Explanation / Outline of Project
To design a completely new design model
for the emerging genre of video game experience currently known as an
“Exploration” game. This is a game that is centred on the emotional experiences
of the player, rather than necessarily presenting the player with challenges to
overcome. Titles included in this emerging genre are Journey, and Flower
(ThatGameCompany), and The Unfinished Swan (Giant Sparrow). Other titles that
explore this genre to a lesser extent are Katamari Damacy (Namco) and the
upcoming title The Witness (Number None, Inc.). Journey, Flower and The
Unfinished Swan have all received critical acclaim and have all sold well upon
commercial release. This supports the claim that there is a demand for this
type of game. However, despite their success, each game experienced unique
development challenges and problems due to the nature of what they were trying
to achieve. I believe that this is because the developers were constrained to
traditional game design fundamentals- particularly challenge-driven designs-
which are not completely appropriate for, or perhaps even compatible with, this
genre. This suggests that a new design model is required, that will help future
developers fulfil the potential of this genre without experiencing the
difficulties experienced by the developers mentioned above.
The Exploration Game model
should be designed in such a way that it can be followed by game developers to
produce high quality, tailor-made and fit-for-purpose Exploration games across
multiple platforms. At the present time, Exploration games are not gender or
age specific, so the design model needs to reflect this.
Context / Rationale
Currently
all games (according to the author’s knowledge and experience) are designed
using challenge-driven design models. As Exploration games are meant to be
focused on the emotional experience of the player, presenting challenges to the
player both limits and focuses the emotional experience to the endeavour,
failures and accomplishments of overcoming the challenges that are presented.
This in turn limits the potential of what Exploration games can include and
ultimately provide the player in terms of a ‘gameplay’ experience. To overcome
this problem, a new model needs to be designed that does not limit the player’s
experience to overcoming these challenges, but instead focuses on shaping their
emotions through their choices and the subsequent outcomes from these choices.
By focusing on the intended emotional responses of the player, a designer can
tailor the visual and audible aspects of the game, as well as the gameplay, to
maximise the probability of these outcomes. This should be achieved without the
use of a challenge-driven experience, which as previously mentioned, limits the
emotional responses of the player.
Key Areas of Research
- Current
Exploration games, and the design rationale and methodology behind them.
An analysis of these games and a reflection of the designers in terms of
success compared to what they set out to achieve.
- Current
game design fundamentals, including rationale.
- In
turn, investigate how most practicing designers would approach a Exploration
game if they were tasked to make one. Main considerations should include
their perceptions of the genre and what they consider to be important
factors/ components when making a game of this type.
- Toy
design fundamentals, as products that are designed to invoke emotional
responses in those who use them. This should include key emotional
triggers such as exploration, empowerment etc.
- How
games can invoke emotions depending on content and game play?
- The
psychological differences between work and play and how this effects how
experiences are perceived.
- How players perceive Exploration games as game play experiences. In what way(s) they appeal to the player and the rationale behind this?
Intended Outcomes of Project
To invent a new model that is appropriate
and acts as a ground-work for Exploration games. The model should include
fundamental design guidelines and principles that work together to ensure the
player experiences the emotional responses intended by the developer. Depending
on the findings of my upcoming research and testing, the model may or may not
include challenge-based player objectives. However if these are included, they
should not be the driving element behind the design. The model should be
compatible with any current gaming platform and should be, to an extent,
future-proof. From the key areas of research that I undertake, I intend to use
the findings to inform the plans and designs of the model I intend to create.
The model can then be tested with the development of prototype games. To keep
the outcomes unbiased by my intentions, I aim to have these prototypes
developed by game design students (with the possibility of input by practicing
professionals). I intend to utilise the Futureworks Game Jams throughout the
course of my studies to test the various iterations of the design model. The
students will be given certain constraints on the games that they can create
based on the principles of the model, although they may not be informed of the
intentions of these constraints. This should allow for an unbiased test of the
model’s effectiveness to be carried out. Other prototypes may be constructed
independently as the model is revised and iterated upon during the design
process.
Date: 20th February 2014
