00 3634_FM_Intro 9/30/03 10:14 AM Page i Game Architecture and Design: A New Edition Contents at a Glance I Game Design III Game Architecture 1 First Concept 3 16 Current Development Methods 433 2 Core Design 35 17 Initial Design 457 3 Gameplay 59 18 Use of Technology 511 4 Detailed Design 87 19 Building Blocks 553 5 Game Balance 105 20 Initial Architecture Design 607 6 Look and Feel 141 21 Development 637 7 Wrapping Up 171 22 The Run-Up to Release 687 8 The Future of Game Design 197 23 Postmortem 719 24 The Future of Game Development 747 II Team Building and Management 9 Current Methods of Team Management 227 IV Appendixes 10 Roles and Divisions 245 A Sample Game Design Documents 785 11 The Software Factory 263 B Bibliography and References 887 12 Milestones and Deadlines 293 Glossary 893 13 Procedures and “Process” 327 Index 897 14 Troubleshooting 367 15 The Future of the Industry 409 00 3634_FM_Intro 9/30/03 10:14 AM Page ii 00 3634_FM_Intro 9/30/03 10:14 AM Page iii Game Architecture and Design: A New Edition Andrew Rollings Dave Morris 800 East 96th Street, 3rd Floor, Indianapolis, Indiana 46240 An Imprint of Pearson Education Boston • Indianapolis • London • Munich • New York • San Francisco 00 3634_FM_Intro 9/30/03 10:14 AM Page iv Game Architecture and Design: A New Edition Publisher Stephanie Wall Copyright © 2004 by New Riders Publishing Production Manager All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced, Gina Kanouse stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means— electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise— Senior Project Editor without written permission from the publisher, except for the Kristy Hart inclusion of brief quotations in a review. Copy Editor International Standard Book Number: 0-7357-1363-4 Chrissy Andry Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2003111600 Senior Indexer Cheryl Lenser Printed in the United States of America Composition First printing: November, 2003 Gloria Schurick 08 07 06 05 04 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Manufacturing Coordinator Dan Uhrig Interpretation of the printing code: The rightmost double-digit number is the year of the book’s printing; the rightmost single- Interior Designer digit number is the number of the book’s printing. For example, Kim Scott the printing code 04-1 shows that the first printing of the book Cover Designer occurred in 2004. Aren Howell Media Developer Trademarks Jay Payne All terms mentioned in this book that are known to be trademarks or service marks have been appropriately capitalized. New Riders Marketing Publishing cannot attest to the accuracy of this information. Use of Scott Cowlin a term in this book should not be regarded as affecting the validity Tammy Detrich of any trademark or service mark. Hannah Onstad Latham Publicity Manager Warning and Disclaimer Susan Nixon Every effort has been made to make this book as complete and as accurate as possible, but no warranty of fitness is implied. The information is provided on an as-is basis. The authors and New Riders Publishing shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damages arising from the information contained in this book. 00 3634_FM_Intro 9/30/03 10:14 AM Page v This book is dedicated to the memory of Ram De Silva, respected colleague and beloved friend. ‰ Andrew Rollings In loving memory of my father, Victor Morris. ‰ Dave Morris 00 3634_FM_Intro 9/30/03 10:14 AM Page vi vi Game Architecture and Design: A New Edition Table of Contents Introduction xxiii Part I Game Design Chapter 1 First Concept 3 The Shock of the New 3 The Creative Road Map 4 Having the Idea 6 Inspiration 7 Synthesis 8 Resonance 9 Convergence 10 Shaping the Idea 11 Dramatic Effect 11 The Treatment 15 Taking Stock 16 Analysis 16 Evaluation 17 Justification 17 Case Study 1.1 The One-Page Pitch 18 Feasibility 20 Commercial 20 Technological 20 Developmental 21 Getting it Down 21 Case Study 1.2 Initial Treatment for Conquerors 22 Chapter 2 Core Design 35 What Is a Game? 35 Cool Features 36 Fancy Graphics 36 Puzzles 37 Setting and Story 37 Games Aren’t Everything 38 Case Study 2.1 Story Versus Gameplay 39 00 3634_FM_Intro 9/30/03 10:14 AM Page vii Table of Contents vii Games Mean Gameplay 39 Case Study 2.2 A Missed Opportunity? 40 Creating the Game Spec 42 Case Study 2.3 Integrating Game Objectives 43 Features 43 Case Study 2.4 An Instance of Emergence 45 Gameplay 45 Interface 47 Case Study 2.5 An Elegant Interface 48 Rules 48 Case Study 2.6 The Rules Must Serve the Features 49 Level Design 50 Case Study 2.7 Interesting Level Design 51 Example Game Spec 53 Case Study 2.8 Game Spec 53 The Value of Prototypes… 57 …And the Necessity of Documents 58 Chapter 3 Gameplay 59 What Is Gameplay? 60 Implementing Gameplay 61 The Dominant Strategy Problem 62 Near Dominance 63 Case Study 3.1 Environment Plus Rules Equals Gameplay 67 Supporting Investments 70 Versatility 71 Case Study 3.2 Unexpected Versatility 72 Compensating Factors 74 Case Study 3.3 Balancing Compensating Factors 75 Impermanence 76 Shadow Costs 77 Case Study 3.4 Shadow Costs in Age of Empires 77 Synergies 78 A Final Word About Gameplay 79 Interactivity 80 Kinds of Interactivity 81 Case Study 3.5 A Different Kind of Interactivity 82 “Why?” Versus “What?” 84 00 3634_FM_Intro 9/30/03 10:14 AM Page viii viii Game Architecture and Design: A New Edition Chapter 4 Detailed Design 87 The Designer’s Role 87 Case Study 4.1 A Development Timeline 88 Design Documentation 92 The Gameplay Spec 92 The Designer’s Notes 93 Case Study 4.2 The Need for Documenting the Spec 94 Using The Design Documents 95 Fitting Design to Development 97 Tiers and Testbeds 98 Case Study 4.3 Planning the Mini-Specs to Fit the Architecture 100 Why Use Documents at All? 102 Chapter 5 Game Balance 105 Player/Player Balance 106 Symmetry 107 Player/Gameplay Balance 111 Case Study 5.1 Is This Supposed to Be Fun? 111 Reward the Player 113 Let the Machine do the Work 113 Make a Game You Play With, Not Against 114 Case Study 5.2 The Save Game Problem 114 Gameplay/Gameplay Balance 116 Component and Attribute Balance 117 Case Study 5.3 Component and Attribute Balance in Dungeon Keeper 119 Intransitive Game Mechanics Guarantees Balance 120 Case Study 5.4 Attribute Balance Using SPS 126 Case Study 5.5 Using Game Theory Analysis to Achieve Balance 132 A Game Balance Checklist 139 Chapter 6 Look and Feel 141 Ambience 142 Sound 143 Case Study 6.1 Sound Effects at Their Best 143 Vision 144 Case Study 6.2 A Discordant Note 146 00 3634_FM_Intro 9/30/03 10:14 AM Page ix Table of Contents ix Touch 147 Interface 148 Case Study 6.3 Meshing the Interface with Look and Feel 148 Case Study 6.4 Sometimes Less Is Less 150 Storytelling 152 A Toolbox of Storytelling Techniques 153 Case Study 6.5 An Example of a Look-and-Feel Document 157 Case Study 6.6 An Unexpected Development 162 Case Study 6.7 An Unsatisfying Conclusion 167 The Sum of the Parts 169 Chapter 7 Wrapping Up 171 The Professionals 172 The Game Concept 173 Planning for Change 174 The Technology 180 Development 182 The Team 186 Costs and Timelines 187 Gameplay 189 The Future 192 Chapter 8 The Future of Game Design 197 The Necessity of Design 197 Don’t Be Afraid to Plan 198 Case Study 8.1 Design Saves Time 198 Why Design Is Fine 200 Case Study 8.2 Keep the Design up to Date 202 Essentials of Game Design 203 Is it Original? 204 Is it Coherent? 204 Is it Interactive? 205 Is it Interesting? 206 Is it Fun? 206 The Future of Design 207 Making Designs More Generic 208 Nonsymbolic Design 209 Case Study 8.3 Comparing Nonsymbolic and Symbolic Design 211 00 3634_FM_Intro 9/30/03 10:14 AM Page x x Game Architecture and Design: A New Edition The Future of Games 212 The Next Decade 213 The Strengths of Software 214 The Crossroads of Creativity 215 Case Study 8.4 An Example of Mise En Scene 219 Games as Entertainment 222 The Way Forward 224 Part II Team Building and Management Chapter 9 Current Methods of Team Management 227 The Current Development Model 228 The Origins of the Industry 228 The Trouble with Game Developers 231 The Problem Developer 234 Excessive Long Hours Mean an Unsuccessful Project 241 Exceptions to the Rule 242 Case Study 9.1 Quake, StarCraft, and XCOM: Interceptor 243 Chapter 10 Roles and Divisions 245 Assigning Personnel 245 Management and Design Division 247 Programming Division 249 Art Division 250 Music and Miscellaneous Division 251 Support and Quality Assurance Division 253 Improving Morale and the Working Environment 255 Morale Boosters 255 Morale Booster Caveats and Warnings 261 Spreading the Risk 262 Chapter 11 The Software Factory 263 What Is a Software Factory? 263 Why Use a Software Factory? 265 Solving Game Development Issues 266 Case Study 11.1 The Effects of Losing Key Personnel 268 Case Study 11.2 Code Reuse 269 00 3634_FM_Intro 9/30/03 10:14 AM Page xi Table of Contents xi Organizing a Software Factory 271 A Structural Overview 271 Group Responsibilities and Interactions 273 Case Study 11.3 Ineffective Problem Handling in Action 274 Case Study 11.4 Effective Problem Handling in Action 276 Case Study 11.5 The Benefits Of Tool Reuse 281 Applying the Software Factory Structure and Methodology 285 Getting off the Ground 286 Knowing When to Use Each Team—a Parallel Development Timeline 287 Rotating and Reassigning Team Members 289 Case Study 11.6 The Indispensables 289 The Suitability of a Software Factory 290 Smaller Teams 290 The Final Word 291 Chapter 12 Milestones and Deadlines 293 How Milestones Currently Work 294 Case Study 12.1 What Fuzzy Milestones Can Do to a Project