account all these atoms as if you are missing one then it may not be enjoyable for the player. Looking at previously made games and seeing what are done in those games can really describe these atoms. For this blog I will be looking at Halo Reach.

Players

In Halo: Reach there are different game types that take into account of different player amounts. The game has a single player mode, cooperative mode and multiplayer mode each accounting for different player amounts. Single player and cooperative are straight forward where you play against the game but multiplayer is a little bit more complicated. In multiplayer there are different game modes that take almost every type of player interaction patterns. For example there is team slayer which is team competition, free for all which is multilateral competition and flood which is unilateral competition. The different game types give the player the freedom to choose and increase their overall experience of the game because if they don’t like one thing they can always play the other.

Objectives

In the game its overall objective is to capture and outwit. In campaign you must be able to outwit the enemies in order to kill them and complete the objective you are assigned. In the game the enemies are the obstacles in front of you which you must be able to overcome. The games objective is capture as well because of multiplayer. Most objectives in multiplayer is kill the opposing team. With each kill you capture a point and can make the online experience very competitive.

Rules

The rules of the game are defined within the game space. The player’s actions are limited to the level they are on with boundaries set. In the game there is a restriction of player actions. These actions consist of movement, how much health they can have and how much damage the weapons do. Movement is restricted through physics, amount of health they have is predefined with the opportunity to get a shield and weapon damage is determined through the gun they are using. In the game there are also armor abilities which define a choice the player has. There are armor abilities in the game as well which restrict the player’s actions. For example armor lock which prevents a player from moving but also prevents them from taking damage of a period of time.

Resources

In the game there are very few resources present. The resources that are present are health packs, guns and ammunition. Both resources for the player are generally scarce depending on the level difficulty you are playing. For example on legendary difficulty if you kill an enemy they drop less gun ammo whereas on easy they would drop more. The same goes for health packs. The harder the difficulty the less they will appear, making health packs a very valuable resources because you want to survive. Guns are also a resource in the game because not only do they provide ammunition, they also provide the player with a better gun that can do more damage. For example both in campaign and multiplayer the rocket launcher has a specific place and spawn times. This is a valuable resource because it guarantees an enemy kill both in both modes.

Player interaction

Player interaction in online mode influences the turn out of that particular game. With good player to player communication information is shared and the outcome is generally the other opponent dying but there are always time where you die due to poor communication.

Theme

In the game there is an emotional connection of the game. If players have played previous halo games there investment into the overall game story is huge. They continue playing this game wanting more. For people who have not played the previous games there is the setting and back story which involves the player. The player gets attached to the characters you play as in game and are shocked when certain events occur. For example when playing a game a really awesome character whom is on your team sacrifices himself to try and save you and your other team members.

Overall the games atoms come well together. I enjoyed playing both campaign and multiplayer and felt that each atom had an important role in the overall game experience I had in the game.

#i3330 #GDP

Knowledge Keeper Oct 15

This week in class it was a little different. With midterms coming up and the other years currently taking their midterms we had a guess lecture. In this lecture we discussed the topic of play testing. When I first heard that the lecture would be covering this topic, the first thing that pops into my head was test the game for bugs and stuff. But sadly I was wrong. Play testing is the overall concerns the user has with your game and gives the overall evaluation of your game’s fun and experience design goals. This is much different than Quality Assurance (QA) which tested for bugs. This step is much later on in the development process.

When designing a game you must realize you are making a game for players and not for yourself. When designing your game, you always think the game is amazing(of course it’s yours!). You need to understand the players wants and needs in your game and can be done through play testing. A typical development cycle is design-> prototype->User Test (play test) -> evaluate. If it does not pass the evaluation step it then starts from the beginning to make adjustments or completely scrap the idea you had. If it passes the evaluation then you implement-> Quality Assurance-> User test and finally evaluate. If it passes the second evaluation that piece of your game you have designed is good to go.

When designers need to evaluate the designs they use a user test lab. These labs look like any home setting to simulate as if the user was playing at home. The point is to make the player as comfortable as possible so the results you can get from your test is accurate and you can make adjustments as needed. When testing there are many methods to get information you need for your design. There are:

Focus Groups

- These are groups the get together and discuss the game and feature ideas. Focus groups are good for getting lots of feedback

Observation

- There is a monitor whom watches and records the players

Surveys

- Are relatively easy but need a large sample to get good results

Interviews

- Gives the interviewer a deeper understanding of what should be done to make the game better. The interviewer records the information either on paper or recording

Heuristic Evaluation

- This is an expert evaluation that is cost and time efficient

Think aloud

- This can be done through observation. Generally it’s when a user literally thinks a lot and information is recorded

Diary Study

- Suitable studies for long periods of time. This generally gives slow responses as the study as long

In conclusion, play testing is a really important step in game design. For our gdw games it may be a little difficult and time consuming to do such process with each design we do but can be great in indie and industry companies with larger production times.

#i3330 #GDP

Knowledge Keeper Oct 11

Reward systems in games are necessary to have. When a user is playing the game they need some sort of feedback for the actions they have taken. Without this the player has no reasoning to play the game. But in general every game has a reward system. You can look at simple board games like checkers which has very few rewards(obtaining a king, and defeating your opponent(bragging rights)) or you can look at a more complete game like guild wars to which has many different types of reward systems(items gained from quests, world vs world scores, etc). Every game has specific types of systems that do justice for that particular game and when done correctly gives the player a sense of accomplishment.

In class we discussed reward systems done in games but organized in a different fashion. We discussed the forms from Wang & Sun whom have created a system that can place every type of game into a category. If you would like to read their paper please visit: http://www.digra.org/wp-content/uploads/digital-library/11310.20247.pdf . These categories are Glory, Sustenance, Access and Facility. They then added these categories to 8 reward forms. They are:

- Score Systems(glory)

Score systems give the player a sense of glory. This system was more prevelant in the past but still is used today in social games. Score systems are best when the social aspect is brought in because a player’s goal could be to be number one. Any games today that have leaderboards such as guitar hero would be a good example of this system.

- Experience leveling systems (facility)

This system can build off of score systems. Using this system the player builds off score to rate themselves first and can benefit them more. For example in call of duty modern warfare 2 the more you leveled up, the more guns you unlocked and the higher you were ranked on the leaderboards.

- Item granting system rewards(facility, glory)

This system rewards the player for actions they have done in game. A player will have a sense of glory when receive such item and will benefit from it. This is in guild wars 2 everywhere. When a person beats a dungeon, quest they receive an item for their efforts. The item is generally better than the one you possess making your actions worth it.

- Collectable and usable resources( sustenance)

This type of reward system allows the player to do things they could not do prior to have this type of reward. Any game where a player needs to collect some sort of currency or resource to do a specific task would be have this system.

- Achievements systems(glory)

This system is allows the player to do correct this to get an achievement based on their actions. A good example of trophies or achievements players can get for playing a game. As the player plays they game they can unlock them gaining achievement points or trophies.

- Feedback messages (praise)

This type of rewards gives the player the sense that they have done something either correct or incorrect. Generally it is correct like when a player completes an angry birds level they will be shown a message with completed and the amount of stars they got on that level.

- Plot animations and pictures (access)

This type of reward system gives the player access to something they may have not had access to before. It can be obtained through story playthroughs or in game collections. An example of this is in Super Smash Bros Melee where a player can collect trophies and obtain more information on the character in the gallery mode.

- Unlocking mechanisms

This type of reward system is done to help the player progress through the game. The player may not be able to do something at a particular time but if they do specific things in a specific order the can unlock mechanisms in the game.

A reward has to consist of 4 characteristics which make them proper. A reward must have a social value, an effect on gameplay, suitability and time required to gain reward. The reason why a reward needs to have these characteristics is because it makes the reward worthwhile for the player to get. When a player receives a reward they look at the progress they can get from it, the accomplishment they got from it, their social status and compare them with others. This is shown is MMO’s a lot. When I used to play the game Runescape there was an item which was very difficult to get. It was called a fire cape. At the time this was a hard but great item to get. If you were someone who had one, you were strong and people knew you were good. When I got that reward there was a great sense of accomplishment cause the thing was so difficult to get. I believe that example is great because it emphasises on how players use rewards in games.

When making rewards for games there needs to be an emotional, individual and collective feeling attached to that reward. This gives the player a sense of ambition and drives them to gain that reward and can have positive effects like the player having fun. The whole idea is to motivate them player (psychology) and reduce/remove friction (usability). Motivations for players to do certain things you need to make them aware, help them understand and make them care. If you don’t do this the player has no motivation to do that particular task.

To conclude now that I look back at all of this reward systems are all based around the human psychology. You want to make the player want to play your game and add as many appropriate benefits/rewards that motivate the player. If the player knows they can get better at the game whether through leveling or obtaining items they will continue to play the game. I see this all the time with MMO’s which make them so addicting. A person may hit make level but are always striving to get the better gear and be the best player in the game.

#i3330 #GDP

Knowledge Keeper Oct 8

In today’s age of video games, the players usually discuss the graphics of the game. The visual game experience the player has is an important role when designing a game. Players want games that have an aesthetic appeal and give reactions. Games do not have to look realistic like battlefield 3 but must have a look that entices the player to play more.

In class this week we discussed Christopher Alexander guidelines that take real life architecture and shift it to into the game world. Alexander called the initial guidelines a nameless quality. Alexander used patterns and the environment to lay out a proper path. What he did was have an area which people would walk and eventually they created a path which he then took to create a pattern. This can relate to game design. As designers we can create paths or get players to create such paths for us that best suits the game. Alexander has also created 15 properties of living structures. These structures are extremely useful when designing games and we discussed this with the comparison of the structures and portal.

Levels of scale are useful as it gives the player the use of telescope goals. The player builds on previously done quests/tasks/missions. For example in portal the player’s first take may be to get up onto a ledge. Once they have gone onto the ledge they then can take what they learned before (how they got up) and use it to build upon to advance further in the game. With these types of goals there needs to be a balance in the game; whether it be through environments (like in portal), entities, challenges and of course player actions. Strong centers are the areas you want to focus in your game. This gives the player an idea on how to work in the mission/quest or build on the character. Boundaries are the limits a player has in the game. Such boundaries can be like space, rules or actions. An example of this would be like in an fps game such as halo reach. The player understands there are certain limits to where they can go(if you go too far you will be given a warning) and what the can do (limit here would be there health).

The next element in alexander’s properties is alternating repletion. This gives the user a sense of order in your game. This is because the player will have a good idea of what is going to come next. Take for example Mario for the NES. The player would play a few levels then have a boss level. They would always know when the time to face bowser was going to come. Positive space is the idea where the items and level design reinforce each other and prevents the user from being easily distracted. For example as said in class in portal 2 there would be a ‘x’ mark on the wall indicating that something is needed to make into a check mark. To reinforce the positive space there should be good shape with the objects in your game. When you create powerful centers from simplicity and simple shapes the overall design is much better. Take portal 2, the player has a simple companion cube that is used to unlock stuff inside the level. Local symmetries in games also have a better feeling in the game. When there are more small internal symmetries it can be much better than overall game symmetries. When things are not as symmetrical there is the feeling that the environment is much harder to explore as there is the sense of being lost. Deep interlock and ambiguity contains structures a game has that promote unity and proper game functions. This is done through environments, story and challenges where if one piece is missing the player can feel out of place and lost. This is clear in portal where the player makes use of the portal gun to get through the level.

When designing a game contrasts can also play a good role in the visual experience. When using opposites in the game you can have the player focus and emphasize on specific things. The player will have a possible understanding of what can be done. Take portal 2. They use black and white walls, contrasting each other and give the player an idea of what to do. If there is a wall with many black spaces and one white space the player has a general idea that the one space is important. Gradients are used that take contrasts, space and patterns that generally increase over time. In games gradients are most seen as the level difficulty increase or challenges are much more difficult.

Roughness in games gives the visual aesthetics a sense of life. With the use of textures in games it can convey the uniqueness of that environment and can set the mood of your game. An example of this could be mass effect. The environment the user is place in gives them a sense of where they are (space) and how they should react. Echoes in games are the repetition of elements that are seen throughout the game. In class portal was used as example but I am going to use super Metroid. In the game many enemies use the same types of movement but they may be a little stronger. The player knows how they will react when you shoot at them and can make proper judgement on what to do in that situation.

The void in games is the empty spaces in games that create calmness and contrast. The larger the areas it helps the play focus their attention on the few important objects in the seen. In gears of war this is done in important parts of the game/ beginning of an act. The player is shown exactly what should be focused on and is done through a pause or interactive cutscene. Simplicity and inner calm use essentials in the game and don’t over complicate things in the scene. Finally non-separateness interconnects everything done in the game. It connects every element and shows how each object can be complementary to each other.

Overall Alexander’s properties in games can be extremely useful. As a designer when these are done the visual experience a player will have be generally good.

#i3330 #GDP

Crafting a Dekonstruer 1

Game design atoms make up a game and how the game is played. Design atoms at the core are the fundamental elements needed for a game to work. The atoms designed need to be appropriate for the game created in order to convey the necessary information to the player. The player needs to understand what is going on in the game and how the game should be played. When each atom present in the game work well together, the player has a much more enjoyable experience. My task is to look at a game and deconstruct it to its game atoms. The game I am going to choose is portal 2. Portal 2 has been a very enjoyable game for me in the past and still is today. So what atoms make up portal 2?

Portals

Portals in the game are the most prevalent atom in the game. Without them the game clearly would not be what it is today. In portal 2 a player is capable of placing portals on walls (one orange and one blue). These portals allow the player to go from one place to another. The portal itself is necessary for a player as when places the player is capable of seeing where they go and can help them determine the correct way to beat the puzzle given. The portals help with the outcome the player wants.

Objects

In game objects such as the companion cube or reflective cube can be seen in almost every puzzle. These items play as resources the player needs in order to beat the level. The player can physically pick up the objects and use them on buttons in order to progress through the level and beat the challenges present. Other objects in game such as the enemies serve a different kind of purpose.

Enemies (turrets) in the game are the obstacle/conflict the player will have in the levels. The enemies in the game give the feedback by shooting at them player causing them to avoid them or get rid of them.

Gels

Gels in game are all done using “skill” design atoms. When a player is given a gel in the game to use, at first if they have never played the game this may seem complicated. They have never been given the skill to understand what to do. In the game the player sees the gel, acts upon it and sees some sort of feedback. For example the blue gel causes the player to jump higher. When first seen in the game the player may not understand what it is until the actually use it. The action of putting the get on the flow, then jumping on it causes the player to see that it allows you to jump higher (feedback).

Movement

Movement in the game is another design atom. The player is given the basic movement through input from the controller. They can move forward, backwards, side to side and jump which is shown on screen. But in the game this atoms goes beyond that through the use of physics. When a player places a portal above them and below them if they go through them, there speed increases and can be used to their advantage. This is shown in the game levels when a player needs to get to a really high spot but are not given much to get there.

Puzzles

The final and most important design atom of the game is the puzzles. Each puzzle in the game is designed to have obstacles, conflicts, rules and boundaries set that hinder the player’s capability of getting to the end. A player must use all the other atoms present in the game in order to complete each puzzle. The difficulty of the puzzle increases the enjoyable experience for the player. When a player is able to get to the end of the level they get a sense of reward rather than frustration which is seen in other games.

To conclude each atom adds to the games overall experience. The relationship they have with each other gives the player the information needed to play and complete each puzzle in the game.

#i3330 #GDP

PVP Fight 2

In this blog post I will be reviewing a portal 2 level created by my peers. For those who do not know what portal 2 is, you can visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal_2 for more information. Anyways the level I will be reviewing is called GDP-100454700 by pixelmyr (tassos). If you have portal2,the level can be downloaded by visiting this link:

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=179873271.

When reviewing this level I will be considering the design elements of the level as well as recommendations to improve the levels you create. As you begin the level, the first thing I notice is that it is very open which I like very much. When a room is open I believe that a player can try and piece everything together by just thinking the level through. Even though a level should flow from point A to point B (much easier for a player), I enjoy this layout most.

When starting the level there are two buttons in front of me. I press on both and one spawns a laser while the other doesn’t show me anything. I know that it’s linked to something as it has signage but it is not visible. Clearly that one button does something important but as a player I don’t know and it can be confusing. If you place a button with signage, it should so something on screen that is visible to the player. This is because if that is not done it tends to be forgotten and can confuse the player.

Regardless I continue my quest to complete this level. The second button (on the right of the image above) drops a reflection cube as well as spawns a laser. I notice on the wall adjacent to the laser is a trigger for the laser which I can use to move the lift.

The way this is done is interesting as it involves the player much more than just having it trigger the lift to move. The player has to physically move the laser with the lift to get across. I think this is a very cool idea but I can understand if it can get frustrating because if you slip you may have to start all over.

So after that I get across to the other side and I notice something. There is a flaw in the level. One thing you should do is constantly test your level until you believe it’s flawless. When designing a level you should have other people test your level whenever you make changes. The reason why I say this is because I finished the level without doing much.

To point out this flaw, so you can fix it, if a user picks up the cube and side jumps off the glass ledge they can get to the bottom ledge and beat the level.

So let’s say I’m playing this level as if there is no flaw. The design of this next part needed the user to use the white and orange gels to get the user across a ramp to the exit doors. This part was really over complicated. The player has to use the white gels in various places to get certain functionality to work and once that happens they can use the proportional gel (orange gel) to get across to the exit. For example a player needs to add white gel to two places to get the laser to its target.

It would make more sense if 2 white walls were placed at the point where the laser is as it tells the player that a portal needs to be placed there for something to work. Once you have done this you can place down the proportion gel and carry the reflection cube with you to the finish.

To conclude this review the level was interesting but placement of triggers and objects could have been much better. Certain things were placed to add challenge and make the player think things through which I do like. The one thing I still continue to stress for future levels you make is always test everything. This can prevent issues from occurring when you produce a real game. Proper item/button placement and properly showing the player that a button triggers something to happen that is necessary to complete the level is a must.

#i3330 #GDP

Knowledge Keeper Quest Oct 1

Designing a game takes on many elements that are needed to make a particular game successful. Game designers design the elements such as gameplay rules and formulate what is needed for the game. When put into practice a level designer takes the theory created, interprets it and designs how a player is confronted by these elements. Level design is the base structure for gameplay to occur. It is the initial structure of the game.

When designing levels, the level designer should find ways to teach the player gameplay mechanics. This could be as simple as placing small barricades in the level like in gears of war to show the player how the cover mechanics work. This would be an example of teaching the using the physical rules of the environment. But of course there are other ways to teach the player such as abilities of characters, behavior of enemies and the game’s reward system. Each aspect of teaching can be places in the game through level design. The best example by far that I believe teaches the player through level design is Super Metroid. The video below describes in great detail what I mean.

Level designs must also be consistent. The player should not require a skill that has not yet been taught to them. If that is done things can be extremely confusing for the player.

Game design hierarchies are much different from level wide hierarchies. Game design hierarchies look at the success definition, external and internal goals, level design, technical design, art direction and audio plan. Essentially the game design hierarchy takes into consideration of everything the game needs to put the design into action. The level-wide hierarchy however goes into specifics of the level design. Inside the level hierarchy looks at the modules of the game. In takes into account all the functions game components and scenarios needed for the level to be successful.

There are types of levels that can be created for your game, and are done so that best fits your game. There are linear levels, semi-linear levels and non-linear levels. Linear levels have a start and end point that generally lead the character through each part of the level. Linear levels determine the pace, order of events and story development. . An example of this would be resident evil. A player is guided throughout the level without much freedom. Semi-linear levels are able to create enough freedom that gives the player a different gameplay experience. Non-linear games give the player full control. They are capable of playing the game the way they want to, and take responsibility for anything they do in the game that reflects what they have done. Great examples of non-linear games are MMO’s such as guild wars 2. The player can essentially do whatever they would like to do in the confines of the game world.

#i3330 #GDP

Knowledge Keeper Quest Sept 27

This lecture class we had a special guest speaker named Alston Tan. He is a 4th year student at UOIT in the game development program and talked about his experience at Ubisoft Academia Summer School (for more information go to http://montreal.ubisoft.com/en/video-games-jobs-my-career/academia/ecole_ete_18-25). There he was part of a team that created a game called Shine.

For those who do not know Ubisoft Academia Summer School is the closest thing to working in a real production in the game industry. The reason is because you are placed into a team and the school simulates the production process. Also the program is a paid internship which is awesome and is an extended job interview. What is meant by an “extended job interview” is that even though it is an internship, while working there ubisoft can see the work you produce and how you function within a team. It essentially is a job interview that allows you to prove to the company you can do excellent work by actually showing it rather than just going into an interview and discussing it.

What I found interesting when Alston was talking about this program is how similar it is to our gdw. This is because at the school you are in a team consisting of ‘x’ amount of people. The people are then given roles, which they apply for like in gdw. So the roles were the following

•  Producer - Ubisoft

•  Assistant Producer - Ubisoft

•  Project Manager

•  Creative Director

•  Lead Game Designer

•  Lead Artist

•  Lead Animator

•  Art Director

•  Lead Audio Designer

Alston then covered something that is stressed at ubisoft but is something we hear all the time from every professor. That is good management. In a game company you will be placed in a team of people you may never have met before and development time is always different for every project so it is important to have proper scope management for your game!

When developing a game there are specific strategies that can be done to help the production of your game. These strategies are:

The Persona

The persona determine the player type for the game you want to make like achiever, explorer etc.

Think8

This breaks down what you want and what your game should accomplish. Think 8 consists of Purpose, Message, Tone, Characters, Content, Structure, Style and Impact. Alston posted the layout for what the team did for shine.

Agile Scrum

It is an incremental and iterative software development technique. So essentially it breaks down the process needed to complete a certain feature/task you want done in your game.

To conclude I found this lecture very interesting. Alston shared his experience of what it looks like to work for a professional company in the industry. When I look at it now, gdw is a good preparation for the industry. We cover things that are done in the industry such as proper scope management and have teams which we work with to produce a game.

#i3330 #GDP

PVP Fight 1

In this blog post I will be reviewing a portal 2 level created by my peers. For those who do not know what portal 2 is, you can visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal_2 for more information. Anyways the level I will be reviewing is called Chamber of all chambers by ckishek (Chris Kischek). If you have portal 2, the level can be downloaded by visiting this link: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=180921359.

When reviewing this level I will be considering the design elements of the level as well as recommendations to improve the levels you create. As you begin the level you enter a room with a single edgeless safety cube, a single button on the wall and proportion gel. In this first part it is clear what the designer wanted the character to do. The player needs to use the proportion gel to run off the ramp and hit the button with the sphere. At first it did not make much sense to have a button on the wall as usually the object needs to be placed inside the button. The designer made it so the ball just needed to touch the button not to be placed into it. When doing so it felt as if it was a basketball getting into the hoop. I believe that was the core idea behind it.

Doing this opens another room. At first glance this next room seems really complicated. There are buttons everywhere with many lines going to multiple places. When a player first sees this they tend to take a step back and try to get an understanding of what is happening in this room.

On one side of the room there are 3 timed buttons which lift up walls to narrow hallways. Each hallway contains something different that a player needs to complete the level. I understand why the buttons are placed here but I do not see a reason to have them there. The designer placed them there to get the user to understand what in each hidden pathway and to add some sort of challenge. I believe it would have been more effective to make them visible to begin with. The user would notice them regardless and I feel it would eventually just become a nuisance later on if there timing was not correct.

Then we get to the other side of the room

At this point it looked very challenging. Again multiple lines going to various places can be very confusing for the player. As a designer you should limit the amount of information convey to the player as too much may be overwhelming. Anyways as I played this part you need to move a cube up to the button on the ceiling using all those buttons. This part was very annoying and frustrating. At first I thought that I had to press all three buttons and then stand on the button on the floor to get it to work. Clearly it did not work. Then I remembered behind the secret walls was a cube that would definitely help me but I needed to get it. I then needed to take a lift so I could access some white walls to place a portal to grab that cube.

Once I created a portal I grabbed the cube and placed it on the button and this made my life easier but still frustrating. That was because each button was on a timer and if you were slightly off in timing your cube would be destroyed. The designer clearly wanted to make this part challenge and it worked. I had to make sure my timing was completely on point. Again the one downside is the amount of time on each button. I would highly recommend adding on a second or two to each button as this part can easily frustrate a player. Finally I got it to the top, it dropped a reflection cube and I was able to point the laser in the appropriate spot to get the exit door to open.

To conclude this review the level was fun and I did find it was rewarding when I completed the level even though at times it could be frustrating. The designer did make it challenging and I did have to think everything through to complete the level. The one issue with this level is I found it was not balanced enough. What I mean is in the beginning it was way too simple where you knew exactly what to do and the second room was the complete opposite with too much going on. For future levels try to make it so there is more flow to the level and that the player can get a proper understanding of how to complete it without too much trial and error.

#i3330 #GDP

Reverse Scröwdriver Crafting 2

Bubble bobble is a 2D platforming arcade game where the user can take control of either Bub or Bob whom are main characters in the game. The user blows bubbles on its enemies, and then bursting them to collect items and in turn, points.

If I were to change one rule in the game to create a new mechanic, it would have to be simple. The game itself has very few rules and out of them the new rule I would make would revolve around the bubble’s themselves. In the game the user can shoot as many bubbles they want, and pop as many enemies they hit with bubbles. My new rule would force the user to only be able to pop one bubble at a time. If there is an enemy who is encased in a bubble another enemy cannot be in a bubble. This adds some difficulty to the game and forces the player to pick their shots accurately. The user then needs to strategize each move they make and forces them to avoid enemies more often.

#i3330 #GDP

Trending Blogs

Recently Viewed Blogs

Art Behind Video Game Development