Chapter 2.1 Understanding FunWhat is Fun?Evolutionary RootsEducation == EntertainmentHunting and GatheringNatural Funativity TheoryPhysical FunSocial FunMental FunMultipurpose FunDefinition of a Great GameA Series of … Choices in Pursuit of a … GoalInteresting and Meaningful ChoicesClear and Compelling GoalA Series of ChoicesSlide 16Slide 17Slide 18Classic Game StructureConvexity QualitiesFractal StructureA Series of ConvexitiesSlide 23Why Is This Structure So Good?Psychological Advantages of Classic StructureThe Concept of FlowThe Flow ChannelSlide 28Slide 29Difficulty Increase VariesTypical Game MechanismsStory and CharacterInteractive StorytellingIt’s All About InteractivityCharactersGameplay Trumps StoryChapter 2.1Understanding Fun2What is Fun?Dictionary: Enjoyment, a source of amusement – but that doesn’t helpImportant to consider underlying reasons“Funativity” – thinking about fun in terms of measurable cause and effect3Evolutionary RootsWe must look to our distant pastYoung mammals play to learn basic survival skillsGames are organized playHuman entertainment is also at its heart about learning how to surviveMating and social rules also critical to us4Education == EntertainmentLife is all either work, rest, or funFun is about practicing or learning new survival skills in a relatively safe settingPeople who didn’t enjoy that practice were less likely to survive to become our ancestors5Hunting and GatheringFor most of our species’ history we were tribal hunter/gatherersCurrent popular games reflect thisShooters, wargames = huntingPowerups, resources = gatheringSims, MMO = social, tribal interaction6Natural Funativity TheoryBasic concept is that all fun derives from practicing survival and social skillsKey skills relate to early human context, but often in modern guiseThree overlapping categoriesPhysical, Social, and Mental7Physical FunSports generally enhance our strength, stamina, coordination skillsExploration is funBoth of local area and knowledge of exotic placesHand/eye coordination and tool use are often parts of fun activities – craftsPhysical aspect to gathering “stuff”8Social FunStorytelling is a social activityA way to learn important survival and social lessons from othersGossip, sharing info w/friends popularFlirting, showing off, finding mates is a key interest in social funLanguage has become paramount9Mental FunOur large brains make humans uniquePure abstract reasoning practice is funPattern matching and generationMusic, Art, and Puzzles all pattern basedGathering also has mental aspect, categorizing and identifying patterns10Multipurpose FunMany fun activities have physical, social and mental aspects in combinationGames that mix these aspects tend to be very popularIncorporate ways to practice these skills to increase the popularity of games11Definition of a Great GameA great game is a series of interesting and meaningful choices made by the player in pursuit of a clear and compelling goal12A Series of … Choices in Pursuit of a … GoalMust have choice, or it is not interactiveMust be a series of choices or it is too simple to be a gameMust have a goal or it is a software toyWith Sim City and The Sims players may bring their own goals13Interesting and Meaningful ChoicesChoices may be dull and uninteresting because it was easy to code that wayOr it may be the reflection of a lazy designerMeaningful choices are perceived by the player as having significant consequencesMay not have actual consequences…14Clear and Compelling GoalClear goalsBecause it is not fun to flounder aimlesslyAvoid the “protagonist with amnesia” clichéCompelling goals are goals that follow the concepts in Natural FunativitySurvival is always a compelling goal15A Series of ChoicesNo choice16A Series of ChoicesMeaningless choicesObviously fold back into same pathPlayers discover this quickly17A Series of ChoicesInfinite choicesQuickly become unmanageable18A Series of ChoicesChoose wiselyKill off player with any wrong choiceBetter but frustrating (Dragon’s Lair)19Classic Game StructureA convexityStarts with a single choice, widens to many choices, returns to a single choice20Convexity QualitiesGo from one to many to oneCan be a level, an act, an episodeCan be any kind of choiceGeography, weapons, tools, skills, technologies, questsExamplesExploring an islandTechnology build tree21Fractal StructureLarge scale structure repeated on medium, smaller scales, like a coastlineIn the case of convexities, each circle is not a single choice, but a convexityAge of Empires exampleTake a defensive stance, create squad to defend left flank, collect resources to build a legionnaire, etc.22A Series of ConvexitiesMany games are chains of convexitiesPoints of limited choice (A) alternate with points of many choices (B) AA A A ABBB B23A Series of ConvexitiesMany overlapping convexities in great gamesExamples include Halo, Zelda games, Civilization, Diablo II, many othersPlayer can be starting one task or area, in the middle of another, and at the end of a third, all simultaneously24Why Is This Structure So Good?Give the player choice but not an infinitely expanding set of choicesMix of some “any order” choices (B) and some in fixed order (A), blending freedom with linear storytellingCan be structured so players see most of the game, minimizing wasteCan have difficulty go up in new levels25Psychological Advantagesof Classic StructureAlternating intense learning (A) with time to practice (B) is the best way to master new skillsGradual learning and introduction of new skills at the heart of fun game play“Easy to learn, difficult to master”“Simple, Hot, and Deep”26The Concept of FlowU of C professor Mihaly CsikszentmihalyiOne of his books is “Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience”Flow is a state of exhilaration, deep sense of enjoymentUsually when a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile27The Flow ChannelStart with relatively low level of challenge to match starting skill levelsGradually increase challengeFast enough to prevent boredomNot so fast as to induce frustration28The Flow ChannelT o o E a s y ( B o r i n