Game Design Patterns one view

1
Game Design Patterns- one view

• (Staffan and Jussi)
• Staffan Björk
• PLAY, Interactive Institute
• Chalmers University of Technology

2
What are game design patterns?

• No definition
• One view
• Our current view
• Important characteristics
• Recurring game mechanics or elements of
  interaction in games
• Semi-formal inter-dependent descriptions
• Can be intentional or emergent in game designs

3
Our motivation

• Need a vocabulary for talking about games
• ALL types of games
• Describe, analyze and compare games focused on
  the interaction provided in games
• Need to discuss game designs in a structured
  fashion
• Provide a tool for (experimental) game design

4
What can design patterns be used for?

• Inspiration
• Problem-Solving for Game Interaction Design
• Creative design tool
• Communicating with peers
• Communicating with other professions
• Note can be used for any kind of game

5
Inspiration

• Avoid getting stuck in the same thoughts
• Avoid missing possible ideas
• Each pattern is an example of possible
  interaction in a game
• No need to distill ideas from existing games
  oneself
• Can be used tarot-like for brainstorming

6
Problem-Solving for Game Interaction Design

• Understanding why a design has certain unwanted
  characteristics
• NOT why a game isnt fun or good!
• Give examples of what can be added to a design to
  achieve a certain effect

7
Creative Design Tool

• Choosing a couple of patterns can be the starting
  point for a game concept
• Refinement can be done by examining and choosing
  subpatterns, gradually building a more concrete
  game design
• Can be used as a support when designing for new
  mediums and genres

8
Communicating with Peers

• Offer a neutral definition instead of relying on
  that subjective understandings match
• Patterns can be used as concise definitions that
  make descriptions shorter and more specific

9
Communicating with other professions

• Offer a neutral definition instead of rely on
  that subjective understandings match
• Patterns can be used as concise definitions that
  make descriptions shorter and more specific
• Avoid jargon specific to profession
• Describe the salient game play elements to
  non-gamers

10
Our pattern template

• Name
• Description
• Consequences
• Using the pattern
• Relations
• Work upon a structural framework
• Examples will come later

11
Our pattern template, cont.Structural framework
12
Our pattern template, cont.

• Name
• Preferable short, specific, and idiomatic
• Description
• Concise description of the pattern
• how it affects the structural framework (if it
  does)
• In what games the pattern is typically found

13
Our pattern template, cont.

• Consequences
• What effects on game play the pattern has
• What superior patterns the pattern supports
• Potentially conflicting patterns and why
• Using the pattern
• What components from the structural framework are
  required to use the game
• Subpatterns that can be used to instantiate the
  pattern

14
Our pattern template, cont.

• Relations
• Superior patterns
• Subpatterns
• Potentially conflicting patterns
• References
• To descriptions of the phenomena not using
  patterns
• Games exemplifying the pattern
• Patents

15
Differences from other pattern types

• Game phenomena consequences not patterns of
  problem-solving
• Motivation
• The intent for having a pattern can vary
• The presence of a pattern has several effects
• Solution to instantiating a pattern may simply
  lie in making sure a subpattern exists in the
  game
• Patterns form a web with complex interaction
  changing one affects the realization of many other

16
Differences from other pattern types, cont.

• Effects of our non-problematic approach
• Allows discussion about non-intentional or
  emergent phenomena in games
• Avoids risk of viewing patterns as a method for
  only removing unwanted effects of a game design

17
The need for a pattern collection

• All the previous uses assumed the existence
• Requires less investment to start using any
  pattern-based method
• Starting point for describing new patterns
• Difficult to jump without the ground
• Validate the methods by using the collection and
  documenting the process

18
The need for a pattern collection, cont.

• Patterns never exist without other patterns
• The actual manifestation of a pattern in a game
  strongly dependent on the other patterns present
• Networks of patterns create the game
• Example
• Start with one pattern -gt empty potential
• Start adding patterns -gt the patterns gradually
  differentiate the game

19
Current Work with Game Design Patterns

• Collecting Game Design Patterns
• Studying Concept use of Professional Game
  Designers
• Experimental Design using Game Design Patterns
• Putting Patterns to Work
• Master Theses

20
Collecting Game Design Patterns

• 200 pattern candidates
• Named
• Related to other patterns
• 80 described patterns
• Methods of identifying patterns
• Studying games (playing them)
• Relating patterns to each other and noticing the
  gaps

21
Studying Concept use of Professional Game
Designers

• Interviews with ten professional game designers
• Identify new patterns
• Validate already identified patterns
• Identify possible methods of using patterns

22
Experimental Design using Game Design Patterns

• Using Patterns for Experimental Design
• Not commercial but research
• Mobile games
• Pervasive games
• Computer-augmented games
• AR games
• Context-sensitive games

23
Putting Patterns to Work

• Engaging local companies
• Let them have access to our pattern collection
• Freedom of use
• Short presentation of the ideas behind game
  patterns
• Paper copies, encourage making note and writing
  down new patterns
• Interview afterwards of what use the patterns
  were and comments about individual patterns

24
Master Theses

• Lundgren, Sus
• Joining bits and pieces - how to make entirely
  new board games using embedded computer
  technology
• Svensson, Fredrik
• Digital collectable card games an example of
  designing for wireless IT
• Thoresson, Johan
• PhotoPhone entertainment possibilities for
  games based on camera-equipped mobile phones
• Ernholm, Johan Frohm, Malin
• The spy game context-aware multiplayer
  event-based games

25
And now over to Bernd