how to design a serious game
DESCRIPTION
Making a video game is already a challenge. Making a good serious game is a very hard challenge. What do the experts say that could help me designing a good educational game? How can I influence people playing my game? How can I find a good balance between fun and learning? And what are some praiseworthy examples?TRANSCRIPT
HOW TO DESIGN A SERIOUS GAME
Giuseppe Enrico FranchiMarco Mazzaglia
10-06-2014
HOW TO DESIGN A SERIOUS GAMEall I remember on serious games from school
Giuseppe Enrico FranchiMarco Mazzaglia
10-06-2014
Agenda
• Who am I• About the jam• What is a serious game• How to influence/persuade people • The production cycle• 1 hour rant on the concept phase, 5 minutes
to cover the rest• Q&A
Whoami
• MSc in Games, Design• Game designer, code monkey, disciple
evangelist• Master thesis: “Learning Games for
Programming”, spawned Machineers
About the upcoming jam
Any jammers here?Do you know what a game jam is?
Do you know what a game designer does?
What is a…
Serious gameApplied game
Game with a purposeEdugame
…insert name of the week here
Influence people through a game
It already happens
Yay :)
Influence people through a game
“One cannot not communicate.” (Paul Watzlawick)
"As any constructed depiction of reality, simulations convey the bias of its designers."
(Gonzalo Frasca)
Sebastian Deterding, “What your designs say about you”
Enough
Get practical
The Production Cycle
ConceptPre-Production
ProductionTesting and debug
Post-production
Concept
GameWhat interaction with a (computer) system can
result in an interesting experience?
Serious GameHow do I want people to be influenced by
interacting with my system?
More practical!!!
Have your goal in mind when you conceptualize / design.
All the time
What can a serious game DO?How can we influence people for real?
1. Training simulations
I want to instruct players on how to perform a specific task.
1. Training simulations
Principles Motivation, transfer of knowledge consequence-
free.
How toDeep knowledge of a system.
Align player actions with operator actions and replicate consequences.
2. Medication
I want to have a positive influence on a medical condition affecting the player.
2. Medication
Hunter Hoffman, SnowWorld
2. Medication
Hunter Hoffman, SnowWorld
2. Medication
University of Southern California, JewelMine
2. Medication
Principles Immersion, escapism.
How to:\
Talk to professionals, I guess
3. Improve life
I want to change my player’s behaviour.
Moral, immoral? Hard to say.
D. Berdichevsky, E. Neuenschwander
3. Improve life
Principles Motivation, immersion.
How toAlign game mechanics to virtuous behaviours.
4. Raise awareness
I want to make players aware of the existence of a certain issue.
http://www.darfurisdying.com/
3. Raise awareness
Principles Immersion, agency
How toIntegrate players in the system, make them "live" the
choice.Avoid bias.
The disclosure principle.Call to action.
5. Inform
I want to give out news using a videogame.
GameTheNews.net, Endgame: Syria
5. Inform
Problem: Principles of journalism: obligation to the truth,
verification, independence.
Super quick and unbiased!
Gonzalo Frasca, September 12°http://www.newsgaming.com/games/index12.htm
5. Inform
Principles Immersion
How toEasy: make super quick, unbiased simulations.
6. Educate
I want my players to learn something.
http://www.virtualapple.org/oregontraildisk.html
6. Educate
Plenty of good design principlesAgency, Immersion, Identification,
Narrative/Fantasy, Intrinsic motivation
6. Educate
Plenty of games failing to apply those principles, especially intrinsic motivation.
It doesn’t come for free!
6. Educate
How toClear goals.
Assistance (scaffolds).Debrief.
Foster intrinsic motivation.Forget school as it is.
The Production Cycle
ConceptPre-Production
ProductionTesting and debug
Post-production
Pre-Production
Do your researchWrite the design document
Set for the technologyEstimate effort
Remember:Have your goal in mind when you design.
All the time
Production
Have an idea of all game featuresKeep tabs on how the project evolves
Be prepared to rediscuss
Test early, test often
Testing and debug
Quality Assurance (pre-alpha)All game features in place (alpha)
Game complete, needs debugging (beta)Release Candidate
Post-Production
Archive the project assetsFinal balance of the project
Post mortem
Thanks
Q&A