2009-04-15 17:33:39
Some after GDC09 thoughts about emotions in games
Some after GDC09 thoughts about
emotions in games. The game design challenge: My First Time presented by Eric
Zimmerman. Participants: Steve Meretzky, Heather Kelley, Sulka Haro, Erin
Robinson
I was pretty shocked when Erin Robinson was telling me that
bringing emotions into games is an easy thing.
I don't think so.
Especially if i look to the known emotions in games I do not see many different
kinds of emotions. Fear, maybe hate but not love, anger, rage, violent emotions
all the time and that goal emotion "Yeah I'm a HERO" - not subtile but
boring.
We had learned so far that we might make the player care for his
avatar, because he (and not she is in the focus) is the avatar. Do you remember
the Tamagotchi? Yes, you do. Another game about care, but it is parental
welfare. A game and a handheld console that provides the major theme of
love.
We can use sounds and music for transporting emotional
values,
so we can use the artwork. We can even use the story and the
dialogs, but does this full fill our intention
of different emotions in
different games. The usage of (one) emotion(s) as the basic game
theme.
When ever you try to build emotions into games do you ever thought
about the core game mechanics?
So what basic emotion delivers a FPS Ego
shooter? I know that's a rhetoric question - a Prince of Persia, Street
Fighter, Halo 3, ... , Bejeweled, Click 3 away, Hidden Object Game, Sports game,
what ever we made so far.
Still there is Tamagotchi. One game in a
multiverse of many more. But the basic emotional driver is still care. A
different kind of but still it is.
So what emotions we can deliver? Care,
hero stuff and what more?
What is the basic emotion of a puzzle
game?
Heather Kelley's and Erin Robinson's game proposal was a quite
pure and poor casual games collection. Nothing that you would expect emotions
being involved. The emotion had been driven through the graphical artwork. It
looked like hand drawn plan of a 15year old teeny girl. Her dream catching
battle plan for the first sex event.
Steve Meretzky achieved emotions
through the story. He shared his experiences. The story is a tough driver! He
delivered with the story even catharsis in the end. Something like love,
friendship, understanding.
Sulka Haru finally made a social You share
your emotions game. Is sharing providing aq different mechanic? Care versus
share.
Some after GDC09 thoughts about emotions in games
Some after GDC09 thoughts about
emotions in games. The game design challenge: My First Time presented by Eric
Zimmerman. Participants: Steve Meretzky, Heather Kelley, Sulka Haro, Erin
Robinson
I was pretty shocked when Erin Robinson was telling me that
bringing emotions into games is an easy thing.
I don't think so.
Especially if i look to the known emotions in games I do not see many different
kinds of emotions. Fear, maybe hate but not love, anger, rage, violent emotions
all the time and that goal emotion "Yeah I'm a HERO" - not subtile but
boring.
We had learned so far that we might make the player care for his
avatar, because he (and not she is in the focus) is the avatar. Do you remember
the Tamagotchi? Yes, you do. Another game about care, but it is parental
welfare. A game and a handheld console that provides the major theme of
love.
We can use sounds and music for transporting emotional
values,
so we can use the artwork. We can even use the story and the
dialogs, but does this full fill our intention
of different emotions in
different games. The usage of (one) emotion(s) as the basic game
theme.
When ever you try to build emotions into games do you ever thought
about the core game mechanics?
So what basic emotion delivers a FPS Ego
shooter? I know that's a rhetoric question - a Prince of Persia, Street
Fighter, Halo 3, ... , Bejeweled, Click 3 away, Hidden Object Game, Sports game,
what ever we made so far.
Still there is Tamagotchi. One game in a
multiverse of many more. But the basic emotional driver is still care. A
different kind of but still it is.
So what emotions we can deliver? Care,
hero stuff and what more?
What is the basic emotion of a puzzle
game?
Heather Kelley's and Erin Robinson's game proposal was a quite
pure and poor casual games collection. Nothing that you would expect emotions
being involved. The emotion had been driven through the graphical artwork. It
looked like hand drawn plan of a 15year old teeny girl. Her dream catching
battle plan for the first sex event.
Steve Meretzky achieved emotions
through the story. He shared his experiences. The story is a tough driver! He
delivered with the story even catharsis in the end. Something like love,
friendship, understanding.
Sulka Haru finally made a social You share
your emotions game. Is sharing providing aq different mechanic? Care versus
share.
