Character Driven Game Design

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16 Character-Driven Game Design 10 Instead of game design pattern, I use the term gameplay design pattern to refer to patterns, due to the current use of that term by Björk and Holopainen (e.g., Holopainen et al., 2007). games. It is a hierarchy of concepts abstracted from an analysis of many specific games.” Staffan Björk and Jussi Holopainen (2005) have developed another framework. Their gameplay design pattern approach is inspired by the book A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction by Alexander et al (1977). Adopting the use of patterns to games, Björk and Holopainen (2005, p. 34) assert “game design patterns are semiformal interdependent descriptions of commonly reoccurring parts of the design of a game that concerns gameplay.” 10 A feature of game design patterns is that adding new patterns does not break the system, but expands it. This is because a pattern describes a particular area of gameplay with its typical implications. Adding new patterns create new interrelations that need to be considered when expanding the system. In articles 3, 4, and 6, I use gameplay design patterns to refine analytical findings to a form that is usable in design. Below, in the section, Methods, I describe gameplay pattern approach and notation in more detail. Though, understanding games as a formal system has advanced, studies focusing on understanding the relation between a game system and a playing experience are still scarce. Research in the area has been emerging (e.g., Järvinen, 2008; Ravaja et al., 2006) and this research implies that in order to understand the playing experience, a multidisciplinary approach is needed (see also, Järvinen, 2008; Sotamaa, 2009). The theories I mostly depend on come from fields of game research, cognitive sciences and dramatic writing. Cognitive scientists have been studying how people understand other people, and a branch of film studies has been using cognitive sciences in conjunction with formal analysis. How to design and write believable characters is being studied in dramatic writing. Cognitive Sciences and Film Studies drawing on Cognitive Sciences Torben Grodal (2003) uses cognitive science and the concept of story (as a mental structure) to explain parts of the playing experience. I have proposed, in the context of role-playing games, that cognitive emotion theories can help to understand the playing experience (Lankoski, 2004; Lankoski, 2005). In addition, Aki Järvinen (2008) uses theories of cognitive science to explain parts of the playing experience. Next, I introduce briefly the theoretical approach I use in this study. Film theories drawing on the cognitive science propose that understanding events in film depends on an understanding of the characters and their motivations (Currie, 1995; Nichols, 2004; Smith, 1995). Murray Smith (1995) and Gregory Currie (1995) use an explanation called simulation theory in their approaches. In simulation theory, understanding of others is based on an as-if reasoning in which a person considers what he or she would feel and think in another’s person shoes. Murray Smith (1995) argues that the basis for this simulation is in the automatic
1. Introduction 17 and involuntary mimicry of the affects of the perceived person. I return to relation of game characters, affective mimicry and simulation theory in chapter 2. In article 2, I propose a PC engagement model that, then, is used to ground my design approach. The theory of mind theory is a competing explanation to the simulation theory that proposes that understanding others is based on the theories made about another person (Leslie, 1994). Disagreement is partly conceptual, what constitutes as a theory or simulation divides opinions (see, Goldman, 2006; Nichols, Stich, 2003). On the other hand, Shawn Gallegher (2005) argues that imitation and habits provide enough access to another’s thoughts and affects for the successful interaction with the other in everyday situations. Gallager does not rule out the possibility of simulation or theory based understanding of the others, but highlights that those are rarely used in everyday encounters (Gallagher, 2005). While these aforementioned approaches disagree on some issues, the design implications are similar, because simulation theory and the theory of mind theory propose different explanations, in terms of the structure of the brain or the cognitive processing, to explain the same phenomenon of human behavior (see also article 3). I explore the question of understanding characters in chapter 2 and article 2 (which explore aspect relating to PCs), and article 3 (that deals with issues of NPCs) in more detail. Dramatic Writing for Theatre and Film Characters have been central for the methods in dramatic writing. Already, Aristotle (1996) saw character as an important component of classical tragedy, and argued that tragedy is about telling a story about characters whose fates are believable. Modern script writing has its roots in the principles of Aristotle. Christopher Vogler (1992), building on Joseph Campbell’s 11 work and the Aristotelian three act structure, proposes that the mythical structure of folk tales can be used as a model for story and guide writing. Mythical structure includes utilizing character prototypes (e.g., hero, mentor, and trickster) and a structure in which a reluctant hero leaves for an adventure and returns after facing an ultimate challenge. Vogler has been cited in game design literature (Dunniway, 2000; Jacobs, 2007; Krawczyk, Novak, 2006; Rollings, Adams, 2003). However, these kinds of prototypes and the adventure structure might not be the best way to open up the design base of the character-based games, because those structures are adventure structures that are pervasive in the character-based games. I do not utilize modern film writing methods because they are mostly film-specific. Syd Field (1994), for example, focuses on structuring the linear flow of events in the script. Another branch of theater theory that I have opted not to employ is the Brechtian approach. Brecht con- 11 Joseph Campbell (1993, pp. 3–46) proposes that there is a core structure of stories that he calls monomyth and argues that religious myths (e.g., Buddha, Moses) and fairy tales around the globe are based on this same monomyth.
Page 4 and 5: Aalto University Publication Series
Page 7 and 8: Contents List of Publications 9 Ack
Page 9 and 10: List of Publications This thesis co
Page 11 and 12: Introduction To explain my interest
Page 13 and 14: 1. Introduction 13 Game designers h
Page 15: 1. Introduction 15 tertainment. Whi
Page 19 and 20: 1. Introduction 19 dition, the game
Page 21 and 22: Game Characters Characters are an i
Page 23 and 24: 2. Game Characters 23 can fly, and
Page 25 and 26: 2. Game Characters 25 Figure 2.1: H
Page 27 and 28: 2. Game Characters 27 David Houghto
Page 29 and 30: Game and Gameplay Design First, I l
Page 31 and 32: 3. Game and Gameplay Design 31 Figu
Page 33 and 34: 3. Game and Gameplay Design 33 what
Page 35 and 36: Character Engagement and Game Desig
Page 37 and 38: 4. Character Engagement and Game De
Page 39 and 40: 4. Character Engagement and Game De
Page 41 and 42: Conclusions My study has two primar
Page 43 and 44: 5. Conclusions 43 Factor Perceivabl
Page 45 and 46: 5. Conclusions 45 PC that lead to s
Page 47 and 48: References AARSETH, E., 2004. Genre
Page 49 and 50: References 49 Behavioral Neuroscien
Page 51 and 52: References 51 New York: John Wiley
Page 53 and 54: References 53 NICHOLS, S., 2004. Im
Page 55 and 56: References 55 K., C-64 version. Mas
Page 57 and 58: Research Material Assassin’s Cree
Page 59 and 60: Appendix 1 59 Quick Start Cthulhu.
Page 61 and 62: Gameplay Design Patterns In this Ap
Page 63 and 64: Appendix 2 63 Detective Structure I
Page 65 and 66: Appendix 2 65 accepted and disallow
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Appendix 2 67 References —— art
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Appendix 2 69 sibility of Surprises
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Appendix 2 71 —— Modulates: Cha
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Appendix 2 73 (Egri, 1960) of a cha
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Lies and Seductions Credits CREATIV
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Article 1 77 Characters in Computer
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Article 1 79 It is important to not
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Article 1 81 attacks, which are all
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Article 1 83 almost anything in the
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Article 1 85 situation(s) —— Ch
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Article 1 87 its physiological, soc
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Article 1 89 Banner. Obviously, it
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Article 1 91
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Article 2 93 Player Character Engag
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Article 2 95 elaborately simulated
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Article 2 97 affects and performing
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Article 2 99 (Björk and Holopainen
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Article 2 101 player would fear the
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Article 2 103 available and what po
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Article 2 105 Many games also use c
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Article 2 107 petty criminal, Tommy
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Article 2 109 site for empathetic e
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Article 2 111 Grodal, T. (1999). Mo
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Article 2 113 emotion. Personality
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Article 2 115
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Article 3 117 Gameplay Design Patte
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Article 3 119 are constructed predo
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Article 3 121 ter, especially in ga
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Article 3 123 General overview Clau
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Article 3 125 similar goods. This i
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Article 3 127 Conversational Respon
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Article 3 129 is very strict one an
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Article 3 131
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Article 4 133 Gameplay Design Patte
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Article 4 135 described in this pap
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Article 4 137 the ANT, is seeing a
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Article 4 139 Egri’s Premise rela
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Article 4 141 Reactions as they do
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Article 4 143 this can be seen as a
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Article 4 145 heathens as part of o
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Article 4 147 Faction member will h
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Article 4 149 Discussions In this s
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Article 4 151 than character relati
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Article 4 153 Conference, 2007. 30.
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Article 4 155 Name Information Pass
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Article 5 157 Lies and Seduction Pe
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Article 5 159 Figure 2. A gameplay
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Article 5 161
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Article 6 163 Character-Driven Game
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Article 6 165 and physique); ——
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Article 6 167 —— providing goal
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Article 6 169 Part of a character d
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Article 6 171 Character Defining Ac
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Article 6 173 given that the traits
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Article 6 175 and want to be in goo
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Article 6 177 rectly available to a
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Article 6 179 4th ed. Steve Jackson
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Article 6 181
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Petri Lankoski MA, Lecturer, Game D
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