RulesOutlineAdminStephen MartiniereWhere are we?SystemsImportantSystems at Different LevelsProperties of rulesSlide 10Why is this?Example 1Example 2Example 3ThunderstormPlayEight and outIs this the same game?To clarifyRule typesOperational RulesConstituative RulesConsequencesImplicit rulesPenguin ShuffleComputer gamesQuick ways to get a rewriteSimulation vs RulesSlide 29Real rulesFrom simple to meaningfulEmergenceCouplingCoupling 2AsteroidsExampleContext-dependent InteractionsContext-dependencyEmergence through CombinationNon-linearityNon-linearity 2Meaningful PlayExample: MetroidBad emergenceDesigning EmergenceSlide 46MondayRulesRobin BurkeGAM 224Winter 2007OutlineAdministrativaRulesExampleTypes of RulesEmergenceAdminAnalysis projectSelected game due todayDue MondayHomework #1Stephen MartiniereCreative Visual Director, Midway GamesPresentation 1/12, 3 pmRm. 924http://e3.midway.com/E3_2K6/games/assets/videos/Stranglehold_E3_Wide.wmvWhere are we?Wednesday was the beginningUnit I: RulesUp to Chapter 14 in the bookimportant backgrounddefining gamesdefining rulesNow we will start to skip around a bitSystemsSystema group of interacting, interrelated elements forming a complex wholeComponentsObjectsAttributesRelationshipsEnvironmentImportantNo one feature of a game can be meaningful by itselfExample•Limited arsenal in HaloWhen we analyze a gamewe have to think about the whole system at workSystems at Different LevelsFormal systemsdefined by symbols / objectsthe rules for their manipulationExperiential systemsthe playerstheir experience of the gameCultural systemsthe game itselfits role in societyProperties of rulesLimit player actionExplicit and unambiguousShared by all playersFixedBindingRepeatableRulesRules are centrala game is a system in which players engage in an artificial conflict defined by rules that results in a quantifiable outcomeNoticethe more significant the game, the more focus is on the rules and their administration•significant = results with real-world consequences, lots of spectators, etc.Why is this?Rules define the mechanisms of playand not playRules specify what the game is aboutand not aboutExample 1Basketball"A player is entitled to any spot on the court he desires, provided he legally gets to that spot first and without contact with an opponent ""A player shall not hold, push, charge into, or impede the progress of an opponent "Messagethis game is about maneuvering around opponents not colliding with themthis is not a game about territory: •you can't physically stop your opponent from movingExample 2Dots and BoxesEach player can add one line per turnA player enclosing a square marks it as his and can take another turnMessageThis game is about territoryIt is accumulative•territory won cannot be lost laterPlayers will have time to deliberateExample 3AsteroidsThe ship can shoot and maneuver•but can only rotate in 15º incrementsOnly 4 bullets can be on the screen at a timeMessagePlayer cannot shoot indiscriminatelyPlayer must move as well as shootThunderstormfour diceobjectto be the last player whose house is not struck by lightningrulesplayer rolls all available diceif no ones are rolled•player adds to "house" drawing•if house is already complete, it is struck by lightning and player is outif at least one 1 is rolled•all of the dice with ones are removed from play•play passes the next player•if all dice are ones•all four dice are back in playhouseseven elementsPlayEight and outdeck of cards6, 5, 4, 3, 2, Ain four piles by suitobjectto be the last player with the most pointsruleseach player draws one card from each pileif an Ace is drawn•that deck is removed from play•all other decks are reshuffled•if all drawn cards are Aces,•all four decks are back in playif no Aces are drawn•a player gets one pointif a player gets 8 points•he is outIs this the same game?Nothere's no drawing of housesthere's no rolling of diceYesthere is the same internal logicthere is the same distribution of probabilitiesTo clarifyEach dice6 random outcomes1/6 chance of a 1Each deck6 random outcomes1/6 chance of an AScoringseven strokes plus lightningtallying 8 pointsRule typesOperational ruleshere is what the players doConstituative rulesthe internal structure of the gameWhich is the game?depends on the questions you want to askOperational RulesWhat players do in order to playChoicesMovesResourcesOperationally"Thunderstorm" different from "Eight and Out"Constituative RulesLogical and mathematical structure of the gamePlayers may be ignorant and still playLogicallyThe two games are the sameIsomorphic•mathematical term = 1 to 1 mappingA game played under one set of rules•could be described under the other rules•the outcomes would not change•the probabilities of those outcomes would not changeConsequencesOperational rulesAffect the experience of play•how easy is it to tell if you're ahead?•what is the sense of drama?Constituative rulesAffect the way the player will think about choices•what strategies are best?•what the differential values of particular options?Implicit rulesRules that make the game playablePlayer decorumTurn lengthThe more significant the gamethe more implicit rules become operationalPenguin ShuffleComputer gamesPerfect for creating large, complex sets of constituative ruleslogical and mathematical structure are thereplayers don't have to keep trackOperational ruleslimited by what the interface can providemany more possibilities provided by real-world propsQuick ways to get a rewrite "Here are the operational and implicit rules of my game"“There are no rules”“The game is just like real life”Simulation vs RulesAre the rules of NBA Live the same as the rules of NBA basketball?The game wants you to think soAll the details are righttime-outsquarterspassingshootingetc.Simulation vs RulesBut of course they aren'tthe players dribble automaticallyyou control different players at different timesyou don't have to aim your passes or shotsplayers don't hear broadcast