HW 4: Indie Games and Indie Movie and principles of game design

Due 3/22 Tuesday before class.

1.

What are the 3 games discussed in the movie, and who are the designers/creators?

 
2. Did these games become successful? and Why do you think they became successful (or not)?
 
3.

On the topic of salient design principles, or principle-the most fundamental principle of game programming design is simply to make the game satisfying.

In the movie, what designers discussed this principle? and 'who' did the designers try to satisfy? In adhering to this principle did they succeed?

 
4.

Expanding: and looking at 3 principles of game design (1) introduce new elements in isolation, (2) give players a feeling of accomplishment, and (3) teach without teaching. Also discussed here:
http://www.binpress.com/blog/2014/10/23/three-indispensable-game-design-principles/

One of the designers discussed these principles (at least the first two), who discussed it, and how was these principles integrated into the game that he developed.

 
5.

6-8 principles (one is from interaction designer Dan Saffer, and the other Nintendo guru Lasse Pallesen). Some principles overlap.

Lasse Pallesen 8 principles:
1) meaningful play
2) gameplay balance
3) positive and negative feedback
4) flow in games
5) easy to learn difficult to master
6) rewarding the player
7) let the computer do the tedious work
8) the importance of solid core game play mechanics.
more details (here)

Dan Saffer 6 principles:
1) Design for flow. Make the product challenging, but not too challenging.
2) Decision-making. Show enough information for users to make good decisions.
3) Logical rules. If I push a button and can jump in one place, I expect to be able to always jump when I push that button. If an action isn't possible, users should immediately know why.
4) Build on skills. Once I can jump, can I jump twice?
5) Manage resources. Most games are about managing a finite amount of resources (hit points, chess pieces, the ball, etc.). Know what resources your users are managing. These might be time, effort, attention, money.
6) Pay attention to aesthetics and dynamics. Aesthetics indicate the feeling the game should engender. Dynamics are what the game is like while playing it. In particular, dynamics cannot be known well without a prototype.

a) Pick one game from the movie, and one of the two above sets (either one), and discuss the game in terms of the 6 or 8 principles.
b) from the same the set of principles that you picked, discuss your impact game (project 2) and how you adhered to the principles (or did not). Discuss how your game could have improved if you did (or rejected principles).
c) Reflecting back to minecraft, how did minecraft follow or not follow principles of game design.

 

 
     

 

Submission:

submit HW4 csx070

Use capital letters for H and W.

and email: maria.hybinette@mac.com

Please submit your work on nike.cs.uga.edu.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


.