Inclusive Game Design By Kaye Elling Creative Manager
Inclusive Game Design By Kaye Elling Creative Manager: Bratz Rock Angelz www. Blitz. Games. com
Overview • Making games inclusive • Gender and age • Design Dynamics • Bratz Rock Angelz (THQ, 2005) • Comparing “young male” orientated titles
Why make inclusive games?
Market forces • Market is reaching saturation • 103 million consoles sold worldwide • 73 m PS 2 s, 16 m Xboxes, 14 m Game. Cubes (USA today, year end 2004). • Hardcore & mainstream gamers
Future-proofing • To continue growth, market must diversify • “Next Gen” is now “Current Gen” • Hobby- and casual gamers • Children (ages 6 -15) • Older demographic (age 40+) • Women (all ages)
The Stats
The Stats
What makes a game inclusive?
The 5 Cs: Characterisation
Characterisation: “Who” • Player character buy-in is more important to women than it is to men. • Relationships make gaming experiences • Men see characters as controllable • Women see them as representational
Lara Croft • Why she works for girls and guys: • Strong • Capable • Beautiful • Cool • Intelligent • Fearless • Skilled • Cup size? • “She can do everything a man can do. In fact, she might as well be a man in drag. ” • Ernest Adams, Designer’s Notebook
Lara Croft • Until Lara came along, most female characters in games were: • Waiting to be rescued. • Eye-candy (Pauline, Donkey Kong) (Nameless chick, countless games) • Statistically inferior (Ling Xiao. Yu, Tekken) • First empowered heroine • Paved the way for others Nikki (Pandemonium) • She works despite of her appearance, not because of it.
Bratz • Why they work for girls: • Fun • Intelligent • Creative • Stylish • Altruistic • Friendly • Individualistic • Focus: Friendship • Focus: Cooperation
Bratz as Protagonists • Strong, iconic imagery • Full character history • Complex relationships • Lara Croft for pre-teens
The 5 Cs: Context
Context: “Where” • In-game environments; the core of most games • Player must want to be in those spaces • Context can exclude potential players Gamer Chicks: How a Generation of Young Women Inhabit Virtual Worlds Online White paper by Constance Steinkuehler, University of Wisconsin, USA.
Gendered Spaces • Male gendered spaces • Perceived as highly threatening • Frequented predominantly by males • Openly hostile to women • Female gendered spaces • Perceived as visually over-feminised • Frequented predominantly by women • Openly hostile to men
Male Gendered spaces: • Building site • Football stadium • Houses of Parliament • Any area in Half-Life 2 • Strip Joint in GTA Vice City • Wrestling ring in WWE Smackdown
Neutral Spaces: • Cinema • Shopping Mall • Gym* *Recent market expansion through diversification - while retaining its core clientele. • Anywhere in Tak 2: The Staff of Dreams • Mansion in Bratz: Rock Anglez • Race circuits in Mario Kart
Spaces in Bratz:
Spaces in Bratz:
Spaces in Bratz:
The 5 Cs: Control
Control: “How” • Males and females respond differently • Age groups respond differently • Most gameplay mechanics are male 18 -25 • Arcade Hangover: One size does not fit all
Risk & Reward • The bigger the risk to the player, the bigger the potential reward to that player • Most popular game play mechanic ever • Females do not like taking risks… • …they prefer Action & Reaction • Control = empowerment
Punitive Systems • Punish the player for “failure” • Heavy handed & generates frustration • Game Over: Sudden permanent death… • …versus an instant re-spawn • Example: Rainbow 6 • Further Examples: The Molyneux Principle
Violence vs. Brutality • When is violence not exclusive? • Defensive or provoked • Comedic or without suffering • Stylised (cartoony, non-realistic) • When does violence exclude players? • Offensive or casual • Sadistic or causes suffering • Hyper-real (excessively gory) • Example: Manhunt! Bully?
Inclusive Play Examples: • Violence: Ratchet & Clank • Non-punitive: Lego Star Wars • Non-punitive: Prince of Persia: Sands of Time • Action & reaction: Nancy Drew series • Everything: The Sims series
The 5 Cs: Customisation
Buzzword of the year 2005 • Creates unique user experiences • True cross-gender, cross-demographic tool • Seen in all kinds of consumer products • Cars: Mini Cooper • Furniture: Ikea • Electronics: Mobile phone fascias, i. Pods
In Games • Cross-platform, cross-genre • Motors: Need for Speed Underground • Motors: Juiced • Clothing: Tony Hawks Pro Skater • Appearance: WWE series (Create a Wrestler) • Avatars: any RPG
Customisation in Bratz • 224 make-up • 135 jewellery • 40 phone • 221 clothes • 66 shoes • = 686 items!
2006 and beyond • Minimum requirement: customisation • Preferred feature: personalisation • Stationary • i. Pod Nano • Nike trainers • UCC (User Created Content)
The 5 Cs: Creativity
Creativity: Personalisation • Creativity spans all demographics • Gives the player freedom • A big hit in all kinds of gaming genres • UCC in The Sims • Halo 2 multiplayer clan badges • Tags in Counter-Strike • Tags in Jet Set Radio • Bratz make-up editor and T-shirt/Poster Editors
Face Paint editor
T-shirt/Poster editor
Summary • Never take game play mechanics for granted. • Good designers can create for anyone. • Remember the 5 Cs: • Characterisation • Context • Control • Customisation • Creativity
Bratz Rock Angelz
Q&A
- Slides: 40