RANDOMNESS AND RISKLevel 7

David MullichGame MechanicsThe Los Angeles Film School

Randomness

Effects or events in the game that cannot be easily predicted.

Input vs. Output Randomness

Input Randomness: Informs the player’s decision

Output Randomness: Determines the outcome of the player’s decision

Output Randomness

3 Minute Game Design: Episode 6

What Was The Main Message Of This Video?

Why Designers Use Randomness Excitement and Tension Make Consequences Less Predictable Balance Weak and Strong Players Prevent Perfect Information Limit Foresight and Planning Force Players to Adapt to Changing Circumstances

Are these Input Randomness or Output Randomness?

Probability

Using a 6-sided die, what’s the probability of rolling a one?A six?A seven?Not three?

One Die Probabilities

Probability Of Something Not Happening = 1 – Probability of It Happening

One Die Probabilities

What’s the odds of rolling a 1 or a 2?

Hint: OR means ADD the probabilities.

Ways To Represent Probability

Probability Is Zero To One – That’s It!

Random Number Use Example #1

Random (6) Creature Encountered

1 Deer

2 Bear

3 Orc

4 Elf

5 Unicorn

6 Dragon

Random Number Use Example #2

Random (100) Creature Encountered

1-40 Deer

31-60 Bear

62-80 Orc

81-95 Elf

96-99 Unicorn

100 Dragon

Multiple Random Numbers

Using two 6-sided dice, what’s the probability of rolling a one?A six?A twelve?

Graph it!

Multiple Random Number Use Example

The Delta Of Randomness

Extra Credits: Can You Balance For A Random Number Generator?

What Was The Main Message Of This Video?

How Randomness Is Used Starting Conditions Asymmetric Resource Generation Imperfect Information Combat, especially Damage Skill Success

More Ways to Use Randomness

Extra Credits: What is the Goal of RNG?

What Was The Main Message Of This Video?

Randomness Design Considerations How is randomness used? How is randomness generated?

Luck

The feeling that random events are not random, but favorable for the player.

Why Designers Use Luck Give player the Illusion of Influence Creates Tension in actions with delayed

effect.

Warning! Luck can: Give deceptive Smooth Learning Curves Prevent Predictable Consequences Prevent Game Mastery

Luck Design Considerations Does the game master or game system

cheat to benefit players? Can the player manipulate any random

elements in the game? Are there any Near Miss Indicators to show

how close players were to danger? Can players based risk/reward decisions

on how much luck they feel they have?

RANDOMNESS AND GAME EVENTS

Surprises

Events and consequences that are unexpected by players and disturb their actions.

Sources of Surprise Randomness Imperfect Information Limited Foresight No Game State Overview

Why Designers Use Surprise Disrupt Player’s Attention Emotional Immersion in Narrative Structures Support Exploration Goals

Warning: Can reduce player’s Perceived Chance to Succeed

and Illusion of Influence Difficult to combine with Predictable

Consequences and Replayability

Surprises Design Considerations Do players or the game system cause the

surprise? What makes the surprise surprising? What are the consequences of the

surprise? Are the effects of the surprise irreversible?

Easter Eggs

Surprises in the game that are not related to the game.

Why Designers Put in Easter Eggs Surprises Allows Optional Player-Defined Goals Promotes Exploration Provides Trans-Game Information Increases Replayablity Protest against Management

Warning: May suspend belief in In-Game Reality

Easter Eggs Design Considerations Where in the game world does it exist? What does it contain or do? Are there any clues for it?

RISK AND REWARD

Risk/Reward

The chance for receiving a reward in a game is linked to some risk of receiving a penalty if the player fails to acquire the reward.

More Risk/Reward Examples Risking Danger to Gain Rewards or

Perform Actions Choosing which New Ability to get Investments and other Resource

Management Choosing which of several areas to Guard Selecting a Spawning Location

Why Designers Use Risk/Reward Create Tension Encourage

Trade-OffsStrategic PlanningCognitive ImmersionGame Mastery

Ways To Introduce Risk

Randomness Wrong Actions Other Players

Risk/Rewards Design Considerations How is risk introduced? What is the reward? What is the probability of getting the

reward? What is the penalty? What is the probability of receiving a

penalty?

Balancing Risk/Rewards

Less Risk Arithmetic Rewards

More Risk Choices with Long-Term Effects

Rewards

The players receive something perceived as positive, or is relieved of a negative effect, for completing the game’s goals.

Why Designers Use Rewards Creates Anticipation in Single Player games Creates Tension and Competition in Multi-

Player games With Abilities, promotes Character

Development and Narrative Structure Promotes Strategic Knowledge if Reward

has long-term value A form of Collecting

Rewards Design Considerations What action or goal is rewarded? Does the reward either advance the player’s

chances in the game or provide enjoyment outside the game?

Is the reward individual, shared, or distributed among players?

Can players choose their rewards? Is the reward embedded in another element?

Illusionary Rewards

The player receives something is perceived as a reward but does not quantifiably help in completing a formalized goal in the game.

Why Designers Use Illusionary Rewards Visual Effects Narrative Structures Social Status Clues, Tracers and Helpers Increase Perceived Chance to Succeed Encourage Experiementing Player-Defined Goals Extra Game-Information Increase Closures

Illusionary Rewards Design Considerations What is the illusionary reward? Why does the player perceive it as a

reward? Is it intentionally created, or an unintended

consequence of the game design?

Penalties

Players are inflicted with something perceived as negative or stripped of an advantage due to failure to meet a requirement of the game.

Sources Of Penalties Damage Deadly Traps Failure to Complete Goals

Penalties vs. Rewards

Penalties Rewards

Causes Tension Causes Anticipation

More Predictable Less Predictable

More Continuous More Distant

Why Designers Use Penalties Discourage rule-breaking Create Tension Create negative Social Status Prevent Betrayal

Warning! May restrict Freedom of Choice

Penalties Design Considerations What actions or events initiated by the player are

penalized? What actions or events not initiated by the player

are penalized? Is the penalty a predictable consequence of the

action or event? What is the penalty’s effect? Are penalties individual or shared among

players?

DECISION MAKING

Predictable Consequences

Players can predict how the game state will change if they perform actions.

Predictable Events Ultra-Powerful Events Damage and Penalties Investments Surprises (after first encounter)

Why Game Designers Want Predictable Consequences Builds Anticipation Promotes Experimentation Increases Perceived Chance to Succeed Supports Strategic Planning Required for Investments

Warning! Can lead to: Analysis Paralysis

Predictable Consequences Considerations How predictable is the game system when

performing actions and influencing events? How predictable are players when

performing actions and influencing events? How does the game’s complexity affect

predictability?

Balancing Predictable ConsequencesMore Predictable Consistent Reality Logic Illusionary Rewards Perfect Information More Closure Points

Less Predictable Randomness Uncertain/Imperfect Information Limited Foresight Fewer Closure Points Leaps of Faith (at first)

Perceived Chance To Succeed

Player’s believe, whether correctly or not, that they do have a chance to succeed with actions in a game.

Why Designers Want Perceived Chance To Succeed

Illusion of Influence Emotional Immersion Tension

Warning! May conflict with: Surprises Leaps of Faith Ultra-Powerful Events Narrative Structures

Perceived Chance to Succeed Design Considerations What are the ways that the player can

succeed at achieving goals? How does the player form a perception of

the chance of success at these various ways?

How will actual difficulty be balanced?

Balancing Perceived Chance To SucceedMore Chance Smooth Learning Curves Right Level of Difficulty Player Balance New/Improved Abilities Handicaps Strategic Knowledge/Cut Scenes/Hints Illusionary Rewards Player-Decided Results Perfect/Imperfect Information

Less Chance Decreased/Lost Abilities Enemies Surprises Ultra-Powerful Events

Trade-Offs

The player must choose between several different options and compare them against each other.

Examples of Trade-Offs Budgeted Action Points Resource Managment Camera Views Combat Attention Swapping Stealth Bidding Supporting Goals

Why Designers Use Trade-Offs Encourages:

Cognitive ImmersionStrategic PlanningPerceived Chance of SucceedGame Mastery

Balances Difficulty

Warning! Can cause: Analysis Paralysis

Trade-Offs Design Considerations

Are the trade-off choices linked to a committed goal?

What are the risks and rewards of each choice?

How quickly do players need to make trade-off decisions?

Do the trade-offs have extended effects?

MORE GOALS

Exploration

The goal of learning the layout of the game world, or locating specific parts or objects in it.

Exploration In Games

Extra Credits: Four Ways Players Discover Joy

What Was The Main Message Of This Video?

Examples of Exploration Levels Hidden Resources Illusionary Rewards Imperfect Information Construction

Why Designers Use Exploration Goals Encourages players to move to new game spaces Supports:

Gain Information Goals Memorization Varied Gameplay Game World Navigation Surprises Emotional Immersion

Warning! May conflict with: Replayability

Exploration Design Considerations

What does the player need to find? Does the player know the exact nature of

what needs to be found? Is the area to be explored predetermined,

randomly generated, or constructed by another player?

Are there supporting goals providing partial information about what needs to be found?

Balancing Exploration GoalsLess Difficult Game State Overview Renewable Resources Outstanding Features Clues and Tracers Goal Points Easter Eggs

More Difficult Limited Resources Enemies and Deadly Traps Fog of War

Stealth

The goal to move through a certain area and perform and action without being detected.

What Makes A Good Stealth Game?

Extra Credits: Like A Ninja

What Was The Main Message Of This Video?

Why Designers Use Stealth Goals Makes Rescue and Delivery Goals more

difficult Encourages:

MovementTensionStrategic PlanningArea Control

Stealth Design Considerations What action(s) must the stealthy player

perform? What actions can reveal the player to other

players / enemies? What are the tradeoffs between risk and

reward for these actions?

Balancing Stealth GoalsLess Difficult Safe Havens

More Difficult Timing Rhythm/Dexterity-Based Actions Puzzle Solving Alarms Herding

Choose one of the following games to play:

EXPLORER Amazonas (3-4p, 50m) (Explore) Lost Cities (2p, 30-60m) (Explore) Oceana (1-2p, 10-30m) (Explore) Taluva (2-4p, 45m) (Explore)

STEALTH LotR: The Confrontation (2p, 30m)

(Bluffing) Scotland Yard (3-6p, 45m) (Stealth)

Group Quest

Design an analog game prototype using mechanics supporting the following goals: Exploration Stealth

Research and use the LMS to report on games using risk and reward elements discussed in class.