Game Features

 Storytelling
 Characters
 Gameplay
 Levels
 Logic
 Storytelling/Plot Structure
 Three-Act
 Act I- Character Problem (action)
 Act II- Obstacles
 Act III - Resolution
 Monomyth/Hero’s Journey/Writer’s Journey
 Ordinary World
 Call to adventure
 Refusal of the call
 Meeting the mentor
 Crossing the first threshold
 Tests, allies, enemies
 Approach to Supreme ordeal
 Reward
 The road back
 Resurection
 Return
 Storytelling/Plot Structure
 Freytag’s Pyramid
 Traditional Story Elements

 Premise
 Backstory
 Storyline
 Themes
 Settings
 Characters
 Character Archetypes
 Jungian
– Hero/Protagonist
– Shadow/Antagonist
 Transformational/Mistaken/Exxagerated/Realistic
– Mentor
– Allies
– Guardian
– Trickster
– Herald
 Development levels (Maslow’s hierarchy of needs)
1. Intrapersonal
2. Interpersonal
3. Team
4. Community
5. Humanity
 Character Style
 Visual
– Angular/Color/Proportions/etc.
– Dialog
– Movement
 Signature

 Idle

 Walking/Animation Cycles
 Character Appearance
 Proportions help dictate
personality
– Head height/width
 Normal man: 6-7 tall, 3
wide
 Exaggerated hero/tough
guy: 8-9 tall, 3-4 wide
 Wimp: 4-5 tall, 2-3 wide
 Kids/Cute: 3 tall, 1-2 wide
 Character Appearance
 Shape dictates helps
character
– Circle = soft, cuddly,
pleasing, dopey, fat
– Rectangle = strong,
dependable, solid
 The more square, the
more dumb
– Triangle/angular =
active, aggressive, evil
 Traditional Plot Devices
 Plot Goals/Devices
– Balancing Conflict
– Shifting Focus
– Foreshadowing Events
– Suspension of Disbelief/Realism (magical, etc.)
– Quest
– Plot dump/flashback/foreshadowing
– Cliffhanger/Deathtrap/Sexual Tension
– Stock characters/Villians
– Deus ex machina
– Story within a story
– Breaking the fourth wall
 Game Story Devices
 Interactivity
 Non-linearity
 Player control
– Customization, mods
 Collaboration
 Immersion
– Cut scenes/cinematics?
 Scripted Events
 Gameplay
 Gameplay Elements
 Rules
 Victory Conditions
 Loss Conditions
 Interactivity
 Challenges/Goals
 Balance
 Gameplay Challenges
 Implicit v. Explicit
 Imperfect information
 Intrinsic v. Extrinsic Knowledge
 Pattern recognition and Matching
 Spatial Awareness
 Micromanagement
 Reaction Time
 Gameplay Goals
 Advancement
 Race
 Puzzle-solving
 Exploration
 Conflict
 Capture
 Chase
 Organization
 Escape
 Taboo
 Construction
 Solution
 Outwit
 Balanced Gameplay
 Goals
– Consistent challenges
– Perceivable fair play
– No stagnation
– Importance of play/decisions
– Difficulty levels
 Methods
– Static Balance
 Obvious strategies
 Symmetry (Transitive vs. Intransitive)
 Trade-offs
 Combination
 Feedback (positive & negative)
– Dynamic Balance
 Destroy/Maintain/Restore
 Game Progression: Levels
 Structure
– Goal
– Flow
– Duration
– Availability
– Relationship
– Progression
 Time
– Authentic/Variable/Altered/Limited/Player
 Physical
– Camera/Viewpoint
– ScaleBoundaries
– Visual Realism/Sylized
– Behavioral Realism
 Physics/Scripting/AI