Obligatory Speaker Info

SCAPEGOATINGUN

Whee!

Your levelisn’t fun!

ENVIRONMENTSUNREALISTIC?

Probably the level design!

FRAMERATE DROPPING?

It’s got to be the level design!

MISSED THE MILESTONE?

Damn you level designers!

FENRIS THE WOLF APPEARING TO

BRING ABOUT THE AGE OF

RAGNAROK?

LEVEL DESIGN!

“… a hostile social - psychological discrediting routine by which people move blame and responsibility away from themselves and towards a target person or group.”

(Simon Crosby, the Scapegoat Society)

Transferring the fear of failure

I just wrote

the code!

I just wrote

the spec!

I just made the

art!

I just…

Ah, crap!

ArtDirector

Greater than sum of parts

Greater than sum of partsFUN

So, will it be fun? Define “fun”

Greater than sum of partsNOT FUN

Scapegoating

Why the hate, Ed?

Prolonged Scapegoating

Destroys Morale

Prolonged Scapegoating

Destroys Morale Risks Quality

Prolonged Scapegoating

Destroys Morale Risks Quality Replicates Virally

Prolonged Scapegoating

Destroys Morale Risks Quality Replicates Virally Destroys the System

Scapegoating isn’t a SOLUTION, it’s a

REACTION

Fun

Fun

Fun

Fun

Fun

Fun

Fun

Fun

Fun

Fun

Design Iteration

Creation

Testing

ResponseCollaboration

Redesign

Creation

Testing

ResponseCollaboration

Redesign

How does iteration prevent scapegoating?

Creation

Testing

ResponseCollaboration

Redesign

Iteration ofGame

Pressures ofDevelopment

ToolsTime

TalentTrust

A Good Level Design Tool

Not a Good Level Design Tool

It looks like you’re trying

to make a fun level!

Tools

Great tools allow for great iteration when change/effect loop is compressed as much as possible

Great Tools Allow changes to happen easily Allow the effect of changes to be assessed

quickly Have a focus on usability, flexibility Provide feedback Allow collaboration and communication of intent Work consistently

Difficult Tools Bog the level designer down in process Require time and effort to see changes Are not usability focused - they are “Arcane” Do not provide feedback when used incorrectly Restrict the number of people working on a level

at once Break often, costing time and sanity

Tools

Good tools will FACILITATE successful iteration

Time

Iteration takes time, there is simply no way around this

Time

Honest scheduling

Time

Honest scheduling Realistic scoping

Time

Preserving time for level designers to experiment will allow for MORE iteration

Talent

Communication

Talent

Communication Improvisation Flexibility

Talent

The more talent, the better QUALITY of iteration

Trust

Trust

Information

Trust

Information Discussion

Trust

Information Discussion Education

Trust

Information Discussion Education Pluralism

Trust

Management of Expectation

Trust

Trust PERMITS iteration to happen

Talent

Communication Improvisation

Tools+Time+Talent+Trust

Good tools will FACILITATE successful iteration Preserving time for level designers to

experiment allows MORE iteration The more talent, the better QUALITY of iteration Trust PERMITS iteration to happen without

interference

In Closing

No fear when progress is perceptible No panic when the game is fun No blame when changes are easy No mistrust when answers are plentiful

“When you do things right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all.”

-- God