I WANT TO GO TO THEREMotivating Players in Open GamesJoel Burgess, Senior DesignerBethesda Game Studios

Simple QuestionHow do you go about making levels for open-world games?

Level Design

Single Player Multiplayer

Linear Non-Linear

InteriorExterior

FPS

MMORPG

RPG

RTS

HorrorAdventure

Co-Op

Competitive

WHAT ARE OPEN GAMES?Welcome to My Sandbox

Define“Open”

Player Agency

Why Are We Fascinated?• What makes Open games so interesting?– Best positioned to fulfill the core promise of

videogames– Old Hat, but interactivity is what makes our

medium special, and interactivity is the focal point of Open Games

Why Are Open Games Important?

Tandem Authorship

The Unpredictable Player• Trained to Defy Direction

• Will always confound you

• Not, actually, a jerk.

Player-Designer Contract

• The Player is in Control

Player-Designer Contract

• The Player is in Control• Stay Backstage

Player-Designer Contract

• The Player is in Control• Stay Backstage• Fulfill Expectations

Player-Designer Contract

• The Player is in Control• Stay Backstage• Fulfill Expectations• Player Story > Designer Story

CREATING THE FRAMEWORKEnabling Player Participation

Setting Up For Fun

Environmental Techniques

Distant Landmarks

Nearby Landmarks

Distant Ruins

Farms

Carriage & Caravan Merchants

Giant(Companions Quest Hook)

Point Lookout Video Introduction

Motion in Environment

Prior Knowledge•Roads•Bridges•Signposts•Distant Smoke•Flowing Water•Lit Windows/Fires•Tracks of Vehicles/Creatures

Don’t Forget Audio

WHAT’S OUR GOAL? IT’S GOALS.Yo dawg, I heard you like goals.

Goals & Player Motivation• Aim for the player to always have a goal• Know what goal types your game permits

Goal Types• Explicit Goals• Player Determined Goals• Emergent Goals• Goals of Opportunity• Out-of-Game Goals

Components of a Goal• Perceived Risk/Reward• Commitment• Inherent Interest

Are We Powerless?• No!

Provide Interesting Goals For the Widest Possible Range of Player Interests

DESIGNING FOR FREEDOMKnowing is Half the Battle

Deliberate Distraction

A B

Ente

rtai

nmen

t

Time

Yawn…

Deliberate Distraction

A BX

Y

Z

Deliberate Distraction

A B

Ente

rtai

nmen

t

Time

X Y

Dealing With Empty Area

“Just for Looks”

The Iconic Rope Bridge

Handling for Open Games

Dragon SoulBoss Chest

Word of PowerDragon Priest Mask

Consolation Loot

LARGE-SCALE MOTIVATIONConsiderations for Big Worlds

Same Problem, New Scope

POI Density

POI Density• POI Options• Time per POI• Your Desired POI Density• Vertical “Chunk” Estimate• Extrapolate Against Time in Schedule

Fallout 3 ExamplesAdding and Cutting

(even when it hurt)

Fallout 3 Example: DC Neighborhoods

Thanks For Listeningemail joel@joelburgess.comtwitter @joelburgessfacebook “level design in a day” group