VOLITION’S CHALLENGE: DEFINING A PROJECT VISION

Greg Donovan Senior Producer

Volition Project X – List of Features . Super Awesome, Fun Gameplay . Some kind of Multiplayer, probably . Lots of weapons and explosions . Choices . Good graphics . Whatever else the Publisher wants

Does a project really need a Vision?

What is a project Vision? Vision is a Process culminates in successfully communicating what it is the team is making

. Set of tools . Help communicate what game is being made . Help guide: discussion, choices, prioritization

It can be really difficult.

GOAL: Clearly define “the Box”

. Abstract -> Concrete . Tone . High Level . Humor . Core / Pillars . Player Experience

Think of “a rock”

So, what do you do?

. New Genre . New Tech/Tools . New Platform . “New Studio”

. Bling Bling is a third person action game about style, music, gangs, and guns.

. It is the game equivalent of a gangster rap music video.

. Video

. Team Mantras . Concrete Jungle . Your Saints. Your City. Your Rules.

. List of ‘core features’ . Co-Op . Customization/Player Choice . Combat . Vehicular Gameplay . Variety

The project vision should encapsulate the core of the game. It should be something content creators ask themselves when making the game. It’s an “essence statement” that succinctly defines the top level heart and spirit of the game. This needs to be something that’s both meaningful and valuable to both dev and outside sources. The former is more important, though. It should answer, “what is the game about, what are we trying to do?”

The Problems

. Poor execution . We had a description of what the Vision should be… but never executed on it. . The video was a list of features

. Too vague… . WTF is a Concrete Jungle? . Your Saints. Your City. Your Rules. …was a SR2 marketing tagline . A list of features is not a vision…

OMG!

Vision

. King of the Carnival!

. Fun Trumps All!

. Over the Top!

. PILLARS !! . VISION WALL !! . TONE VIDEO !! . MANTRAS !!

Fun Gameplay Player Choice

Saints Row 2 established its identity with over The Saints Row franchise allows players to play the top and how they want. Saints Row 3 will retain and outrageously fun gameplay improve this feature by offering It’s the number one thing the franchise is known more choices for. Saints Row 3 will push the gameplay for players and making some choices tie into envelope and surpass player’s expectations. gameplay.

Slick Presentation Cohesion

Saints Row 2 was criticized for its Saints Row 2 added features in a vacuum. presentation. Visuals were the #1 criticism, Saints Row 3 will have a more followed closely by stability. Saints Row 3 defined game experience will be competitive graphically, that wraps the tone, fiction and art with gameplay. We will make everything feel like it’s producehave a defined the most art memorable direction, SR-world yet one experience where all major elements play and be more polished and stable than SR1 off of and reinforce each other. and SR2.

. Over the Top!

Fart in a Jar Russian Roulette Peeping Tom

The Saints With Super Powers in the Matrix. With Aliens.

. The Saints Row Way Vision . Key questions asked in late pre pro . Answers established too late

. Solid Vision by here! . Not here!

Discovery Pre Production Production

. High Level Vision team . Cross Discipline

GOALS: . Establish the box . Establish better vision tools . Collaborate with team . Remain High level Player Experience

Project Pillars

Special Sauce

Studio Strategy Project Canvas Alexander Osterwalder

Zeus : Vision Canvas (WORK IN PROGRESS)

Core Vision (Pillars) Core Gameplay Core Tenets Player Experience A modern Western set in post-apocalyptic Rio Sell the experience of a hardened

 World Exploration gunslinger surviving day to day When I explore the world I feel A hardened gunslinger  Ranged Combat in post-apocalyptic Rio. ADVENTUROUS, TEMPTED and  I’m deadly in a firefight  Player Progression CURIOUS  My vehicle is my lifeblood  Lootility  Mostly an on-foot game  I need to see what's going  I go where others fear to tread  Most gameplay takes place in to happen next. I’m always  I take on challenges others will not urban areas tempted to investigate one

Supporting Features  Rules of the world need to be more thing. Exploring a lawless and broken city consistent and accessible  Havens are no picnics but I  A world where life is cheap and resources o Not a "everything fits know what to expect.  Cover/Traversal System are scarce and goes" world like Outside the walls, all bets  Social/Asynchronous Gameplay  A hornet's nest of competing factions SR3 are off.  Non Modal Missions  A wasteland of opportunity to discover  More realistic than SR3 when it  I am compelled to balance  RPG systems : player, weapons, comes to: risk and reward. vehicles Defining my legend through my actions o Art direction  Customization  I make enemies and allies as it suits me o Tone When I shoot enemies, I feel  Vehicles  I develop skills to fit my style o Gameplay and EMPOWERED and SKILLED  Conversation System  I craft and improve my gear with loot Situations  Confident, even when  Memory System/Player Awareness  I play by my own rules and do what I want vulnerable.  2 Player Co-Op  Even though I've seen a lot,  PVP, Free for All MP Areas there's some horrifying shit I haven't seen.  Nothing comes easy in this world but death. Special Sauce Dev Pillars Core Essence ( 5 sec pitches) When I progress my character  We make third person  Focus on the Core and gear, I feel RESOURCEFUL city-based sandbox o Do fewer things and do them well. and REWARDED game.  A modern Western set in post-  The car makes the man.  Brains over Bureaucracy apocalyptic Rio When you see my vehicle  Our players are agents o Don't let process get in the way of doing  Mad Max meets MacGyver you know who I am. of mayhem with lots of what's right for the game.  Post-apocalyptic Game of Thrones  I know how to use what toys.  A hardened gunslinger surviving day to others don’t see.  Teamwork  As a gunslinger I have to  Our players own and day in post-apocalyptic Rio o Work together, be accountable to each keep adapting or I’ll die. share their  Mechanical Alchemy other, and push each other to do our best experiences. work.

Zeus : Vision Canvas (WORK IN PROGRESS) Core Vision (Pillars) Core Gameplay Core Premises Player Experience A modern Western set in post-apocalyptic Rio Sell the fantasy of a hardened I am a hardened gunslinger exploring a post- apocalyptic urban ruin, forging my legend  World Exploration gunslinger exploring post- through my actions. A hardened gunslinger  Ranged Combat apocalyptic Rio  I’m deadly in a firefight  Player Progression By playing this game I want to satisfy:  My vehicle is the analog for my horse  Primarily on-foot  I craft and improve my gear with loot  Slower paced than Saints Row  My curiosity about the world and the people in it  I take on challenges others will not  Most gameplay takes place in  My need to progress and attain mastery Supporting Features urban areas  My desire for better rewards and loot Exploring a post apocalyptic urban ruin  Rules of the world are  My need to connect with friends and other players  A lawless and broken world where life is  Non Modal Missions consistent and accessible  My desire to express what makes me and my cheap and resources are scarce  Lootility  More realistic than Saints Row character different  A hornet's nest of competing factions  Cover/Traversal System  A wasteland of opportunity to discover  Social/Asynchronous Gameplay Players should be thinking this when they play the game.  RPG systems : player, weapons, Forging my legend through my actions vehicles  I want to know what’s out there Modern Western   I make enemies and allies as it suits me  Conversation System I will find a way to deal with whatever happens  I can customize my past and present  Memory System/Player  We ______when we play together  I develop skills to fit my style Awareness Think : Contemporary Analogs for  I go where others fear to tread  2 - 4 Player Co-Op Western tropes.  I play by my own rules and do what I want  Customization  Vehicles Zeus World

Inspirations  A dense urban ruin, re-built 20 years after an apocalyptic event that occurred in 2018.

Special Sauce Team Pillars  The factions, intrigue, and ever evolving  The Wild West in 2038 where pockets of civilization and factions plot from A Game of Thrones. function behind walls in Havens to guard, trade, and fight for control  We make third person  Focus on the Core  The exploration, freedom, and RPG over resources and power. city-based sandbox o Do fewer things and do them well. progression of Skyrim. game.  The character and tone of A Fistful of  A world that functions on technology and resources available in  Brains over Bureaucracy Dollars. 2018. Only a select few control experimental technology from that time. Society in general makes do with few creature comforts.  Our players are agents o Don't let process get in the way of  The ever evolving world of The Walking

of mayhem with lots of doing what's right for the game. Dead.  Outside the Havens, adventurers and scavengers risk danger against toys.  The tone, humor, and Spaghetti the potential for extreme wealth and fortune. Outside these walls,

 Teamwork Western aesthetic of Django Unchained. it’s anything goes in a world full of roving bandits, fortune seekers  Our players own and o Work together, be accountable to  The traversal fluidity found in and other dangers.. share their each other, and push each other Unchartered and Tomb Raider experiences. to do our best work.  A barren Wasteland surrounds the city, littered with the bones of the

old world.

Zeus : Vision Canvas (WORK IN PROGRESS) Zeus : Vision Canvas (WORK IN PROGRESS) Core Vision (Pillars) Core Gameplay Core Tenets Core Vision (Pillars) Core Gameplay Core Premises Player Experience Player Experience I am a hardened gunslinger exploring a post- A modern Western set in post-apocalyptic Rio Sell the fantasy of a hardened A modern Western set in post-apocalyptic Rio Sell the experience of a hardened apocalyptic urban ruin, forging my legend  World Exploration gunslinger exploring post-  World Exploration through my actions. gunslinger surviving day to day When I explore the world I feel A hardened gunslinger  Ranged Combat A hardened gunslinger  Ranged Combat apocalyptic Rio in post-apocalyptic Rio. ADVENTUROUS, TEMPTED and  I’m deadly in a firefight  Player Progression  I’m deadly in a firefight  Player Progression By playing this game I want to satisfy: CURIOUS  My vehicle is the analog for my horse  Primarily on-foot  My vehicle is my lifeblood  Lootility  Mostly an on-foot game  I need to see what's going  I craft and improve my gear with loot  Slower paced than Saints Row   I go where others fear to tread My curiosity about the world and the people in it  Most gameplay takes place in to happen next. I’m always  I take on challenges others will not  Most gameplay takes place in  My need to progress and attain mastery  I take on challenges others will not urban areas tempted to investigate one Supporting Features urban areas  My desire for better rewards and loot

Supporting Features  Rules of the world need to be more thing. Exploring a post apocalyptic urban ruin  Rules of the world are  My need to connect with friends and other players Exploring a lawless and broken city  A lawless and broken world where life is consistent and accessible  My desire to express what makes me and my consistent and accessible  Havens are no picnics but I  Non Modal Missions  A world where life is cheap and resources o Not a "everything fits know what to expect. cheap and resources are scarce  Lootility  More realistic than Saints Row character different  Cover/Traversal System are scarce and goes" world like Outside the walls, all bets  A hornet's nest of competing factions  Cover/Traversal System  Social/Asynchronous Gameplay Players should be thinking this when they play the game.  A hornet's nest of competing factions SR3 are off.  A wasteland of opportunity to discover  Social/Asynchronous Gameplay  Non Modal Missions  A wasteland of opportunity to discover  More realistic than SR3 when it  I am compelled to balance  RPG systems : player, weapons,  RPG systems : player, weapons,  I want to know what’s out there comes to: risk and reward. Forging my legend through my actions vehicles vehicles  Conversation System Modern Western  I will find a way to deal with whatever happens Defining my legend through my actions o Art direction  I make enemies and allies as it suits me  Customization  Memory System/Player  We ______when we play together  I make enemies and allies as it suits me o Tone When I shoot enemies, I feel  I can customize my past and present  Vehicles Awareness Think : Contemporary Analogs for  I develop skills to fit my style o Gameplay and EMPOWERED and SKILLED  I develop skills to fit my style  Conversation System  I go where others fear to tread  2 - 4 Player Co-Op Western tropes.  I craft and improve my gear with loot Situations  Confident, even when  Memory System/Player Awareness  I play by my own rules and do what I want  Customization  I play by my own rules and do what I want vulnerable.  2 Player Co-Op  Vehicles Zeus World  Even though I've seen a lot,  PVP, Free for All MP Areas Inspirations  A dense urban ruin, re-built 20 years after an apocalyptic event that there's some horrifying shit occurred in 2018. I haven't seen.  Nothing comes easy in this Special Sauce Team Pillars  The factions, intrigue, and ever evolving  The Wild West in 2038 where pockets of civilization and factions Special Sauce Dev Pillars Core Essence world but death. plot from A Game of Thrones. function behind walls in Havens to guard, trade, and fight for control  We make third person  Focus on the Core  The exploration, freedom, and RPG over resources and power.

( 5 sec pitches) When I progress my character city-based sandbox o Do fewer things and do them well. progression of Skyrim.  We make third person  Focus on the Core and gear, I feel RESOURCEFUL game.  The character and tone of A Fistful of  A world that functions on technology and resources available in 2018. Only a select few control experimental technology from that city-based sandbox o Do fewer things and do them well. and REWARDED  Brains over Bureaucracy Dollars. time. Society in general makes do with few creature comforts. game.  A modern Western set in post-  The car makes the man.  Our players are agents o Don't let process get in the way of  The ever evolving world of The Walking of mayhem with lots of  Brains over Bureaucracy apocalyptic Rio When you see my vehicle doing what's right for the game. Dead. toys.  Outside the Havens, adventurers and scavengers risk danger against  Our players are agents o  Mad Max meets MacGyver you know who I am.  The tone, humor, and Spaghetti Don't let process get in the way of doing the potential for extreme wealth and fortune. Outside these walls, of mayhem with lots of  I know how to use what  Teamwork what's right for the game.  Post-apocalyptic Game of Thrones Western aesthetic of Django Unchained. it’s anything goes in a world full of roving bandits, fortune seekers toys.  Our players own and o Work together, be accountable to  A hardened gunslinger surviving day to others don’t see.  The traversal fluidity found in and other dangers.. share their each other, and push each other  Teamwork  As a gunslinger I have to Unchartered and Tomb Raider  Our players own and day in post-apocalyptic Rio experiences. to do our best work. o Work together, be accountable to each keep adapting or I’ll die.  A barren Wasteland surrounds the city, littered with the bones of the share their  Mechanical Alchemy other, and push each other to do our best old world. experiences. work.

ZEUS . Canvas . Inspirations . World/Genre . Pillars . Core Gameplay & Features . Player Types & Experience . Studio Strategy & Special Sauce

. Tone/Humor Spectrums

. (ADD) And then…

Zeus Died…

Key Lessons . Stop . Be Patient . Make the BOX clear . Iterate . Time spent up front helps the back end

. Collaborate . Small, cross-disciplined team . Exit Champion

. Listen . Stay High Level . Word-smithing = happy place

. Vision Tools are never a replacement for conversation

. Saturate the office

. Improve, Change and Evolve . “Not invented here” is detrimental . Always room for improvement . Look outside your studio

. Let the team go crazy within the box . If you have the right people, let go

Key Lessons

Thank-you for your time! SPECIAL THANKS

. Conference Associates . Volition Questions?

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