EMS Creative iMedia Cambridge Nationals

1. Flow Diagram
Lesson 5

2.  Know how pathways are used in game design
 Understand how game events can be triggered
 Be able to create a suitable game flow diagram
Lesson Goals
#pathway
#trigger

3. Marking
Marks Learning Objective
1 – 6
Pass
Basic design techniques to the plan game structure, limited
reference to pathways, game play and game mechanics with
limited consideration of success criteria.
7 – 11
Merit
Sound design techniques to the plan game structure, some
reference to pathways, game play and game mechanics with
some consideration of success criteria.
12 – 15
Distinction
Detailed design techniques to the plan game structure,
extensive reference to pathways, game play and game
mechanics with thorough consideration of success criteria.

4. Trigger
What is a trigger and how are they used in games?
#pathway
#trigger
Understand how triggers are used
Be able to make a flow diagram

5. Triggers
 Triggers are used in video games
to make something happen in
the level.
 This would include the events
that you use to open or close a
door or to use an active prop.
 Triggers will also be used to make
a character seek and destroy the
player as they try to complete
the level.
#pathway
#trigger
Understand how triggers are used
Be able to make a flow diagram

6. Triggers
 Mission Maker uses six different categories of trigger which are:
Spatial Trigger Object Clicked
State Trigger
#pathway
#trigger
Understand how triggers are used
Be able to make a flow diagram
Global Trigger
Speech Trigger Shot by Player
Into a room or trigger volume Actual object or nearby object
State of something changes Score, time, start of game
Character delivering speech media Shoot an object or character

7. Pathways
Why is a good storyline vital to any video game?
#pathway
#trigger
Understand how triggers are used
Be able to make a flow diagram

8. Pathways
 A players pathway through a game can be documented visually
with a flow diagram which will show the main stages of the game.
 Flow diagrams are useful to
display the sequence of events
that will occur during the game
and how a player can navigate
around the map.
 Clearly explaining your pathway
will help you plan a game that will
flow effectively from one area to
the next.
#pathway
#trigger
Understand how triggers are used
Be able to make a flow diagram

9. Linear Flow
 A linear path through a game will involve a player moving from
one room to the next with few options to take along the way.
 This pathway offers little choice or variation to a player but
ensures they take an efficient path to the end of the game.
#pathway
#trigger
Understand how triggers are used
Be able to make a flow diagram

10. Non-Linear Flow
 A non-linear path gives a player
much more choice in how they
navigate the game but they may
not take the most efficient route
to the finish.
#pathway
#trigger
Understand how triggers are used
Be able to make a flow diagram

11. Your Task
 Create a game flow diagram showing the pathway a player will
take through your video game:
 Rooms
 Pickups
 Characters
 You can use gliffy.com to create
the flow diagram and colour
code each different section.
 It is important that your door
and character events should use
a variety of different triggers.
#pathway
#trigger
Understand how triggers are used
Be able to make a flow diagram

12. Keywords
 Pathway
 Trigger
 The route a player will be required to take
to win the finished game.
 Something that causes an event to take
place within a game.
Understand how triggers are used
Be able to make a flow diagram
#pathway
#trigger