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at cornell university
Lecture 4
Game Components
So You Want to Make a Game?
Will assume you have a design document
Focus of next week and a half…
Building off the ideas of previous lecture
But now you want to start building it
Need to assign tasks to the team members
Helps to break game into components
Each component being a logical unit of work.
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2 Design Elements at cornell university
Traditional Way to Break Up a Game
Game Engine
Software, created primarily by programmers
Rules and Mechanics
Created by the designers, with programmer input
User Interface
Coordinated with programmer/artist/HCI specialist
Content and Challenges
Created primarily by designers
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3 Parts of a Game at cornell university
Features of Game Engines
Power the graphics and sound
3D rendering or 2D sprites
Power the character and strategic AI
Typically custom designed for the game
Power the physics interactions
Must support collisions at a bare minimum
Describe the systems
Space of possibilities in game world
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4 Parts of a Game at cornell university
Commercial Game Engines
Libraries that take care of technical tasks
But probably need some specialized code
Game studios buy source code licenses
Is XNA a game engine?
No AI or physics support at all
But external libraries exist (e.g. Box2D)
Bare bones engine: graphics + physics
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5 Parts of a Game at cornell university
Game Engines: Graphics
Minimum requirements:
Low level instructions for drawing
API to import artistic assets
Routines for manipulating images
Two standard 3D graphics APIs
OpenGL: Unix, Linux, Macintosh
Direct3D: Windows
For this class, our graphics engine is XNA
Supports Direct 3D, but will only use 2D
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Game Engines: Physics
Defines physical attributes of the world
There is a gravitational force
Objects may have friction
Ways in which light can reflect
Does not define precise values or effects
The direction or value of gravity
Friction constants for each object
Specific lighting for each material
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Game Engines: Systems
Physics is an example of a game system
Specifies the space of possibilities for a game
But not the specific parameters of elements
Extra code that you add to the engine
Write functions for the possibilities
But do not code values or when called
Separates programmer from gameplay designer
Programmer creates the system
Gameplay designer fills in parameters
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8 Parts of a Game at cornell university
Systems: Super Mario Bros.
Levels
Fixed height scrolling maps
Populated by blocks and enemies
Enemies
Affected by stomping or bumping
Different movement/AI schemes
Spawn projectiles or other enemies
Blocks
Can be stepped on safely
Can be bumped from below
Mario (and Luigi) can be small, big, or fiery
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Traditional RPG Analogy: Engines
Highest level decisions in the rulebooks
Dice mechanisms for entire system
Explanation of action types
Overview of spell, combat system
Statistical requirements for game entities
SRD: System Reference Document
Feature of 3.x D&D (discontinued)
Allows creation of compatible games
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10 Parts of a Game at cornell university
Traditional RPG Analogy: Engines
Highest level decisions in the rulebooks
Dice mechanisms for entire system
Explanation of action types
b o r r o w
g m e s
asystem Gs.
Overview of spell, d ig it al
combat
R P
o d e r n it io n al
M
Statistical requirements
m tr ad
for game entities
o t fr o
al
SRD: System Reference Document
Feature of 3.x D&D (discontinued)
Allows creation of compatible games
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11 Parts of a Game at cornell university
Characteristics of an Engine
Broad, adaptable, and extensible
Encodes all non-mutable design decisions
Parameters for all mutable design decisions
Outlines gameplay possibilities
Cannot be built independent of design
But only needs highest level information
Gameplay specification is sufficient
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Data-Driven Design
No code outside engine; all else is data
Purpose of separating system from parameters
Create game content with level editors
Examples:
Art, music in industry-standard file formats
Object data in XML or other data file formats
Character behavior specified through scripts
Major focus for alpha release
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Rules & Mechanics
Fills in the values for the system
Parameters (e.g. gravity, damage amounts, etc.)
Types of player abilities/verbs
Types of world interactions
Types of obstacles/challenges
But does not include specific challenges
Just the list all challenges that could exist
Contents of the pallet for level editor
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Rules: Super Mario Bros.
Enemies
Goombas die when stomped
Turtles become shells when stomped/bumped
Spinys damage Mario when stomped
Piranha Plants aim fireballs at Mario
Environment
Question block yields coins, a power-up, or star
Mushroom makes Mario small
Fire flower makes Mario big and fiery
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Traditional RPG Analogy: Mechanics
Engine + mechanics = core rulebooks
Material tailored to genre, setting
Less information than an adventure module
But enough to create your own adventures
Vary the mechanics by genre
D&D: high fantasy
Star Wars: space opera
Top Secret: modern spy thriller
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Game AI: Where Does it Go?
Game AI is traditionally placed in mechanics
Characters need rules to make right choices
Tailor AI to give characters personalities
But it is implemented by programmer
Complicated search algorithms
Algorithms should be in game engine
Holy Grail: “AI Photoshop” for designers
Hides all of the hard algorithms
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Interfaces
Interface specifies
How player does things (player-to-computer)
How player gets feedback (computer-to-player)
More than engine+mechanics
They just describe what the player can do
Do not specify how it is done
Bad interfaces can kill a game
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Interface: Dead Space
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19 Parts of a Game at cornell university
Traditional RPG Analogy: Interface
Interface includes:
Character sheets
Pencils
Maps
Dice
Player voices
Alternate interfaces for D&D
LARPing
Play-by-mail
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Interface Tips
Must consider input devices in design
For PC, typically mouse and keyboard
Game controllers have different “feel”
Consider depth and width of interface
Details are best processed at the center of vision
Peripheral vision mostly detects motion
Strive for “invisible” interface (metaphorically)
Familiarity is better than innovation
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Content and Challenges
Content is everything else
Gameplay content define the actual game
Goals and victory conditions
Missions and quests
Interactive story choices
Non-gameplay content affects player experience
Graphics and cut scenes
Sound effects and background music
Non-interactive story
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Traditional RPG Analogy: Content
Content is what creates an adventure
Could include adventure modules
But also includes the DM’s imagination
“Dealing with the exceptions” 90% of time
DM must quickly adapt to the players
Ability to improvise provides another lesson:
Content should be easy to change as needed
Needs well-designed engine+mechanics+interface
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Why the division?
They are not developed sequentially
Content may requires changes to game engine
Interface is changing until the very end
Intended to organize your design
Engine: decisions to be made early, hard-code
Mechanics: mutable design decisions
Interface: how to shape the user experience
Content: specific gameplay and level-design
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Milestones Suggestions
Nondigital Gameplay Technical Alpha Beta Release
Pre-Engine Completed
Tech Game Engine
Mechanics
Mechanics (Design)
(Implementation)
Interface
Interface (Polishing)
(Functional Mock-up)
Content
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Summary
Game is divided into four components
Should keep each in mind during design
Key for distributing work in your group
But they are all interconnected
System/engine limits your possible mechanics
Content is limited by the type of mechanics
Once again: design is iterative
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26 Parts of a Game at cornell university
