GDC2011 - Motivating Players in Open Worlds

I WANT TO GO TO THEREMotivating Players in Open GamesJoel Burgess, Senior DesignerBethesda Game Studios

Simple Question• How do you go about making

levels for open-world games?

Define “Open”

Player Agency

Why Are We Fascinated?• What makes Open games so interesting?– Best positioned to fulfill the core promise of

videogames– Old Hat, but interactivity is what makes our

medium special, and interactivity is the focal point of Open Games

Why Are Open Games Important?

Tandem Authorship

The Unpredictable Player• Trained to Defy Direction

• Will always confound you

• Not, actually, a jerk.

Player-Designer Contract

• The Player is in Control

Player-Designer Contract

• The Player is in Control• Stay Backstage

Player-Designer Contract

• The Player is in Control• Stay Backstage• Fulfill Expectations

Player-Designer Contract

• The Player is in Control• Stay Backstage• Fulfill Expectations• Player Story > Designer Story

Setting Up For Fun

Environmental Techniques

Distant Landmarks

Nearby Landmarks

Point Lookout Video Introduction

Motion in Environment

Prior Knowledge

Don’t Forget Audio

Goals & Player Motivation• Aim for the player to always have a goal

Goal Types• Explicit Goals• Player Determined Goals• Emergent Goals• Goals of Opportunity• Out-of-Game Goals

Components of a Goal• Perceived Risk/Reward• Commitment• Inherent Interest

Are We Powerless?• No!

Provide Interesting Goals For the Widest Possible Range of Player Interests

Deliberate Distraction

A B

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Time

Yawn…

Deliberate Distraction

A BX

Y

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Deliberate Distraction

A B

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Time

X Y

Dealing With Empty Area

“Just for Looks”

The Iconic Rope Bridge

Handling for Open Games

Consolation Loot

Same Problem, New Scope

POI Density

POI Density• POI Options• Time per POI• Your Desired POI Density• Vertical “Chunk” Estimate• Extrapolate Against Time in Schedule

Fallout 3 Example: The Wasteland

Thank You