Ames' syllabi

What is the difference between a “working” and a “display” prototype?

Working prototypes are designed to be tested and evaluated by play testers and publishers while display prototypes are merely designed to catch distributers/buyers eyes – not actually be tested. 

What is required of a working prototype, and what might cause one to fail?

It has to be clear, and playable, and thoroughly tested. If a protype has not been tested enough, this can cause it to fail. 

What makes for a good prototype according to Dale Yu?

• A good first impression
• Having clear and well-written rules
• Having sensible and are well constructed components
• A good/lasting final impression 

What advice from Richard Levy will help you pitch your game?

Be prepared, information is power, sell yourself first, don’t be deterred by rejection, control your ego, keep your expectations realistic,  don’t hesitate, consider multiple submissions, don’t deal with invention marketing firms, get a good agent, build a good prototype, don’t overlook brand power

Where might you pitch your game?

            To a publisher accepting submissions from the general public, but ideally I’d also find a publisher to pitch to that are has a background in publishing games similar in type to the one that I made. 

What do publishers look for in a game?

Fun , player interaction, the ability to start playing quickly (having fun quickly), use of strategy, an interesting theme, complimentary rules and themes, immersivity, solid rules and strong mechanics, innovative rules, innovative components, easy to manufacture, product compatibility, correct target audiences, a good title, expansion potential, multi language capabilities, easy demoing, collectability

What makes a good set of Rules?

            A compelling but simple overview, list of components, a clear setup, a clear gameplay with defined terms (if needed), card types and how they function, endgame/winning (scoring, how it ends), examples of play, strategy hints, optional rules, game variants, and credits

Kobold Pt 1

1. In your opinion what should every game have? Why do you like your favorite game?
   • Elements of a game as discussed in the text: fun, players, rules, a board/cards/dice/pieces, finite play time, winner/loser, turns/phases, luck/strategy, replayability
   • Most of my favorite games are those that reward skill. This means that the way the game plays out is contingent on how much you are able to improve at it. There is a high skill ceiling and it may involve practice outside of the game to even approach a high level of play.
2. List the games you’ve played and currently play.
   • I doubt I would ever be able to compile a complete list of every game I have played. I can, however, outline some of the more prominent and influential ones, as broken down into categories below
   • Video Games (series):
     • Legend of Zelda
     • Counter Strike
     • Rocket League
     • Super Smash Bros
     • Mario Kart
     • Pokemon
     • Super Mario
   • Trading Card Games
     • Magic The Gathering
     • Pokemon
     • Cardfight!! Vanguard
   • Tabletop/Board Games
     • Settlers of Catan
     • Ticket to Ride
     • Kingdom Builders
     • Dungeons and Dragons
     • Betrayal at House on the Hill
   • Sports
     • Ice Hockey
     • Volleyball
     • Ultimate Frisbee
3. Can you apply the three act structure to your favorite game? What is its pacing and how long do you find yourself in each act?
   • One of my favorite games is anything in the 3D Mario series of games which all follow a similar structure. In the beginning, Mario and in some cases his companions are introduced and Princess Peach is captured by Bowser. The levels in the first world are used to make the player comfortable with the types of control that they have and to introduce mechanics that will recur throughout the game. The middle of the game is all of the platforming levels between the first and the final world. Finally, the end is in sight upon reaching the last world. Elements of earlier levels are remixed in a final challenge that ends with finally beating Bowser and saving the princess which resolves the conflict.
4. When coming up with ideas where do you find you start, with the metaphor or the mechanic?
   • As the textbook talks about, this is dependent on what the project you are starting actually is. Personally, I feel that I tend to start by finding a mechanic that I enjoy and working to make that fun, and finding the metaphor later on.
5. Over the course of this semester, who would you like to collaborate with and why?
   • I am open to collaborating with anyone in the class. A fair number of people here I have already worked on projects with in other classes, and I enjoy the collaborative process.

Kobold Pt 2

6. What is the difference between a game designer and a game developer?A game designer is a person who decides the mechanics that define a game, while a game developer builds the actual product
   • What commonly occurs during the game development process?
     1. Iteration of the game. Rules can be changed, and mechanics modified to better suit the objective of the game. Entire parts of the game can be added or removed depending on what is needed
7. What are the challenges of balancing a game?
   • Creating systems that are easy enough to understand, while keeping the game fun and engaging for players. There can often be tradeoffs between the potential changes that need to be made
   • What should every player of your game believe? Why?
     • A player should believe that they have a reasonable chance to win until the moment that the game ends
   • How can you avoid stealing players’ fun?
     • Don’t kick a player out before the game is over
     • Kingmaking sucks
     • Don’t reward the leader
     • Include inherent deceleration
     • A player’s ability to influence other players should fall between “none” and “lots”
     •  Don’t force a reverse
8. What 10 maxims should you follow when writing rules?
   • Use no intermediary terminology
   • Use real words
   • Make no more work than necessary
   • Add flavor (but not too much flavor)
   • Make your text no smarter than your reader
   • Discard rules that can’t be written
   • Take a breath
   • Go easy on the eyes
   • Get your final version playtested
   • Fix it in the FAQ
9. How has play testing changed your game?
   • Who from class would you like to playtest your next game or version 2 of your first game?
     • Max will most likely play my game before it even comes to class. Within class, I think Ronan has a solid base of knowledge of both video games and board games, and I think that Luke has a good mindset for developing the theme of the game
   • Who is the audience for your game?
     • The primary audience for my game will always be myself. I want to make things that I enjoy first and foremost, and that often can have an overlap with other people’s tastes
10. Who should playtest your game outside of class?
    • Anyone who is willing to playtest for it. The more people who are able to give feedback, the more clear what things will need to be changed for it to work best with a large number of people

Kobold Pt 3

11. What Mechanics would you like to use for a game with a theme that revolves around being the size of a nanometer?
    • Playing with the scale of game elements to allow for interactions between the player and things that you cannot do at full human size. I imagine that this theme would be very fun to design for; it would be like living a day as Stuart Little
    • Who are you making games for?
      • This is a bit of a repeat answer from a previous question but I make games for myself and the people around me. I want to be able to enjoy my own games with friends and family
    • Who will be your play testers outside of class?
      • The most likely candidates for my out of class playtesters are the people who are already in close proximity to me. My roommates and my girlfriend are all usually willing to help me with a project that I happen to be working on
12. Can you think of a game you were able to play without referring to the rules?
    • When I learned chess, I was able to memorize the movements of the pisces and correlate it with the unique shapes of each piece fairly easily. By the time I played my first game I was able to play without needing to ever reference rules
    • How do you define what a game is?
      • Rob Daviau defines a game as “an interactive mathematical system, made concrete, used to tell a story”. I agree with this statement although I think the heaviest emphasis is on the interactive element
    • What features can make your games more intuitive?
      • Taking into consideration the pieces, colors, and size of elements is important to making a game intuitive. Also simplifying rules so that the amount that needs to be read in the manual prior to starting can make it more fun because it’s easier to pick up
13. What was your gateway game?
    • I can’t recall one specific game that got me hooked because I was always surrounded by games. As a teen I would go to the Mall on Tuesday and Friday nights to play trading card games in local groups. My parents and family friends often introduced me to new tabletop and board games
    • What do you play to introduce others to gaming?
      • I have had moderate success with introducing my friends to Rummikub. It is a variation on classic rummy but something about gathering and playing with the tiles, as opposed to playing cards, and having autonomy of which tile to draw makes it a bit more engaging
    • What features do gateway games share?
      • A gateway game is easy to learn, has a compelling theme, a lack of complexity, interactivity, luck, an appropriate duration, originality, and replay value
14. What are the 10 beautiful mechanics and what should you aim for with your own?
    • Kingmaker’s noblesse oblige
    • BattleTech’s heat
    • Set’s set-making
    • Magic’s card tapping 
    • Battle Cattle’s cow tipping rule
    • xXxenophile’s popping
    • Bohnanza’s hand order rule
    • Mississippi Queen’s paddlewheels
    • Time’s Up!’s communication breakdown
    • Dominion’s constant shuffling
15. How does luck and strategy factor into game play?
    • Luck is beyond the player’s control, strategy is making plans and decisions in game, and skill is outside knowledge that allows you to make the correct decisions in a given situation. Games usually contain all of these elements to varying degrees

Kobold Pt 4

16. What is the difference between a “working” and a “display” prototype?
    • A working prototype is a functional attempt to make the mechanic work in a way that can then be tested. A display prototype focuses on the visual and aesthetic qualities that are being aimed for
    • What is required of a working prototype, and what might cause one to fail?
      • A working prototype should include everything that it takes to play the game, it should be thoroughly tested, focus on function and not let visuals dictate gameplay, and it should be user friendly
17. What makes for a good prototype according to Dale Yu?
    • Cards, card sleeves, stickers, paper, bits, bags and baggies, boxes, a color printer, computer, and laminator are all helpful to have available to make a prototype
18. What advice from Richard Levy will help you pitch your game?
    • Be prepared, information is power, sell yourself first, don’t be deterred by rejection, control your ego, consider the timing, consider multiple submissions, don’t deal with invention marketing firms, get a good agent, build a good prototype, respect brand power
    • Where might you pitch your game?
      • Pick a game publisher that is currently accepting submissions from the general public and make sure that the game aligns with the identity and goals of that specific publisher
19. What do publishers look for in a game?
    • Something that is well tested and easy for others to test to get a sense of the game
    • What makes a good set of Rules?
      • Sections outlining: Overview, Components, Setup, Gameplay, Card types, Endgame and winning, Example of play, and Credits
    • Describe the best game you’ve made this semester in 250 words? Follow Michelle Nephew’s outline.
      • The best game that I made this semester in terms of enjoyment that people have seemingly gotten from it was also my simplest. It involves two minor dexterous tasks that people are not always great at; picking up cards that are flat on a table and spinning a coin or token. I chose to call this game Countermand which is a word meaning to revoke an order because often a card that was just flipped is then overturned back to its previous state the following turn. The best aspect of this game is its simplicity; it can be played with a standard deck of cards, is easy to learn quickly, and the rounds are short but also able to be replayed several times in a session. Every turn is a gamble of how much progress you are able to make in your own favor, and a single bad spin can completely change the momentum of a game. It generally takes several net positive turns in a row to win so the victory feels very earned as well. One of the aspects that I tested was different amounts of cards that should be on the board for a given game. A small number of cards can make it too easy for one player to dominate without an opportunity for the opposing player to recover, however too many cards can make it difficult for either player to gain an upper hand and end the game which borders monotony. The balance that I found is right around 30 cards total, with the option to add or remove a few to tailor it to a specific pairing of players.

1. A “working” prototype is one that works as expected and is intended for play testers and potential publishers. A “display” prototype is one with finished art work and components, intended for distributors or chain buyers.

1a. A working prototype needs to be understandable and playable by play testers, this can require a good ruleset and gameplay. Having things be too confusing or something incomplete may cause the prototype to fail as play testers may not be able to accurately play the game.

2. Dale Yu comments on what can done to make a good prototype, these are a few of the things he suggested:

• The First Impression: First impressions are very important as this will create the mindset that your play testers have going into your game, so it’s important to give them something they like right off the bat.
• Rules and Manifest: Having well written rules is also very important, this allows your play testers to understand and accurately play your game.
• Components: How your prototype is constructed is also important, this is how your players will interact with the game so it is important to have it look and feel good to use.
• Hardware: Having good hardware, such as computers, laser printers and a laminator can help to increase the visual appeal of your game and give your players a good impression.
• Final Impressions: When your players are done with the game and think back on it, you want them to think of it fondly so that they would be willing to play it again and with other people as well.

3. Richard Levy gets some advice on how you could go about pitching your game:

• Be Prepared: Being prepared can make a huge difference. You need to know the market you are entering, who your are pitching to and you need to be able to explain anything about your game in a way that appeals to the person listening.
• Information is Power: Talk to people that have created games before or people that are in the industry, they can most likely give your great information on what you should prepare for and the best way to handle certain situations.
• Sell Yourself First: You are not just selling your game, you are selling yourself. First impressions are very important so you need to present yourself in a way that makes the person your pitching to want to work with you.
• On Taking Rejection: It is important to be able to handle rejection well. Take a “no” as a “not now” instead. Figure out what went wrong with the pitch and take time to revise and fix any issues you or your game had, this can help you be ready and keep your head up for your next pitch.
• Ego Control: People often hate being rejected or criticized. You need to be able to handle these well and not let these moments get the better of you. Keep your emotions in check and instead use rejections and criticism as a way to improve yourself or your game.
• Beating the Odds: The odds of your pitch succeeding can be very low depending on the company you are pitching you, so it is important to keep your expectations in check.
• The Selling Season: Figure our the best time to make your pitch, find out when companies are looking for new ideas and are willing to listen to you.
• Multiple Submissions: Having multiple ideas to submit can not only help increase your chances of one of them working, but it will also help you deal with rejection if any of your ideas are rejected as you still have more ideas to fall back on and improve.
• Invention Marketing Companies: Richard advises to never deal with invention making firms you see through TV, radio or newspapers. He gives the advice, “Ads are bad.”
• Legitimate Agents: If you do decide using an agent to help you pitch your idea, take a look at their track record and make sure they are reputable.
• Prototypes: Make sure your prototype is how the game is going to look and play in the end.
• Brand Power: Having a well known trademark on your game can greatly increase the value of your game.

3a. You can pitch your game to many different companies through the correct methods are the right times.

4. Publishers look for a variety of things when considering what games to publish:

• The Fun Factor: The game should be fun for players.
• Player Interaction: The game should be interactive for players to engage with.
• Immediacy of Play: How fast players can set up the game and get right to it.
• Strategy: If there is strategy for good players to learn and get better at.
• An Interesting Theme: A good theme that will draw in players and keep them interested.
• An Immersive Experience: Players should feel immersed into the game and feel like they are a part of it.
• Interrelated Theme and Rules: The rules and theme of the game should work well with one another and feel fitting in relation to each other.
• Solid Rules and Mechanics: The game should have rules and mechanics that are both fun and fair.
• Innovative Components: Aspects of your game that sets it apart from other games.
• Easily Manufactured Components: Your game should be easy to mass produce so the company can sell as many as possible as easily as possible.
• The Correct Target Market: Your game should match the target market of your publisher, you shouldn’t try to sell a game with violence in it to a publisher that focuses on kid games.
• A Good Title: A good and catchy title that draws in potential players and makes them interested in what your game would be like to play.
• Expansion Potential: If your game is successful, the publisher is going to want you to expand on it by making new updated versions of the game or different versions of it.
• Multi-Language Capability: Your game should be able to transcend the language barrier and be appreciated by anyone in the world.
• Easy Demoning: Make sure your game can easily be demonstrated in a small space.
• Collectibility Only if Really Necessary: Making a collectible game costs a lot more than a noncollectible one and can hurt the appeal of your game to the publishers.

4a. There are many aspects that can make a good ruleset:

• Overview: Start with a good first line to draw in potential players.
• Components: Give a list of all the components of your game.
• Setup: Describe how to set up all the aspects of your game and keep it easy to understand.
• Gameplay: Define how each turn or round is taken and what players should do during these periods.
• Card Types: If your game uses cards, identify and explain what each type of card does.
• Endgame and Winning: Explain how the players get to the end of the game and how they can win the game as well.
• Example of Playing: Have a section that gives an example of your game should be played, this can give players an easy idea of what to do.
• Credits: Give credit to yourself and anyone else that helped in the creation of your game.

4b. Captain’s Lost Treasure is a competitive and strategic card games. Players assemble a Pirate Crew, including a Pirate Ship and a collection of colorful possible Crew Members. Once your crew is assemble, set to the sea and attack other Pirate Crews and plunder Gold in order to prove yourself as the greatest Pirate Crew on the open seas.

1. The difference between a game designer and a game developer is that the game designer creates the idea of a the game and comes up with the initial ideas, then the game developer refines these ideas and creates the finished product of the game.

1a. A big thing that commonly occurs during the game development process is play testing. With the knowledge that game developers gains from play testing, they can then go back and refine any mechanics or aspects of the game that might need changing.

2. The main challenges of balancing a game are numbers and components. When numbers are involved in a game, it is vital to balance those numbers so that all aspects of the game seem fun and fair. This can be said for components as well, any aspect or component of a game must be balanced around each other so nothing feels unfair or unfun.

2a. Players should believe that there is balance and strategy within games. Even when things may be stronger or weaker than other aspects of a game, if there is an idea of balance and strategy to go along with those, players will often times find it fair and entertraining.

2b. There are a few ways to avoid stealing a players fun while playing games:

• Don’t have ways for players to be kicked out before the game is even over, let them have a chance to come back
• Avoid ‘Kingmaking.’ This is when a player is in a position to win, but cannot choose themselves.
• Don’t reward the person in first. If you do this that player can ‘snowball’ their lead and make it impossible for the other players to catch up.
• Include inherent deceleration. When a player is close to the end or close to winning, they should have a uphill battle in achieving that victory.
• A players ability to influence other players should be somewhere between ‘none’ or ‘lots.’ If you have no player interaction then it may feel like a singleplayer game, but too much player interaction between one another can lead to frustrating moments. Finding that middle poin is important to allow players to have fun.
• Don’t force a reverse. Forcing a player to lose something or go backwards on a board can be very frustrating and creates an unfun scenario.

3. When writing rules for your game, you should follow these guidelines:

• Use Intermediary Terminology: Call things what they are and use words that anyone could easily understand when describing things.
• Use Real Words: Don’t make up words that players won’t immediately understand, make it simple for a new player learning your game.
• Make no More Work than Necessary: Make things simple for the player, don’t add in more steps or requirements than necessary to play your game.
• Add Flavor (But not too much Flavor): You can add a bit of flavor text that relates to your game, but overall you should keep that to other aspects of your game.
• Make your Text no Smarter than your Reader: You should keep your rules easy to understand so that any player can easily understand how your game works and should be played.
• Discard Rules that can’t be Written: If a rule is too complex or hard to write out, then discard it and either find another way to implement that feature or remove it completely.
• Take a Breath: Keep things short and simple when writing rules, or at least pace things out so players don’t have to take in so much at a single moment.
• Go Easy on the Eyes: When formatting your rules, keep things simple so that players have an easy time reading and going through the rules.
• Get your Final Version Playtested: When your game is finished, play test it as a way to ensure it works as intended and gather any last minute changes that need to be made to the game or the rules.
• Fix it in the FAQ: If you find any errors in your ruleset after already releasing it, you can always fix it and release another version online or answer any questions that players have.

4. Play testing has changed a lot with my game, Captain’s Lost Treasure. After my first play test I realized that the numbers I was using were horribly unbalanced and the game ended in a few rounds when I expected it to be a decently long game. My second play test when a lot more smoothly, but it still showed that I needed to refine how Crew Members worked as I only allowed one Crew Member to attack an enemy per turn at the time. This then lead to me allowing all Crew Members to attack in a turn, but I created Frontline and Backline Crew Members that way tankier Crew Members could take the brunt of the attacks and protect their own Crew’s damage dealers. I also only had a few Ships for people to use at the start, but after seeing that players wanted more from the Ships, I created a lot more and added Tiers to the Ships that allowed players to upgrade to bigger and stronger Ships as the game progressed. Overall, play testing has helped and changed a great deal about my game so far.

5. One I have a polished version of my game, I want to have friends and family play test my game outside of class. Getting the opinions of people that have little knowledge on game design and just play games for fun will be very important as I can see how the average person would react to playing my game.