gdc 2011 - "unscaping the goat" (level design in a day)
DESCRIPTION
Unscaping the Goat is my talk from GDC2011, addressing the issue of scapegoating in the game industry, especially as it pertains to level designers. Why does it happen, why do we do it, and how to we prevent it when making games? Here are my thoughts.TRANSCRIPT
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Obligatory Speaker Info
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SCAPEGOATINGUN
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Whee!
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Your levelisn’t fun!
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ENVIRONMENTSUNREALISTIC?
Probably the level design!
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FRAMERATE DROPPING?
It’s got to be the level design!
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MISSED THE MILESTONE?
Damn you level designers!
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FENRIS THE WOLF APPEARING TO
BRING ABOUT THE AGE OF
RAGNAROK?
LEVEL DESIGN!
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“… a hostile social - psychological discrediting routine by which people move blame and responsibility away from themselves and towards a target person or group.”
(Simon Crosby, the Scapegoat Society)
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Transferring the fear of failure
I just wrote
the code!
I just wrote
the spec!
I just made the
art!
I just…
Ah, crap!
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ArtDirector
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Greater than sum of parts
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Greater than sum of partsFUN
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So, will it be fun? Define “fun”
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Greater than sum of partsNOT FUN
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Scapegoating
Why the hate, Ed?
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Prolonged Scapegoating
Destroys Morale
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Prolonged Scapegoating
Destroys Morale Risks Quality
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Prolonged Scapegoating
Destroys Morale Risks Quality Replicates Virally
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Prolonged Scapegoating
Destroys Morale Risks Quality Replicates Virally Destroys the System
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Scapegoating isn’t a SOLUTION, it’s a
REACTION
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Fun
Fun
Fun
Fun
Fun
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Fun
Fun
Fun
Fun
Fun
Design Iteration
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Creation
Testing
ResponseCollaboration
Redesign
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Creation
Testing
ResponseCollaboration
Redesign
How does iteration prevent scapegoating?
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Creation
Testing
ResponseCollaboration
Redesign
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Iteration ofGame
Pressures ofDevelopment
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ToolsTime
TalentTrust
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A Good Level Design Tool
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Not a Good Level Design Tool
It looks like you’re trying
to make a fun level!
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Tools
Great tools allow for great iteration when change/effect loop is compressed as much as possible
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Great Tools Allow changes to happen easily Allow the effect of changes to be assessed
quickly Have a focus on usability, flexibility Provide feedback Allow collaboration and communication of intent Work consistently
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Difficult Tools Bog the level designer down in process Require time and effort to see changes Are not usability focused - they are “Arcane” Do not provide feedback when used incorrectly Restrict the number of people working on a level
at once Break often, costing time and sanity
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Tools
Good tools will FACILITATE successful iteration
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Time
Iteration takes time, there is simply no way around this
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Time
Honest scheduling
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Time
Honest scheduling Realistic scoping
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Time
Preserving time for level designers to experiment will allow for MORE iteration
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Talent
Communication
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Talent
Communication Improvisation Flexibility
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Talent
The more talent, the better QUALITY of iteration
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Trust
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Trust
Information
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Trust
Information Discussion
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Trust
Information Discussion Education
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Trust
Information Discussion Education Pluralism
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Trust
Management of Expectation
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Trust
Trust PERMITS iteration to happen
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Talent
Communication Improvisation
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Tools+Time+Talent+Trust
Good tools will FACILITATE successful iteration Preserving time for level designers to
experiment allows MORE iteration The more talent, the better QUALITY of iteration Trust PERMITS iteration to happen without
interference
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In Closing
No fear when progress is perceptible No panic when the game is fun No blame when changes are easy No mistrust when answers are plentiful
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“When you do things right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all.”
-- God