Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

game design > exam > Flashcards

exam Flashcards

1
Q

Zen game design

A
  1. There isnt a single method to design

2. Game design reflects needs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

participants and advocates

A

anyone with an interest or stake in the game (devs, producers, players)
Designer must be egoless and advocate for all participants

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Demographic Game Design

A

Game design inherently targets an audience, therefore the success criterion for a design is how effectively it satisfies the needs of that audience

Step 1 is to study the audience

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Market cluster

A

analyze data set for a specific group of people and look for common traits that when taken together define a coherent cluster
E.g. hardcore vs casual: buy and play many games, game literate, play as a lifestyle, turned on by challenge, can be polarized (large portion can be made to buy the same title)

When determining the audience for a game, make a hierarchy of market clusters and determine how the targeting will flow from high priority to low priority. E.g. will the hardcore players tell their more casual firends who are in the gaming periphery (aka cool gamers)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Market Vector

A

route through which awareness of and desire to purchase a game spreads throughout an audience (who tells who about the game)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Evangelist Cluster + which ones are they

A

special market clusters that can catalyze interest for other clusters.

Specialist Press
Mainstream Press
Hardcore Demographic (challenge oriented, arbitrary complexity)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Target Clusters + which ones are they

A

the rest of the clusters which arent evangelist clusters

Testosterone Demographic (fps run and gun, action players)
Lifestyle Demographic (fun, enjoyable, immersion, challenge averse, story driven)
Not much market penetration, hard to design for
Family Demographic (almost never buy games for themselves, family members, want familiarity)
Huge presence but Very little market penetration penetration

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Toy vs Game

A

Toy is a tool for entertainment. A game is a toy with some degree of performance
Hardcore is interested in gameplay, lifestyle in family also care about toyplay (e.g. sims, sandbox
games, gta, minecraft)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Play Window

A

total amount of time playing the game

Long window desirable because keeps game in circulation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Phases of Market Penetration

A

Hardcore Penetration
Hardcore Evangelism
Casual Penetration (must have lifestyle appeal, easy accessibility, strong marketing, or strong licencing)
Casual Evangelism

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

(E I)

A 
Extraversion vs Introversion 
interaction with the world
act then think vs think then act
Energized vs tired by social interaction
External vs internal motivation
Wide communication vs 1 on 1
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

(S N)

A

Sensing vs Intuition
how information is absorbed
present vs future
Common sense vs outside the box
Memory in rich detail vs memory in abstract patterns
Improvise based on experience vs improvise based on theoretical models
Prefers clear concrete info vs comfortable with implied or fuzzy data

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

(T F)

A

Thinking vs Feeling
how decisions are made
Logic vs emotion
Task oriented vs consequences for other people
Objective vs subjective
Comfortable with conflict vs uncomfortable with conflict

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

(J P)

A 
Judging vs Perceiving 
how actions are managed
Plan first vs plan as you go
One task at a time vs multitask
Stay ahead vs work close to due date
Likes routines vs avoids routines
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Hardcore market personality is mostly…

A

INTJ and ISTJ

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

S vs N gaming difference

A

learning and problem solving

S likes clear examples eg tutorials

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

T vs F gaming difference

A

motivation
T likes clear objective goals
F likes personal encouragement

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

J vs P gaming difference

A

goal orientation
J wants to complete tasks
P wants to improve their skills

19
Q

TJ vs FP gaming difference

A

challenge vs fun

20
Q

Phases of Development

A

Concept: initial game idea and framework
Initial Design: expand into complete design document (GDD phase)
Expansion: grow to accommodate depth of ideas (Programming, art, etc, features being added)
Contraction: trim excess that isnt needed (Complete expansion parts, stop adding features)

21
Q

Elasticity of design + types

A

Amount of freedom in expansion and contraction phases

Expandable elasticity and Contractable Elasticity

22
Q

Expandable elasticity vs Contractable Elasticity

A

Expandable elasticity: ease to add, usually reserved for AAA budgets
E.g. dungeons and dragons, pokemon
Contractable elasticity: ease to remove, essential for all games

23
Q

Tight design

A

all features support core concept (e.g. poker)

Extensive is not the opposite of tight. Slack is the opposite of tight. Pokemon is both tight and extensive.

24
Q

Extensive design

A

design which contains an exhaustive collection of features (e.g. yugioh)

Extensive is not the opposite of tight. Slack is the opposite of tight. Pokemon is both tight and extensive.

25
Q

Components of a game interface

A

Front End: all menus and screens that take place outside of gameplay (e.g. title, options)
In Game Menus
Control Mechanisms

26
Q

rules for interface design

A

Be Consistent
Use the simplest feasible interface for the gameplay
Draw from the familiar (dont reinvent the wheel with controls)
One function per button
Structure the learning curve

27
Q

suggestions for interface design

A

Shortcuts are for advanced users only
Icons for speed, text for clarity
Allow skipping of noninteractive sequences
Provide options and save them between sessions
Document the controls in a user manual

28
Q

Action space

A

all possible activities that can be carried out in the game world

29
Q

Dimensionality of control

A

degree of complexity of a given control mechanism (like degrees of freedom)

30
Q

Action Depth

A

how many subactions must be performed to complete a given action (usually within the context of menus, but also with controls). It is desirable to have similar actions at the same depth and for actions to have as low of a depth as possible. Compare and contrast mousewheel to scroll through weapons and a radial menu.

31
Q

Concept Model

A

framework for teaching the player that assigns a single role to each control, so as to group similar actions together to the same schema in different contexts. E.g., control stick to move, a to jump, x to use item. Use varies, but its always the use button unambiguously.

32
Q

Immersive Menu

A

Menus integrated into the game world as opposed to traditional ui (e.g. a shop where them menu is items on shelves)

Use immersive menus instead of classic ui menus where possible

33
Q

Game World Abstraction

A

the rules for the game world, the players potential interactions with that world, and the manner in which the game world is represented

34
Q

Uses of Game World Abstractions

A

support gameplay, provide immersion, or address technical constraints

35
Q

Motivations for Game World Abstractions

A

Technical Limitations, Budget Limitations, Design Goals

36
Q

Types of Game World Abstractions

A

Logic and reality : realism vs player expectations,
Perspective: first person, third person,
Avatars and Agents:
Groupings: Levels, Worlds, Maps
Time: Resetting vs Dynamic Environments, Persistent Worlds, Rewidning Time

37
Q

Types of Player Activity

A

Pathfinding and Housekeeping

38
Q

Pathfinding

A

player actively attempts to locate the fastest method of game progression

39
Q

Housekeeping

A

collecting, managing, becoming familiar with an area and its contents, progressing forward at the players leisure

40
Q

Types of Environmental Progression and weight towards Pathfinding vs Housekeeping

A

Discrete and Continuous levels : best for pathfinding, can cause bottlenecks in gameplay
Domains: suitable for housekeeping gameplay but also compatible for pathfinding. In general, it is a waste of domain structure to focus exclusively on pathfinding gameplay.
Contiguous worlds: very good for housekeeping

Example: ratchet and clank has domains that focus on pathfinding (rare) with housekeeping elements added in through the weapons upgrade system. Zelda has a contiguous overworld where one can engage in housekeeping, with pathfinding in the dungeon areas which serve as domains.

41
Q

Barriers:

A

features designed specifically to mediate player progress

E.g. doors and keys, learnable ability checks

42
Q

Key Items:

A

Symbolic Key: has no gameplay use other than denoting that you can pass through a barrier (e.g. part of the triforce)
Functional Key: used in gameplay solely for the purpose of passing through a barrier, but requires player input to use and is emoted by the avatar
Tool Key: give the player an ability which they need in order to progress past a barrier, and have further use beyond just unlocking the barrier
(e.g. items in zelda)

43
Q

Breadcrumbing

A

laying a distinct trail for the player to follow which leads back towards the main spine of game progression

44
Q

Funneling

A

giving players cues and hints that lead them away from secondary housekeeping and toyplay towards the main spine of game progression

game design (1 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions