Design Dive #33

Quality of Life Features

Panel

Kelly Tran - Co-founder and Game Designer at Evolved Play. Previously, Game Design Professor researching games and players at High Point University. PhD in learning and tech. Solo Twitch - Group Twitch - Website

Dan Felder - Senior Game Designer Riot Games. Previously Abrakam, Blizzard, EA.

Connor Hillen - Game Development Instructor at Carleton University.

Brandon Dolinski - Level Designer Eidos Montreal. Previously Mass Effect Andromeda and Dragon Age.

Mohamed Abdel Khalik - Head of Game Design Relations at Machinations. Previously, Consultant at Mezan Studios.

Notes

• Streamline gameplay.

• Think of more mechanical QoL and features.

• Mods provide feedback (do I know I’m tanking? Threat Meter let’s you know proactively).

• Choice is one of two options that appears equal.

• Calculation is when of the choices is clearly better.

• Elegance in design.

  • Systems that interact with each other really well.

• QoL increases accessibility of the game.

• Complexity is the wall you have to get over before you’re allowed to have fun:

  • Things to learn.

  • Things you have to actually get used to.

    • Cover and aim and move and attack at the same time.

  • Remove unnecessary complexity.

• Depth is understanding the techniques.

  • Goal is attack opponent in chess.

  • Success is understanding what a good move is.

    • Put players in the context of what a success looks like.

    • Have the scenario of the game and let the players practice the game in context.

    • Practice but not 10 times in a row.

• Surface memory

  • Players are discarding as much on the spot useless info as possible.

  • Players discard information from one scenario to the next.

• Lower frustration and don’t poison experience purposely.

• What is working during prototyping?

  • It’s easy to write theory on solving problem.

  • Focus on articulating goals for the experience.

    • Bright spots that deliver on these goals or new goals that emerge.

  • Find what is working and throw everything else out.

    • Understand why it works.

  • Don’t theorycraft problem-solving.

  • The game evolves organically.

• Designers need to prioritize high impact problem and not small issues.

• Get information as fast as possible on where the fun drops.