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 * From what I got from Professor Ferdigs email was that we basically need to explain what makes a good game design. From the powerpoint I read, it seems like there are some steps to follow to make a good game, and we should elaborate on those steps. Here is something I am thinking for topics, and then we can fill them in with content and research.
 * Hi guys. I didn't know how to write a message to you guys within this wiki so I am just posting my message here. I have entered my two paragraphs here. Let me know what you think. I will check back this evening 4/21 after 6. I have e-mailed Professor Ferdig because I noticed that this project was due at 12:55am 4/22 which only gives us to the end of today.
 * Mind if I slash and hack (sometimes known as editing)? We can always recover the original version.
 * HEY GROUP! I sent an email but I wanted to write on here as well. Slash and hack away with anything you want to fix (I wont be offended). Other than that, read over the email I sent and try to touch up the doc before submitting it. I don't really think it is due by the end of tonight (Saturday) but if you believe we are ready to turn it in tonight, by all means, send it in. Stay in touch and before you submit it (either Nancy or Mary) let us know that you are submitting it. Thanks! - Chris Heiman
 * I'm finished - Nancy.
 * I think we need to be consistent about citing within our document. I noticed that Chris you cited the Laird article (Laird, J., 2005) and Nancy you cited the same article (J. Laird, 2005)
 * Actually the APA is usually without an initial at all. But I was reading my Ormrod text book and noticed that she put the first initial in front. I don’t care which way we go.
 * What do you guys think of replacing the last section in black with what I wrote and reworked in blue? I think it flows a little better.
 * Fine with me. I must admit I prefer bullet points for readability, but I'm OK with what you have. Are you done with it? If so, I'll package it up and send it to the group for a final approval.


 * 1. Goals for the Game**

When developing a game, it is important to make sure you establish different goals for the game and during game play. According to the article by Mary Dondlinger on Educational Video Game Design, having goals for the game help with keeping a player’s interest and motivation to continue playing the game. This motivation is known as extrinsic motivation, which “pulls us to act due to factors that are external to the activity itself, like a reward or threat” (Dondlinger, 2007).

Game goals can be broken up into three different categories: short-term, medium-term and long-term goals. Each goal needs to be well-defined and have a different level of accomplishment. Short-term goals should only last a few seconds to a few minutes, which can keep a player motivated to move from task to task. Medium-term goals should last a little longer, closer to 10 minutes of game play, and the task should be a little more difficult to complete. The long-term goal is to beat the game (Laird, 2005). The purpose behind these different types of goals is to keep the player engaged and motivated the entire way through. Examples of a short-term goal would be something like finding a weapon in order to beat a "boss" or beating the “boss” at the end of the level. An example of a medium-term goal would be reaching a certain point level in order to purchase a weapon or health bar that would let you continue on with the game. And of course, an example of a long-term goal would be reaching the end of the game. Without goals, there would be no reason for a player to pick up the game and begin to play (Dondlinger, 2007). .


 * 2. Interactivity**

An article by Henry Jenkins titled //Game Design as Narrative Architecture// explains Interactivity as depending “on the player for motive power.” There is a fine line between allowing the gamer to make decisions which effect the game and making sure a story is told through the game play. It is important to include both. Games don’t exactly have to tell stories through traditional means like cinema does, but can be in more expressive forms, like a dance or music piece. Which ever way the game’s story unfolds, the user needs to have some sort of say in the outcome, win or lose (Jenkins, 2004).

Game input controls must be easy to use, easy to remember, and intuitive. Ideally the controls should be similar to other games in order for the player to be able to become immersed in the environment (Desurvire & Chen, 2006). .


 * 3. Feedback**

Feedback in a game is a crucial element of the games success and must be provided immediately and continuously. If the player doesn’t know how far he or she has come, or how much further he or she has to go, then it could have a large effect on how that person reacts to the game.

Players at all times should know where they are relative to other players and relative to the goals they need to achieve, as well as what is important in the world they are in. They should be able to use this knowledge to make decisions about the game and what their next move may be (Laird, 2005).

Players should be offered a variety of tasks to complete throughout game play (Laird, 2005). Tasks should be presented in succession from simple tasks for the beginner to more complex tasks requiring more complex problem solving for the more advanced player. Each player should find challenges that meet their experience level and keep them engaged throughout the game (Chen, 2007). Required decisions should be interesting, requiring “different strategies/tactics.”
 * 4. Game Variety**

Each level should provide not only more challenges that are progressively more difficult but there should also be a variety of options that will bring a player back to play again. An example would be that the player can play through the first time as one character with a certain set of characteristics (e.g. good guy) then the next time around the player can play as a different character with a different set of characteristics (e.g. bad guy).

**5. Consistency and Fairness**

There must be a consistency throughout the game. If a player dies due to an action at one point in the game then unless something is different (ex. the player has gained new skills) the player should die if confronted with the identical action elsewhere in the game.

Game characters need to be consistent with the story (Desurvire & Chen, 2006). Everything a character says must take into account the current environment and past conversations. The conversations must make sense for the stage of gameplay and within the environment where it takes place. And yet, the conversations must not be repetitive. If a conversation does not result in the desired action then the conversation must be reworked so that it is restated in different terms or terminology (Bond & Beale, 2009).

The level of difficulty at each stage of the game must be reasonable and consistent. There should be no abrupt increase or decrease in the perceived level of difficulty which would unacceptably challenge the player (Adams, 2010). The level of difficulty should increase or decrease at a steady pace according to the players ability and should be based on the player's skill and performance (Chen, 2007).

**6. What to Avoid**  Laird (2005) highlights several features to avoid when designing a game.
 * 1) A poor story line, breaks in reality of the game, as well as long loading times and how the game is saved can be negative points to users of the game. A game should flow uninterrupted with a meaningful story line in order to keep a player’s attention.
 * 2) Actions that are repetitive and don’t move the player toward the intended goal, or affect the plot progress should be avoided as well.
 * 3) Game players want to experience a balance between the player’s increasing experience and skill, and the challenge that he or she experiences while playing the game. Games that do not provide this type of experience can typically be either too challenging and the player may become discouraged or not challenging enough and the player may become bored and discontinue play.
 * 4) Too much repetition with regard to the strategies needed to complete a level and repetition of game scenes can detract from the game.

**7. Top Tips for Game Design**

 Probably the one tip that sums up many of the top game design tips is “keep it short, simple, and real." Simplicity is vital to providing the player with a pleasant and exciting game experience. The following aspects must be simple to use and navigate:  Menus, directions, other written instructions, and game play information (i.e. point totals, number of lives, and other pertinent and important information) needs to be kept short otherwise they can distract the player from becoming immersed in gameplay.
 * the player menu,
 * accessing and using the help menu, and
 * the controls the player needs to use to navigate the game

 The game must be real with regard to the physics of the game. How do jumping, flying, running and throwing realistically compare to the real world? There also needs to be a reality with regard to the story line - does the plot of the story make sense?

 Players want to have their actions have meaning, purpose, and affect the outcome of the game. Including actions that are superfluous to the gameplay should be avoided.

 There needs to be a way of keeping the player aware of the environment such as social, task, concept, workspace, knowledge and context awareness. This should be done in a non-intrusive way so that the ambiance of the game is maintained. (Kelle et al., 2010)

 Creating a game with these game play criteria in mind will enhance game play and result in a game that players will want to experience again and again.

What are the top tips for game design? Probably the one tip that sums up many of the top game design tips is “keep it short, simple, and real." Simplicity is vital to providing the player with a pleasant and exciting game experience.

The following aspects must be simple to use and navigate; the player menu, accessing and using the help menu, and the button controls the player needs to use to navigate the game. Menus, directions, other written instructions need to be kept short so they do not become overwhelming and turn the player off. Point totals, number of lives, and other pertinent information needs to be within the players visual field but on the same hand not distract the player from becoming immersed in gameplay.

There needs to be a way of keeping the player aware of the environment such as social, task, concept, workspace, knowledge and context awareness. This should be done in a non-intrusive way so that the ambiance of the game is maintained. (Kelle et al., 2010)

The physics of the game must be real and believable. How does jumping, flying, running and throwing in the game compare to the real world? Players want to have their actions have meaning, purpose, and affect the outcome of the game. Including actions that are superfluous to the gameplay should be avoided. There also needs to be a reality with regard to the story line - does the plot of the story make sense?

Creating a game with these game play criteria in mind will enhance game play and result in a game that players will want to experience again and again.

References Adams, E. (2010). //Fundamentals of Game Design//. Berkeley, CA: New riders.

Bond, M., & Beale, R. (2009). What makes a good game?: using reviews to inform design. //BCS-HCI ‘09 Proceedings of the 23rd British HCI Group Annual Conference on People and Computers: Celebrating People and Technology//, 418--422.

Chen, J. (2007, April 4). Flow in games (and everything else). //Communications of the ACM, 50//(4). doi:10.1145/‌1232743.1232769

Dondlinger, M. J. (2007, Spring/‌Summer). Educational Video Game Design: A Review of the Literature. //Journal of Applied Educational Technology, 4//(1), 22 - 30.

Desurvire H, Chen B (2006) 48 Differences between good and bad video games: Game playability principles (PLAY) for designing highly ranked video games. Behavioristics.com LA CHI Association meeting Presentation.

Jenkins, H. (2004). //Game Design as Narrative Architecture//. Retrieved from http://www.anabiosispress.org/VM606/1stPerson_hjenkins.pdf

Kelle, S., Specht, M., Börner, D., & Kalz, M. (2010). Ambient Displays and Game Design Patterns. //Sustaining TEL: From Innovation to Learning and Practice, 6383///‌//2010//, 512-517. doi:10.1007/‌978-3-642-16020-2_46

Laird, J. (2005, September 8). //Principles of Game Design//. PowerPoint Presentation presented at University of Michigan. http://www.emunix.emich.edu/‌~evett/‌GameProgramming/‌LectureNotes/‌Game-Design-principles.pdf