November 9, 2017 at 08:52Board Game Game Design
Recently, in the Higher School of Business Informatics at the Higher School of Economics, within the framework of the “Game Project Management” program, a closed master class was held by invited expert Yuri Zhuravlev on the topic “Board Game Game Design”. Yuri Zhuravlev himself in the game design of desktops for 7 years, and is still engaged in it. He published such games as the Viceroy, Costa Rouen, ZooMagia, the Guards of Laar and several others. Under the cut, we have prepared for you a compendium of his lecture.
The game is a phenomenon not only of human life, but also a phenomenon of life in general, since everyone plays, both adults, children and animals. Rather ancient games have survived to our days, or references to them, including those that existed on the earth 3 thousand - 4.5 thousand years ago.
But can everything be called a game? The following symptoms are distinguished:
What is a game designer to work with when creating a board game? So:
Maps
Pros:
+ hold a lot of text and pictures;
+ give a high level of randomness;
+ hidden information;
+ save state;
+ ease of manufacture;
+ variability mechanic.
Cons:
- give a high level of randomness;
- fragility;
- routine.
Dice (cubes)
Pros:
+ instant result;
+ compactness;
+ high level of kinesthetics;
+ ease of use in games;
+ custom options attract to the game.
Cons:
- give a high level of randomness;
- fragility;
- routine.
Playing fields
Pros:
+ visibility for players;
+ attention grabbing;
+ chic design;
+ modularity is possible.
Cons:
- large sizes;
- almost always used a variation of the mechanics of "area control";
- vulnerability to earthquakes.
Chips and markers
Pros:
+ unload memory;
+ visibility;
+ excellent state preservation;
+ are made of wood, plastic, metal.
Cons:
- vulnerability to earthquakes;
- most often nondescript;
- easy to lose;
- difficulties for color blind people.
Tokens
Pros:
+ unload memory;
+ visibility;
+ excellent state preservation;
+ availability of information on them;
+ beautiful design;
+ an abundance of mechanics.
Cons:
- easy to lose;
- fragility.
Tiles
Pros:
+ visibility;
+ excellent state preservation;
+ can make up the playing field;
+ availability of information on them;
+ beautiful design;
+ almost always on the table, durability;
+ come in any shape.
Cons:
- The playing field from the tiles often "spreads".
Tablets
Pros:
+ visibility for players;
+ attention grabbing;
+ chic design;
+ small size.
Cons:
- vulnerability to “earthquakes”;
- unique information.
Miniatures
Pros:
+ Attraction of attention;
+ chic design;
+ high level of kinesthetics.
Cons:
- high cost;
- do not give a unique gaming experience;
- the danger of becoming miniaturized.
Screens
Pluses:
+ elegant design;
+ small size;
+ convenient way to hide information;
+ memo on the game on the inside.
Cons:
- Do not give a unique gaming experience;
- vulnerability to earthquakes.
Having dealt with these work elements, you can go to the main types of mechanics of board games, which are formed from various combinations of the above objects.
Namely:
So, how to make your own game: how can you search for ideas, how to make prototypes correctly, how and with whom to conduct tests, what needs to be balanced in the game, and how is it better to publish it?
Method I: Homerul
Instructions:
1. Play a board game.
2. Love her, but not really :)
3. Come up with the rules by which it will be more pleasant for you to play it. And maybe your friends.
4. Break in the rules with friends, and it is possible to put them on the network.
Method II: copy-paste
Instructions:
1. Play a board game.
2. To love her very much.
3. Come up with exactly the same, but about the orc florists.
4. Add to your game a few "significant" differences from the original.
Method III: cool story
Instruction:
1. Read a book or watch a movie.
2. Inspired by the plot.
3. To come up with the rules according to which the characters of the book or film could act in the game.
4. Do not be able to do this and add event cards to the game.
Method IV: players “spin the crocodile”
Instructions:
1. Play a board game or look around.
2. In the process, see a cool gaming solution.
3. Use it in your own way.
4. Add a dozen more of these cool solutions to the game.
Method V: Brainstorming
Instructions:
1. Want to make a board game.
2. Choose a time, call friends, stock up on paper and pencils.
3. To create.
4. PROFIT!
Method VI: be children
Instructions:
1. Scatter components from board games on the floor, table, balcony and bathroom.
2. Remember yourself as a child.
3. Play the components as it is played, if only in high.
4. Having written down cool ideas, do not collect anything: suddenly stepping on a cube, will you again dawn?
Now, important information about the prototyping of your future game.
Requirements for the prototype:
1. It should be. And the sooner the better.
2. You can play at least a couple of moves.
3. Draft design.
4. Readiness to scribble on it with a pen.
5. Willingness to throw out the first few iterations.
Main mistakes:
1. Final art.
2. Poor ergonomics.
3. Not thought out the convenience of the players.
4. Unplayable balance.
This is followed by the testing phase.
Tasks of testing:
1. Identify the viability of the concept.
2. Find serious bugs and breakdowns.
3. Rid the game of crutches.
4. Collect the emotional response of the testers.
5. Bring the game to the final balance.
6. Grind the game to a shine.
Testing script:
1. Find like-minded people or just kind people and arrange a meeting
2. Tell the rules of the game on the spot. You should not send the rules in advance, if this is not a presentation to the publisher.
3. It is advisable not to play for yourself / yourself, but to observe from the side.
4. Answer questions from testers, discuss controversial issues, and come up with new rules in time.
5. Record all ideas, questions, results of the party: the winner and its duration.
6. Ask 3 questions: what did you like in the game, what didn’t like in the game, would you play again?
For testing, the balancing stage should begin .
Types of balance:
1. Mathematical balance: zero amount.
2. Emotional balance: transactions.
3. Balance of testers: there are no weak links.
4. Self-balance of the players: what am I to ?!
5. The balance of the author: I am an artist, as I see it.
After all this, you need to decide whether to publish your project yourself, collecting money for it through crowdfunding systems, or to resort to the services of a publisher . In the second case, it is worth considering the following features:
The specifics of working with the publisher:
1. The contract for ~ 5 years with royalties of 4-7% of the wholesale.
2. 98% change in setting.
3. Processing ~ 30% of the game for the needs of the publisher.
4. A lot of feedback from testers.
5. The ability to receive an order for development.
Thanks to Yuri for such a useful and interesting master class!
We take this opportunity to invite you to our absolutely free exhibition-conference “Lecture Day on the gaming industry”, where we will have new reports on the gaming industry, abstracts from which I will also publish on Habré.
The game is a phenomenon not only of human life, but also a phenomenon of life in general, since everyone plays, both adults, children and animals. Rather ancient games have survived to our days, or references to them, including those that existed on the earth 3 thousand - 4.5 thousand years ago.
But can everything be called a game? The following symptoms are distinguished:
- The game is free, it cannot be made mandatory for the player.
- The game is limited in space and time by precise and predetermined limits.
- The game has an uncertain outcome, it is impossible to predetermine its development, to predict its outcome; the need for fiction leaves some freedom for player initiative.
- The game does not create wealth and wealth, is not related to the material interests of the parties.
- The game is subject to a number of conditions that suspend ordinary laws and establish new legislation that is valid for the duration of the game.
- The game is fictitious, accompanied by a specific consciousness of some kind of secondary reality or simply irreality in comparison with ordinary life.
What is a game designer to work with when creating a board game? So:
Maps
Pros:
+ hold a lot of text and pictures;
+ give a high level of randomness;
+ hidden information;
+ save state;
+ ease of manufacture;
+ variability mechanic.
Cons:
- give a high level of randomness;
- fragility;
- routine.
Dice (cubes)
Pros:
+ instant result;
+ compactness;
+ high level of kinesthetics;
+ ease of use in games;
+ custom options attract to the game.
Cons:
- give a high level of randomness;
- fragility;
- routine.
Playing fields
Pros:
+ visibility for players;
+ attention grabbing;
+ chic design;
+ modularity is possible.
Cons:
- large sizes;
- almost always used a variation of the mechanics of "area control";
- vulnerability to earthquakes.
Chips and markers
Pros:
+ unload memory;
+ visibility;
+ excellent state preservation;
+ are made of wood, plastic, metal.
Cons:
- vulnerability to earthquakes;
- most often nondescript;
- easy to lose;
- difficulties for color blind people.
Tokens
Pros:
+ unload memory;
+ visibility;
+ excellent state preservation;
+ availability of information on them;
+ beautiful design;
+ an abundance of mechanics.
Cons:
- easy to lose;
- fragility.
Tiles
Pros:
+ visibility;
+ excellent state preservation;
+ can make up the playing field;
+ availability of information on them;
+ beautiful design;
+ almost always on the table, durability;
+ come in any shape.
Cons:
- The playing field from the tiles often "spreads".
Tablets
Pros:
+ visibility for players;
+ attention grabbing;
+ chic design;
+ small size.
Cons:
- vulnerability to “earthquakes”;
- unique information.
Miniatures
Pros:
+ Attraction of attention;
+ chic design;
+ high level of kinesthetics.
Cons:
- high cost;
- do not give a unique gaming experience;
- the danger of becoming miniaturized.
Screens
Pluses:
+ elegant design;
+ small size;
+ convenient way to hide information;
+ memo on the game on the inside.
Cons:
- Do not give a unique gaming experience;
- vulnerability to earthquakes.
Having dealt with these work elements, you can go to the main types of mechanics of board games, which are formed from various combinations of the above objects.
Namely:
- Worker-placement: Chips / Dice + Fields / Tablets / Maps / Tiles
- Tile-placement: Tiles + Chips
- Deckbuilding: Maps + Fields / Tablets optional
- Bagbuilding: Tokens / Cubes / Tiles / Chips + Sacks (which contain chips)
- Draft: Cards / Tiles + Tokens / Tablets as desired
- Dice Rolling: Cubes
- Action Points and Action Selection: may include anything
So, how to make your own game: how can you search for ideas, how to make prototypes correctly, how and with whom to conduct tests, what needs to be balanced in the game, and how is it better to publish it?
Method I: Homerul
Instructions:
1. Play a board game.
2. Love her, but not really :)
3. Come up with the rules by which it will be more pleasant for you to play it. And maybe your friends.
4. Break in the rules with friends, and it is possible to put them on the network.
Method II: copy-paste
Instructions:
1. Play a board game.
2. To love her very much.
3. Come up with exactly the same, but about the orc florists.
4. Add to your game a few "significant" differences from the original.
Method III: cool story
Instruction:
1. Read a book or watch a movie.
2. Inspired by the plot.
3. To come up with the rules according to which the characters of the book or film could act in the game.
4. Do not be able to do this and add event cards to the game.
Method IV: players “spin the crocodile”
Instructions:
1. Play a board game or look around.
2. In the process, see a cool gaming solution.
3. Use it in your own way.
4. Add a dozen more of these cool solutions to the game.
Method V: Brainstorming
Instructions:
1. Want to make a board game.
2. Choose a time, call friends, stock up on paper and pencils.
3. To create.
4. PROFIT!
Method VI: be children
Instructions:
1. Scatter components from board games on the floor, table, balcony and bathroom.
2. Remember yourself as a child.
3. Play the components as it is played, if only in high.
4. Having written down cool ideas, do not collect anything: suddenly stepping on a cube, will you again dawn?
Now, important information about the prototyping of your future game.
Requirements for the prototype:
1. It should be. And the sooner the better.
2. You can play at least a couple of moves.
3. Draft design.
4. Readiness to scribble on it with a pen.
5. Willingness to throw out the first few iterations.
Main mistakes:
1. Final art.
2. Poor ergonomics.
3. Not thought out the convenience of the players.
4. Unplayable balance.
This is followed by the testing phase.
Tasks of testing:
1. Identify the viability of the concept.
2. Find serious bugs and breakdowns.
3. Rid the game of crutches.
4. Collect the emotional response of the testers.
5. Bring the game to the final balance.
6. Grind the game to a shine.
Testing script:
1. Find like-minded people or just kind people and arrange a meeting
2. Tell the rules of the game on the spot. You should not send the rules in advance, if this is not a presentation to the publisher.
3. It is advisable not to play for yourself / yourself, but to observe from the side.
4. Answer questions from testers, discuss controversial issues, and come up with new rules in time.
5. Record all ideas, questions, results of the party: the winner and its duration.
6. Ask 3 questions: what did you like in the game, what didn’t like in the game, would you play again?
For testing, the balancing stage should begin .
Types of balance:
1. Mathematical balance: zero amount.
2. Emotional balance: transactions.
3. Balance of testers: there are no weak links.
4. Self-balance of the players: what am I to ?!
5. The balance of the author: I am an artist, as I see it.
After all this, you need to decide whether to publish your project yourself, collecting money for it through crowdfunding systems, or to resort to the services of a publisher . In the second case, it is worth considering the following features:
The specifics of working with the publisher:
1. The contract for ~ 5 years with royalties of 4-7% of the wholesale.
2. 98% change in setting.
3. Processing ~ 30% of the game for the needs of the publisher.
4. A lot of feedback from testers.
5. The ability to receive an order for development.
Thanks to Yuri for such a useful and interesting master class!
We take this opportunity to invite you to our absolutely free exhibition-conference “Lecture Day on the gaming industry”, where we will have new reports on the gaming industry, abstracts from which I will also publish on Habré.