Game Design
Mr. Payos
Interface
• Front-end
• In application software
• The visible portion of the application
• In games
• GUI elements not displayed during play
Interface
•HUD (Head-Up Display)
• Displays during play
• Shows and other information difficult to present directly
in the game environment
• Examples
•
Scores
• Resource levels
• Mini Map
• Chat
• Alerts
• Level
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Interface
• Mapping
• An understood relationship between two
things • Especially the relationship of a model to its
subject
• Examples
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HCI and Cognitive Ergonomics
• HCI – Human-Computer Interaction
• Study of…
• Communication between users and computers
• How people design, build, and use interfaces
• Better support for cooperative work
• Cognitive Ergonomics
• Analyzes the cognitive representations and processes involved with
performing tasks
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Constraints
• Platform
• General description of hardware and
software • Personal computer – PC, Mac, etc.
• Console – Game Cube, PlayStation, Xbox, etc.
• Handheld – DS, Game Boy Advance, PSP, etc.
• Mobile device – Cel Phones, NGage, PDA, etc.
• Arcade – custom vending games (e.g. Time Crisis)
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Constraints
• Game Saves
• Save triggers
• Save-anywhere
• Save points
• Coded text saves
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Genres
• Genre – a category describing generalities of conventions, style, and
content
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Genres •Racing
•Rhythm
•Action •Role-Playing (RPG) •
•Adventure Simulation
•Arcade • Sports
• Casual • Strategy
• Education • Puzzle
• Fighting • Traditional
• First-person shooter •
Platform 9
Audiences
• Target audience
• Group of expected consumers
• Demographics
• Study of relevant economic and social statistics about a given population
• Demographic variables
• The relevant factors
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Audiences
• Market
• Demographic segmentation of consumers
• Market segments
• Smaller sub-segment of the market; more tightly defined
•Demographic profile
• Typical consumer attributes in a market
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Audiences
•Heavy Users
• Those of the numeric minority of potential users responsible for
majority of sales of any product
• “80/20 rule”
•Hardcore gamer
• Game industry term for heavy video game
users • Casual gamer
• Game industry term for all other gamers
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Audiences
• Typically assumptions of the hardcore:
• Play games over long sessions
• Discuss games frequently and at length
• Knowledgeable about the industry
• Higher threshold for frustration
• Desire to modify or extend games creatively
• Have the latest game systems
• Engage in competition with themselves, the game, and others 13
Audiences
•Why We Play Games – Nicole Lazzaro
• Internal experience
• Enjoyment from visceral activities
• Hard fun
• Challenge of strategy and problem solving
• Easy fun
• Intrigue and curiosity – exploration and adventure
• Social experience
• Stimulating social faculties – competition, teamwork, bonding,
and recognition
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Project Submission
Game Summary Submission-Hard Copy
Friday, September 6, 2024: 9AM-5PM
Font Style: Arial
Font Size: 11
Paper Size: Letter
Title, Summary and Genre Submission:
Soft copy- September 3, 2024: 10 PM only
Submit your output in PDF
Via Email:
[Link]@[Link]
Subject: HCI02_2BSIT2
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