Prototyping CS 4730 Computer Game Design Credit Some

Prototyping CS 4730 – Computer Game Design Credit: Some slide material courtesy Walker White (Cornell) CS 4730

What is a Prototype? • In the simplest terms, it’s an incomplete model of your game – It usually has a reduced feature set – The selected features are usually the “most important” • The idea is to get an idea for what the basic gameplay will be like – Try out a mechanic – Tune some parameters 2 CS 4730

What is a Prototype? • Types of prototypes – Throwaway – Evolutionary – Incremental – Extreme • Forms of prototypes – Physical – Digital (different system) – Digital (same system) 3 CS 4730

Throwaway Prototype • With a throwaway prototype, you don’t intend to reuse any of the created “material” in the final product – This refers to the actual “things” created, not the knowledge gained – Thus, all non-digital prototypes are by definition throwaway – Your prototype due this week may or may not be throwaway (but probably will be) 4 CS 4730

Why Throwaway? • Why spend the time to build something you know you’ll discard? – Usually, they are quick to create, quick to change – Good for getting basic ideas “down on paper” – Good for convincing others you have a good idea – Good for looking at “slower” aspects of the game (i. e. stepping through each part of a player turn) – Often helps you refine and fully envision exactly what it is you want to make – Can use other quick tools to build 5 CS 4730

Evolutionary Prototypes • With an evolutionary prototype, you are building in the system you plan to build with • Think of this more as “build and iterate” – The initial prototype is only a prototype in that it comes first – Features are added for the next iteration of the prototype – Until you have a “finished” product that just needs polish – This is what you’ll do during your team project 6 CS 4730

Why Digital Prototypes? • Paper can only do so much • Can test input methods better • Hard to test physics systems, networking systems, etc. without this • Can use real assets 7 CS 4730

Physical Prototypes • We did a throwaway physical prototype earlier this year – The game lab the first week • Admittedly, some games are easier to make physical prototype than others… • Example: Thrones by Martin Kellogg 8 CS 4730

Physical Prototype • What other things can you use to make a physical prototype? 9 CS 4730

Physical Prototype 10 CS 4730

Physical Prototype 11 CS 4730

Physical Prototype 12 CS 4730

Some Games are Easier to Prototype 13 CS 4730

Goals From Physical Prototype • Explore the core mechanics in a controlled, slower-paced environment • Physically force you to consider different aspects of your game before coding them • Get the team to talk about core decisions • Encourage collaboration • Test out value of resources in economy 14 CS 4730

Your Physical Prototype • I won’t FORCE you to make a physical prototype for your team project… • … but you’ll either do one or you’re going to storyboard the game • I will ask for SOME physical design aspect of the game outside of the design doc itself! 15 CS 4730

Digital Prototype • Digital prototypes come in many different forms – Wireframing (UX mock-ups) sometimes has functionality (often faked) – Rapid prototyping tools/projects can be done by taking an existing project or demo and customizing it – Custom prototyping can be very powerful, but can also take a great deal of time 16 CS 4730

Wireframing • Wireframing comes from the term/idea that you are looking at a scaffold drawing of an object • Often done in image editors with some scripting thrown in somehow to show transitions • Heck, it could even be Powerpoint 17 CS 4730

Rapid Prototyping • Which leads us to rapid prototyping • Often done with a toolset of some kind – Many games come with modding tools or level editors – Custom map creation and modding is one of the first steps many people take in getting into the games business! • Could be throwaway or evolutionary • This is what you are doing for your pitches 18 CS 4730

Rapid Prototyping • Is it worth the time? – Often it is! – You can test out a particular mechanic – Refine the code – Then import it over to your final project! 19 CS 4730

Custom Prototyping • Can be a bit more intense • But allows for a lot more flexibility when testing and evaluating mechanics 20 CS 4730

Tomb Raider 21 CS 4730

Bio. Ware 22 CS 4730

Fez (Fezzer Level Editor) 23 CS 4730

Super Mario World (Lunar Magic) 24 CS 4730

Changing Values 25 CS 4730

Custom Prototypes • Custom prototypes can be very powerful • Can take much longer to create • But can let you try TONS of “slider combinations” without restarting, rebuilding, republishing your program • So… tradeoffs… • You WILL have to code some aspects of this into your project • More info later! 26 CS 4730

How would you prototype… • How would you build a physical prototype for – A dungeon crawler, like Diablo? – A soccer game? – A match-3 puzzle game? – A top-down view shmup? – Super Mario Bros 3? – A fighting game? 27 CS 4730