The Importance of the Player in Game Design
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This document discusses player modeling and profiling in game design. It outlines several models for classifying players, including Bartle's player types (achievers, explorers, socializers, killers), hardcore vs casual players, and BrainHex player classes (seeker, survivor, daredevil, etc.). The key points are that players have different motivations, needs, and play styles; understanding the target audience is crucial for game design; and multiple player profiles should be considered to account for differences between individuals. Selecting the right target audience helps ensure a game provides the desired experience.
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The Importance of the Player in Game Design
- 1. The Player Rui Prada 23 de Junho Faculdade de Letras, Universidade de Lisboa
- 2. The Player A player is a person that interacts with the game and lives the experience it offers.
- 3. The Audience The audience of a game if the set of groups of players it targets. Examples: “teenage girls”, “students of IST”, “visitors of a museum”, “football lovers”, “sportive people”
- 4. Player? Why? How to measure the success of a game? A game is successful if it satisfies the needs of its (target) audience (players)
- 5. Player? Why? Can a game target everyone? Merging two game genres please both audiences?
- 6. Player? Why? Different players have different needs! Choosing the target players is a crucial step in the game development You need to know who to please to define the experience
- 7. Player? Why? Is that the only reason? Player as a consumer Player as a producer/author
- 8. Player? Why? Player–author “conflict” Balance the author and player intentions Player intentions Author intensions
- 9. Player? Why? Player and author contribute together to the experience (in different moments) Player intensions Author intensions Good Bad
- 10. Player? Why? Players build actively and voluntarily the experience
- 11. Define the Audience Select the audience Detail the audience Understand the audience
- 12. Player Profile For each group of players identify Motivation Needs, preferences, interests, expectations, values, fears, dreams Capabilities References, knowledge, limitations Context of play Where, with whom and when they will play
- 13. Racing Car Game Player Profiles Motivation Have a nice time with the family Dreams to drive a car Capabilities Limitations Some limitations regarding dexterity and vision Can deal with complex controls Knowledge Follows car races on TV, knows famous drivers, has real-life driving experience Has played driving games, follows gaming news Context of Play Family homes At home, when not studying Type A Type B
- 14. Models of Players Player profiles are crafted with contact with users Can be supported by existent models
- 15. Models by Game Genre Common genres Action Adventure Driving Puzzle Role-play Simulation Sports Strategy Shooter
- 16. Models by Game Genre Do they really define the Audience? All shooters!?
- 17. Game Genres Players play the same game differently Genres show the current state of the art Not good if you want to innovate Show the current users *not* the potential ones
- 18. Hardcore vs Casual Hardcore Familiar with game conventions Read about games (e.g. magazines, forums) Playing games as a life-style Adapt theirs life to the game Look for challenge Buy a lot of games
- 19. Hardcore vs Casual Casual Unaware of game conventions Play few games Games must adapt to their life Play to relax and “kill time” Buy few games
- 20. Hardcore vs Casual Literacy Motivation Quantity Hardcore High Challenge Many Casual Low Kill time Few
- 21. Players of MUDs (Bartle, 1996) Hearts, Clubs, Diamonds and Spades Players Environment Socializers Explorers Killers Achievers ManipulateInteract
- 22. Hearts, Clubs, Diamonds and Spades Socializers Enjoy learning about or communication with other players Killers Enjoy manipulating other players Explorers Enjoy interacting with the game world Achievers Enjoy manipulating the game world
- 23. Play Styles Particular form of play. Patterns of play behaviour. Achiever Explorer Competitor Director Collector Creator Storyteller Actor Joker Athlete
- 24. Play Styles There are particular play styles in some genres RTS: turtle, rusher, etc.
- 25. Play Personality Player preference of play styles A player may adopt different play styles + Achiever: 60% + Explorer: 30% + Collector: 10%
- 26. DGD1 Model Demographic Game Design 1 Developed by International Hobo Players model based on personality Myers-Briggs Build on Player surveys and interviews More than 400 participants
- 27. Myers-Briggs
- 28. Myers-Briggs Influence on Game Design (E vs I) - How games are played Duration of game sessions Sociability Connection with the outside world Physical components Ex: Dance Dance Revolution (Konami, 2001)
- 29. Myers-Briggs Influence on Game Design (S vs N) - Learning and problem solving Level of abstraction of challenges Approach to challenge resolution Trial and error (common sense) vs “Lateral Thinking” Game progression Complex problems should not stop the progression (S) Tutorials and help (S, not N)
- 30. Myers-Briggs Influence on Game Design (T vs F) – Motivation to play Encouragement Rewards and progression Collectables (aesthetics) Suggestions and help Deal with failure (“Game Over”) Don’t punish (F)
- 31. Myers-Briggs Influence on Game Design (J vs P) - Goal- orientation Goals and progress Victory conditions Open or closed games Game structure
- 32. DGD1 Model Thinking Feeling Conqueror Manager Participant Wanderer Judging Perceiving (TJ) (TP) (FP)(FJ)
- 33. DGD1 Model Conqueror Manager Participant Wanderer H1 H2 H3H4 C1 C2 C3C4
- 34. DGD1 Model Type 1 – Conqueror (T + J) Needs to “beat” the game in all possible ways H1 (I) Beat their own limits Failure and frustration is positive C1 (I + S) Beat the other players The most hardcore of the casual sector
- 35. DGD1 Model Type 1 – Conqueror (T + J) Game characteristics Fast pace (game progression) Story is irrelevant (C1) or does not give importance to characters (H1) Likes hidden components Online support/extension Need voice (often complain)
- 36. DGD1 Model Type 2 – Manager (T + P) Need to understand and explore the game H2 (I) Like to explore strategies Failures are new opportunities to improve the strategy C2 (I + S) Likes to build artefacts Low tolerance to failure
- 37. DGD1 Model Type 2 – Manager (T + P) Game characteristics Stable progression Implicit goals, focus on the process The plot is more important than the characters Does not need a strong social component
- 38. DGD1 Model Type 3 – Wanderer (F + P) Seeks new experiences H3 (I + N) Seeks fantasy Likes to play with “style” C3 (E + N) The game is just pastime, it cannot… … irritate, tire, “force to think” Needs progress but without much effort Share: plays single-player games in pairs
- 39. DGD1 Model Type 3 – Wanderer (F + P) Game characteristics Slow progression Progression implies new “toys” Non-linear structure Simple controls Emotional connection with the characters The game is a means to share experiences May be to talk about unrelated subjects
- 40. DGD1 Model Type 4 – Participant (F + J) Want to participate in a story or social interaction H4 (E + S) Seek participation in the development of the game and/or story Seek involvement with the real world Favour collaboration C4 (E + S) ? Seek social entertainment Implies the same physical space Favours group play (with friends)
- 41. DGD1 Model Type 4 – Participant (F + J) Game characteristics Game progression connected to the story Emotional connection with the characters Group interactions Preferably face to face
- 42. DGD1 Model http://ihobo.com/_oldsite/articles/DGD1.shtml Progression Narrative Social Conqueror Fast No / Plot Competition Manager Stable Plot No Wanderer Slow / novelty Character / emotion Sharing Participant Story Character / emotion Cooperation (in loco)
- 43. BrainHex Synthesis of Survey data 60,000 respondents + DGD1 and DGD2 Neurobiological findings http://blog.brainhex.com/
- 44. BrainHex 7 classes Seeker Survivor Daredevil Mastermind Conqueror Socialiser Achiever
- 45. BrainHex Seeker Pleasure of discovery (Positive) surprise Aesthetics Preferable activity Searching
- 46. BrainHex Survivor Pleasure of survival Difficult situations Sense of danger and intensity Fear Preferable activity Escaping Just in time
- 47. BrainHex Daredevil Pleasure of taking risks Likelihood of the risk Consequences Seek and confront danger Different from survivor that likes to avoid danger Preferable activity Hunting Invading
- 48. BrainHex Mastermind Pleasure of finding solutions Complex problems Explore options Define strategies Preferable activity Solving problems
- 49. BrainHex Conqueror Pleasure of winning Type and greatness of the win Quality of the adversary Preferable activity Defeating Competing
- 50. BrainHex Socialiser Pleasure of interacting Frequency and quality of the interactions Feeling of belonging Preferable activity Relating to others Helping
- 51. BrainHex Achiever Pleasure of completing goals Complete tasks Complete collections Difficult of the tasks Preferable activity Collect Things Achievements
- 52. BrainHex A player can have more than one strong class (class and subclass) Ex: Mastermind / Survivor A player usually also has some weak classes (exceptions) Player avoid the activities involved Ex: weak seekers hate to have to search for things
- 53. The Daedalus Project The psychology of MMORPG players Nick Yee Based on players surveys [2003-2009] More than 35000 players http://www.nickyee.com/daedalus
- 54. Conclusions Game design should be focused on the satisfaction of players’ needs Players have and active role in the creation of the experience There are clear differences in the way people play Hardcore vs casual Play styles
- 55. Conclusions Different kind of people like different type of games Select the audience of your game Define player profiles to guide the design and development of the game Player models support the definition of profiles Consider more than one profile Deal carefully with conflicts/synergies