Solving the Design Puzzle From Management to Execution
Alexandre Mandryka gamewhispering.com
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Whos this guy? Born in Paris Trained in biology Worked for 5
years in France Moved to Canada in 2005 Studio level positions at
Ubisoft and Relic
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The Thesis We are playing a huge stakes game without mastering
one of its core pillars
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Design? Each discipline executes on the vision Design is just
one of them... Different roles can be held by same people But
beware! Vision Game Features Coding Design Features Art Creative
direction Design (different types)
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Invention of Cinema Sons of a photographic plate maker
Inventors and engineers Inspired by Thomas Edison Created a
camera/projector Le cinematographe (1894) Louis and Auguste
Lumiere
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Reverse angle shots (1911) First celluloid film (1888) Film
continuity Scope effect Gradually developing a vocabulary and a
grammar About 25 years to get there
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Media evolution The essence of the video game medium is still
being to be explored
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How did Movies gained specificity? Shared expertise with
literature and theater But also specific technical area Lighting
Photography Cinematography Academic study Only a mastered technique
can be expressive
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What is the path for games? Shared expertise with literature
cinema and digital arts But also specific technical area 3D
Engineering Programming Design Academic study for most Except
design...
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Every story has been told Stanley KubrickJoseph Campbell
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Tristan and Isolde XIIth century Lancelot and Guinevere
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In games No unnecessary risk Different consideration in
stories
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Agon Confrontation Be the best Be in control Seek challenge
Victory Alea Accept fate Relinquish control Embrace chance
Passivity Hope Mimicry Imagination Play a role Explore a consistent
invention Make believe Ilinx Destroy the stability of perception
Vertigo On the brink of loosing control Explore your limits All of
these require action Four core game pleasure types Roger
Caillois
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Movies-Games comparison Movies Technical birth Slow maturation
Allowed theorization Close from literature Empathy is the vector
Video games Technical birth Ultra quick growth Limited academic
support Singular medium Interactivity is the vector En Pathos
InFeeling Passive mediumActive medium
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MANAGING DESIGNERS Motivation Career Progression Creative
Management
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My understanding of management Evaluate Train Motivate Assign
tasks Teamwork Creative work Need to feel safe to take risks
Competency Autonomy Purpose Intrinsic needs (Works for games too)
About skills
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What are the skills of a designer? No shared understanding No
one gets it Not your family Not your boss Not yourself, at least
not me Competency
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What academia offers
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You enjoy driving cars? Become a mechanical engineer and do
what you love!
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Design skills Game Design System design: AI, economy, game
rules Logic, mathematics, probabilities Interaction design:
Controls, interfaces, feedback Ergonomics, biomechanics,
cybernetics Motivation design: Learning, reward, difficulty
Psychology, learning theory, motivation theory
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Design skills Level Design Gameplay implementation: Challenge
creation, obstacles meet abilities Analysis of games core challenge
Environment creation: Building spaces to naturally draw the player
through 3D engines and tools, architecture, landscaping Theatrics:
Environmental storytelling, mood setting Staging, cinematography
techniques
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Design skills Narrative Design Writing: Dialogue/screenplay,
prose Literature, creative writing Narrative Interface Design:
Designing methods to convey story to the player Media studies,
media psychology, communication Player-Centric Plotting: Engaging
the player as protagonist - Dont tell, dont show, let me play it!
Psychology? Literature theory? + Method Acting
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How to select schools Focus on theoretical training Be wary of
making full games Production focus or implementation Vision Game
Coding Design Art Pr. Moriarty and his Perlenspiel Not design
design Media and their users Communication, design and aesthetic
Interfaces and scriptwriting Architecture and urbanism...
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Academic background in games Free to play monetisation Analysts
& Economists Establishing a better metric that Fun Ph.D.
combinatorial mathematics Dr Eyjolfur Gudmundsson Lead Economist at
CCP Amy Jo Kim behavioral neuroscience Ph.D.
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Creativity Being creative? Autonomy Artists Programmers
Designers Managers NOT Creativity is aimed downwards Find the most
adapted solution to problems
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Tale of a micromanaging structure Why do you like him as a lead
designer? Because hes fast But would you want your lead programmer
to be fast? Hmmmmm Design was considered as implementation only
Lead Game Designer
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Function Creative Process Needed for each discipline Different
steps require different skills and level of experience You want
expertise at each level Respect each level as a black box Autonomy
black box Intention Function Solution Feature Functional
requirement Analysis Implementation
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A mix of things Required for Creativity Self-esteem Respect of
others Respect from other Establish the design specialties
Establish the related skills Responsibilities / Black box Ensure
proper processes and collaboration Purpose Malsows hierarchy of
needs
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Last word on creative management Think out of the box So go
watch: MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFriday Ideas44448 David
Rock
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UNDERSTANDING DESIGN Eradicate the Fun
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The fun This is designs metric Its totally broken It doesnt fly
with other disciplines Were confused between the fun of playing and
the fun of creating games It is vague, inefficient and so risky to
use!
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Designing with the coolness principle Idea Cool Idea Cool We
have it!
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Cool Swell LOL Fun U MAD BRO? LOL Backlog
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Make the game more exciting for fans Functional requirement
More goalsMore speedMaintain skill
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Game VS Toy Rules, what you can, or cant do Winning/Loosing
conditions Nothing is forbidden Everything is allowed Investigate
the relationship between rules and player strategies
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Rules VS Player strategies
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No Rules Dominant strategies Ground pound Knock out punch
Submission
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Limit player efficiency to allow different styles to be viable
The intention: Boxing is the noble art
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2 kinds of rules Touchdown: When any part of the ball, legally
in possession of a player inbounds, breaks the plane of the
opponents goal line, provided it is not a touchback. Direct rules
How to win (Optimal strategy)Indirect rules Limit unwanted dominant
strategies Upkeep system Rested XP
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What if theres no offside? What is the effect on optimal
strategy?
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Offside Because we want midfield play to be relevant
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What is the effect of Offside? Makes Hockey a contact
sport
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Sum of 4 runs Intended experience Precision The most regular
wins Controlled risk
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Intended experience Fearless The most outrageous wins Best of 2
runs
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Halos 30 seconds of fun accuracy EngagementEnemy killed Out of
ammo Player Choice Reload Grenade Melee average good
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Understanding design The fun is a lie Design is a second order
problem You dont control the player Based on intention Encourage
the behaviors you want Discourage those you dont Think in terms of
optimal strategy
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Last word Yale graduate in literature Looks like Robert Redford
Acting method can help us Not for storytelling But for gameplay
Jeffrey Yohalem
