Truth In Game Design Applied:

Designing Hero GenerationsScott Brodie - Designer @ Heart Shaped Games

@brodiegames

• What is Truth?

• Truth in Games

• Concrete Design Process

• How I applied this to Hero Generations

• Detours: truth in a commercial setting

This Talk

“It’s funny because it’s true”

3

“The truth is funny. Honest

discovery, observation, and

reaction is better than contrived

invention.” –Del Close, Comedian

4

Truth in the Arts

5

Pervasive outside of Games

6

“Tell the truth, then go from

there.” –Stephen King, Author

7

Truth in Games?

8

The models you build in games

stay with you…

The models you build in games

stay with you…

…if they’re meaningful and memorable

Universal Truths

19

Truth

20

Truth

21

Utility

22

Fun still matters

23

Fun because it’s true

24

Is There a Repeatable

Design Process?

28

?

29

?

30

?

Designer

Process

31

?

Player

Process

?

Personal Goal: make

meaningful games while also

being commercially viable

32

33

In 2014, we now have many

strong examples

34

35

36

37

Enter Hero Generations

#1: Draw from Personal

Experience

My Perspective in 2009-2010

•Transitioning from a young man to an adult.

•Balancing career, family, just married.

•Sorting through having kids, going indie.

•Clock was ticking on career goals.

•Trepidation about setting down roots.

Honestly represent your

perspective

Design became intuitive

43

#2: Abstract it and build a

relatable model

At its most basic, the game is

about charting a path…

…balancing competing goals…

…and then seeing how those

choices impact your offspring.

The trap of building “life”

games

Simplify

#3: clarify communication and

build an aesthetic players can use

to discern your truth

Model becomes metaphor

#4: Fully explore the model

[Family Photo Redacted for

Internets]

The art is in crafting the rules.

Your POV is in the rules you

choose and don’t choose to

include.

61

The Hero Generations

Model

#5: Interaction with

commercial market

Thank You

@brodiegames

Come play Hero Generations

Tonight!

65