Introduction to Game Systems Design

Dax Gazaway was raised in a gamer family. His parents met in a Dungeons & Dragons group, and he was surrounded with games being played and made. From a very early age, Dax was fascinated by the numbers in games. He would pour over monster manuals and board game books, dissecting the rules to figure out how the systems worked. Dax started in the video game industry in the late 1990s. During his tenure in the industry, Dax pioneered game system design at multiple independent and AAA studios, helping to refine and define the subdiscipline. In recent years, he has become a course director at Full Sail University, specializing in teaching new students the concepts and tools of the system designer. Dax has created new curriculum and multiple classes for system design students, and he teaches introduction to system design courses. The following is a selection of Dax's game design credits: Star Wars: Obi-Wan, System and level designer Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter, System and level designer and QA liaison Star Wars: Bounty Hunter: System and level designer Gladius: System designer Syphon Filter franchise: Lead designer and system designer Spider Man 3: Lead system designer Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2: Lead system designer Guitar Hero franchise: System designer In addition, Dax has been the studio lead system designer for Row Sham Bow Games and a system design consultant for multiple projects.

Preface xx
Chapter 1 Games and Players: Defined 1
Defining Game 2
Agreed Upon, Artificial Rules 2
Players Have an Impact on the Outcome 3
People Can Opt Out 4
Game Sessions Are Finite 4
Intrinsic Rewards 4
Game Attributes Summary 5
Finding the Target Audience for a Game: Player Attributes 6
Age 6
Gender 7
Tolerance for Learning Rules 7
Interest in Challenge 9
Desired Time Investment 10
Pace Preference 11
Competitiveness 11
Platform Preference 12
Skill Level 12
Genre/Art/Setting/Narrative Preference 13
Value Gained from Players 13
Payment 13
Other Forms of Value 16
Target Audience Value 17
Target Audience Composite 18
Chess 18
Galaga 18
Mario Kart 19
The Battle for Wesnoth 20
Bejeweled 20
What to Do with a Target Audience Profile 21
Further Steps 22
Chapter 2 Roles in the Game Industry 23
Core Management Team 24
Vision Holder 24
Lead Engineer 25
Lead Artist 25
Lead Designer 25
Producer 25
Lead Sound Designer 25
Team Subdisciplines 26
Art 26
Engineering 27
Production 28
Design 28
Sound Team 29
QA Team 29
Narrative Designer 30
Additional Roles 30
Further Steps 30
Chapter 3 Asking Questions 31
How to Ask a Theoretical Question 32
Steps of the Scientific Method 32
Defining a Question for Data Analysis 35
How to Ask for Help with a Problem 36
Why How You Ask Matters 36
Steps to Writing a Good Question 37
Further Steps 41
Chapter 4 System Design Tools 43
What Is Data? 44
Game Industry Tools 44
Documentation Tools 45
Image Editing Tools 45
3D Modeling Tools 46
Flowchart Tools 47
Databases 48
Bug-Tracking Software 49
Game Engines 49
Further Steps 50
Chapter 5 Spreadsheet Basics 51
Why Spreadsheets? 52
What Is a Spreadsheet? 54
Spreadsheet Cells: The Building Blocks of Data 54
Cells 54
The Formula Bar 55
Spreadsheet Symbols 56
Data Containers in Spreadsheets 60
Columns and Rows 60
Sheets 61
Workbooks 61
Spreadsheet Operations 63
Referencing a Separate Sheet 64
Hiding Data 65
Freezing Part of a Sheet 66
Using Comments and Notes 68
Using Formfill 71
Using Filters 77
Data Validation 80
The Data Validation Dialog 81
Time Validation 83
List Validation 84
Named Ranges 84
Further Steps 88
Chapter 6 Spreadsheet Functions 89
Grouping Arguments 90
Function Structure 90
More Complex Functions 93
Functions for System Designers 96
SUM 96
AVERAGE 97
MEDIAN 97
MODE 98
MAX and MIN 99
RANK 99
COUNT, COUNTA, and COUNTUNIQUE 100
LEN 100
IF 101
COUNTIF 101
VLOOKUP 102
FIND 102
MID 103
NOW 103
RAND 104
ROUND 105
RANDBETWEEN 105
Learning About More Functions 106
How to Choose the Right Function 106
Further Steps 107
Chapter 7 Distilling Life into Systems 109
An Abstract Example 114
Throwing 114
Sticks 115
Running 115
Teamwork 115
Putting Together the Mechanics 115
Story in Games 116
Further Steps 117
Chapter 8 Coming Up with Ideas 119
Idea Buffet 120
Sample Idea Buffet 120
Running a Brainstorming Session 121
Having Goals 121
Gathering the Troops 122
Giving Yourself a Block of Time 123
Don't Accept the First Answer 123
Avoiding Criticism 124
Keeping on Topic (Kind Of) 124
Capturing the Creativity 125
Keeping Expectations Reasonable 125
Percolating 125
Methods to Force Creativity 126
Bad Storming 126
Jokes 126
Building Blocks 127
Future Past 127
Iterative Stepping 127
Halfway Between 128
Opposite Of 129
Random Connections 130
Stream of Consciousness Writing 130
Further Steps 131
Chapter 9 Attributes: Creating and Quantifying Life 133
Mechanics Versus Attributes 134
Listing Attributes 134
Initial Brainstorming 135
Blue-Sky Brainstorming 136
Researching Attributes 136
Referring to Your Own Personal Attribute Bank 138
Defining an Attribute 139
Considerations When Defining an Attribute 140
Grouping Attributes 141
Further Steps 143
Chapter 10 Organizing Data in Spreadsheets 145
Create a Spreadsheet to Be Read by an Outsider 146
Avoid Typing Numbers 146
Label Data 147
Validate Your Data 148
Use Columns for Attributes and Rows for Objects 148
Color Coding 149
Avoid Adding Unneeded Columns or Rows or Blank Cells 151
Separate Data Objects with Sheets 152
Reference Sheet 152
Introduction Sheet 153
Output/Visualization Sheets 154
Scratch Sheet 155
Spreadsheet Example 155
Further Steps 156
Chapter 11 Attribute Numbers 157
Getting a Feel for Your Attributes 158
Determining the Granularity for Numbers 158
Numbers Should Relate to Probability 158
Some Numbers Need to Relate to Real-World Measurements 159
User Smaller Numbers for Easier Calculations 160
Use Larger Numbers for More Granularity 161
Very Large Numbers Are Confusing 162
Humans Hate Decimals and Fractions, but Computers Don't Mind Them 163
Numbering Example 163
The Tension Trick 163
Searching for the Right Numbers 165
Further Steps 167
Chapter 12 System Design Foundations 169
Attribute Weights 170
DPS and Intertwined Attributes 173
Binary Searching 176
How Binary Searching Works 176
Lacking a Viable Range 179
Naming Conventions 180
Naming Object Iterations 185
The Problem with "New" 185
Iteration Naming Method 1: Version Number 186
Iteration Naming Method 2: Version Letter and Number 186
Special Case Terms 187
Using the Handshake Formula 188
Further Steps 194
Chapter 13 Range Balancing, Data Fulcrums, and Hierarchical Design 195
Range Balancing 196
How Range Balancing Works 197
Who Adjusts What 201
Data Fulcrums 203
What Is a Fulcrum? 203
Creating a Fulcrum 204
Testing a Fulcrum 204
Locking a Fulcrum 206
Using a Fulcrum for Data Creation 206
Unavoidable Cross-testing 208
Fulcrum Progression 209
Hierarchical Design 210
Starting the Hierarchy 211
Advantages of Hierarchical Design 212
Further Steps 213
Chapter 14 Exponential Growth and Diminishing Returns 215
Linear Growth 216
Exponential Growth 217
Parts of the Basic Exponential Growth Formula 218
Building Blocks of the Exponential Growth Formula 220
Tweaking the Basic Exponential Growth Formula 226
A Note on Iterations 227
Exponential Charts and Game Hierarchy 227
Further Steps 228
Chapter 15 Analyzing Game Data 229
Overview Analysis 230
Next-Level Deep Analysis 238
Practicing Data Analysis 240
Comparison Analysis 240
Canaries 241
Further Steps 244
Chapter 16 Macrosystems and Player Engagement 245
Macrosystem Difficulty Adjustment 246
Flat Balancing 246
Positive Feedback Loops 247
Negative Feedback Loop 249
Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment 251
Layered Difficulty Adjustment 253
Cross-Feeding 254
Balancing Combinations 255
Further Steps 255
Chapter 17 Fine-Tuning Balance, Testing, and Problem Solving 257
Balance 258
Why Balance Matters 258
General Game Balance 259
Breaking Your Data 261
Problems with Balancing Judged Contests 261
How to Start Balancing Data 263
Performing Playtests 265
Minimum Viability Testing 266
Balance Testing 267
Bug Testing 268
User Testing 269
Beta/Postlaunch Telemetry Testing 273
Solving Problems 275
Identify the Problem 276
Eliminate Variables 277
Come Up with Solutions 277
Communicate with the Team 277
Prototype and Test 277
Document the Changes 277
Further Steps 278
Chapter 18 Systems Communication and Psychology 279
Games as Conversations 280
Word Meanings 281
Noise 284
Reciprocity 286
Overstepping Bounds 286
Shallow Relationship 287
Right Balance 287
Reward Expectations 288
Further Steps 289
Chapter 19 Probability 291
Basic Probability 292
Probability Notation 292
Calculating One-Dimensional Even-Distribution Probability 293
Calculating One-Dimensional Uneven-Distribution Probability 299
Calculating Compound Probability 301
Calculating 2D6 "Or Higher" Cumulative Probability 309
Calculating the Probability of Doubles 310
Calculating a Series of Single Events 311
Calculating More Than Two Dimensions 316
Calculating Dependent Event Probability 318
Calculating Mutually Exclusive Event Probability 321
Calculating Enumerated Probability with an Even Distribution 321
Calculating Enumerated Probability with an Uneven Distribution 322
Calculating Attributes Weights Based on Probability 325
Calculating Imperfect Information Probability 327
Perception of Probability 328
Probability Uncertainty 328
Mapping Probability 329
Attributes of a Random Event 329
Mapping Probability Examples 331
Measuring Luck in a Game 334
Testing for Pure Luck 335
Testing for Luck Dominant 335
Testing for Luck Influenced 336
Adjusting the Influence of Luck 336
Chaos Factor 338
Further Steps 338
Chapter 20 Next Steps 341
Practice 342
Analyze Existing Games 342
Play New Games 342
Modify Existing Games 342
Work on Your Game 343
Keep Learning 343
Index 345