Will Wright on creating games, game language, game theory

Will Wright (designer "The Sims" discusses toys

Next week's class - on 10/9/09

Next week lecture – GAME CONCEPTS

Presentations –

In-class exercise “Us vs It” board game – collaborative game design assignment

Homework – each team to assign a member to put game elements on cardboard & cut out ready for next week

Complete ‘level design’ list as outlined in this week’s blog entry for in-class ex.

Chapter 2 Ernest Adams lecture powerpoint

Click here for the powerpoint from today's lecture on chapter 2 of Ernest Adam's "Fundamentals of Game Design"

Interview with Shigero Miramoto

Click here to view a October 2002 Interview with Shigeru Miyamoto, game footage includes Zelda: The Wind Walker, Metroid Prime and Animal Crossing.

Questions asked about if his family and children influences his design, about how now he oversees games and if that takes away from the more hands on role he had previously. Then moving onto the new Metroid (Prime) game and if it would be more open like previous Metroid games, then if Japanese players would respect the first person view, and his role in it. He is then asked about how the idea for Animal Crossing (NGC) came across. Then moving onto Zelda (The Wind Walker), and if it is the first chronologically, then if so how come he has a sister and she disappears in "later" games. He then gets asked about how come there seems to be a lot of emphasis on co-operative play in his games.

Wiki entry on Miramoto

Videogame design interview

Click here to view the interview with Masahiro Kumono of SEGA WOW Inc., about Kunoichi (Japanese release name, roughly: "Female Ninja") / Nightshade (English release name), from October 2003.

Questions are all about the game, and its design. Footage includes that from the game's CD sequences, and some gameplay (the game was near release at the time).

Kikizo's page on this video is here

Videogame-related footage taken from Kikizo's archives.
[Thanks to Kikizo.com for donating this footage.]

In Class Assignment 10/2

Document the level progression of a well known game that you have played all the way through, such as StarCraft or Fallout3. (If the game does not have explicit levels, as in Half-Life, document major areas or sections of the game.) Describe the game world in each level and the types of challenges that it presents. If the levels are integrated into a story, explain how each level supports or relates to the story.