Is this thing on?. Intuition And Intellect Deconstructing The Design of Oasis Marc LeBlanc GDC 2005

Is this thing on?Is this thing on?

Intuition And IntellectIntuition And Intellect

Deconstructing The Design Deconstructing The Design of Oasisof OasisMarc LeBlanc

GDC 2005

Part I: OverviewPart I: Overview

Or, what this talk is, and what Or, what this talk is, and what it isn’t. it isn’t.

OutlineOutline

• Demo OasisDemo Oasis• Discuss “Intellectual” and Discuss “Intellectual” and

“Intuitive” Design“Intuitive” Design• Outline an intellectual Outline an intellectual

frameworkframework• Deconstruct OasisDeconstruct Oasis• Bring up some moments of Bring up some moments of

Intellect/Intuition collisionIntellect/Intuition collision

DisclaimersDisclaimers

• This talk is not a post-This talk is not a post-mortemmortem Not “What went right”Not “What went right” Rather, “What we were thinking”Rather, “What we were thinking”

• This is not a “how to win the This is not a “how to win the IGF” talkIGF” talk Like I would knowLike I would know

Part II: Part II: Let’s Play Oasis…Let’s Play Oasis…

Part III: Intuition and Part III: Intuition and IntellectIntellect

In which we talk about talking In which we talk about talking about game design. about game design.

Intuition vs. IntellectIntuition vs. Intellect

• Intuition:Intuition: Life ExperienceLife Experience Mysterious and CreativeMysterious and Creative Quick and DirtyQuick and Dirty

• Intellect: Intellect: Study, Research, SynthesisStudy, Research, Synthesis Articulate and AnalyticalArticulate and Analytical Slow and PreciseSlow and Precise

““The intellect is a Bailey The intellect is a Bailey bridge built between islands bridge built between islands of inspiration.”of inspiration.”

- Mike Myers- Mike Myers

Another MetaphorAnother Metaphor

• Intuition is “high gear”Intuition is “high gear”• Intellect is “low gear”Intellect is “low gear”• Speed vs. Power tradeoffSpeed vs. Power tradeoff

You need both gears!You need both gears!

• Without Intuition you will get Without Intuition you will get left behind.left behind.

• Without Intellect you will get Without Intellect you will get stuck.stuck.

• Intuition AND Intellect, Intuition AND Intellect, not Intuiton VS. Intellectnot Intuiton VS. Intellect

HoweverHowever

• Intellect is inherently easier Intellect is inherently easier to communcate.to communcate.

• Welcome to the GDCWelcome to the GDC

Part IV: An Intellectual Part IV: An Intellectual FrameworkFramework

Wherein concepts are Wherein concepts are classified, and terms are classified, and terms are defined.defined.

Games asGames as SoftwareSoftware

Code


Code Process


Code RequirementsProcess


Rules



Rules Activity



Rules “Fun”Activity


A Design VocabularyA Design Vocabulary






Mechanics

RequirementsProcess

“Fun”Game


Mechanics Dynamics


Mechanics AestheticsDynamics

The MDA FrameworkThe MDA Framework

Mechanics AestheticsDynamics

Part V: Back to OasisPart V: Back to Oasis

Where we finally get back to Where we finally get back to that game we looked at.that game we looked at.

Aesthetic Objectives of Aesthetic Objectives of OasisOasis

• ChallengeChallenge the player the player He has interesting problems to solve.He has interesting problems to solve.

• Create a strategic landscape to Create a strategic landscape to DiscoverDiscover The player crafts his own “game science.”The player crafts his own “game science.”

• Create an emergent Create an emergent NarrativeNarrative Convey a sense of Convey a sense of dramatic tensiondramatic tension building building

to a climax.to a climax.• Fulfill a Fulfill a FantasyFantasy

The player feels like he’s building a tiny The player feels like he’s building a tiny empire.empire.

• Create a spectacle of Create a spectacle of SensationSensation Sights and sounds for the player to enjoy.Sights and sounds for the player to enjoy.

The “Design Thesis” of The “Design Thesis” of OasisOasis

Oasis is the “anti-Oasis is the “anti-MinesweeperMinesweeper””

• Clicking yields information, Clicking yields information, butbut• Clicking is good instead of bad.Clicking is good instead of bad.• Many carrots, one big stick.Many carrots, one big stick.• Some carrots are sucker punchesSome carrots are sucker punches

Use sights & sounds to lure the playerUse sights & sounds to lure the player

The “No Bad Clicks” The “No Bad Clicks” PrinciplePrinciple

• Became an aesthetic yardstick. Became an aesthetic yardstick. • We had to refine our notion of We had to refine our notion of

“bad.”“bad.” ““Worth less than nothing”Worth less than nothing”

• Killed many, many potential Killed many, many potential features.features.

• Still, some emergent “bad Still, some emergent “bad clicks” remain.clicks” remain.

The Strategic LandscapeThe Strategic Landscape

• Player starts out as a tourist.Player starts out as a tourist.• Eventually, he becomes a Eventually, he becomes a

native.native.

• Map GeneratorMap Generator• Combat SystemCombat System

Dynamics that ChallengeDynamics that ChallengeMechanic: Resource ContentionMechanic: Resource Contention

Different moves compete for turns.Different moves compete for turns. Some also compete for followers.Some also compete for followers.

Combined with: Combined with: Random MapsRandom Maps Random PlayersRandom Players Limited InformationLimited Information

Challenging decisions emerge.Challenging decisions emerge.

Difficulty “Balance”Difficulty “Balance”

Q: How do you find the Q: How do you find the balance point?balance point?

A: You don’t. A: You don’t.

Easy ImpossibleChallenging?

The Oldest Trick in the The Oldest Trick in the BookBook

Start hereStart here


The Oldest Trick in the The Oldest Trick in the BookBook

• The player has to win before it becomes The player has to win before it becomes impossible. impossible.

• You still need to tune, but now it’s You still need to tune, but now it’s possible.possible.

• This reflects our whole attitude towards This reflects our whole attitude towards “balance”“balance”


March Onward and Upward

The Dramatic ArcThe Dramatic Arc

RisingAction

FallingAction

Climax

Dramatic DynamicsDramatic Dynamics

• Difficulty: Easy … Hard … Impossible Difficulty: Easy … Hard … Impossible • Choices: Few … Many … FewChoices: Few … Many … Few• Flow: Turn-based … Timed … Real-Flow: Turn-based … Timed … Real-

timetime• Combat: Losing … Even … WinningCombat: Losing … Even … Winning

• Some arcs are authored, some are Some arcs are authored, some are emergent.emergent.

The Combat Mechanics,The Combat Mechanics,The Simple VersionThe Simple Version

• Each round is a coin flipEach round is a coin flip• The winner kills some of the The winner kills some of the

loser’s troopsloser’s troops

The Combat Mechanics,The Combat Mechanics,The Less Simple VersionThe Less Simple Version

• Each round is a lottery.Each round is a lottery.• Every soldier has a ticket.Every soldier has a ticket.• Technology can add or remove Technology can add or remove

tickets.tickets.• The winner’s team gets to kill The winner’s team gets to kill

some of the losing team’s some of the losing team’s troops.troops.3 + <treasure bonus>/23 + <treasure bonus>/2

Some Combat Some Combat ObservationsObservations

• The better army usually wins.The better army usually wins.• BUT, losing one round doesn’t BUT, losing one round doesn’t

cost much.cost much.• Ties can take a while to Ties can take a while to

“snowball.”“snowball.”• The weaker army…The weaker army…

Still has a fighting chanceStill has a fighting chance Can last a long timeCan last a long time

But There’s MoreBut There’s More

• Each side gets 200 “bonus tickets.” Each side gets 200 “bonus tickets.” • When a side kills N soldiers, it When a side kills N soldiers, it

loses >N bonus tickets. loses >N bonus tickets.

• So: So: At the start, the battle is biased towards a At the start, the battle is biased towards a

coin flip.coin flip. There’s some negative feedback.There’s some negative feedback. When the bonus runs out, the fight When the bonus runs out, the fight

becomes more skewedbecomes more skewed

All This Adds Up to All This Adds Up to DramaDrama

• Fights stay close for a while, Fights stay close for a while, and then the tide turns.and then the tide turns.

• The player starts out the The player starts out the underdog, and then wins.underdog, and then wins. Numbers vs. FirepowerNumbers vs. Firepower

• Not too bad, for just numbers Not too bad, for just numbers going down.going down.

• Again, the drama is emergent. Again, the drama is emergent.

Part VI: Intution and Part VI: Intution and Intellect, RevisitedIntellect, Revisited

In which the previous parts In which the previous parts are related to each other.are related to each other.

Creating OasisCreating Oasis

• Our day-to-day process was Our day-to-day process was largely intuitive.largely intuitive.

• Intellectual processes helped Intellectual processes helped us:us: Get out of ruts.Get out of ruts. Communicate objectives.Communicate objectives. Design tricky mechanicsDesign tricky mechanics

Another Example: The Another Example: The “Smitey Glyph” Feature“Smitey Glyph” Feature

• Problem: All levels are won or Problem: All levels are won or lost, no “region of forgiveness.” lost, no “region of forgiveness.”

• Proposed Solution: The “Smitey Proposed Solution: The “Smitey Glyph”Glyph”

• Many theoretical problemsMany theoretical problems Creates a “stalling” opportunityCreates a “stalling” opportunity Diminishes the “sucker punch”Diminishes the “sucker punch”

• But it Just Made SenseBut it Just Made Sense

Example: Pharaoh’s Example: Pharaoh’s ChallengeChallenge

• Publisher asked us for “campaign Publisher asked us for “campaign mode” to create an increased sense of mode” to create an increased sense of “content.”“content.”

• We felt free to experiment, create an We felt free to experiment, create an “inferior game.”“inferior game.”

• We could rationalize that freedom We could rationalize that freedom intellectually. intellectually.

• We relaxed the “No Bad Clicks” rule.We relaxed the “No Bad Clicks” rule.

Example: Level FlowExample: Level Flow

Three Phases:Three Phases:1. Turn-based explore & build1. Turn-based explore & build

2. Timed troop deployment2. Timed troop deployment

3. Non-interactive battle.3. Non-interactive battle.

• Were we nuts?Were we nuts?• Conventional wisdom says yes.Conventional wisdom says yes.• Conventional wisdom is largely Conventional wisdom is largely

intuitive.intuitive.

It’s All About DramaIt’s All About Drama

Explore,Build

Battle

Deploy

An Important Precedent:An Important Precedent:Golf GamesGolf Games

Aiming,Club Selection

Ball FlightSwing Meter

In GeneralIn General

Planning

ResultExecution

Example: Difficulty Example: Difficulty CouplingCoupling

• Originally, difficulty Originally, difficulty only only determined starting level number.determined starting level number.(Easy = 1, Normal = 11, Hard = 21, Insane = 31)(Easy = 1, Normal = 11, Hard = 21, Insane = 31)

• Empirically, a bad idea.Empirically, a bad idea.• We changed it so all levels start at We changed it so all levels start at

1.1.• The change bought us tuning The change bought us tuning

freedom.freedom.

Questions?Questions?

• Slides and Stuff: Slides and Stuff: www.8kindsoffun.comwww.8kindsoffun.com

• Oasis: www.oasisgame.comOasis: www.oasisgame.com• Me: [email protected]: [email protected]

Example BugsExample Bugs

1. “10 Second phase” is too 1. “10 Second phase” is too “solveable.” (challenge)“solveable.” (challenge)

2. 2. When the player’s scarab power When the player’s scarab power is low, defeat seems inevitable. is low, defeat seems inevitable. (drama)(drama)

3.3. Not enough ways to take risks Not enough ways to take risks (drama,challenge).(drama,challenge).

4.4. Treasure searching is too Treasure searching is too random, not skill-based random, not skill-based (challenge)(challenge)

Example SolutionsExample Solutions

• ““10 Second phase” is too 10 Second phase” is too “solveable.” (challenge)“solveable.” (challenge)

Introduce a penalty for each Introduce a penalty for each city lost. city lost.


2.2. When the player’s scarab When the player’s scarab power is low, defeat seems power is low, defeat seems inevitable. (drama)inevitable. (drama)

Introduce a special treasure Introduce a special treasure that repleneshes scarab that repleneshes scarab power, power, if if defended. (Also defended. (Also addresses #3)addresses #3)


3.3. Not enough ways to take Not enough ways to take risks (drama,challenge).risks (drama,challenge).

Introduce a special treasure Introduce a special treasure that earns score, that earns score, if if defended. defended.


4.4. Treasure searching is too Treasure searching is too random, not skill-based random, not skill-based (challenge)(challenge)

Treasure placement has a more Treasure placement has a more learnable pattern. (No learnable pattern. (No duplicates, ascending order.)duplicates, ascending order.)

Here’s What We DidHere’s What We Did

• Saw OasisSaw Oasis• Discussed “Intellectual” and Discussed “Intellectual” and

“Intuitive” Design“Intuitive” Design• Presented MDAPresented MDA• Examined OasisExamined Oasis• Discussed moments of Discussed moments of

Intution and Intellect at work.Intution and Intellect at work.

Documents

Is this thing on?. Intuition And Intellect Deconstructing The Design of Oasis Marc LeBlanc GDC 2005