Serious Game Design Techniques

Steve Harris Steven.harris@anglia.ac.uk

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Pace

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Infinity Ward) Level: “Enemy of My Enemy”

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Recuperation

Command & Conquer Series (Electronic Arts)

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Discovery

Fallout 3 (Bethesda)

Main Quest & Sub-quests

Self Directed, Multi-linear Narrative

Item Discovery & Creation

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Conflict

SolutionTactics\StrategyProblemConflict + Rules

Experimentation & Learning

Mad Dash Racing: (Crystal Dynamics)

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Condorcet Paradox in Gaming

Rome Total War (Activision)

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Reward Systems

Oblivion (Bethesda)

Operant ConditioningThe more a player uses a specific skill, the more that skill improves

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XBOX 360 Achievements

Achievements for Viva Piñata (Rare)

XBOX Live Gamertag

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Level: Rats Nest

Maps showing location and number of Deaths for

specified weapon

http://www.bungie.net/online/HeatMaps.aspx

Halo 3: (Bungie)

Halo 3: Heat MapsSniper RifleShotgun

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Player Assistance

Viva Piñata (Rare)

2nd Player can temporarily take control of the game to assist 1st player in complex tasks, using separate controllers

1st player takes Back control of game Once 2nd player completedcomplex tasks.

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Below the surface of video games, you will find:

“Design by intention, not accident”

Decades of experience to learn from

Many effective design techniques useful for serious games

Many of the techniques are not explicitly documented, therefore I would recommend you:

“Play to Learn”

Summary